We cruise on the 197-footer, which has 180 rare woods, stones, and other exotic materials in its interior.
An out-of-this-world interior containing over 180 rare materials, including an intergalactic piece of meteorite, makes Limousine, the 197-foot custom displacement yacht built by Heesen, a bittersweet boat. His dreamboat never came to light because the owner, who loved specifying every detail, passed away just one week before it was launched.
The four-year build of Lusine continued throughout the pandemic once it was delivered in February 2022. Covid’s owner was unable to travel from his home in the Middle East to Heesen’s facility in The Netherlands, which prevented him from visiting. In order to meet his religious requirements, he requested a shoe bench, where guests could leave their shoes, as well as hand-washing basins on every deck.
Robb Report spent some time aboard Lusine during a short cruise from Monaco to St Tropez in September after the owner’s family put the yacht up for sale.
Designer Frank Laupman of Omega Architects placed a significant emphasis on spending time outdoors with family to create Leusine, which means moon in Armenian. As well as a refreshment center and two large televisions, the aft main deck also included an alfresco dining and sun lounge area for 10 guests shaded by an overhang, as well as a refreshment center and sun lounge. A second large social area is located on the upper deck of the boat with sunpads and lounge areas for informal dining.
The touch-and-go helipads on the sun deck are customized with crescent moon symbols in place of the H that is found on standard helipads.
A sun deck with minimal furniture can be used as a dance floor, a yoga deck, or even a sun lounge, depending on the new owner’s preferences.
As we discovered on our short trip to St. Tropez, the outdoor areas are very sociable. The bow lounge was windy, but very comfortable, and the aft deck bar was another place where guests naturally gathered. I spent time listening to a crew member playing a guitar, while the ocean passed by.
It is not necessarily a social spot to watch the skipper and his team at work at the advanced helm, but there are lounges where guests can see them. Captain Varun Raju expressed that Lusine operates as a completely paperless yacht, meaning all charts and maps are digital.
There are only a few charts on board in the near full beam main salon wall art, which depict celestial constellations made of blue agate and straw marquetry. A meteorite inlay surrounded by palladium leaf is also found here in the main salon coffee table, the boat’s “moon stone.” “This is the closest I will get to touching something from space,” said Varun.
Over 180 rare woods, precious fabrics and exquisite materials embellish the interior designed by Sinot Yacht Design. Oak floors with Versailles patterns, crystal chandeliers from Precision Lighting and gold leaf and white onyx sideboards add to the bling. To symbolize the owner’s mantra that time is precious, clocks of all shapes and sizes line the walls. Puffer fish and stingray skins line the walls.
“He was a details man who drilled down on every aspect of the design,” Sinot’s Paul Costerus explains.In a dozen meetings with Sinot, the owner brought hundreds of samples of every material he could think of for Lusine, and showed the design team exactly what he wanted—from furniture heights to reading glasses storage nooks near the bed to bathroom cabinet height and depth to ensure towels of a certain thread count would fit.
This obsessive attention to detail is evident throughout the interior. Besides wanting a luxury yacht that looked like a Middle Eastern palace, he also wanted it to tell a story. It’s no surprise that there are so many materials to discuss. Moonstone, as he referred to it, is one of the best conversation starters. Moonstone gems, however, must also be part of the celestial star charts and the coffee table.
It felt like everything was incredibly tactile because of the volume of materials and the size of the spaces. The walls and finishes beckoned me to touch them.
To minimize disruptions to guests, the owner also prioritized crew service. Guests were given pride of place on the yacht. The owners and guests are transported from the lower deck to the sun deck via an atrium elevator. In addition to the elevator, Helen Amy Murray’s multi-deck 3D leather artwork surrounding it is even more impressive. Featuring marine life underwater, birds and clouds above, and celestial moon and stars above, it reflects three dimensions of nature.
Dedicated to the owner is a full-beam suite with a king-size bed, two bathrooms, and a study. The master suite windows frost at the touch of a button, creating an entirely private haven. A Jacuzzi and lounge chairs face the stern on the owner’s private deck. Private dining is also available here.
Additionally, there are four twin cabins on the lower deck, as well as a VIP suite with private office on the same floor.
Guests can access the water from a full-beam swim platform with an on-deck shower on the lower deck. The boat has a tender and toy garage and a day-head. The jet ski and two tenders can be launched from the side thanks to gull-wing doors. An additional tender garage holds a 270 Dauntless Boston Whaler and a jet ski.
He wanted Lusine to be a social haven for family and friends, inside and out. In the end, he met that goal.
