End 2018 we delivered custom sailing yacht Qilak 66, to its Belgian owners – father, son and daughter – in the port of Zeebrugge. Safety and robustness were important criteria for them. This is reflected in the design by Owen Clarke Yacht Design from England. It features a collision bulkhead in the forepeak, 10 mm ice reinforcement skin plates, an ice-girder and 5 watertight doors. The ship is built to sail with guests in high latitude areas, pole to pole as the owner puts it.
Qilak is now playing a vital role in protecting our oceans from pollution, providing transport and support for beach clean-up teams and scientists working in some of the most remote and inaccessible areas of the Arctic seas and the North Atlantic.
For us, Qilak has offered a unique opportunity to bring our crew safely and comfortably to these locations, while significantly reducing our carbon footprint compared to traditional expedition vessels. Rolf-Ørjan Høgset, founder of In The Same Boat.
