Fat Yacht? This 85-Foot Explorer Goes Extra Wide So You Can Lounge in Spacious Comfort

Vripack asks, “Why go longer when you can go wider?” Why, indeed.

The Dutch design studio just unveiled an extra-wide successor to the Rock 85 that offers way more space despite being the exact same length. Launched in 2018, the original explorer yacht provided 20 percent more interior volume than any other 85-footer on the market at the time. The latest iteration is more spacious still.

Fittingly christened the Rock XWide, the new model provides 35 percent more interior space and 25 percent more exterior space than its predecessor. With an impressive beam of 28 feet, the vessel showcases a voluminous open-plan layout that has been updated by the team.

“We went ‘boom’ on the reinvention and the results are incredible,” Vripack’s co-creative director Bart Bouwhuis said in a statement.

The studio decided to add the extra width amidships rather than expand the side decks. As a result, the living quarters remain relatively unchanged but offer more room for dining and socializing, of course. There is a freer flow of movement onboard, too, with sliding glass doors connecting the main salon to the aft deck and a new eight-foot plunge pool.

The extra width is most noticeable in the guest cabins, according to Vripack. The Rock XWide sports four generous suites on the lower deck, whereas the regular Rock 85 has only three. It is also equipped with a full-beam owner’s suite on the main deck forward, enabling a total of 10 guests to stay overnight. In addition, the XWide comes with two crew cabins, a new crew mess with breakfast bar seating, and a larger galley than previous models.

The additional square footage also means that the yacht can now hold more toys on the top deck and store larger tenders on the swim platform.

“The revisions were developed on feedback from the current Rock owners who have sailed the world in their yachting homes, from the Mediterranean to Asia,” Bouwhuis adds. “The expansion allows for more of everything on board, wrapped up in a compact explorer yacht that hits a respectable top speed of 13 knots.”

It won’t be long before the Rock XWide hits the seas, either. The first hull is currently under construction at Turkish shipyard Evadne Yachts. The series also includes the 79-foot Rock, 108-foot Rock XL, and 138-foot Big Rock. Rock on, Vripack.