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Three Men and a Catamaran: Catamaran LANIAKEA
Riga, Latvia: A Maritime City with Serious Credibility
Riga, Latvia: A Maritime City with Serious Credibility
Riga, Latvia: A Maritime City with Serious Credibility
The Power cat Boom… and the Problem Nobody Likes Saying Out Loud
The Power cat Boom… and the Problem Nobody Likes Saying Out Loud
The Power cat Boom… and the Problem Nobody Likes Saying Out Loud
The Designer: Chulhun Park and the “Khalilah Effect”
To bring the vision to life, Valdis partnered with Chulhun Park — the designer behind the iconic yacht KHALILAH, widely considered one of the most “Instagrammable” yachts ever built, and responsible for a string of eye-catching concepts.
Chulhun worked for a full year exchanging ideas with Valdis, refining and reworking the design — tweaking, revising, verifying — until the look was exactly right.
But a great-looking yacht is only half the job.
Because if you’re going to build something this dramatic, it has to perform too.
The Designer: Chulhun Park and the “Khalilah Effect”
To bring the vision to life, Valdis partnered with Chulhun Park — the designer behind the iconic yacht KHALILAH, widely considered one of the most “Instagrammable” yachts ever built, and responsible for a string of eye-catching concepts.
Chulhun worked for a full year exchanging ideas with Valdis, refining and reworking the design — tweaking, revising, verifying — until the look was exactly right.
But a great-looking yacht is only half the job.
Because if you’re going to build something this dramatic, it has to perform too.
The Designer: Chulhun Park and the “Khalilah Effect”
To bring the vision to life, Valdis partnered with Chulhun Park — the designer behind the iconic yacht KHALILAH, widely considered one of the most “Instagrammable” yachts ever built, and responsible for a string of eye-catching concepts.
Chulhun worked for a full year exchanging ideas with Valdis, refining and reworking the design — tweaking, revising, verifying — until the look was exactly right.
But a great-looking yacht is only half the job.
Because if you’re going to build something this dramatic, it has to perform too.
Making It Work in the Water: Naval Architecture by Dixon Yacht Design
Making It Work in the Water: Naval Architecture by Dixon Yacht Design
Making It Work in the Water: Naval Architecture by Dixon Yacht Design
The Builder: Uldis Ragis and the “Make It Happen” Role
Meet Uldis Ragis — the man who takes the dream, the plans, and the signatures… and makes the project real.
Uldis has been with Latitude for 15 years, and it’s worth mentioning something that stood out to me immediately:
People stay here.
The longevity of the team at Latitude is remarkable — many of the staff have been at the yard for well over a decade. That kind of stability is rare, and it tells you a lot about the culture.
Uldis also worked through the complex builds of GALAXY and GALAXY OF HAPPINESS, ensuring they were delivered on time and at a high standard — and the yard reports they’ve been cruising trouble-free for nearly a decade.
That track record matters, because LANIAKEA is not a simple build.
The Builder: Uldis Ragis and the “Make It Happen” Role
Meet Uldis Ragis — the man who takes the dream, the plans, and the signatures… and makes the project real.
Uldis has been with Latitude for 15 years, and it’s worth mentioning something that stood out to me immediately:
People stay here.
The longevity of the team at Latitude is remarkable — many of the staff have been at the yard for well over a decade. That kind of stability is rare, and it tells you a lot about the culture.
Uldis also worked through the complex builds of GALAXY and GALAXY OF HAPPINESS, ensuring they were delivered on time and at a high standard — and the yard reports they’ve been cruising trouble-free for nearly a decade.
That track record matters, because LANIAKEA is not a simple build.
The Builder: Uldis Ragis and the “Make It Happen” Role
Meet Uldis Ragis — the man who takes the dream, the plans, and the signatures… and makes the project real.
Uldis has been with Latitude for 15 years, and it’s worth mentioning something that stood out to me immediately:
People stay here.
The longevity of the team at Latitude is remarkable — many of the staff have been at the yard for well over a decade. That kind of stability is rare, and it tells you a lot about the culture.
Uldis also worked through the complex builds of GALAXY and GALAXY OF HAPPINESS, ensuring they were delivered on time and at a high standard — and the yard reports they’ve been cruising trouble-free for nearly a decade.
That track record matters, because LANIAKEA is not a simple build.
Why Carbon Fibre? And Why It’s Not “As Simple As Choosing a Material”
LANIAKEA is being built in carbon fibre, chosen for the obvious reason: performance.
But carbon fibre isn’t something you just “order and lay up.”
Uldis explained that before production could properly begin, the yard went through an intensive process:
Structural and naval engineers aligned on the required specifications
Carbon fibre manufacturers were given precise requirements
Test panels were produced, resined, cured, and tested over months
Mechanical properties were checked to ensure they match the yard’s needs
And what were they testing?
Not just general strength — but tensile strength and compressive strength, and importantly: in different directions.
Because carbon fibre is made of strands running in different orientations — so the strength must be proven both ways to meet the performance and weight targets required for this yacht.
It’s meticulous work, and it’s exactly the kind of detail that tells you this isn’t being rushed.
Why Carbon Fibre? And Why It’s Not “As Simple As Choosing a Material”
LANIAKEA is being built in carbon fibre, chosen for the obvious reason: performance.
But carbon fibre isn’t something you just “order and lay up.”
Uldis explained that before production could properly begin, the yard went through an intensive process:
Structural and naval engineers aligned on the required specifications
Carbon fibre manufacturers were given precise requirements
Test panels were produced, resined, cured, and tested over months
Mechanical properties were checked to ensure they match the yard’s needs
And what were they testing?
Not just general strength — but tensile strength and compressive strength, and importantly: in different directions.
Because carbon fibre is made of strands running in different orientations — so the strength must be proven both ways to meet the performance and weight targets required for this yacht.
It’s meticulous work, and it’s exactly the kind of detail that tells you this isn’t being rushed.
Why Carbon Fibre? And Why It’s Not “As Simple As Choosing a Material”
LANIAKEA is being built in carbon fibre, chosen for the obvious reason: performance.
But carbon fibre isn’t something you just “order and lay up.”
Uldis explained that before production could properly begin, the yard went through an intensive process:
Structural and naval engineers aligned on the required specifications
Carbon fibre manufacturers were given precise requirements
Test panels were produced, resined, cured, and tested over months
Mechanical properties were checked to ensure they match the yard’s needs
And what were they testing?
Not just general strength — but tensile strength and compressive strength, and importantly: in different directions.
Because carbon fibre is made of strands running in different orientations — so the strength must be proven both ways to meet the performance and weight targets required for this yacht.
It’s meticulous work, and it’s exactly the kind of detail that tells you this isn’t being rushed.
Two Details That Tell You Exactly What This Yacht Is About
1) Outboard jet propulsion — integrated into the transom
To support the performance goals, LANIAKEA will feature outboard jet engines that fit neatly into the transom.
Latitude describes this as a first: outboard jets on a power catamaran — a detail that immediately signals the intent behind the platform.
2) A battery bank built for silent nights at anchor
For comfort, LANIAKEA will have a battery bank large enough to allow an entire night at anchor in total silence — no generators running.
The batteries can be charged by the engines and generators, but the key point is the lifestyle:
Silence, comfort, and a yacht that feels calm even when it’s doing something ambitious.
Why Are the Hull Moulds Black?
This was one of those small moments that tells you everything about a yard’s mindset.
Standing beside the immense moulds for the hulls, I asked Valdis why they were black, when almost every other mould I’ve seen in other shipyards tends to be dark green.
His answer was simple:
A glossy black surface shows defects far more easily.
And if there’s a defect in the mould, that defect will be replicated in every finished part produced from it.
That detail, and the fact that they care that much, says a lot about Latitude’s “do it once, do it right” approach.
Two Details That Tell You Exactly What This Yacht Is About
1) Outboard jet propulsion — integrated into the transom
To support the performance goals, LANIAKEA will feature outboard jet engines that fit neatly into the transom.
Latitude describes this as a first: outboard jets on a power catamaran — a detail that immediately signals the intent behind the platform.
2) A battery bank built for silent nights at anchor
For comfort, LANIAKEA will have a battery bank large enough to allow an entire night at anchor in total silence — no generators running.
The batteries can be charged by the engines and generators, but the key point is the lifestyle:
Silence, comfort, and a yacht that feels calm even when it’s doing something ambitious.
Why Are the Hull Moulds Black?
This was one of those small moments that tells you everything about a yard’s mindset.
Standing beside the immense moulds for the hulls, I asked Valdis why they were black, when almost every other mould I’ve seen in other shipyards tends to be dark green.
His answer was simple:
A glossy black surface shows defects far more easily.
And if there’s a defect in the mould, that defect will be replicated in every finished part produced from it.
That detail, and the fact that they care that much, says a lot about Latitude’s “do it once, do it right” approach.
Two Details That Tell You Exactly What This Yacht Is About
1) Outboard jet propulsion — integrated into the transom
To support the performance goals, LANIAKEA will feature outboard jet engines that fit neatly into the transom.
Latitude describes this as a first: outboard jets on a power catamaran — a detail that immediately signals the intent behind the platform.
2) A battery bank built for silent nights at anchor
For comfort, LANIAKEA will have a battery bank large enough to allow an entire night at anchor in total silence — no generators running.
The batteries can be charged by the engines and generators, but the key point is the lifestyle:
Silence, comfort, and a yacht that feels calm even when it’s doing something ambitious.
Why Are the Hull Moulds Black?
This was one of those small moments that tells you everything about a yard’s mindset.
Standing beside the immense moulds for the hulls, I asked Valdis why they were black, when almost every other mould I’ve seen in other shipyards tends to be dark green.
His answer was simple:
A glossy black surface shows defects far more easily.
And if there’s a defect in the mould, that defect will be replicated in every finished part produced from it.
That detail, and the fact that they care that much, says a lot about Latitude’s “do it once, do it right” approach.
Three Men. Three Skill Sets. One Shared Vision.
As I spent time with Valdis, Chulhun, and Uldis, what really stood out was the chemistry.
They’re different personalities with different roles, but their experience is clearly converging into one project — and it feels tangible.
It’s not often you get that combination:
The visionary
The designer
The builder
…all aligned, all invested, all aiming for something genuinely special.
Three Men. Three Skill Sets. One Shared Vision.
As I spent time with Valdis, Chulhun, and Uldis, what really stood out was the chemistry.
They’re different personalities with different roles, but their experience is clearly converging into one project — and it feels tangible.
It’s not often you get that combination:
The visionary
The designer
The builder
…all aligned, all invested, all aiming for something genuinely special.
Three Men. Three Skill Sets. One Shared Vision.
As I spent time with Valdis, Chulhun, and Uldis, what really stood out was the chemistry.
They’re different personalities with different roles, but their experience is clearly converging into one project — and it feels tangible.
It’s not often you get that combination:
The visionary
The designer
The builder
…all aligned, all invested, all aiming for something genuinely special.
“First. Different. Unique.” And Why LANIAKEA Fits That Rule
A few days earlier, I’d been at a conference where a speaker — Jean-Claude Biver, a legendary figure in the luxury watch world — made a point that stuck with me.
To succeed in business, you need three things:
Be first. Be different. Be unique.
Latitude’s approach with LANIAKEA hits all three:
First (with outboard jets on a power cat platform)
Different (in styling, intention, and engineering)
Unique (because nothing else is quite combining these elements in this way)
And Latvia’s reputation for industrious, high-quality work is a real part of the story too.
This is not a production yacht being rushed out the door. Latitude is building LANIAKEA slowly and steadily — carefully — with delivery expected in 2026.
“First. Different. Unique.” And Why LANIAKEA Fits That Rule
A few days earlier, I’d been at a conference where a speaker — Jean-Claude Biver, a legendary figure in the luxury watch world — made a point that stuck with me.
To succeed in business, you need three things:
Be first. Be different. Be unique.
Latitude’s approach with LANIAKEA hits all three:
First (with outboard jets on a power cat platform)
Different (in styling, intention, and engineering)
Unique (because nothing else is quite combining these elements in this way)
And Latvia’s reputation for industrious, high-quality work is a real part of the story too.
This is not a production yacht being rushed out the door. Latitude is building LANIAKEA slowly and steadily — carefully — with delivery expected in 2026.
“First. Different. Unique.” And Why LANIAKEA Fits That Rule
A few days earlier, I’d been at a conference where a speaker — Jean-Claude Biver, a legendary figure in the luxury watch world — made a point that stuck with me.
To succeed in business, you need three things:
Be first. Be different. Be unique.
Latitude’s approach with LANIAKEA hits all three:
First (with outboard jets on a power cat platform)
Different (in styling, intention, and engineering)
Unique (because nothing else is quite combining these elements in this way)
And Latvia’s reputation for industrious, high-quality work is a real part of the story too.
This is not a production yacht being rushed out the door. Latitude is building LANIAKEA slowly and steadily — carefully — with delivery expected in 2026.
Want to See It in Person?
If you’re seriously in the market for a power cat of this size — or any yacht in this range — Riga is absolutely worth the trip.
Because it’s one thing to see renderings and hear the promise.
It’s another to stand beside the moulds, see the process, and feel the momentum behind the build.
And who knows… maybe you’ll become part of the journey too.
Want to See It in Person?
If you’re seriously in the market for a power cat of this size — or any yacht in this range — Riga is absolutely worth the trip.
Because it’s one thing to see renderings and hear the promise.
It’s another to stand beside the moulds, see the process, and feel the momentum behind the build.
And who knows… maybe you’ll become part of the journey too.
Want to See It in Person?
If you’re seriously in the market for a power cat of this size — or any yacht in this range — Riga is absolutely worth the trip.
Because it’s one thing to see renderings and hear the promise.
It’s another to stand beside the moulds, see the process, and feel the momentum behind the build.
And who knows… maybe you’ll become part of the journey too.
