Design and Construction
Antares was built by Royal Huisman from the Netherlands in 2005, with an aluminium hull, aluminium superstructure, and a teak deck built with a Teak deck. The yard married a carbon rig and rudder to the metal hull, and the whole package was taken through an MCA/Lloyds certified design process. At 39.96 metres overall with a beam of 8.77 metres and a gross tonnage of 218, she is a mono-hull sailing yacht of substantial presence yet relatively clean lines. Dixon Yacht Design handled both the exterior and the naval architecture, while Rhoades Young Design shaped the interior.
Rig and Handling
The easily driven powerful ketch carries a carbon rig and a finely balanced helm with mechanical steering. Period performance notes describe her as a powerful ketch easily driven under both sail and power, and she easily achieves 14 knots in moderate sailing conditions. A separate professional assessment placed her top speed at 14.5 knots with a cruising speed of 13 knots and a maximum cruising range of 3500 nautical miles maximum cruising range of 3500.0 nm. A single Caterpillar diesel, the C18 Acert, delivers 533 kW (715 HP) through propellers, giving her quiet motoring backup to the sail plan.
Accommodations
Below, Antares accommodates up to nine guests in four staterooms, supported by six crew in three cabins. The interior is of a modern style with a 1930s reference, rendered in a rich palette of textured leather, edelmessing, and specially selected French walnut. Discrete furniture design maintains a clean and understated feel rather than a heavy period pastiche. The layout is serviced by a professional crew, and the guest experience is framed by the same restraint seen in the joinery.
Deck and Equipment
The aft carbon coaming hides an integrated power-activated stern swim and boarding platform, with a push-button drop-down cap rail so the first step is down rather than over the side. Mooring cleats are pop-ups in the deck for uncluttered walkways. The helm positions are mirrored, and the helmsman's seat adjusts up, down, back, and even port or starboard at the touch of a button. For Med-style stern-to mooring the transom closes and a gangway deploys; inside a watertight door within a door sits a fully functioning fill station at the swim platform.
Refits and Ownership
Originally named Antares of Grand Cayman, the yacht now sails under the Jersey flag. She has been noted at the Pendennis refit yard in Spain, confirming an active refit life consistent with a yacht of her size and complexity.
The Verdict
Antares is a thoughtfully engineered 40-metre ketch that balances performance under sail with the comforts of a managed luxury programme. Her carbon rig atop an aluminium hull, discreet interior, and highly mechanised deck make her a refined yet capable voyager.
Pros
- Easily driven powerful ketch reaching 14 knots in moderate conditions
- Carbon rig and rudder on an MCA/Lloyds certified aluminium hull
- Discreet 1930s-referenced interior in French walnut and leather
- Mechanised swim platform, pop-up cleats, and mirrored adjustable helms
Cons
- Large crewed layout limits owner-operator simplicity
- Complex powered systems demand disciplined refit attention
