About six months from now, the expedition yacht you see here will hit the water, from a new company that promises to "appeal to people who want unique experiences . . . to explore the world."

Those are the words of Jim Gilbert, a familiar name in yachting circles. The founding editor of ShowBoats International, he's currently a consultant and among the team members of Aquos Yachts which aims to change attitudes about expedition yachts.

Now, you might be thinking, "What's wrong with the current attitudes?" Nothing – except for the fact that few owners of these types of megayachts have truly pushed their vessels to the far reaches of the world. In Gilbert's opinion, there's been a focus on making massive vessels with luxury spaces, rather than emphasizing the overall yachting experience. Aquos Yachts wants to put the emphasis back on the voyage, not volume. It also wants to do so in a more environmentally responsible way.

AQUOS YACHTSAt 147 feet, 7 inches, the steel-hulled explorer is intended to be away from shore upwards of four months at a time.BIG FISH

The company – which counts McMullen & Wing, Gregory C. Marshall Naval Architects and the International SeaKeepers Society among its partners – evolved out of one owner's project.

A Hong Kong-based businessman commissioned Big Fish to stay at sea for several consecutive months, emphasize eco-friendliness and still look and feel luxurious.

"I was surprised by the profound enjoyment I derived from the creative process of developing my yacht," he says in a statement. "As a businessman I realized that between my substantial investment in design, engineering, and my visionary team, that we had something new both in substance and in process to offer the yachting world."

Big Fish will therefore be the basis for a series of yachts. At 147 feet, 7 inches in LOA, the steel-hulled explorer is intended to be away from shore upwards of four months at a time. A handful of fold-down balconies and hull platforms will let the owner, his family and charter guests take more advantage of anchorages. In fact, port and starboard hull platforms aft can lower adjacent to the 39-foot-wide swim platform. This creates a wrap-around staging area for diving, watertoys, sunning – you name it.

To encourage shoreline exploration or even research, a custom 28-foot tender with a 300-mile range will be stored aboard. She's also being built by McMullen & Wing, but she won't be stowed in the traditional tender garage. Instead, she'll be housed beneath the foredeck, along with a dedicated launching crane.

AQUOS YACHTSAs for being ecologically responsible, Big Fish will be the first yacht ever to include stone decks.STONE DECKS?

As for being ecologically responsible, Big Fish will be the first yacht ever to include stone decks, a sample of which I photographed here. It's epoxy-impregnated granite, from Stone Decking Systems.

The company is run by Jeff Homchick, a renowned expert in stone usage aboard luxury yachts. (His handiwork is present aboard several Christensens, Deltas, and other boats.) Despite what you might assume, the stone decking is not rough to the touch. It also won't get hot, unlike teak; requires less maintenance; can't be marred by shoes (even high heels); and due to the epoxy, the decking is low in weight.

Other environmental touches: reusable bottles for each guest (no plastic bottles permitted); low-power-consumption LED lighting throughout; and using energy for more than one purpose, such as using heat from engines and generators to create hot water.

Lest we forget about creature comforts, Big Fish will include two full-beam VIPs below decks, which can transform into four staterooms if needed. The owner's stateroom is aft on the bridge deck, freeing up the forward main deck for a large country kitchen – no formal dining on this boat. The idea is to encourage relaxation. After dinner, everyone can watch a movie or footage from the day's dives on a wall of plasma screens stretching about 26 feet high.

There's a lot more to Big Fish and the overall goals of Aquos Yachts. They're certainly ones to watch closely.