In the rarefied world of superyachting, there are vessels that impress with their scale and others that captivate with their ingenuity. Few, however, manage to achieve both in a way that leaves the industry reeling. Royal Huisman’s Special One is such a yacht. At 52 meters, she is the largest true sportfisher ever built, a creation that fuses raw power with understated elegance, designed as much for exhilarating pursuits on the open ocean as for the quiet luxury of family living. Debuting at the Monaco Yacht Show, she immediately commanded attention, not just because of her record-breaking proportions, but because of the way she seemed to rewrite what a sportfisher could be.
From the first glance, Special One looks like a thoroughbred athlete, her profile long, lean, and purposeful. A sweeping bow, high bulwarks, and the dramatic overhang of her aft cockpit recall the classic sportfisher silhouette, yet every line has been stretched and sculpted into something monumental. She may be vast, but she carries herself lightly. Capable of reaching speeds over 30 knots, she is nimble for her size, able to glide across the water with the precision of a much smaller craft. Observers have described her as a sportfisher “on steroids,” a fitting turn of phrase for a yacht that dares to scale up a tradition while retaining every ounce of agility.
The origins of Special One lie not in a shipyard’s catalog but in a deep and personal vision. Her owner, a passionate angler with a love of family life at sea, wanted more than a yacht—he wanted a stage upon which two seemingly disparate worlds could coexist. On the one hand, the yacht needed to be a formidable sportfishing machine, with all the equipment, power, and technical prowess required for serious big-game pursuits. On the other hand, it had to be a comfortable, contemporary home afloat, where generations could gather, relax, and enjoy one another’s company. To achieve this duality, Royal Huisman joined forces with the Dutch design studio Vripack, sportfishing experts Bush & Noble, and Pascarelli Consulting, ensuring that every detail reflected both heritage and innovation.
What makes Special One remarkable is not just her size but how seamlessly she blends these identities. The aft cockpit, for instance, is not merely a working deck for anglers; it is a theater where the drama of sportfishing unfolds. Outfitted with custom chairs, bait wells, and the latest fish-finding technology, it offers professionals the tools they need to chase the ocean’s giants. Yet just above, a glass-fronted lounge known as the “skybox” allows guests to watch the action in air-conditioned comfort, cocktail in hand. This unique arrangement transforms fishing into spectacle, uniting participants and spectators in one shared experience.
The tower above continues the theme. Traditionally, the tuna tower is a functional perch from which to scan the seas for movement, but on Special One it also becomes a gallery, a place for observation and quiet wonder. Guests climb to its heights not only for spotting marlin but also for gazing across endless horizons, experiencing the ocean from a perspective few ever see. The yacht’s designers took care to ensure that practicality never diminished beauty, and that grandeur never compromised intimacy.
Step inside and the atmosphere shifts. Rather than dazzle with ostentation, the interiors envelop with calm. Walnut joinery, neutral fabrics, and clean lines create an aesthetic that is sophisticated yet warm. The choice is deliberate: this is a yacht meant to be lived in, not simply admired. Multiple salons flow seamlessly across decks, offering spaces for family dinners, quiet reading, or festive gatherings. Six outdoor venues and three indoor decks mean there is always somewhere new to discover, whether in the glow of sunrise or beneath a canopy of stars. Even practical elements are executed with quiet elegance, as in the glass-enclosed elevator that links three decks—functional, discreet, and graceful.
Despite its emphasis on comfort, Special One is also a triumph of engineering. Royal Huisman and Vripack knew that a yacht of this ambition needed to look toward the future, and so she is designed to run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a biofuel that reduces carbon emissions by more than ninety percent. In an industry often criticized for its environmental impact, such a step is more than symbolic—it sets a new standard for sustainability at sea. Even her ventilation systems have been specially crafted to handle heat in extreme climates, reflecting a level of foresight that few projects attempt.
Recognition has come swiftly. At the 2025 World Superyacht Awards, Special One received the Judges’ Special Award, a distinction reserved for yachts that push boundaries in ways no category can quite contain. The accolade reflects what many in the industry already believe: that Special One is not merely another yacht, but a milestone. She challenges assumptions about what a sportfisher should look like, what a superyacht should do, and how both can coexist.
Perhaps what makes Special One truly unforgettable, however, is not her statistics or her innovations, but the impression she leaves. At dockside, she commands admiration from seasoned yachtsmen and casual passersby alike. At sea, she turns not only heads but hearts, blending adrenaline and serenity in equal measure. For her owner, she is the fulfillment of a dream; for Royal Huisman, a testament to craftsmanship; and for the wider world of yachting, a symbol of what can be achieved when ambition, passion, and artistry converge.
In the end, Special One is aptly named. She is not just a vessel for catching fish or hosting parties, but a creation that captures imagination. With every leap of a marlin, every sunset on her decks, and every horizon scanned from her tower, she reminds us that the ocean is vast, the possibilities endless, and that the pursuit of perfection can, on rare occasions, be realized in steel, wood, and dreams.
