BOAT OF THE WEEK: INSIDE 'ADASTRA', THE BONKERS, RULE-BREAKING TRIMARAN THAT HAS CRISSCROSSED THE GLOBE.

The 140-foot "Adastra"'s triple hulls, light weight and shallow draft gives it exceptional seaworthiness and range. Plus, it looks super cool.

Adastra, or to the stars, as the poet Virgil once said, is not your average superyacht. With its striking spaceship profile, it might look like a concept. Delivered in 2012, this 140-footer has spent nearly a decade exploring the globe.

“We have been lucky enough to spend at least three months on board every year since the build, crossing the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and exploring the more traditional cruising grounds of the Mediterranean and Caribbean,” the owner, requesting anonymity, told Robb Report. “Adastra is a truly stable and safe oceangoing yacht.” It also happens to be one of the most innovative vessels on the water.

British designer John Shuttleworth has won multiple awards, not to mention nonstop praise, for Adastra. What sets the boat apart are its unusual trio of silver hulls that resemble an outrigger canoe. “The structure is a major engineering achievement,” says Shuttleworth in a video describing the design. “Nobody had ever designed or built a boat like that.”

Built by McConaghy Boats in Zhuhai, China, the custom design went through structural analysis, while a computer model of Adastra was tested for wave impact, slamming and the potential durability of the outriggers running through big seas. Constructed from e-glass and Kevlar, these hulls are mated to a carbon-fiber superstructure, so the boat weighs only 49 tons, or the equivalent weight of a 60-foot conventional yacht. Since weight reduction was critical to the trimaran’s performance, McConaghy custom-designed all the components—hatches, port lights, ladders and hinges—to be made of carbon fiber. This lightweight design delivers hydrodynamic efficiency, stability and performance, as well as low fuel consumption and low environmental impact. “It uses a seventh of the amount of fuel of conventional motor yachts its size,” said Shuttleworth.

“Our hope at the time was that the design would represent consciousness of the environmental issues facing the world, while also giving impetus to changing attitudes towards reducing carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption,”Shuttleworth told Robb Report.

Adastra has weathered 50-knot storms and boasts a vast 10,000-nautical mile range at 10 knots. Powered by a single 1,150 hp Caterpillar C18 engine, the boat’s top speed is 23 knots, with a friendly cruise of 17 knots. Adastraalso has two 110-hp Yanmar outrigger engines to power the three onboard generators. For transoceanic crossings, the two 800-gph water makers keep the 730-gal. freshwater tanks full.

Adastra’s 3.9-foot draft can get into shallow areas that more traditional yachts can’t access, making her ideal for shallow-water areas like the Bahamas. The yacht also has a custom anchoring system, with three anchors that deploy across the bow, stern and along the main hull.

Despite its eco credentials, Adastra is still very much a luxury yacht. With the main hull flared over the water for additional space, the exterior layout allows guests to enjoy several secluded areas and superb communal spaces. The Scandinavian-influenced interior by Jepsen Designs, is minimalist and dominated by the natural light flowing in from curved, wraparound windows and skylights, highlighting the honey-colored woods and neutral color palette of the open-plan living areas. Adastra was designed for nine guests and up to six crew. The full-beam master cabin is aft, connected directly to the main salon, while two guest cabins and the galley are located near the engine compartment.

Adastra’s 52.5-foot beam features a spacious aft deck with lounges and a sheltered alfresco dining area, while forward of the main salon, guests can relax on the roomy foredeck, with its large sunbed. The yacht’s garage door folds out to create a diving platform.