Auckland yard Yachting Developments is constructing a 48 metre carbon fibre sportfishing yacht that combines serious offshore fishing and diving facilities with superyacht-level accommodation.
Project YD1027, designed by Warwick Yacht Design, is the yard’s fifth large sportfisher project and currently under construction. The vessel brings together hydraulically operated outriggers, live bait tanks, a walk-in catch freezer, diver lift platforms, a dedicated dive equipment room and Nitrox capability – equipment that signals fishing and diving as central to the yacht’s intended operation rather than afterthoughts.
The yacht is being built in carbon fibre composite. Twin MTU 16V4000M93L engines, each rated at 4,651hp, are specified. Yachting Developments anticipates cruising above 20 knots. It also projects a range exceeding 3,000 nautical miles, without specifying the corresponding speed.
The yard’s relationship with Warwick Yacht Design predates this project. In December 2022, Boating New Zealand reported on another Warwick-designed carbon fibre sportfisher under construction, described then as planned for long-distance international passages. The builder lists Satu, Lanakai, YD1017 and YD1024 among its earlier sportfisher projects.
