Samaya is a 69 metre motor yacht, launched in 2017, and the brief was a major upgrade to its control, audio-visual and network systems. The owners wanted a system that was more reliable, easier to look after and easier to use. Liquid Automation Ltd replaced the yacht’s previous proprietary control system with a fully native Crestron platform. Entertainment, blinds, lighting, air conditioning and the sundeck awnings now work from one place. Guests, owners and crew control it all through simple remotes and iPad minis. Apple TV also follows people around the yacht, and sources can be shared between areas.
Behind the scenes, video and audio travel over the network rather than through banks of dedicated cabling. This means less equipment, easier fault-finding and room to grow. The network was rebuilt for a steel hull, with separate network segments and Wi-Fi 6. There are also some personal touches: hearing-assist Bluetooth, karaoke, DJ input and a yacht-wide chart display.
The entire control layer was replaced with a fully native Crestron platform unifying AV, blinds, lighting, air conditioning, and sundeck awning control, removing the hardware dependence baked into the original proprietary system.
A roaming Apple TV model was implemented so content and personal app user accounts move with the owner between spaces, rather than requiring separate logins or source selection in each room.
Ruckus Wi-Fi 6 was selected specifically for its BeamFlex technology and suitability for steel construction, with access points strategically positioned according to materials, likely interference, and usage areas, and provision made to add wireless access points later if real-world coverage required refinement.
VLAN segmentation kept Owner, Guest, and Crew device broadcasts minimal and private to their respective users, for example the owner's AirPlay view shows only his suite and the common areas, not guest cabins or crew zones, while the Priority Control Module still allowed shared source management where appropriate.
