Quadskis on Catamarans? The Tenders Enhancing Superyacht Adventures

Ever thought of launching an amphibian Quadski straight from your superyacht tender? Of course you haven’t, but Vikal have. Why? Because it’s fun, that’s why (and having a capable superyacht tender at hand also helps!).  

Just as Pierce Brosnan marked the opening sequence of The World Is Not Enough (1999) by flying out of Mi6 Headquarters and onto the River Thames in a speed boat, the owners of Vikal had a similar idea when they came across a Quadski on a client’s yacht. “Wouldn’t this be fun to launch from a superyacht tender?” And that’s exactly what they set out to do.

It’s easy to see why Gunnar and Lynden Vikingur were excited by the prospect of the Quadski. Reviewing the product for Top Gear, it took Jeremy Clarkson all of about 1 minute before he cued the Bond theme, bombing it across Italy’s Lake Como onboard the amphibian.

Designing and building bespoke tenders, Gunnar and Lynden have helped many superyacht owners to enhance their experience of the water through new innovations. This latest project, however, appears to be somewhat of a personal thrill. 

Having taken delivery of the Quadski in Australia, the Vikal team naturally made some modifications and upgrades to the systems. The mission was then to find a tender capable of launching the rather large and bulky Quadski. Fortunately for Vikal, this wasn’t a problem.

The above video shows the resulting seatrials during which the Quadski hit the water from the bow of one of Vikal’s specialised catamarans. It certainly produces an unusual drama. Not only was this the first recorded sighting of an Aussie in a tuxedo, but the fact that the Quadski fitted perfectly onto the tender without any adjustments speaks volumes for the versatility of Vikal’s products.

Unlike the 10m vehicle carrier delivered for Octopus, which was specifically designed for collecting and delivering a 2 tonne 4x4 to a beach environment, the catamaran featured in the video is more identifiable as a luxury multi-purpose craft with a dive platform. Both hulls had naval architecture by Patrick Banfield, with the Vikal adding its value to prepare vessel for more adventurous exploits.

It is perhaps this daring nature to experiment and push the boundaries that has made Vikal such a success with its broad client base. Across all projects completed for some of the world’s most iconic superyachts, Vikal has been trusted time and time again to think boldly, engineering out-of-the-box solutions to bring even the most challenging visions to life.

This is a central feature of Vikal’s added value. Not necessarily always men in tuxedos riding amphibians, but the knowledge and understanding of what their clients desire and the ability to execute unique designs tailored to their preferences is unmatched.   

No matter the owner’s brief, Vikal’s approach to bespoke tender design is always positive and solution driven - even when the challenge is born out of a need to accommodate a Shih Tzu in style. Such a flair for innovation is befitting of the Australian superyacht industry, particularly in Western Australia, where the country’s renowned full-custom manufacturers are based.

It is safe to say that Vikal’s position as a disruptor and risk-taker at the premium end of the tender market is well entrenched. Yet, as a flagship brand, its clients can also rely on guaranteed quality as far as comfort, performance, and finish go.

The history of Vikal International and its roots with the Jon Bannenberg designs of the early 90s is well documented, but what keeps the intrigue surrounding the company is always what may come next. After this latest instalment, we will no doubt be paying close attention to Vikal’s next move.