BLEU DE NIMES is a remarkable 72.25-metre explorer motor yacht with one of the most extraordinary back-stories in yachting. Originally launched in 1980 by Clelands Shipbuilding Company in England as the Magnet-class degaussing ship Lodestone, she served the British Royal Navy until her decommissioning in 1997, and has since been transformed, over two ambitious rebuilds, into one of the most luxurious and capable long-range charter cruisers afloat. Her first conversion, completed in Turkey under the personal supervision of her passionate owner, was so comprehensive that Lloyd’s reclassified her as a new build, retaining only the original steel hull beneath an entirely new superstructure. A second major rebuild between 2016 and 2020, overseen by Studio Nattero, extended her by some 16 metres and added four further guest cabins, two tender garages, a central stairway and a superyacht lift, relaunching her in 2020 as the yacht she is today. The result is a genuine expedition yacht that makes no compromise on comfort, retaining the tough, ocean-going pedigree of her naval past while offering all the amenities and opulence of a five-star superyacht. Built on a full-displacement steel hull and superstructure, she carries 380,000 litres of fuel for a phenomenal range of around 20,000 nautical miles, giving her the ability to reach the world’s most remote and secluded cruising grounds, from the dive sites of the Indian Ocean to the far corners of the globe. Her interior, styled by architect Pier Vittorio Cerruti, exudes timeless elegance, with rich cherry and iroko woods, black-veined marble detailing, a majestic main salon, a formal dining area and softer, more intimate lounges forward. Life aboard is exceptional. A wellness centre offers a gym, sauna and massage room, there is a private cinema and an elevator serving all decks, while outside her expansive decks include a main aft deck for morning gatherings, an upper deck dining area seating up to 36 guests, and a sundeck crowned by two massive side-by-side jacuzzis, a sit-up bar and a sea of sun loungers. Her vast beach club opens directly to the water, home to a sea-view gym and easy access to an enormous collection of toys, six tenders and full dive equipment. She also features a touch-and-go helipad for effortless transfers. Accommodation is arranged for a remarkable number of guests across 13 cabins, comprising a supremely spacious full-beam owner’s suite on the upper deck with an emperor bed, private study, his-and-hers dressing rooms and marble bathrooms, two VIP staterooms on the main deck, and a flexible mix of six double, two triple and two twin cabins on the lower deck, all with en-suite bathrooms and direct access to the beach club, making her ideal for large families and groups. A professional crew of 23 ensures everything runs smoothly on every expedition. Powered by twin Cummins engines, she cruises at 12 knots with a top speed of 15 knots. Equally at home in the Mediterranean or exploring remote islands and dive sites in the Indian Ocean, BLEU DE NIMES sets the bar for luxury explorer charter, offering scale, security, style and genuine world-cruising capability in equal measure.
