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This may read like something a spoiled brat would write, but, in my travels as a yacht reviewer, I sometimes feel that megayachts-for all their envelopepushing custom-ness-seem boringly alike. The only variety seems to lie between the choice of Early Bordello or Stark Moderne interiors: The entertaining area is always right here, the TV is over there, the skylounge is about game tables, and staterooms are where you sleep.
One look at the 161-foot Anjilis, however, and those preconceived notions are shattered. The owners and their designer didn’t just think outside the box, they threw it away. A chance encounter at a boat show had introduced the owners of Anjilis to Glade Johnson, a designer from the Pacific Northwest. And, though neither the owners nor Trinity had worked with Johnson before, it turned out to be a match made in heaven.
This was the second Trinity for these owners, but it wasn’t just this couple’s next yacht: It was their 16th! And so, when it came to understanding how they really used their yachts, they knew exactly what they wanted.
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For starters, the salon in many yachts is as formal and beautiful as an Architectural Digest photo. Yet when it comes down to being either comfortable or useful, it is neither. Aboard Anjilis, the owners made the decision to switch purposes: The skylounge became the primary gathering place during the day, and the salon was turned into an entertainment area for evenings.
For the owner, music is not just a pleasure: It’s a passion. Though he is now a real estate developer, he earned his way through college as a professional musician, and so the salon was designed around his pride and joy: a Roland VK-88 Combo organ. This is arguably the ultimate instrument for anyone who likes to tickle the ivories, because it not only provides authentic organ sounds, but it plays exactly like a classic organ with waterfall keyboards. So the Roland, which was built into a comfortable bar with a wraparound marble counter in the after corner of the salon, is where guests gather in the evenings.
Another feature of the salon is particularly telling: There is a table lamp next to every seat in the area, so anyone wanting to read won’t need to huddle in a corner. And, with two couches and four loose chairs, there is plenty of seating for those watching the 71-inch plasma television that hides behind a drop-down painting on the forward bulkhead. The overall effect is an inviting room for music, reading, and media.
While the previous Anjilis had a distinctly Art Deco interior, Johnson created a more contemporary feel without abandoning all of the Deco touches. With the extensive use of wenge and anigre, the craftsmen at Trinity were able to showcase their talents with light and dark woods in the overhead treatment, on the wooden sole near the entry aft, and in the flawless cabinetry.
To preserve the sanctity of the salon, the dining area is separated by a bulkhead, and guests pass through a pocket door with swirling cast-glass inserts to gather for meals. A table of inlaid etimoe, an exotic wood that resembles rosewood, seats 10. It is so beautiful that it is almost a shame to cover it with place settings.
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Service is from the portside galley, which is truly a dream kitchen. The chef has his own working area with granite counters, stainless steel backsplashes, an eight-burner Vulcan stove with two ovens, and a trio of Delfield refrigerator/freezers. Servers have the outboard side of the galley for prep and returns through a door into the dining area.
If there is one single spot where you can appreciate the talents of Trinity and Glade Johnson, it is in the entry foyer just forward of the dining area. Made of black marble with inlaid stones and a wood border, it is quite breathtaking. Adding to the effect is the swooping, curved staircase to the lower foyer, with its sole of marble and even more complicated inlays of wood and stones. It’s in these creations that one gains an appreciation of the capability that a detail-focused builder such as Trinity brings to the table. Looking up, the side of the stairwell is a jigsaw basketweave of etimoe flat panels that is at once simple and incredibly complicated, and the three-deck undulating stainless steel rail is a work of art.
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The second break with tradition aboard Anjilis is the master stateroom that fills the house forward on the main deck. Realizing that many yachts have cabins with vast expanses of empty floor space, the owners asked Johnson to create three separate areas for a truly private and usable suite. Entry is through an office, with a curved and leather-topped desk on one side and a wet bar opposite. Pocket doors close off the suite, which allows the crew to service the area (and the fridge) when the owners are ensconced for the night.
The full-beam stateroom has been visually divided into two areas by a low bookshelf with a marble top and a sculpture. The sleeping area, with a forward-facing king-size bed, is on the port side, while the starboard becomes a comfortable sitting room with a large couch, television, more bookshelves and, of course, reading lights. The result is a suite where the owners can retreat for privacy without feeling trapped.
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The master bath spans the house forward, with his-and-hers sides separated by a large double-headed steam shower lined in onyx. Her side has an onyx-topped vanity and an oversized walk-in closet with pull-out shoe storage. His side has a spa tub (onyx-lined, of course) and another closet. Because Anjilis was built with charter service in mind, each closet has a lockable section so the owners’ clothes can be left aboard during charters.
Four more generously sized staterooms are on the lower deck, with three king-sized cabins and one with twin berths and a Pullman. Each of the cabins has en suite heads that continue the fine stonework and one set of guests have the luxury of an en suite bathtub. Shoji screens provide light and privacy, and each of the guest cabins features a built-in vanity.
Just as the owners had planned the salon and skylounge for night and day, the color schemes and décor are equally “night and day.” Glade Johnson used a cheery mix of yellows and blues, and blended them with light-toned anigre and tropical curtains. One particularly clever touch is the subtle use of circular shapes. Overhead in the skylounge is a large circular treatment that is reflected below by circular wool carpeting set into a pale maple sole. The result is that it doesn’t feel as though there are separate areas but, rather, one large, convivial space.
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Forward to port is a full bar with four stools, a 60-inch TV hidden behind artwork on the bulkhead, a sitting area with couch and chairs is to starboard and, yes, there’s the traditional game table. But even though the skylounge is bright and airy, sometimes you want to be outside.
Curved sliding doors continue the theme with access to the afterdeck that has been planked with teak in-no surprise-a circular pattern that mimics the large dining table for 10. An oversized TV screen is in one corner above a buffet counter, and an inviting settee in pale yellow wraps around aft. A particularly thoughtful touch is that the afterdeck is heated for all-weather use with radiant ceiling panels. These creature comforts are only as good as their execution, and Trinity carries off such technical appurtenances with aplomb.
Forward of the skylounge is the pilothouse and I can only assume that the captain of Anjilis is much envied by his peers. Lines of sight through the vertical windows that wrap around well aft are superb, and are protected from drizzle by large overhangs. Four monitors fill the anigre instrument panel in front of the helmsman, who gets a stainless and leather leaning post rather than a helm chair. Of note is the full-sized chart table with drawers, to port. The usual curved settee with twin snack tables is above and behind the helm for guests or off-watch crew.
But captains are particularly going to appreciate the office area just behind the settee, with a separate computer and secondary systems. Here, the skipper can plot courses and set waypoints without having to lean over the instrument panel. The navigation, communication, and security systems provided and installed by High Seas Technology give the captain full access to all the onboard reporting systems without intruding on pilothouse activities.
Just abaft the pilothouse is a captain’s cabin that befits the skipper of such a fine yacht, with a desk, stowage for uniforms, and an en suite head with shower. The engineer aboard Anjilis also has a private en suite cabin situated just abaft the engineroom.
Providing a mix of sun and shade, the upper deck is easily accessed via curving stairs. An eight-person Jacuzzi spa is forward with gentle teak steps for entry, and two deeply padded sun cushions are on each side, all protected by wraparound glass windscreens. Under the hardtop, which cantilevers forward from the electronics arch, is an oversized dinette with a beautifully inlaid table. Opposite is a full bar with four stools, and a flatscreen TV is mounted on the bulkhead of the enclosed day-head. Just behind the settee is a Lynx Pro-Sear infrared barbecue that has the benefits of charcoal with the controllability of gas.
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The boatdeck on Anjilis is immense, with ample space to hold the 21-foot Novurania Custom Line tender as well as a pair of Yamaha Wave Runners, all of which are launched with the 4,400-pound Nautical Structures centerline davit.
In terms of systems, Anjilis is superbly equipped, starting with the twin 2,250-horsepower Caterpillar 3512 main engines, which give her a top speed of 20 knots and a comfortable cruise of 18, according to the builder. At 10 knots, she has a 2,500-nautical-mile range.
Electrical power is provided by a pair of 125 kW KiloPak gensets, and she has Quantum Zero-Speed stabilizers for comfort underway or at anchor. She tows a 29-foot Intrepid with twin 250-horsepower Yamahas, and has a full range of water toys including tandem Ocean and Hobie Odyssey kayaks, plus full fishing and diving gear. To counter the inevitable effects of the gourmet chef, Anjilis has a selection of exercise equipment.
If you ever wondered what an experienced owner, a world-class yacht builder, and an innovative designer can work together to achieve, Anjilis is it. And for this owner, Anjilis is truly the perfect yacht.
Trinity Yachts, (228) 276-1000; **www.trinityyachts.com**
