In Profile:
Humphreys Yacht Design Ltd – Arksen 65 & Arksen 85

Name: Thomas Humphreys

Company: Humphreys Yacht Design Ltd – Naval Architect and Exterior Designer for Arksen 65 & Arksen 85

Position within company: Director

Website: http://humphreysdesign.com

How would you describe your personal design style?

As a design office we do not have a particular “house style”. We are involved in a wide variety of projects, which all have different requirements in terms of the desired aesthetic. The exterior design of the Arksen 85 was very much function led due to the extent of technical and functional requirements set out in the original design brief. We also wanted to deliver a rugged and purposeful look to reflect the intent of a high performance Explorer yacht design like this.

Where does your design inspiration come from?

From a whole host of things, such as spending time on the water on and around boats to always being interested in the latest developments within the marine industry and other sectors. As a design office we are involved in a very diverse range of projects including both power and sail as well as a growing involvement in the commercial marine sector. I think this diversity always helps to challenge our thinking and keeps us inspired!

In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?

Rightly so, given the climate crisis that we all face, maximising efficiency and minimising environmental impact are now integral aspects to all projects.

What was your favourite project to work on and why?

It is hard to pick out one project, but one that was hugely memorable for me was my first design from when I joined the office full time in 2006, which was a 42ft racing yacht for Sir Richard Matthews, founder of Oyster Yachts. Having just graduated he took a huge leap of faith in me, but we had a lot of success racing the boat and an invaluable experience for me in terms of what I learned through the process.

What was your most challenging project to work on and why?

Ermis², a 38 metre high performance motor yacht. For quite practical reasons the Client had a requirement for a yacht with a very high top speed in excess of 55 knots as well as exceptional seakeeping characteristics so the yacht could be driven hard in tough conditions. This provided a real challenge in terms of naval architecture and necessitated a design approach that was more akin to grand prix racing yacht design in terms of weight management. At the time this was the fastest superyacht ever launched without gas turbines.

What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?

We are working on several exciting projects at the moment which we hope will lead to some exciting news within the next 12 months.

Your favourite holiday destination?

Cruising on our family sailing yacht in Croatia. Lovely people, beautiful coastline and islands and endless bays and anchorages to explore.

Your favourite way to spend an afternoon?

Fishing – either fly fishing on a river somewhere or sea fishing from a boat in and around the Solent where I live.