It was the windows that first attracted the owner to this 50 metre Heesen. The rectangular floor-to-ceiling glazing is the first thing you notice from the outside on this yacht, which was started on spec as Project Nova, and it commands your attention inside as well, the panoramic glass pulling your gaze to the natural world beyond.
“He bought the boat because of the windows,” confirms interior designer Cristiano Gatto. “He told me, ‘my idea of being on board is to wake up and see the sea around me — I don’t want to be in marinas very much.’ We worked to simplify and minimise the interiors so that the windows are the artwork.”
It’s fitting also that this is the first hull to couple hybrid propulsion to the proven Fast Displacement Hull Form by Van Oossanen Naval Architects, allowing an owner who loves looking at nature to reduce his impact on it.
Home is another success story for Heesen’s spec-built business model. The owner bought his previous yachts on the brokerage market and didn’t want to wait three years for a new build. So when Heesen’s Thom Conboy showed him a project that had the lines, space and views he was looking for, with the ability to customise the interior within a short delivery time, it was game on.
The yacht’s lines were inspired by another Heesen, 50 metre Sibelle, says Frank Laupman of Omega Architects. The two boats share the aggressive bow, which might be right on trend but also serves a purpose, providing progressive buoyancy when carving through waves. The bow shape also means the crew accommodation can be set further forward. In order to stay under 500GT, Omega created walkaround decks, while also giving the master suite forward on the main deck the full beam.
“This worked quite well,” says Laupman. “We chamfered the superstructure and gave little knuckles in the glass, so the walkaround starts wide then gets narrower — it makes a difference psychologically.” Uninterrupted sightlines from inside are achieved with cut-out bulwarks topped by specially designed handrails.
The interior was started on spec by Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design, but the original motif didn’t appeal to Home’s owner. Gatto was called in after coming recommended. The layout, main partitions, sub-construction and some furniture were already completed; Gatto’s task was less a gut job than carefully laying his ideas on top of an already fixed skeleton.
“We had to study the design that was done and transform it,” he says. “If we needed to redesign everything completely that would have been easier, but then would have caused a six month delay. But the owner is a very fast decision maker. I met him and we redesigned [the concept for the interior] in three weeks.”
To the credit of all involved, she was delivered right on time. Her captain, Nigel Jenkins, who has served as a build captain five times, was brought in to help make this so. “Heesen were on track, but the external contractors were slow in providing information required, and so I was brought in to try and turn it around again. Straight away Cristiano and I hit it off, both with similar standards, both looking for the same thing — to produce a good boat, and a good-looking boat,” says Jenkins.
The owner’s brief was for a modern, comfortable interior; the keyword was simplicity, not minimalism. “The owner used her for seven and a half weeks back-to-back, straight from taking delivery,” says Jenkins. “He wants to be able to live on board about seven months of the year. That’s why the name Home came about.”
The style of Home’s furnishings is similar to what you’d see in the owner’s properties on shore — low, deep sofas, for instance, and usable art in the shape of chaises longues — and the palette is refined to four main hues: white, black, grey and maroon to give a splash of colour. The white materials range from wood and marble to leather and metal.
Texture, tactility and reflection were used to transform spaces. “Materials that have the same colour react differently in light, so the same colours can be transformed by the lighting, particularly white, because of the reflection and the way it absorbs light,” says Gatto.
Although all of the sub-construction of the ceilings, including the lighting, was in place, Gatto edited the lighting plan, a process that proved to be the most challenging. Focused LEDs, custom wall lamps, loose lighting and strip lighting were designed to capture the reflective nature of each of the chosen materials.
Though Gatto spent six months sourcing artworks for the interior, the owner selected just three pieces. The purposeful absence of art on board is powerful and effective as the eye is instead drawn to the scenery outside. The owner plans to use the boat in the colourful cruising grounds of the Bahamas, primarily the Exumas. “When you’re spending time in cold destinations or want to put your focus inside, you need more art. But the nature you see outside is the real artwork,” says Gatto.
The owner will use Home for work as well as play, and two offices that precede the master cabin are designed around his business needs. An inner office, connected to the cabin, is dedicated to the owner’s use, while an outer office has a desk for two so staff can work alongside.
When work finishes, however, play can start. The furniture on the sundeck is all low-slung Paola Lenti pieces, which are also functional — Jenkins points out the yoga mats stored beneath the sunloungers.
Everything is sea-fastened for safety, but movable to create more space for entertaining. There is a projector and a screen set-up, turning the deck into an outdoor cinema. The superyacht spa pool is much used, says Jenkins, and he also points out the dancing pole. “After a few drinks, if you’ve got the party wigs and silly hats on, it’s just for a bit of fun…”
But the real hotspot for dancing on board is the upper saloon. This space is the one that perhaps best shows off the holistic indoor/outdoor ethos that Gatto and Laupman pulled off with such aplomb. “We took out everything, we erased the drawings and made an extension of the outside deck — inside,” says Gatto.
The only built-in furniture is a small bar, and everything else is loose Paola Lenti outdoor pieces that can be used inside or on the aft deck. With full height windows, it’s a lovely place to sit and watch the world roll by, and the glass doors open completely so that the lines between inside and outside are blurred. Or close the doors, remove all the furniture and add a mirror ball and smoke machine to create an epic party room.
More fun can be found on Home’s foredeck, in a telescopic seat that rises from the bow, allowing uninterrupted 360-degree views. It can even be used under way if the conditions are right. It’s the ideal spot to watch dolphins riding the bow wave, especially in the clear water of the Bahamas.
It can’t be forgotten that Home rides on Van Oossanen’s Fast Displacement Hull Form. This is the third optimisation of the design, and one that the naval architect says makes her 48 per cent more efficient than other 50 metre yachts, and with a superior level of comfort. Upping the ante on efficiency is the use of hybrid propulsion.
Home’s captain enjoys the variety afforded by the four engine modes: basic diesel cruising, ideal for quicker passages; quiet mode with electric motors; boost mode, which combines diesel and electric for an added surge of power; and the fourth, which is Jenkins’ favourite: eco mode.
On our sea trial from Monaco to Antibes, we put Home’s various engine modes to the test. On the mains, the captain takes her to 17.2 knots. Boost mode kicks things up a notch, just a bit faster to 17.7. But it’s her silence that speaks volumes. We cruise at 9.3 knots on electric power, the air con louder than the engines.
Wandering into the master cabin, the quiet is disarming as we cut through the water, gazing out of the massive windows and watching the waves move by in soundless bliss. It’s easy to see how the owner will make this yacht his sanctuary, truly his home at sea.
Heesen Yachts
( www.heesenyachts.com )
The rewards of delayed gratification can far outweigh the frustrations, something that the owner of Heesen’s custom-built aluminium 45 metre Amore Mio learned firsthand. Just as the serial yacht owner was due to take delivery of another Heesen yacht, 40 metre Galatea (now called Taurica), an offer came in that was too good to refuse. He sold the 40 metre and found himself at square one and boat-less, a frustrating position for any yacht owner.
Luckily, there was something ready on the shelf at Heesen. The Dutch builder’s first ever 45 metre sportster, then known as Project Necto, was a year into build at the yard. Started on spec, all the aluminium — hull, deck and bulkheads — was finished. Taking the financial gains from the quick sale, he turned his 40 metre into a 45 metre.
“It’s a great stage to come into a build, because you save all the time it takes for that rough construction process, as long as you like the general layout — and we did, the owner loved it,” says Amore Mio’s Captain Tripp Hock, who has worked for the owner on various builds, including multiple Heesens, for 16 years. The spec-built semi-displacement 45 metre motor yacht was at an ideal stage for the owner to come along and put his stamp on her while not having to wait too long to enjoy her.
What he had on his hands wasn’t just any Heesen, but a unique blend of high-performance and long-range capabilities, bold exterior lines and a layout that put a priority on outdoor living. The latter was perfect for this owner, who was looking for a summer house on the sea, to be enjoyed by the family and used for outdoor fun, with a bulging toy box that far exceeds what you’d find on other yachts of similar size.
Amore Mio might be the first Heesen of her kind, but she has a strong familial heritage. Designed by regular collaborators Omega Architects, who have penned more than 90 designs for Heesen including concepts and builds in progress, that’s no surprise.
“We combined the comfort of a three-deck yacht, like 42 metre Alive, with the sportiness of a raised pilothouse yacht like 40 metre Galatea,” says designer Frank Laupman of Omega Architects.
“Furthermore, Alive’s exceptional bow was used as inspiration.” The result is a 2.5-deck yacht, as Laupman describes it, with aggressive exterior styling, dominant knuckle bow and bold angles. Family likeness aside, Amore Mio has no problem standing out amongst her kin.
“This is the next generation,” says Laupman. “The sporty rocket-style exterior with chiseled lines and the long hard chine forward emphasises her sharp and edgy appearance.”
Laupman used window placement artfully and expressively in Amore Mio’s exterior design. The bridge is set between the main deck and superyacht sundeck, with wheelhouse windows wrapping around like a heavy black brow. “The upward curving glass windows give her the character of an open sportster,” he says. “They were created from three straight windows instead of five — beauty goes with functionality, non-curved glass prevents distortion and offers a less obstructed view.”
The main deck glazing that looks like one continuous swathe of glass stretching from master to aft deck is, in fact, two distinct sections that parts midway on the side decks, marking the path to the bow and the entry to the crew quarters on the port side. The bulwark is lowered to encourage excellent views from inside. Amore Mio’s hewn lines and a black stripe along the bulwark flow all the way back to the gently sloping transom.
Amore Mio is one of those boats that looks fast when she’s sitting still. Powered by twin MTU 16V diesel engines, she packs a punch to match her energetic exterior profile, reaching top speeds of 30 knots. Sitting up top at the open helm on the sundeck when she’s moving at speed, it’s evident that Heesen’s largest sports yacht to date is designed for performance. She’s also intended for longer-range excursions, with a range of a 2,750 nautical miles allowing her to pootle around the Med or cross the Caribbean without having to fill up the tank.
However, Amore Mio’s owner has spent most of his time since taking delivery bobbing off Malta and using his summer home at sea as intended. The owner arrived on the build scene at the point where it wasn’t too late to change a few things he wasn’t in love with, such as the superyacht spa pool and bar on the flybridge. The owner preferred to rip these out for more deck space where he and his wife could roll out their yoga mats, part of their daily routine when on board. As far as the owner is concerned, what’s the need for a spa tub when the sea is right there?
Instead, the toy box is ample, with everything from Seadoos to flyboards and high-flying towables to stand-up paddle boards. A 5.9 metre Boesch mahogany tender is stowed in the garage. The 90 square metre sundeck seems massive without a spa to clutter the way. The hardtop shades an al fresco dining table and teppanyaki grill station.
“The exterior spaces are vast for a 45 metre boat,” says Captain Hock. “I think it’s smart; minimise the interior to what you need, and all the emphasis goes to the beautiful outdoor space, massive sundeck, great aft deck for a 45 metre, having both a dining table and a separate aft seating area.” There’s also a bow seating area, with a sofas and sunpads.
While the priority is placed on the exterior, there isn’t any skimping on the interior with a total of ten guests accommodated. The forward main-deck owner’s suit is full-beam and has a dressing room and bathroom with tub. The lower deck arrangement is traditional but ample, with two equally sized VIPs and two twin guest rooms. Space is intelligently used — by creating a smaller lobby on the lower deck, 6.5 square metres were able to be saved and redistributed amongst the guest rooms.
The elegant interior is designed to match Amore Mio’s beach house purpose, as interior designer Cristiano Gatto tells it. “The owners arrived on the project in quite an early stage, and we developed the colour board and the material selection in close collaboration,” says Gatto, of his fifth collaboration with Heesen. “[Amore Mio’s] designed to be contemporary but without the modern trappings of cold, impersonal interiors.”
Gatto’s interior is all about consistency and harmony, with a subdued palette, linear shapes and round edges all meant to convey softness and warmth. Calnetto walnut and white lacquered wood blend with leather, parchment stone and steel details, while cushions and throws in blue, green and red provide pops of colour.
The simple interior design belies her many nuanced details. “Take a look at the dining table edges,” says Gatto. “The table corners are four half spheres of leather whose stitching has been executed manually by extremely skilled artisans. And all marble surfaces on board Amore Mio come from a single block of Breccia Sarda. What I’ve tried to do with this project is to make consistency and coherence win over complexity.”
A special feature is the guest staircase set abeam in the main saloon. Topped by sliding glass at its apex on the bridge deck, there is an atrium affect with light filtering into the living spaces below. The superyacht staircase is fronted by a wall of floating walnut beams supported by polished stainless steel columns and sanded glass, all giving a further illusion of height and openness, and adding a wow factor to the dining room.
The layout is planned so guests and crew avoid collision, with this separate guest staircase leading from the lower deck through the main deck saloon to the sundeck. The separate crew stairway is placed forward, creating an easy thoroughfare from the crew accommodation, past the galley and through the bridge to the top deck.
Based on his years of experience, Amore Mio’s captain added in his own innovative solutions and storage requirements. He points out panels that move away to reveal storage where you’d least expect it. One interesting feature he promoted is a bespoke man-overboard system. When such an incident occurs, a life-saving device is instantly deployed to the victim in the water while the spot is marked and tracked via GPS so the captain can easily find them. It’s a safety measure that’s sure to assure a family cruising with young children.
Combining high-performance, long-range capabilities, expansive outdoor living and singular style, it’s easy to fall in love with Heesen’s new 45 metre aluminium motor yacht. So will Amore Mio see sisterships in the near future? While the aluminium 45 metre was started with the intention of being a series, the builder may be looking to even larger yachts for its spec-built offerings and a second hull isn’t yet in the works. But any would-be Heesen owner could certainly order this hull. Or for those to hate to wait, they could buy Amore Mioherself.
Her owner’s love affair has been on the passionate but short side. After only one season enjoying his summer house on the sea, Amore Mio is offered up for sale as her owner is already looking ahead and building his next — and bigger — yacht with Heesen. Once again, he’s choosing to delay gratification for greater rewards.
Heesen Yachts
( www.heesenyachts.com )
Heesen Yachts’ 50-metre superyacht Crazy Me was a head-turner and a head-scratcher during a 2013 tour of the Dutch yard. The allure of her unusual exterior design is piqued by the well-founded suspicion that an owner bold enough to commission this exterior may have made equally individual decisions inside. These include ceiling heights so tall they could have reduced them and fitted in another deck, sections of upper saloon superstructure that open hydraulically, and glasswork so complex it prompted innovation at Heesen.
Another highly bespoke aspect is Crazy Me’s custom audio visual system. ‘It’s through the whole boat, but the upper deck aft has become a professional-standard disco,’ says Hans Boerakker, Heesen production director. The pool can be covered to become a dance floor, with a bar and DJ booth nearby. High-spec custom speakers by California Audio Technology are built into the bulwarks. ‘They used it at our trial grounds near Rotterdam and they got complaints from five miles away,’ says Boerakker.
The yacht was inspired by a 40-metre penned by Nevada-based designer Gary Grant. The decision to translate this exterior look into a yacht 10 metres longer was a daring one that hints at an experienced and determined owner. But it’s success was down to Heesen. ‘Although a lot of people know us for building platform yachts, what most don’t know is that behind the scenes more than half of our production is custom, one-off boats,’ says Mark Cavendish, Heesen’s sales and marketing driector. ‘Because these are very private they don’t tend to see the light of day. So going far from the conventional is actually quite conventional for us.’
Three black stripes of glass accentuate the yacht’s sweeping lines. Most noticeable are the main deck glazing, which runs from the tip of the bow aft, and the flush upper deck stripe, which wraps around the wheelhouse. Compound curves made these complex studies. ‘If you look at the bridge, for example, the glass is curved in two directions,’ says Boerakker. ‘This meant the windows had to be produced in moulds and also built up in layers of glass, including tints.’ Because flush windows must seamlessly join a faired superstructure, the moulds could only be made once the boat’s surfaces were finished.
‘It has a sculptural influence,’ says Grant of his exterior design for Crazy Me. ‘It’s a form distilled into its essence, but it still incorporates maximum technology and engineering.’ Aerodynamic shapes are in evidence, particularly in the mast, with elements resembling wing sections and air foils. From the foredeck the wheelhouse looks strikingly like the cockpit of an aeroplane – Grant was inspired by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. He also went to lengths not to break the spell he’d created. ‘We minimised obstructions,’ says Grant. ‘There are no protrusions or rails showing and we have details like retractable navigation lights.’
The 2.2m-high windows of the upper saloon curve into what interior designer Cristiano Gatto describes as a cocoon. In the centre is a round of seating facing a large television, while the upper aft deck teak flooring continues inside to connect the areas. Below, the open-plan main saloon and dining has 2.85 metres of headroom and huge windows – it’s an airy space of ballroom-like proportions. Forward is the full-beam master cabin (pictured below) with a dressing room opening onto an en suite bathroom with a central shower. The palette throughout is pale, with bamboo accented with mauves and soft greys.
The upper aft deck pool has spa jets, a current for serious swimmers, a shallow lie-down platform and a glass panel at the bottom. ‘The sun passes through and reflects water down to the main aft deck, so that you feel the connection between the sun and the water,’ says Gatto. On the lower deck there is a small spa, with sauna, steam room and a fold down swim platform.
Crazy Me may be all-aluminium, but she carries six tonnes of glass. While seriously high-performance was not in the brief, a top speed of at least 21 knots was. ‘We used a process that goes back 25 years to when we built ultra high-speed vessels like Octopussy,’ says Boerakker of the 38 metre, 53-knot motor yacht built for serial superyacht owner John Staluppi in 1988. ‘We have lightweight methods – honeycomb structures, door construction, we cut out any wood that doesn’t need to be there for strength.’ On sea trials Crazy Me did 22.4 knots and she has a range of 3,200 miles at 12 knots.
Specs
LOA: 50m
Beam: 10m
Draught: 3m (loaded)
Displacement: 430 tonnes (half load)
Gross tonnage: 715GT
Engines: 2 x MTU 16V 4000 M93L
Speed (max/cruise): 21/18 knots
Range at 12 knots: 3,200nm
Owner and guests: 12
Crew: 9
Heesen Yachts
( www.heesenyachts.nl )
