What have a CNC-milled aluminium octopus, an award-winning digital thermometer and an innovative superyacht concept got in common? Brooklyn-based American designer Scott Henderson dreamt them all up.

Scott heads the eponymous studio Scott Henderson Inc and is co-founder of MINT design collective. He has a weird and wonderful portfolio with objects as diverse as kid’s bath toys, kitchenware, consumer medical products, garden tools, sex toys and furniture.

So how did he end up designing superyachts? In May 2011, Superyacht Design (SYD) editor, Justin Ratcliffe, visited the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York and was rather taken by Scott Henderson’s Slat Chair, which he featured in the magazine. Six months later, Henderson caught his eye again, this time with the beautiful CNC-milled octopus that he had designed to auction to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund.

Now firmly in the magazine editor’s sights, Scott was approached by SYD and asked if he would like to design a series of superyacht concepts for them and, never one to turn down a challenge, Scott leapt at the opportunity.

What followed were four stunning 70-metre concept designs. The first, Priona, was named for the Blue Shark, Prionace glauca. Its sleek unibody hull is reminiscent of the smooth lines of a shark and features deep insets on the sides, which evoke the gill slits of its namesake.

Following on from Priona came the stunning Quillon. A quillon is the piece of a sword, which separates the pokey bit from the handle (technical term) and acts as a shield to protect your hand from injury. Similarly, the 70-metre yacht Quillon has an arched structure connecting the hull at the stern and extending to the sundeck, which creates a definite divide between the super sharp bow and the protected aft deck areas.Henderson says he designed Quillon this way because, in his own words, “a superyacht must be able to slice through the rough open seas with speed and agility, while at the same time providing safe haven for the ship’s inhabitants.”

The quillon-like arch creates a tranquil three-storey outdoor area with sunbeds galore and an infinity pool flanked by two staircases, which lead down to a large retractable swim platform. There is also a second pool on the foredeck that can be reached by a staircase into the hull, maybe built for a bit of privacy for the owners.

The upper deck passes under the arch creating a fabulous space at the top of the yacht with panoramic views, which would be perfect for an external dining area or maybe a ship-top hot tub. The bridge is on the main deck with access to upper staterooms on the same level. The deck below has an expansive set of additional staterooms and there are also ample sleeping quarters on the lower deck.

Henderson’s penultimate 70-metre design concept for SYD was Manta, which departed from Quillon’s swept-forward look with dashing rear-sweeping side stairs that capture the look of a manta ray’s wings.

marina live!