Project Ocean - An Owners Journey
The first Arsken 85, ‘Project Ocean’, was sold as an Adventure Syndicate to its new owners. But who are the Arksen owners, what adventures are in store for Project Ocean and what brought them towards choosing an Arksen 85? We sat down with one of the co-owners to explore their journey and what the future has in store.
With expected delivery later this year, ‘Project Ocean’ is highly anticipated. But no one else is more excited than her new co-owners. Part of a syndicate model, ‘Project Ocean’ will provide the convenience of zero-hassle ownership with the means of maximised sea time and adventures galore.
Exploration and adventure are nothing new to her upcoming owners. With numerous expeditions on foot and at sea under their belts, the proud Arksen 85 owners are well-travelled explorers ready to take on locations less frequented and experience new and some past loved escapades.
So, where would one start the adventure of a lifetime if you had access to a boat that could take you anywhere? With a mix of parties, expeditions, research projects and putting the boat through her paces, the ‘Project Ocean’ owners will have a lot to look forward to.
The route, with time permitting, will include the Faroe Islands and some of Scotland’s far-flung outposts such as Sule Sgeir, North Rona, Sule Skerry and St Kilda. “Beyond that, we’ve got a few boat shows and then on to exploring Sweden, Norway and Svalbard, before heading to the Med for the early summer,” shared the owner. A busy year ahead for her maiden voyage that ends with a transit to the Caribbean for the winter months.
Boasting an itinerary that has it all, the owners of ‘Project Ocean’ have fully utilised Arksen’s Explorers’ Club to maximise their time on the water whilst ensuring all those on board have an adventure like no other.
The Explorers’ Club is a unique blend of an owners club and adventure concierge that provides Arksen owners with unforgettable memories and experiences throughout their recreational time onboard. Bespoke explorer itineraries, once-in-a-lifetime activities, luxury experiences and more, all developed from a trusted global network of record-breaking adventurers, explorers and voyagers.
Jasper Smith.Arksen Founder“The beauty of owning an Arksen is the ability to go to the far-flung ends of the earth for prolonged periods with friends and family, in great safety and comfort. What it doesn’t do is conjure up more time to organise the adventures – but that’s where the Explorers Club comes in.”
The ability to access bespoke experiences through the Explorers’ Club, as well as the capabilities of the yacht itself, was what sold the Arksen 85 to her owners. Arksen owners know that as soon as they step on board, everything is taken care of, ensuring they and their loved ones have an epic adventure from start to finish. “Maximising my precious time in these incredible locations, while securing genuine, meaningful experiences through local guides and seasoned adventurers means we’ll never miss out on a great watering hole or a hidden couloir descent!” shared the owner. “I can join the boat knowing the time will be well used and that it’s not all on me to arrange [the itinerary].”
‘Project Ocean‘ will be predominantly used for the owners’ friends and family. With kids ranging from 13 to 30, the owners are still tied to the school holiday schedule, so are expecting their onboard company to vary over the year. “It will predominantly be with the kids, but when they’re back in school I’m sure we’ll take the odd trip with other couples and friends,” shared the owner.
However, much like Arksen’s ethos; exploration, adventure and giving back to the oceans are also at the hearts of her new owners, who have taken the ‘Sea Time Pledge’ to use 10% of the boat’s time for ocean research, conservation and education. Ocean research projects will therefore be entwined with Project Ocean’s itinerary, in partnership with Yachts for Science, an initiative in which Arksen is a founding partner. Speaking of the initiative, Rosie O’Donnell from YFS shares:
The owners are looking forward to the many projects available, involving their kids and educating them on the need to conserve and protect our precious waters. Projects lined up include collecting data on deep scattered layers, tagging Mediterranean white sharks and monitoring sargassum and its capacity to lock up carbon. In addition, they’ll be gathering marine environment data from the vessels onboard scientific apparatus and feeding this data into the open-source ocean data portal ‘OcToPUS’.
The opportunity to facilitate and partake in such critical research is a bespoke adventure in itself. When asked what exploration means to them, Project Ocean’s owner replied, “It’s simple really. Exploration is going to places and having experiences I have not had before. [But] it can be further nuanced into the elements of exploration of one’s physical and psychological self… Of course, it is different for everyone. For me it’s skiing, climbing and voyaging in great company!”
Such activities will hardly be in short supply while onboard and there are grand plans to fulfil the family’s need for adventure. “I foresee some epic ski tours and am longing to get into the backcountry of East Greenland,” the owner shares. “As a family, we’ve got into freediving, so I’m keen to develop that and meet other freediving legends as we meander around the world… [The Explorers Club] have an extraordinary network with some pretty red-blooded lunatics on the roster – base jumpers, free solo climbers and big surf wavers. I’m keeping it under wraps that there’s a world champion base jumper on the books from my son!”
With that level of fearless adventure, it’s no surprise that there’s a long wishlist of expeditions for the Arksen 85. At the top of the list? The Antarctic. “I think the jewel in the crown for explorer yachting must be the Antarctic. I’ve never been so cannot wait to head across the Drake Passage for a cruise of the peninsula, seeking out some ski mountaineering routes, visiting some of the old BAS bases.”
Whether it’s journeys old or new, ‘Project Ocean’ will be a home away from home for its owners, providing an adventure of a lifetime for all those aboard, kids and adults alike.
We will go to incredible places; we will explore on and off the beaten path with friends old and new… The scenery and location will take care of themselves and when we get bored of the view, we’ll move to another anchorage.