Hakvoort Shipyard in the Netherlands has signed the contract to build a 63.30 m motoryacht. Given the project name Zeus, she will be the largest superyacht built to date by Hakvoort, which also recently started construction on a 61 m displacement motoryacht, Golden Age. Slated for delivery in the spring of 2017, Zeus has a unique contemporary profile designed by René van der Velden to some very specific requirements from the owner.
Diana Yacht Design is responsible for the naval architecture and the interior will come from the boards of Sinot Yacht Design. The sale was arranged in close cooperation with Moran Yacht & Ship.
This second major new order for Hakvoort within the space of a few months justifies the significant investments the yard has made in recent years to expand its facilities. Zeus will require a further extension of the yard, cementing Hakvoort’s position in the market for premium motoryachts up to 65 metres in length.
The owner of Zeus has a longstanding relationship with René van der Velden and asked him to draw a modern classic with a difference. “He was very keen that the yacht should not be a repeat of anything else that is currently afloat but something genuinely fresh and bold,” explains Van der Velden. “The owner admires a type of styling called streamlining, which was especially popular in the 1930s and 40s. A streamliner is a vehicle or vessel given a specific shape that reduces air resistance: Examples include the famous ferry Kalakala and the record-breaking car Bluebird. This is the first time streamlining has been so clearly integrated into the design of a superyacht.”
A crucial part of the layout brief was the location of the tenders. “The owner has a lot of experience and knows how difficult large tenders can be to launch,” Van der Velden continues. “Seeking a very practical solution we chose to place two nine-metre tenders on the main deck. As this eats into a lot of prime real estate, we have skipped the traditional saloon, dedicating the main deck to the owner’s quarters, galley and captain’s cabin. This has freed space on the deck above for pure socialising.”
This ‘upper deck’ includes a spacious saloon forward and sky lounge aft. The latter has sliding doors that open up to create a giant inside-out zone. The bridge deck includes the wheelhouse and a large area is set aside for the gymnasium. This too can be opened up for the ultimate in al fresco fitness. Zeus also features a beach club with lots of storage and a sauna. Twin Caterpillar 3512Cs will give her a top speed of 15 knots and a cruising speed of 12.5 knots.
Diana Yacht Design BV
+31 (0)72 5200155
[email protected]
www.dianayachtdesign.com
Hakvoort Shipyards
+31 (0)299 651403
[email protected]
www.hakvoort.com
René van der Velden Yacht Design
+31 (0)33 455 4408
[email protected]
www.renevandervelden.com
Sinot Yacht Design
+31 (0)35 539 53 90
[email protected]
www.sinot.com
Moran Yacht & Ship
+1 954 768 0707
[email protected]
www.moranyachts.com