The Dominator Ilumen 26M – a new era in luxury yachting

Excitement is building as the Ilumen 26, the latest culmination of technology, craftsmanship and design within the Dominator Series, is taking shape and will soon be available for viewing.

• Revolutionary Dominator Ilumen 26M taking shape
• Innovative design and advanced processing techniques promise a unique experience
• Advanced engineering to ensure unrivalled static and dynamic stability
• Rational approach sets new standard in design and construction of Mega yachts

A yacht like no other

The Dominator Ilumen 26M is a  revolutionary yacht in every sense of the word and a very different ship to anything currently offered on the market, thanks to the innovative technical features and state-of-the-art design methods used in its creation.

From the outset, the engineering philosophy of the Ilumen has followed a rational approach usually restricted to the design of the most advanced cruise ships and latest military vessels. It is the product of a level of attention to detail and deeper understanding of physics rarely witnessed in yacht design.

The most innovative design and advanced processing techniques have been applied to achieve the very best results in all technical spheres. Ilumen was born of a skillful mix of engineering and design, where Andrea Agrusta, Head of Hydrodynamics and Engineering, and Alberto Mancini, Head of Design, together with their teams were able to harmonize beauty, functionality and efficiency like no other yacht of the same length.

Head of Bespoke and Interior Styling for the Dominator Ilumen range is Giulia Sigismondi, who sources the latest materials, newest, most innovative trends and has an eye for the colors, forms and textures that fulfill the client’s wishes and expectations to perfection.

Over ten thousand hours of engineering have gone into perfecting the design of the advanced technical features of this yacht. The entire vessel, including the engine room, has been fully modelled in 3D in order to arrive at an optimal, rational use of space and the best possible positioning of the ship’s equipment and luxury amenities.

Live the experience

A visionary design philosophy, combined with the intensive use of ultimate 3D modeling software has allowed the Dominator team to create a fully immersed virtual reality experience – an incredible tool with which engineers can verify spaces and project choices but, at the same time, an exciting and innovative way for clients to feel the experience and sensations of walking through the yacht before it is built.

The application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, associated with mathematical algorithms, has made it possible to simulate hull behavior in still water and in rough sea with great accuracy, effectively employing wake optimization that reduces pitch and minimizes the amount of power required. The result of this intensive work is the Dominator HPH (High Performance Hull), a robust, resilient hard-chine hull with a blade bulbous bow designed to have produce superior resistance values in all the semi-displacement and semi-planing phases.

The hull design similarly ensures excellent sea keeping performance and minimizes ship motions of roll and pitch in order to offer a high level of safety and comfort on board – at any speed and in all weather conditions.           

Shaped by the sea itself

Engineer Andrea Agrusta likes to say that Ilumen’s hull is not designed by him, but has been shaped by the water itself.

All calculations have been validated and verified by intensive tank tests performed on scale models at the University of Trieste. Additional towing tank tests have highlighted the excellent trim angle and extremely small wave formation created by the movement of this seamlessly seaworthy yacht, even when advancing against ocean waves over 4 meters in height.

The HPH hull has also been designed to operate in perfect symphony with the Fortjes Pods produced by Reintjes, a world-leader in gearbox development and production.

This has been achieved through an extensive joint R&D program between Dominator’s engineers and Reintjes technicians, as a result of which Pod and hull are perfectly matched in order to optimize performance and comfort on board whilst reducing fuel consumption.

Thanks to the ultra-high efficiency of the hull and propulsion system, the Ilumen lends itself well to a hybrid version, an exciting new option that is currently being studied with international partners such as Siemens .

Chief Engineer Andrea Agrusta commented:

“The engineering of this unique vessel has above all focused on guaranteeing unrivalled static and dynamic stability, a target not easily attained in a yacht like Ilumen, with its high and extended superstructures. This goal has been reached thanks to the correct, well-balanced choice of materials, hull shape and weight distribution.”

“These are the product of an in-depth study and analysis of weights, optimized with enhanced prediction methods. The outcome is that we have developed a highly advanced structural layout, with extensive use of epoxy resin, carbon fiber, sandwich and vacuum infusion technology. These were further optimized using FEM Technology to improve structural strength without increasing the weight.“

He added: “The construction technology that has produced the Dominator Ilumen 26M, from the creation of the composite shell to the complex painting process selected and the type and quality of the equipment installed, sets an entirely new standard in the design and building of Mega Yachts.”