Heesen Yachts Lays Keel of Their Largest Yacht Built

Heesen Yachts announced the keel-laying of their latest build, the 65-meter Fast Displacement megayacht. The yacht ceremony took place at Heesen’s shipyard in Oss, the Netherlands.

The hull of this megayacht, started in December 2010, and is due for delivery in January 2012, exhibits interesting new techniques in the construction of her decks, bulkheads and a portion of her superstructure plating.

Extruded aluminum plates, measuring 300mm wide, are welded together using a ‘friction-stir’ technique to form huge plates of 2.5 meters x 12 meters. This method, first developed by NASA, has the benefit of creating less heat during the welding process. The result are large aluminum plates with uniform mechanical properties and much fairer and smoother finishes.

When combined with sophisticated naval architecture, this improved construction technique results in a megayacht that is 30% more efficient than a round-bilge yacht. This yacht’s advanced design combines a narrow beam and a special hull form that results in a very low wave profile over the entire speed range, while also improving her sea-keeping and manoeuvrability. This drastically reduces the operating cost of running the yacht, as well as lowering her environmental footprint due to lower engine emissions.

Her owner appointed the yacht-design studio, Bannenberg & Rowell, to create the interior of this radical megayacht. Dickie Bannenberg comments, “To complement such a dynamic and sleek exterior design, we knew that we would have to produce an interior with the same qualities. This task gave us a rare opportunity to take advantage of the additional space provided within Heesen’s largest ever build. We have already begun concept work on the main deck saloon and dining areas and very much look forward to designing the really exciting beach club, which will be located beneath the pool. An ‘infinity loop’ floor plan allows for neat zoning of spaces, with living and seating aft, dining forward and a free standing bar positioned opposite a fireplace, thus making dramatic design capital out of this potential ‘no-man’s land’ located midships between the engine room air ducts.”

Source: Heesen Shipyard

About Heesen Yachts: In 1978, in Oss, the Netherlands, Frans Heesen, an entrepreneur acquired a shipyard as a potential site for his company. Rather than converting the buildings, he decided to keep the yard’s shipbuilding activities alive and in 1979 the first yacht bearing the Heesen brand, a 28 meter yacht, Amigo, was launched and delivered.

Since, Heesen yachts has earned a reputation throughout the yachting industry as the world’s leading builder of aluminium megayachts.

In 1992 Heesen Yachts entered into the field of traditional steel displacement yachts, expanding their portfolio of custom-built megayachts.

In the past 30 years Heesen Yachts has successfully designed, built and delivered over 150 megayachts. Meticulous attention to detail and expertise at every level of build has resulted in better performance and a proven track-record of delivery yacht projects of all sizes on-time.