Project UFO From ICON Yachts Turns an Old Rescue Vessel Into a Luxurious, Massive Explorer

When it comes to conversions, perhaps few other yards have as solid a reputation as The Netherlands-based ICON Yachts, which previously delivered Ragnar and Project Master and rewrote the rulebook on rugged luxury in the process. Their latest project is called UFO and will again see an old and apparently no longer useful rescue ship turned into a competent and record-breaker superyacht explorer.

The details for Project UFO were actually carved out during last year’s Monaco Yacht Show during a private meeting between ICON and the owner. This was short on the heels of the delivery of Project Master, which is another famous rescue ship conversion with a design by Espen Oino. The client, it turns out, wanted something that resembled that explorer but with a more personal touch.

Project UFO came into being and was officially announced at this year’s edition of the prestigious event, Boat International confirms. It will use as a base a 217-foot (66-meter) Offshore Rescue and Support Vessel, which was chosen as the perfect platform after a period of extended research, including considerations of whether to build the vessel from scratch and many real-world tests.

The vessel will be lengthened to 230 feet (70 meters) and have a Polar C hull offering it far-reaching capabilities. The interior volume will be a generous 3,000 GT, thanks to the new superstructure that will grant it superyacht features. The platform was brought into the ICON shipyard in Harlingen a couple of months ago, and work on it is already underway.

Once complete, Project UFO will be the largest vessel in the world in its class, and it will also offer superyacht features in a rugged, global-expedition-ready package with an exterior design by Murray & Associates. Accommodation onboard will be for 12 guests in private mode and up to 18 guests when offered for charter. The dual master suites are designed to open on each side and, in doing so, become six suites with sliding walls.

Amenities also include a 12-person jacuzzi on the main deck, a wellness area and gym, a 33-foot (10-meter) outdoor pool, and an expedition preparation room with a custom diving center. Since the project is still in its early stages, not all specifics on the interiors have been made public, but H2 Yacht Design will be in charge of the design.

It goes without saying, but you can’t have a superyacht explorer without explorer capabilities, and Project UFO’s are outstanding. It will pack an impressive array of toys and gear, as well as helipads and a hangar for an EC 145-sized helicopter and a submarine. Besides the usual water toys you will find on most charter vessels, Project UFO’s garages will include a 40-foot (12-meter) sportfisher, a similarly-sized tender, a 20-foot (6-meter) landing craft, a wakeboard tender, and a rescue tender.

As ICON explains on the official website, conversions have several advantages over new builds; they are cheaper and have considerably shorter delivery dates, and reduced carbon footprints during the build phase. At the same time, they offer the same levels of customization and performance as new boats while integrating pieces that would otherwise be discarded. Think of them as millionaires’ way of upcycling, with exactly zero compromises in terms of luxury, comfort, or performance.

As of the moment of press, the old rescue vessel is being stripped of the parts that are no longer in use. More details on the project will be released as work progresses, and seeing how it’s set to be a record-breaking one, that will probably not be long from now.