Dakota

DAKOTA is a 127ft performance sailing yacht, built in 2006 by Fitzroy Yachts in New Zealand with naval architecture by Ed Dubois and a refit in 2022. She was built to go anywhere, and she has spent the last two decades proving it. She has had a successful racing career, competing at the Loro Piana Superyacht Regatta, the Dubois Cup and The Superyacht Cup. These days she puts that same speed to gentler use along the French Riviera and the wider western Mediterranean.

The interior of yacht DAKOTA was originally designed by RWD and refreshed by H2 Yacht Design in 2022, and the main salon is where that work shows most clearly. Curved sofas in cream and soft grey wrap around a shagreen-effect ottoman with a marble inset, set on a pale rug over warm teak flooring inlaid with fine light stripes. Dark mahogany trim frames the room, and a large abstract canvas in blues and greens brings colour to one wall. Forward, a separate dining area sits slightly apart from the lounge, close enough to stay part of the conversation. Up a few steps, the upper saloon changes the mood entirely. Honey-toned wood arches overhead, white leather seating with navy cushions gathers around a low table, and an onyx-topped bar runs along one side, making it the natural place for a drink before dinner and the spot most guests end up drifting back to.