In 1978, Frans Heesen acquired the shipyard of Striker Boats in the Netherlands, and his first yacht, the 20m AMIGO, was launched only a year later in 1979. The shipyard became one of the first in the Netherlands to construct yachts with aluminium hulls - a design feature that would differentiate Heesen yachts for years to come.
In 1988, he was commissioned by American entrepreneur, John Staluppi, to build a yacht capable of exceeding 50 knots – the result of which was the custom-built OCTOPUSSY, which was the fastest yacht on record at 53.17 knots. From here, the shipyard brought worldwide acclaim, and it didn’t take long for their world-class reputation to spread overseas.
When the founder retired in 2012, the Dutch shipyard went on to partner with naval architects, Van Oossanen, and has since pioneered hybrid propulsion, as well as the revolutionary FDHF hull, among other revolutionary projects.
TYPES OF YACHTS
The once family-owned shipyard specialises in producing custom aluminium and steel motor yachts, collaborating with renowned architects and designers to produce innovative, industry-leading superyachts that exceed expectations.
FEATURES
Designed and built entirely by hand, Heesen Yachts deliver the height of comfort, luxury and bespoke design with every custom-built yacht. They are differentiated by their short delivery times, by offering clients the ability to customise yachts that are already under construction – allowing for high levels of personalisation, without the extended wait times.
Heesen’s designs embody the latest technologies and trends, ensuring customers get a future-ready, high-performing product with every purchase. With their fast displacement hull form (FDHF) offering as much as 15% less resistance, their designs are fuel-efficient, flexible and innovative.
NOTABLE YACHTS
The Dutch shipyard has launched various superyachts that have revolutionised the yachting industry, from the aforementioned OCTOPUSSY to the 37m OBSESSION delivered in 1996, which broke records as the world’s largest sport fishing yacht.
Another superyacht that wowed the public was the 2011 SATORI, a multiple-global-award-winning custom yacht that, at the time, was the largest and most powerful sports yacht ever built in the Netherlands.
Key Statistics
- Average build length of 55m
- Largest yacht built: GENESIS (80m)
- 118 yachts built to date
