Feadship is bucking convention with a new megayacht.

The 262-footer, known as Project 826 or Thalassa, marks a bold departure from classic superyacht design, with a sleek, low profile that is more akin to that of a sailing yacht. It is also equipped with the largest beach club of any Feadship to date, making it an outlier in the best possible way.

“This yacht represents a new design chapter in the Feadship story, and the look is proving popular,” Feadship director Jan-Bart Verkuyl said in a statement. “Achieving a profile this clean whilst accommodating the technical complexity of the stern architecture and the scale of the beach club openings demanded a high level of engineering innovation.”

British designer Malcolm McKeon, famous for creating elegant, minimalist sailing yachts, penned the exterior, incorporating elements from high-performance sloops throughout. The sharp, plumb bow and the hull that slowly widens aft, for example, reduce resistance and drag. The hull also has a small tumblehome, sloping slightly inward to increase stability. The low freeboard helps with stability, too. 

Thalassa cuts a sailer-esque silhouette, as well. That is not exactly surprising, given McKeon has designed more than 200 vessels, most of them sailing yachts. Long, sculptural lines run from the uncluttered, flat foredeck to the waterfall stern, with the silver superstructure almost floating atop the graphite-coloured hull thanks to full-height glass walls. The abundance of teak also recalls traditional sailboats.  

Designed for outdoor living, the yacht features walk-around main and upper decks, providing easy access to the al fresco social areas forward and aft. The main deck is home to a stunning seaside lounge centered around a 20-foot glass-bottom pool. Below lies a two-level beach club of over 1,770 square feet with 180-degree views across the ocean. At the center lies a cozy sunken lounge and bar, with a higher perimeter level fitted with teak-covered hatches that open to become overwater terraces.

The beach club leads to a watersports area, as well as a gym and a massage room. These spaces feature folding hull doors that open out into terraces, creating another spot for waterside hangs. At the opposite end, the touch-and-go helipad doubles as a pickleball court with removable netting.

The interior, designed by Milanese firm m2atelier, has not yet been revealed, but Feadship describes it as “contemporary yet warm and relaxing.” The winter garden, which transforms from an interior to an exterior space via folding glass panels, points to the kind of innovative touches one can expect throughout.

In terms of propulsion, the yacht is equipped with standard diesel engines plus three Scania gensets for extra electrical power. Comings and goings can be carried out in the two large tenders, which are housed in a forward garage.

“McKeon’s brief challenged us in the best possible way, and the response from the market suggests we have delivered something the industry has been waiting for,” adds Verkuyl.