Netherlands

Van Driel B.V.

With Project&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12411" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Thunderball69.7m (228'8&quot;)CRN2026">Thunderball</a>,&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN</a>&nbsp;in Italy has ventured beyond its custom culture by collaborating extensively with northern European subcontractors – an uncommon move for any Italian shipyard that typically rely on a well-established network of domestic suppliers. Beginning with&nbsp;<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a>&nbsp;for the exterior design and preliminary naval architecture, this shift has pushed technical boundaries and blended contrasting project management cultures.“We began discussions with the owner in the summer of 2018,” recalls Marnix Hoekstra, co-creative director at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a>. “The dimensions evolved based on how he planned to use the yacht with his family. Initially, it was for global cruising, so we had one extra deck. At one stage we scaled down to around 50 metres or 500 gross tons, then scaled back up and tank tested a 66-metre model. Ultimately, the project was locked in at 70 metres and 1,100GT.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/284218/image/large-7baa765bcbfb0ebab56311e0f0231661.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/284218">Despite the fluctuations in size, several key priorities emerged early on. One was a clean yet classic styling inspired by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/674" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Carinthia VI71.05m (233'1&quot;)Lürssen Yachts1973">Carinthia VI</a>, designed by Jon Bannenberg. Another was a modest draft as the yacht will spend considerable time cruising the Bahamas. A third was foredeck storage for large tenders – including a 9-metre military-spec Hurricane – where cleats built into the scuppers also allow for mooring a large sailing yacht. The owner further requested a generous aft platform for watersports and chase boat access and, in a late request, asked for a built-in plunge pool.<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/259" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Y.CO (Company)">Y.CO</a> was involved from the outset, managing the bidding and tender process on the owner’s behalf. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN</a> was selected after a thorough evaluation of technical capabilities, project fit, and past performance. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/259" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Y.CO (Company)">Y.CO</a> had previously collaborated with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN</a> on a <a data-gid="gid://syiq/YachtModel/8189" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Riva 50 MT49.9m (163'9&quot;)">Riva 50</a> and was impressed by how well the yacht performed after a full cruising season in terms of build quality, engineering reliability, and systems integration – all of which aligned well with the specific demands of Project <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12411" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Thunderball69.7m (228'8&quot;)CRN2026">Thunderball</a>. Given it had largely been built speculatively, the yacht served as reflection of <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN’s</a> in-house standards.“That said, this custom project is definitely something new compared to what we typically build,” notes Filippo Belcecchi, Engineering Manager at <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN</a> and <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4876" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Ferretti Group (Company)">Ferretti Group</a> Superyachts Division. “<a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN</a> took over responsibility for the naval architecture from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a> at the time of contract signing and refined the hull shape slightly to make it simpler to build. But the bespoke nature of the project is also reflected in the choice of suppliers, which in several cases are Dutch rather than Italian, as per the client’s requests.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/313049/image/large-d7905645289bc3b9dcc17c149f433811.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/313049">Sourcing Suppliers It is well known that shipyards – wherever they are based – tend to stick with local or national suppliers. It simplifies logistics, ensures smoother communication, and leverages familiar supply chains. But <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12411" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Thunderball69.7m (228'8&quot;)CRN2026">Thunderball’s</a> owner pushed for a hybrid sourcing strategy, combining Italian and northern European expertise to secure the best possible equipment.This is logical from a logistics standpoint, and also because yards are familiar with local supply chains that speak the same language. However, the owner’s team favoured a hybrid sourcing approach, blending Italian and northern European suppliers to ensure the best equipment was selected for each task.That strategy is visible throughout the yacht. The deck crane is from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/3832" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Van Driel B.V. (Company)">Van Driel</a>, the transom shell doors from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/1877" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="NewThex Ned BV. (Company)">Newthex</a>, the jacuzzis from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/6974" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Seable&Co (Company)">Seable &amp; Co</a>, and the sliding doors and windbreaks from <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/4703" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="RM Nautical (Company)">RM Nautical</a> (although the glass itself is by Italy’s <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8330" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Viraver Technology (Company)">Viraver</a>). These, and others, are all top-tier Dutch brands chosen not only for their high-quality hardware, but also for clear communication, strong planning, and reliable engineering support. Rather than simply opting for premium pricing, the team spent strategically to deliver maximum value for the owner.Take the wheelhouse, for example. Many superyachts now feature ‘glass bridge’ consoles, where navigation and comms systems are hidden behind a seamless foil surface. Northern European yards often use a single foil panel – a costly solution that also complicates repairs or replacements, since the entire foil and substructure must be removed. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12411" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Thunderball69.7m (228'8&quot;)CRN2026">Thunderball’s</a> bridge uses individual foil panels that achieve the same minimalist look but are much easier to access. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/259" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Y.CO (Company)">Y.CO’s</a> technical representative Patrick Foy calls it common sense: “Why spend extra money on something that’s just going to cost you more down the line?”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/362875/image/large-3f64d9761b96b9b618ace9d6c2ed1b3a.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/362875">A Question of Culture“Bringing northern subcontractors into the fold has added value, no question,” says Belcecchi. “But it also made things more complex. We had to adapt our way of working to different communication and management styles.”Belcecchi explains that Italian yards usually begin steel-cutting before the engineering phase is complete, enabling design tweaks during the build and shortening delivery time. Dutch and German yards, by contrast, finalise all technical documentation before construction begins –leading to more predictable schedules but less mid-build flexibility. The Italian approach can reduce time to delivery, but inevitably involves more risk.“I have to say <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN</a> didn’t shy away from the challenge,” says <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/259" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Y.CO (Company)">Y.CO</a> project coordinator Umberto De Vido. “They bridged the gap through proactive communication and transparent documentation. This adaptability enabled us to integrate high-spec equipment from suppliers who usually operate with longer lead times and stricter schedules.”In addition to the exterior styling, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a> developed the preliminary naval architecture, focusing on a sleek hull for efficiency and elegance. Once the contract was signed, <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN</a> assumed responsibility for the technical design, introducing adjustments to simplify fabrication and enhance seakeeping. As with all <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN</a> projects, the steel hull was constructed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5290" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="C.P.N. S.r.l. (Company)">CPN</a> in Marghera, Venice, and delivered to Ancona by barge. Although <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5290" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="C.P.N. S.r.l. (Company)">CPN</a> is Italian, the build crew was mainly Croatian – praised by Patrick Foy for producing “one of the best hulls I’ve ever seen”, outperforming northern competitors who build in Poland or Romania.“The hull’s slender form was very efficient, but is more prone to rolling,” Foy explains. “So the team added bilge keels – a low-tech yet proven solution – to reduce roll amplitude without relying entirely on the <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/5020" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Quantum Marine Stabilizers (Company)">Quantum</a> rack-and-pinion stabilisers. The bilge keels are 12 metres long and 400 millimetres deep, reducing the need to activate the stabilisers in light seas. That means less wear and lower maintenance costs.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/313053/image/large-1198a2a582b7c8fefe0f00549e8f34ad.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/313053">Energy Storage Another technical highlight is the energy storage system: 800kWh of Dolphin NxtGen batteries by Norway’s <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8329" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Corvus Energy (Company)">Corvus Energy</a>, who also supplied the batteries for the 84-metre <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/29" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Feadship (Company)">Feadship</a> <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/10316" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Obsidian84.2m (276'3&quot;)Feadship2023">Obsidian</a>. Housed in a fire-rated A60 compartment on the under-lower deck, the modular batteries handle peak shaving and silent anchoring. Lightweight and high-density, they’re designed for rapid charging and flexible layout. The catch? At the time of specification, the system hadn’t received Lloyd’s Type Approval. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/12" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="CRN (Company)">CRN</a> worked closely with <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/8329" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Corvus Energy (Company)">Corvus</a> and the classification society to ensure integration and compliance.The owner also had strong preferences regarding noise and odours. “He didn’t want to hear auxiliary exhaust or smell food from the galley,” says De Vido. “The solution was to route exhaust from not only the generators but also the galley, through the mast. “It wasn’t easy to find space for the extra ducting, but the guest experience will be better for it.”Despite its 70-metre length and four full decks plus a half-height under-lower deck, Project <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12411" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Thunderball69.7m (228'8&quot;)CRN2026">Thunderball</a> is a relatively lean 1,100GT – reflecting its classically inspired profile and the owner’s preference for outdoor living over internal volume. This required compromises: there’s no guest lift, for example, and the GA was adjusted to improve crew circulation while maintaining guest privacy.<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/362881/image/large-41e9f51f222ddc7487abb74be42cb6ad.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/362881">Initially, there was no way for crew to move fore to aft on the bridge deck without passing through guest areas. That’s been fixed with a discrete interior corridor, enabling crew to move between mooring stations while remaining out of sight. “It’s about allowing crew to be everywhere, but invisible,” says Captain Bailey. The galley was also relocated from the lower to the main deck to shorten routes to dining areas. The vacated space now houses walk-in cold and dry stores. <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack</a> initially wanted them to retractable wing stations on the bridge deck to preserve the yacht’s vintage lines. But the cost and complexity wasn’t justified by the operational benefits, so fixed ‘blisters’ were added instead – retaining the look with fewer headaches.“From an operational point of view, we made a few key changes,” the captain adds. “There were some tough conversations as <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/15" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Vripack (Company)">Vripack’s</a> aesthetic vision – driven by the owner’s exacting eye – sometimes took precedence. He could spot a variation of a few centimetres in the sheerline. That level of visual commitment came at the expense of some practical considerations, which we helped balance.”<img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/362877/image/large-ce7baa0460ea00c9ea9dd0fa9f742779.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/362877">It Just WorksWalking through the yacht in build, the attention to detail is evident: to validate the painting quality, a mock-up of a section of hull and bulwark was put through the entire coating cycle, from fairing to gold cove stripe; cabling and piping is routed with clinical precision, usually a northern European hallmark; longer and wider drip trays are designed to also catch leaks at pipe junctions, and so on. “I’ve spent years working in northern European shipyards,” affirms Foy. “And when I walk through Project <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12411" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Thunderball69.7m (228'8&quot;)CRN2026">Thunderball</a>, I ask myself – what’s missing? What could be done better? Honestly, nothing. It just works.”Project <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Yacht/12411" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Thunderball69.7m (228'8&quot;)CRN2026">Thunderball</a> is a case study in cross-border collaboration. Along the way, there have been challenges – from exhaust routing and battery integration to late design requests – and further refinements can be expected as delivery approaches. Nevertheless, when the yacht is launched in spring 2026, with interior and exterior spaces designed by <a data-gid="gid://syiq/Company/153" href="#managed-by-system" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="Nauta Yachts S.r.l. (Company)">Nauta Yachts</a>, she will stand as an example of how flexible project management combined with technical rigour can bring together the best of northern and southern Europe. <img src="https://photo-assets.superyachttimes.com/photo/313047/image/large-5d3a31bc24b76eebd6904cb595a73cc3.jpg" data-gid="gid://syiq/Photo/313047">This article was featured in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/magazine/how-to-build-it-issue-8-download" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">Issue 8 of How To Build It</a>.&nbsp;You can read all the articles from this edition&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/magazine/how-to-build-it-issue-8-download" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">here</a>, and stay up-to-date with all previous editions&nbsp;<a href="https://www.superyachttimes.com/magazine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" title="">here</a>.

Crossing  Borders: Building Project Thunderball

Project Thunderball: Italy's CRN ventures beyond its custom culture by collaborating extensively with northern European subcontractors