Heesen Yachts in the Netherlands has launched Project Oslo24, a 164-foot yacht that the shipyard calls a “smart custom” build that balances quality, customization and delivery time.

Christened Cinderella Noel IV, the yacht has a steel hull with exterior design by Clifford Denn, who has had his own firm in France since 2003. Denn has worked on numerous Heesen builds including the 164-foot Omaha, the 164-foot Triton and the 131-foot Lionshare.

Cinderella Noel IV has an owner who is an experienced cruiser, so Heesen merged Denn’s ideas with the owner’s wishes. Some examples include reinforced insulation for cruising in northern climates, heated soles, winter tents and mosquito nets. The yacht also has an “elevated standard” in the crew area, along with a separate crew outdoor deck, to attract a highly trained team.

Another owner request was for a second steering position on the flybridge, where the owner likes to drive the yacht himself. Heesen installed stairs from the flybridge to the wheelhouse to connect these two navigation spaces.

Cinderella Noel IV also marks Heesen’s first installation of a hybrid propulsion system. That technology, along with the yacht’s mast for navigating bridges, and its channel navigation lights for transiting canals and locks, indicate a substantive cruising itinerary in the years ahead. For instance, the owner’s plans include an exploration of the northern fjords.

“Heesen’s Smart Custom solution represented the perfect starting point for an experienced yachtsman to concentrate on the important details for him and his family,” Stefan Zucker, the owner’s representative with Zucker & Partner, stated in a press release. “ Cinderella Noel IV is a testament to Heesen’s intelligent approach, allowing this family to create their dream machine with the certainty of a result which would have taken considerably more time and cost to build individually without being sufficiently tested.”

Interiors are by Luca Dini Design and Architecture. The firm is based in Florence, Italy, and has worked with numerous superyacht builders, including ISA, Wider, Rossinavi, Columbus and Tankoa. Additional projects with Heesen include two 180-footers: Reliance and Venus.

On Cinderella Noel IV, the interior design brief was for extended family cruises with his and hers spaces to work. The design firm added sliding partitions to make interior areas more versatile.

“This project has been a unique experience, driven by the owner’s passion and the shipyard’s expertise, with every detail analyzed and agreed with the clients,” Silvia Margutti of Luca Dini Design and Architecture stated in the press release.

Heesen describes the décor as “quiet luxury and Scandinavian chic.” White, greige and taupe soft furnishings contrast with high-gloss Indian rosewood and dark oak soles. Pops of color are deep blue and musk green. Leather panels by Foglizzo Atelier depict antique sea charts. Vertical and horizontal ripples in the woodwork emphasize the connection with nature. Furniture is from Cassina, Paola Lenti and Toso, among others.

When will Cinderella Noel IV be delivered to the owner? Heesen expects the handoff to take place in March.

Take the next step: go to heesenyachts.com

The post Heesen Launches Project Oslo24 appeared first on Yachting.

With the winter yacht charter season about to kick into high gear in the Bahamas and Caribbean, several top management companies have welcomed notable motoryachts into their fleets.

Perhaps the largest yacht in this category is Samsara, a 290-foot Oceanco that recently joined the Y.CO charter fleet. Brokers are now accepting inquiries for winter charters in the Bahamas and Caribbean (and for summer 2024 bookings in Greenland and Iceland) at a lowest weekly base rate of $1.1 million.

Samsara is a 2015 build that most recently was refitted in 2023, with accommodations for 12 guests in seven staterooms. This yacht has a private owners’ deck, swimming pool, gymnasium, massage room and hair salon, along with an elevator for guest use. “Her seven-cabin layout is ideal for multigenerational groups or two families traveling together,” says David Price of Y.CO Charter Management. “It offers the flexibility to suit many kinds of charter groups.”

Meanwhile, over at Edmiston, two notable yachts have joined the charter fleet.

First is Wayfinder, 223-foot powercat that Astilleros Armon built in 2021. This yacht has an unusual layout, with 11 en suite staterooms (nine singles and two with twin berths) for 12 guests, along with quarters for 20 crew. It can be booked as either its own charter yacht or as a support vessel for more traditional charter yachts.

Wayfinder has an open aft deck with a helipad that doubles as a pickleball court. This yacht also has belowdecks storage for six tenders and four Sea-Doos. The lowest base rate to book a week in the Caribbean is $300,000, with inquiries also being accepted for the Mediterranean and other destinations in summer 2024.

Also new to the Edmiston charter fleet is the 164-foot Home, a 2017 Heesen that will be in the Bahamas this winter at a lowest weekly base rate of $245,000.

Home accommodates 12 guests in six staterooms, and charters with nine crew. Interiors are by Cristiano Gatto—Edmiston describes them as “crisp, light-filled and Ibiza-inspired.” For outdoor fun, the complement of tenders and toys includes a 34-foot Jupiter towed tender, a 21-foot Williams jet tender that can reportedly hit 35 knots, Sea-Doos, standup paddleboards, skis, inflatables, snorkeling gear and scuba equipment.

And, last but not least, IYC has added the 162-foot Christensen Remember When to the charter fleet, with bookings available this winter in the Bahamas at a lowest weekly base rate of $230,000. It’s a 2011 build that was most recently refitted in 2020, with accommodations for 12 guests in six staterooms. An elevator services all four decks, and the full-beam main-deck master has a private office.

Is it too early to call for summer 2024 yacht charter bookings? Nope. In fact, IYC also just welcomed the 90-foot Sanlorenzo SAL to the charter fleet. It’s a brand-new build for 2023 that’s currently accepting bookings for the West Mediterranean, Croatia and Montenegro in summer 2024.

Take the next step: head over to y.co, edmiston.com or iyc.com

The post New Options for Winter Yacht Charter appeared first on Yachting.

Heesen Yachts in the Netherlands says it has joined the hull and superstructure on the 180-foot Project Venus, which is for sale with delivery expected in the second quarter of 2025.

Project Venus is part of Heesen’s 55 Steel series. Power is a pair of MTU 4000 M63 engines, with a projected top speed of 15.5 knots and a cruising speed of 13 knots. At cruising speed, range is expected to be 4,500 nautical miles, enough for trans-Atlantic cruising.

Luca Dini Design and Architecture is handling interiors on Project Venus. Accommodations are for 12 guests in six staterooms, including a main-deck master that spans more than 880 feet and has a private, starboard-side veranda.

The sundeck encompasses nearly 1,200 square feet with a hot tub, a bar and a lounge area protected beneath a hardtop. Sun loungers are aft. Alfresco dining is one level below on the bridge deck aft, and there’s a beach club off the main deck that includes a sauna, a day-head, a shower and a bar.

Is Project Venus the first time Heesen has worked with Italian designer Luca Dini? Not even close. Project Venus is the fifth collaboration between Heesen and Luca Dini.

Take the next step: go to heesenyachts.com

The post Construction Continues on Heesen’s Project Venus appeared first on Yachting.

Construction on the third build from Dutch shipyard Heesen Yacht’s all-aluminum 50m semi-displacement series is well underway, with delivery available by the second quarter of 2024.

Dubbed Project Jade, this latest build is remarkable not only for her elegant profile, but for a balanced and thoughtful interior and exterior design that leaves no desire unfulfilled. Longtime Heesen naval architecture partners Omega Architects are responsible for the exterior styling of the stately vessel, which echoes the sculptural quality of the yard’s acclaimed 65m custom build of 2013, Galactica Star.

With a profile that underscores her 23-knot top speed at half load, Project Jade exudes an air of sporty sophistication. A muscular reverse sheer line and flowing superstructure arches demonstrate the familiar essence of her Heesen heritage, while for this project, Omega’s Frank Laupman incorporated slightly chiseled lines and an integrated hull and superstructure styling that lends a crisp, modern feel to the 164ft (50m) beauty.

Project Jade also features an optimized hull design with a streamlined underwater body that keeps the transom depth to a minimum and raises the propellers within deep tunnels to reduce her overall draft to an impressive 7ft (2.15m). Fitted with the latest IMO Tier III-compliant MTU 16V 4000 M65L engines, Project Jade promises the excellent seakeeping and efficient performance that defines Heesen builds, with top speeds in excess of 23 knots and a transoceanic range of 3,100 miles at 11 knots. In fact, Heesen’s 50m fast-cruising class is the first of its kind below 500GT to comply with IMO Tier-III regulations.

The Balance of Performance and Comfort

Built to the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) standards, Project Jade offers a five-stateroom layout with an on-deck master, large, well-defined guest spaces, and enviable deck areas – all within a 499GT package for the ultimate balance of performance, efficiency and onboard living.

Noted Italian designer Cristiano Gatto was tapped to create the layout for this latest design, and the resulting collaboration with Laupman is something Gatto himself refers to as one of his “favorite projects.” The design ethos? A harmonization of interior and exterior spaces that is fresh, contemporary and modern, but absent of the cold experience of the minimalism of the past.

Incorporating all of the desired amenities of superyacht living within a 50m, 499GT package presents a challenge for any designer, but Gatto considered important features on each deck to ensure the project’s success.

The first major key point in the design is the lack of division between interior and exterior – whether from the transition of interior spaces to aft deck areas or through the floor-to-ceiling windows providing unobstructed views. The layout flows seamlessly from stem to stern, where a tremendous beach club doubles as a tender garage. Head room in this space is amplified thanks to the main deck aft design, which simply raises the aft sunpad lounging area by three steps to create a generous, full-size, multi-purpose beach club/tender garage below.

Within the interior on the main deck, a massive dining area featuring dedicated china storage is positioned forward of the main salon, while the full-beam master stateroom is positioned furthest forward. This generous space offers four distinct areas comprised of an office, a walk-in dressing room, a palatial, marble-lined bathroom and the cabin itself, which is graced by large windows.

The upper salon is another epicenter of the vessel, and, as with every guest space onboard, has been planned to comfortably facilitate entertaining. Here, the sofas are positioned to take advantage of the views afforded by the yacht’s large windows, while a bar is situated behind the sofa, allowing guests to sit with a drink and enjoy the view or the game on the wall television opposite. The option to entertain on this deck is enhanced, thanks to the well-proportioned aft bridge deck accommodating al fresco dining and lounging.

Project Jade’s sun deck comfortably offers all of the al fresco activities one would desire aboard a superyacht, from large seating areas to an enormous bar, a Jacuzzi with sunpads and an additional space for dining.

Twelve guests are accommodated within Project Jade’s five staterooms that include the on-deck master plus two doubles and two twin ensuites on the lower deck. Crew quarters for eight are positioned forward, and a double Captain’s cabin is situated aft of the wheelhouse on the bridge deck.

A Blank Canvas

Project Jade is a speculative build, yet rather than create a single style that may appeal to one client, Gatto took a unique, blank canvas approach to the interior design that offers three style options to encourage the client to visualize the space as tailored to him or her: Aria, Terre or Mare.

Aria Interior

From the Latin word for “air,” the Aria interior presents a warm and inviting aesthetic with materials and textures that enhances the yacht’s natural lighting with chic undertones. The sky is reflected in the selection of materials and tempered glass, while shaded grey leathers, white lash gold-veined marbles and cool stainless steel deliver earthy tones.

Terra Interior

Latin for the Roman goddess of Earth, the Terra interior features warm tones, soft, cozy materials and earthy elements such as tanned leather and warm colors. Ideal for clients who plan to cruise in colder climates, the Terra interior features bespoke furniture by Cristiano Gatto along with a Patagonia marble-topped dining table and a custom beige, white and warm brown carpet reminiscent of autumn or early spring.

Mare Interior

Evocative of the sea itself, the Mare interior emphasizes the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. The furniture evokes feminine touches and the lightness of water while custom designed carpeting illustrates maps of fantasy destinations.

Throughout the interior of Project Jade, rounded, organic themes dominate. Rounded contours for the fixed and freestanding furniture echo the curvaceous lines of the exterior, from the free-form sofa and coffee tables to the circular dining table graced by circular overhead lighting and ceiling panels.

Much research and development went into the selection of materials as well as the way they would be used and styled onboard. Classic materials such as marbles, stainless steel and mirrored glass combine with tactile textures selected to reflect and enhance the natural light from the large windows. Gatto also introduced a few innovative materials as well, such as a leather with a gradient shading that adds the effect of depth in its application. This shaded variant is also incorporated in the custom carpeting.

Because Heesen is one of the few shipyards in the world to have its own in-house interiors division, each of Gatto’s interior styles will be perfectly engineered and installed by the yard’s in-house interior construction team.

“I raised the bar with Project Jade in terms of design and welcoming different types of clients,” says Gatto. “It was quite a challenge but I really look forward to seeing this boat on the water.”

Embodying a stellar interior design, balanced exterior profile and high-caliber engineering that sets Heesen apart, Project Jade is one spec yacht that meets the expectation of a discerning client ready to combine a need for speed with the speedy enjoyment of their next yacht.

The post Speed, Style and Balance Defined appeared first on Yachting.

Heesen Yachts in the Netherlands has launched the 220-foot Sparta. It is the yard’s largest-ever steel motoryacht, having grown out of the Project Avanti concept that Heesen presented with Winch Design at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2018.

Sparta is in final commissioning, before heading to the North Sea for sea trials ahead of delivery to the owners.

According to Heesen, “The design has remained true to the original concept, with only minor adjustments made to the swimming pool. Winch Design expertly incorporated Heesen’s DNA to create a unique, low-profile, sporty and elegant yacht that looks simply stunning on the water.”

Sparta’s exterior is snow white with metallic Venetian red and metallic anthracite gray accents. The yacht has a reverse bow and sweep of thermo-bonded tinted glass from bow to stern.

Onboard features include a full-beam salon connected to an open-air beach terrace with a 21-foot infinity pool. Winch Design penned the custom outdoor furniture, which was built by Siebensee and Leerdam. A custom limo tender that Heesen calls “a mini version of the mothership” stows with the water toys behind gullwing doors in a forward garage.

Interior volume is 1,200 gross tons. There are two owner’s suites on a private deck and four guest staterooms on the main deck. A movable partition separates the forward guest staterooms, which can become a full-beam VIP or a playroom for younger family members.

A glass elevator serves all three decks. The lower deck has a Japanese-inspired wellness area with an elliptical whirlpool, steam room, sauna, gym and beauty area.

Interior design themes on every deck: Each of Sparta’s three decks has a different theme. The lower deck is water (with dining chairs upholstered in palm leaf), the main deck is earth (with a coffee table made from oak trunk), and the upper deck is air and space (with constellation wall artwork).

Take the next step: go to heesenyachts.com

The post Heesen Launches 220-Foot ‘Sparta’ appeared first on Yachting.

The Armenian word lusine translates to “moon” in English. That’s why, aboard the 198-foot Heesen Lusine, lunar and celestial themes are everywhere, from wall features to the teak decking. A crescent moon, for instance, is in the middle of the helipad. Even the font of the yacht’s name runs from thin to thick, reflecting the moon’s four waxing and waning phases.

Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design in the Netherlands created the opulent, almost art deco interior, which Heesen says is by far the most complicated and expensive it has ever produced. Initially, the yacht’s owner was inspired by Heesen’s then-Project Ceres (which launched as Galactica), but he ended up developing a fully custom vessel. At 1,079 gross tons, and based on a Fast Displacement Hull Form by Dutch naval architecture firm Van Oossanen, Lusine is Heesen’s longest and biggest-volume steel-hull yacht to date. The overall design process was led by Frank Laupman’s team at the Dutch firm Omega Architects.

Lusine’s profile fuses contemporary and modern styling to stunning effect. While the bow is conventionally pointed, the superstructure is more angular and extends a little farther forward than usual. The high foredeck terrace is vast and capable of hosting quite a party. The bridge-deck wing stations are exaggerated to create much wider side decks, and there is a hint of a bird’s wing amidships in the superstructure relief that cleverly integrates all the upper three decks without actually breaking the horizontal sweeps of glass along the main and upper decks.

Not only is the craftsmanship throughout Lusine exceptional, but the level of detailed design goes way beyond the norm as well. For instance, almost every piece of furniture is custom-size, and the breathtaking parquet soles, rich joinery and intricate marquetry are made from rare woods, special stones, and unusual leathers and skins, such as stingrays and puffer fish. One of the biggest design statements is the yacht’s circular staircase and glass elevator connecting all four decks, with a contoured leather mural depicting sea, land, air and then star themes as guests rise from the yacht’s lower deck to the top deck.

Lusine’s main-deck gathering spaces are conventional enough. Entering from the cockpit seating and dining space, the main-deck salon has lounge and dining areas aft, with an amidships galley and pantry to port. A companionway to starboard leads to the formal, double-glass-door entrance and to a side-boarding ladder beyond. The double-pedestal, cornice-topped dining table has radial Macassar veneers inlaid with gold leaf, blue agate and sycamore. The custom chandelier above is from Preciosa.

Accommodations are for 16 guests in eight en suite staterooms: three with double berths on the upper deck and five with twin berths on the lower deck. The lower-deck staterooms can also be used by personal staff.

The 540-square-foot owners’ stateroom is aft on the upper deck, where many other yachts have a sky lounge. Views from here are fabulous, with a 180-degree panorama to the sides and across the upper deck’s aft lounges, dining area and hot tub. The whole space can be secured for owner privacy.

Forward on the main deck is the L-shaped VIP stateroom, conceived for close family. It has an en suite double-berth stateroom and an adjacent en suite twin-berth stateroom. Both open onto a starboard-side private sitting room, which connects to the yacht’s main lobby.

The crew complement is 15. A captain’s cabin is to port abaft the modern, paperless bridge, with the remainder of the crew cabins forward on the lower deck.

Lusine has room for three Boston Whaler tenders: a 270 Vantage, a 210 Dauntless and a 180 Dauntless. The smallest and largest are housed with various toys in a forward garage, which has hinge-up doors to either side of the bow. The 210 is kept in the stern garage with more toys.

For air arrivals, a touch-and-go helipad is on the after end of the top deck. Interestingly, the area around the mast base and at the top of the central staircase is enclosed to create an alternative foyer for guests arriving this way. The space includes a pilot’s cabin.

Propulsion is twin 2,575 hp MTU 12V 4000 M65L diesels, which reportedly deliver a top speed around 18 knots and an ocean-straddling 4,200-nautical-mile range at 13 knots. Twin Naiad fins provide stabilization, and onboard power comes primarily from twin 315 kW Zenoro generators. The yacht’s air conditioning is built to high-tropical specification.

Lusine embodies all the knowledge and experience that Heesen has amassed by delivering more than 80 metal motoryachts with an average length of 155 feet in the past 20 years. The yard consistently delivers around four big yachts annually—not tied to the four phases of the moon but stellar nonetheless.

Touchstone

A coffee table in the main salon contains a small slice of lunar meteorite. A few of these rare rocks have been found on Earth and matched forensically with samples brought back from NASA’s Apollo missions. Scientists believe that the rocks arrived in debris showers following crater-creating events. A meteorite with proven provenance is the closest thing to a moon rock that money can buy; the real ones are owned by U.S. government agencies. 

Now for Sale

Sadly, Lusine’s owner died right around the time the yacht was delivered. It’s now listed for sale “as new” with Burgess and is lying in the West Mediterranean. The asking price at press time was $82 million.

Ever Larger

Lusine is Heesen’s largest steel-hull motoryacht to date, but the yard’s largest project so far is the semi-displacement, all-aluminum, 263-foot, 1,700-gross-ton Galactica, which departed the Oss, Netherlands, yard in early 2022. Galactica is also reportedly the world’s largest and fastest motoryacht with a conventional shaft-line propulsion. Heesen says the vessel is capable of 29 knots, with four MTU 20V 4000 series engines.

Busy Builder

Heesen mostly builds semi-custom projects on common platforms. In recent years, most have been fast-displacement or semi-displacement hulls in steel/aluminum or all aluminum, but, occasionally, there’s a full-displacement steel/aluminum or all-aluminum project in the mix. Lusine is a good example of its steel-hull yachts.

Take the next step: heesenyachts.com

The post Heesen Yachts ‘Lusine’ Reviewed appeared first on Yachting.

Heesen Yachts in the Netherlands has sold Project Akira, the first hull in the yard’s series of 187-foot, all-aluminum fast yachts.

The sale was done with Wes Sanford of Northrop & Johnson and James Corts of MarineMax introducing the client.

Project Akira will have an enclosed volume of approximately 780 gross tons and a lightweight Fast Displacement Hull Form. The design was first presented at the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show, and construction began on spec in February 2022. Delivery is expected in time for the summer 2024 season.

Power will be a pair of IMO Tier III-compliant MTU 16V 4000 M65L engines with a reported maximum speed of 22 knots.

Frank Laupman of Omega Architects penned the profile. Harrison Eidsgaard collaborated on the layout and décor. Accommodations are for 12 guests in six staterooms, including an owner’s stateroom on the main deck and a VIP stateroom on the bridge deck.

Heesen’s employees just keep going: When the keel was laid for Project Akira, four of Heesen employees celebrating their 25th work anniversaries carried out the first welds. Overall, 17 of the shipyard’s original 40 employees still work at the yard.

Take the next step: go to heesenyachts.com

The post Heesen Sells Project Akira appeared first on Yachting.

About 20 years ago, Yachting ran an article with the title “Game Theory.” It explained that the way yachts were being outfitted for charter was changing. Prior to that time, most yachts available for charter carried water skis and snorkeling gear, and had a RIB as a tender for zipping around. Some yacht owners and captains back then were just starting to think bigger. “The trend is piling up as many toys as you can,” a charter broker said at the time. “They just want to have a full repertoire, a variety, something for everyone.”

Today, of course, that trend is now considered standard operating procedure for charter yachts worldwide, with guests expecting to find an arsenal of water toys ready for use at a moment’s notice. In the current environment of “the charter yacht with the most toys wins,” it takes a heck of a lot to stand out—which is why the 164-foot Heesen Arkadia is so noteworthy.

The yacht is a 2021 delivery from the Dutch yard that’s about to begin its first charter season in the Bahamas and Caribbean, after joining the Y.CO fleet this past August. And Arkadia is coming into the islands positively packed with water toys that, in some cases, are rare-gem finds.

“Our owner, he’s very active,” Capt. Jamie Farnborough says. “He’s up at 7 a.m. and normally running pretty hard until the sun goes down, and even then, he still wants to go night scuba diving. It’s an action-packed day. We wanted watersports equipment to cover [all the bases], every weather condition, and I think we’ve done that quite successfully.”

First and foremost on Arkadia’s list of standout tenders and toys is a 20-foot MasterCraft—a brand name that is uncommon among tenders in the superyacht realm. MasterCraft is a Tennessee company known for performance boats in the world of wakesurfing, waterskiing and wakeboarding. In the case of Arkadia, the MasterCraft tender makes all kinds of watersports possible.

“If it’s a super-flat, calm day, we have the MasterCraft to take people skiing or wakeboarding,” Farnborough says. “As soon as you get a little wind, we have kitesurfing gear for everything from 5 knots to 30 knots of breeze. We have the scuba-diving equipment, the wing foils—you name it, we’ve got it. If there’s a watersport to be done, we can accommodate it.”

He’s not exaggerating. Other toys on board include a Manta hydrofoil bike, for bicycling atop the water, and gear for taking charter guests wingfoiling. “It’s the new thing between windsurfing and kitesurfing,” Farnborough says. “It’s like an inflatable windsurfing sail, but you’re on a hydrofoil board. You’re out of the water, holding on to an inflatable wing, like an airplane.”

And yes, there are multiple instructors on board to teach charter guests how to do all this and more. “We’ve got kiteboarding instructors, diving instructors, professional kitesurfers on the boat,” he says. “We’re starting now to look at freediving. You come here, and we’ll guarantee that you’re going to leave this boat with some kind of new skill if you want to with watersports.”

All that activity, of course, also requires some serious relaxation and a good night’s sleep. The crew are prepared to offer just about any level of service that guests prefer: “They can dial the service up to be very high-end, or they can dial it down to a more country-club type of service,” Farnborough says. “It’s important because every charter guest is different. We gauge that pretty quickly.”

The chef too is trained to provide whatever standard of meals meet guest expectations. “We have a very talented chef who worked in pretty significant restaurants in South Africa, so he can dial in on what you’re looking for,” Farnborough says. “If you want to indulge in rich foods, we can do that. If you want to be super-healthy, we can do that too.”

Arkadia has overnight accommodations for 10 charter guests in five staterooms, including a full-beam master forward on the main deck. Each of the four guest staterooms belowdecks is en suite, and there are additional quarters for nine crew.

The interior decor is largely by Reymond Langton, which Heesen tasked with creating a contemporary, comfortable space that would appeal to a wide range of potential buyers for the spec-built yacht. Appealing to a wide range of people is, of course, also an excellent quality in a charter yacht, and Bannenberg & Rowell later contributed some touches to the decor at the owners’ request, to add some of their personal tastes. The result is guest spaces largely focused around calming tones with rounded shapes, punctuated by occasional pops of color in pillows, vases and bespoke works of art. Much of the lighting that was installed during the build is indirect, softly adding to the natural light that comes through the windows (some of them sole to ceiling in size).

Heesen also built Arkadia to cruise long distances, so all those water toys can get a workout in exhilarating diving and boarding destinations around the world. Arkadia’s steel hull is a full-displacement, round-bilge design that has what the builder calls a drag-cheating bulbous bow. Top speed is reportedly 15 knots, with a transoceanic range of 3,800 nautical miles at an economical 12 knots.

Farnborough says the crew makes the most of the boat’s cruising capabilities with an enhanced navigation package at the helm. “We’ve set the boat up specifically for off-the-beaten-path cruising,” he says. “We have a lot of different chart options and tools for cross-referencing. I can get this boat to pretty remote places on the planet where they might not see another human being for a week. That’s a really special thing to be able to do.”

And at anchor, even in choppy locations, Naiad zero-speed stabilizers should help keep everyone comfortable on board.

Arkadia’s owner is American, so the yacht is expected to spend summers in the Bahamas, and winters in the Bahamas and Caribbean. Given that the owner’s family is quite active, Y.CO is marketing the boat as ideal for families or groups of friends who want to have “maximum fun on the water.” The lowest weekly base rate is $275,000, with a holiday weekly rate this winter of $295,000.

Across the pond, meanwhile, Heesen continues to turn out new builds at a fast clip. Toward the end of August, the 164-foot Project Jade had its hull and superstructure joined, and its engines installed. Project Jade is an aluminum build capable of achieving 23 knots, with construction proceeding at a pace that should lead to delivery in April 2024.

Heesen also launched Project Gemini this past summer. Newly christened Reliance, that yacht is a 180-footer that also started life as a spec build, with the owner joining the project some 15 months into construction. Reliance also marks the Dutch yard’s first collaboration with the Italian firm Luca Dini Design, which helped adapt the yacht to the owner’s tastes.

Also in July, Heesen delivered the 164-foot Book Ends, which was known as Project Sapphire during its build process. Like Project Jade, Book Ends is an aluminum, fast-cruising design that the owner—who tapped Heesen for new builds two times in less than four years—calls “a race car” on the water.

And as if all that is not enough, earlier this year Heesen also delivered Lusine, a 196-foot fully custom commission that was known as Project Falcon in the shipyard. Sinot Yacht Design and Architecture was hired for that yacht’s interior decor, which the yard calls “one of the most complex interiors ever crafted by the artisans of Heesen Yachts Interiors, who enjoyed the challenge of working with rare woods, precious fabrics and exquisite leathers.”

All of which is to say that while Arkadia may be new to the charter fleet, the yacht is also part of a strong, diverse and continually growing Heesen fleet that comes with a pedigree built on solid construction, proven seaworthiness, and customized design that can match all kinds of ideas about how to achieve the ideal cruising lifestyle. Arkadia’s extensive watersports program is yet more proof that Heesen’s platforms, while often starting out as spec builds designed to appeal to a broad range of tastes, can be adapted to suit just about anything specific that yacht owners and charter clients might imagine themselves doing.

And yes, that includes anyone reading these pages who fancies himself or herself the world’s next great wakesurfing or kiting champion. The armada of toys and eager-to-teach crew aboard Arkadia really do inspire charter clients to go ahead and dream big. Imagine the adventure. Do some game-theory calculations to determine the best possible combination of activities to maximize a personalized vision of fun, and then book a week or two on board in the islands with Arkadia’s crew as the guide.

As the charter experts at Y.CO say, “her talented team on board, led by Capt. Jamie Farnborough, are ready to delight guests with their amazing ability to create holiday experiences that guests will remember forever.” Or, at least until the next season, when there will be a chance to make new memories all over again.

Boarding Heaven

Many charter yachts carry inflatable or standard paddleboards for guests to enjoy in quiet harbors and coves. Arkadia carries paddleboards too, but also adds to the fun with surfboards, a water toy that is far less common to find in the charter fleet—and that takes the excitement of board sports to a whole other level.

Water Toys Galore

The sheer quantity of water toys aboard the Heesen Arkadia could never fit on a traditional swim platform, even one with modest-size extenders included. Hence the extendible platform shown above, which is ready to help launch everything from standup paddleboards to personal watercraft for guests.

From Spec to Star

Arkadia is Hull No. 2 of Heesen’s 50-meter Steel series, with exterior lines by Clifford Denn, making the yacht a descendant of Ann G (2015) and a sistership to Omaha (2018). The yacht’s attributes include a gross tonnage of 499 and bluewater capabilities, with a reported range of 3,800 nautical miles at 12 knots. Heesen says the yacht’s top speed is 15 knots, powered by twin MTU 8V 4000 M63 engines. Arkadia—as with many Heesens—began life as a spec build. It was completed in late 2019, just before the pandemic. The owner bought Arkadia in autumn 2020 and used it privately until this past August, when it became available for charter as part of the Y.CO fleet.

Up Top

Arkadia’s hot tub is far forward on the sun deck, allowing for expansive views all around the yacht—perhaps while watching a favorite film on the deck’s 42- and 65-inch TVs. Sun pads flank the hot tub, and there’s a bar just abaft there for grabbing a cocktail or snack.

Ready to Explore

Arkadia’s first full charter season in the Caribbean and Bahamas will give guests options for how they want to explore ashore. In addition to the yacht’s multiple tenders and paddleboards, guests have the choice of cruising around on their own aboard personal watercraft that can get close to shallow shores.

Next-Level Fun

A 20-foot MasterCraft is an uncommon find when it comes to tenders in the charter fleet, even for yachts that charter with shadow boats carrying everything from catamarans to submersibles. The MasterCraft is specifically designed to make the most of wakeboarding and other types of tow-sport sessions.

Take the next step: y.co

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Heesen Yachts in the Netherlands has released the first images of the 164-foot Project Orion.

Cristiano Gatto is handling interior décor that, according to Heesen, reflects and complement the yacht’s “progressive exterior lines,” sole-to-ceiling windows and open bulwarks.

“The interior style of Project Orion is the result of our research moved by matching and partially contrasting needs: comfort in luxury,” Gatto stated in a press release, adding that he sees the yacht’s interiors as “contemporary in a whole new way.”

Heesen says all materials and furniture are being engineered to reduce weight, ease installation and streamline maintenance of concealed equipment. More than 37 materials are aboard the yacht, ranging from high-gloss woods to woven leather, marble and custom carpets.

Project Orion is part of Heesen’s 50-meter FDHF aluminum series, which uses hybrid power. According to the shipyard, the yacht’s twin 800-horsepower MTU 12V 200 M61 engines will produce a top speed of 16.3 knots; at 10 knots in hybrid mode, fuel consumption is just shy of 12 gallons per hour.

When will Heesen launch Project Orion? The yard says construction is on schedule, with delivery in February 2025. The yacht is being built on spec and is available for sale.

Take the next step: go to heesenyachts.com

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Heesen Yachts in the Netherlands says the 196-foot Project Skyfall has had its main engines placed onto the mounts, and its superstructure hoisted into place over the hull.

The all-aluminum superyacht is now inside Heesen’s shed No. 9, where outfitting is expected to continue on a timeline that leads to sea trials in spring 2023.

Heesen calls Project Skyfall a high-speed build that “is a sport-fisherman in yacht disguise,” with a cockpit, fighting chair and stowage for 40 rods.

Frank Laupman of Omega Architects created the exterior design to go with the Fast Displacement Hull Form. The paint scheme will be desert tan by Awlgrip. Gyrostabilizers and interceptor trim plates are specified for comfort underway.

Heesen is projecting that Project Skyfall will reach a top speed of 37 knots, with a total of 22,000 horsepower produced by four MTU 20V 4000 engines driving four Kongsberg S90 water jets.

Will Project Skyfall be Heesen’s most powerful yacht to date? Yes, and it will have a custom tender that Vanquish is building to a Guido de Groot design.

Take the next step: visit heesenyachts.com

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