First interior look at 35m custom Van der Valk superyacht Project Samba

Dutch shipyard Van der Valk has released the first interior renderings of a 35.3-metre custom build known as Project Samba. The yacht was sold to an "experienced owner" in 2023 and is based on the same hull design as the award-winning Lady Lene, with naval architecture by long-time collaborator Guido de Groot. 

Construction is well underway with Project Samba scheduled for delivery in summer 2025. Once delivered, she will "provide three generations of a family with the most relaxing rhythms of life on the water", according to the shipyard.

Guido de Groot will also be handling the interiors for the project together with the owners. Initial renderings reveal a "pretty and practical" aesthetic that incorporates curved, low-profile furniture, light woods and mood lighting alongside integrated LEDs. Accommodation is across five cabins, including a main deck master with an office and lounge seat.

The outdoor leisure spaces are the main focus of Project Samba's design. This includes integrated balconies next to the wheelhouse, a large custom swimming platform and the aft deck, which has been configured to include a "relaxation lounge zone" complete with an aft-facing sofa and a formal dining table. Below is a beach club arranged with a secondary lounge space, a sauna, a day head and washer/drier capacity for towels.

Meanwhile, the galley is expected to be used regularly used by the owners and offers plenty of worktops and a cooking island, while a central staircase from the lower deck to the bridge deck will serve as "a piece of art in its own right", according to the yard.

The clients for Project Samba were introduced to Van der Valk by Will Noftsinger from Denison Yachting.

"The proven hull design and naval architecture platform allows us to offer the choice between a full or fast displacement vessel,” said Van der Valk’s head of sales, Yoeri Bijker. "Using the engineering packages and part of the cutting files generates significant cost synergies yet allows for an entirely different look and feel. It’s a highly efficient way of building that provides clients with exceptional freedom to customise their yacht above the waterline."

This follows the launch of another custom build, the 34.1-metre One. Her sale was announced at the same time as Project Samba.