Axis Support Vessel Has It All: Chopper, Jet Skis, Submersible, and Seaplanes

Folks, this is the Axis, a yacht support vessel from none other than Damen Yachting, a specialized builder out of the Netherlands with a history dating back to 1918. That's over 100 years of boat-building knowledge and capability, and all of that is expressed in the Axis.

Axis is currently part of the Allen Exploration, a private fleet aimed at ocean discovery and environmental projects. Then there's the whole educational aspect of what they do. But, since the Axis is the star of this piece, we'll focus on that.

Overall, you're looking at a vessel that comes in with a length of 55.3 meters (181.4 feet) and features a beam of 9.25 meters (30.3 feet). At full-load, it's a ship with a draught of three meters (9.84 feet), so getting close to bays and shallows shouldn't be an issue.

One of the first features that attracted me to Axis was the hull design and the number of toys, gear, and tenders this puppy can carry. Since I mentioned hull design first, we can run with that for now.

The Axis' exterior design and naval architecture are both controlled by Damen. This allowed the crew to shape every aspect to their liking, including the sharp and narrow bow. This feature enables Axis to pierce through water at speeds upwards of 22 knots (25 mph), all the while traveling up to 5,000 nautical miles (5,754 miles). This is made possible by four diesel Caterpillar engines that crank out 1,118 hp each. That's 4,472 hp total.

The front half of Axis is designed to house the main living spaces and helm station, while the rear is reserved for toys, vehicles, gear, and anything else needed on explorational projects.

The living areas for Axis aren't designed to be the absolute pinnacle of luxury, but rather to offer the basics needed for researchers and the likes. A social lounge features leather couches, an entertainment center, and a bar while sleeping quarters are designed for efficiency and comfort. In total, a crew of seven plus a captain, four staff members, and only four guests can journey upon Axis.

While out and about on some treasure-hunting adventures, as Allen Exploration undertakes these sorts of events, one of the first toys you'll be happy to hop on is a Triton submersible. It's not specified how many people this personal sub will handle, but it's there, and you can very well take turns riding in it.

One toy that you'll rarely find on any superyacht, let alone a vessel of this size, is an Icon A5 aircraft. Yes, folks, Axis features its very own airplane. I know that you may be thinking that there's no landing strip big enough on the Axis, but the A5 is a waterplane, so any body of water large enough is your airport. Heck, some images in the gallery show not one but two planes as part of the possible equipment.

Then you've got things like jet skis, inflatable tenders, day boats, cranes for launching, and other small watercraft aimed at exploration. But let's face it, the fun you can have with toys like these goes beyond imagination, especially if you find some sunken treasure.

Sadly, the Axis is a private superyacht, so the only way you'll even get a ride aboard is if you're invited. I wonder if Allen Exploration would be open to autoevolution filming some scenes on the Axis. Fingers crossed.