Inside Amels Issue #10

THE AMELS MAGAZINE
ISSUE 10
INSIDE AMELS
Another Step
FULL CUSTOM
Travel Reports
EVENT, KAMALAYA, SPIRIT
67 metres of Power & Performance
YACHT SUPPORT
Interview with Andrew Winch,
Tim Heywood and Rob Luijendijk
Stepping up
LIMITED EDITIONS
•
FULL CUSTOM
•
REFIT
•
YACHT SUPPORT
Z
IN THIS ISSUE
Cover photography courtesy of Michal Baginski/Andrew Winch Designs
“FULL CUSTOM IS ONLY NATURAL”
Interview with Rob Luijendijk
10
CALM DETERMINATION
16
AN EVENT TO REMEMBER
24
STEPPING UP
50
36
48
52
57
AN ARTIST’S CREATION
THAT PROMISES TO SURPRISE AND FASCINATE
AROUND EVERY CORNER
08
CEO DAMEN SHIPYARDS:
SYNERGY BEYOND
ANYONE’S EXPECTATIONS
TRUE FREEDOM
AMELS CLASSIC CAR RALLY
Get behind the wheel
THE DUTCH KNOW HOW TO CREATE
Design Art & Culture
AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE
Happy CREW!
60
66
68
76
CHARTER REPORT
TESTIMONIALS
What the experts say...
PAINTING MADAME KATE
The application of Brilliance
REFIT VOLPINI
Integrity is ageless
This INSIDE AMELS magazine is interactive. Look out for the ‘Play' buttons to
enhance your experience with extra information, including online video,
360-degree presentations, fleet tracking, etc.
4 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 5
MAIN SALOON
THE FULL BEAM
MAIN SALOON’S
ELEGANT TEXTURES
AND FINISHES
CREATE A SLEEK
AND EFFORTLESS
INTERIOR, WITH
HAND-CARVED SILK
CARPETS, BOLD
CUSTOM DESIGNED
FURNITURE AND
A HAND PAINTED
‘LIQUID MOTHER OF
PEARL’ CEILING.
Z
Where imagination and
craftsmanship meet
STAIRCASE
GLISTENING AGAINST A
BACKDROP OF FLOORTO-CEILING MARBLE
BULKHEADS, THE
SEAMLESS STAIRCASE
STRUCTURE IS CRAFTED
FROM GILT METAL AND
TRANSCENDS ALL THE WAY
FROM THE SUNDECK TO
THE TANK DECK.
Z’s expressive interiors continue to surprise and fascinate around every corner.
Extraordinary ideas challenged the interior architects at Andrew Winch Designs and the
No less beautiful, the exterior lines,
penned by Tim Heywood, follow his
signature curves, creating athletic,
feminine shapes. AMELS completed the
65.5-metre AMELS 212 superyacht on time
and with a minimal snag list. In July 2014,
after a brief stopover in London, Z reached
the Mediterranean.
Effective spaces
The talented team of Andrew Winch
Designs and AMELS created the individual
spaces on board Z – drawing inspiration from the great masters of expressionism
and symbolism. These remarkable details and finishes reflect the owner’s close
involvement in the yachtbuilding process. With unique and startling ideas born from
the owner’s imagination, Z is certainly an expression of creativity, passion for art
and commitment to hand-crafted finishing at the very highest level.
Z is a revolutionary boat, Andrew Winch commented during the launch of Z at the
AMELS yard in Vlissingen, but also a very comfortable one. The superb Limited
Editions’ seakeeping keeps the owner’s family and friends on a solid footing while
the interior architecture is designed for life on board. The AMELS 212 platform has
a very large volume and great care has gone into considering every element of the
interior architecture, Winch explains.
Photography courtesy of Michal Baginski/Andrew Winch Designs
AMELS team to finish the superyacht to the very highest creative and technical levels.
SKYLOUNGE
THE SKY LOUNGE CINEMA
AND BAR IS BROUGHT
TO LIFE WITH BOLD AND
FRESH DETAILING INSPIRED
BY GREAT ARTWORK.
6 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 7
ON HER MAIDEN VOYAGE Z PASSED LONDON, MAKING AN EYE-CATCHING TREAT FOR THE BUSINESS
AND FINANCIAL SECTOR IN THE HEART OF THE BUSTLING CANARY WHARF DISTRICT.
VITAL STATISTICS
LENGTH OVERALL 65.5 METRES (215 FEET)
GROSS TONNAGE 1,574 GT
DESIGN EXTERIOR TIM HEYWOOD
DESIGN INTERIOR ANDREW WINCH
N AVA L A R C H I T E C T U R E A M E L S
RANGE 5,000 NAUTICAL MILES
Z IS AN EXPRESSION OF CREATIVITY, PASSION FOR ART AND
COMMITMENT TO HAND-CRAFTED FINISHING AT THE VERY HIGHEST LEVEL
“With the team here we’ve spent a lot of
time on working out the effectiveness of
using the space. Otherwise you’ve got a lot
of real estate that has the potential to be left
unused. I think that would be a great shame.
I want the owners to use different spaces
at different times of the day and never to
not use a space because they find it boring.
That would be dreadful.”
There is little risk of that occurring on board
Z. The main saloon immediately captures
this philosophy – much more than an
extension of the lobby, it creates its own
atmosphere with marble floors and with a
hand painted ceiling which Winch calls liquid
mother of pearl. “I think when Z reaches the
South of France, the ceiling will come alive.
It’s going to look sparkling in that sunlight.”
Realising a vision
The main staircase is an exceptionally beautiful object in marble and gilded
material, descending from the sundeck all the way to the tank deck. On main deck,
demi-spheres of coloured glass emerge along a wall like bubbles. The owner’s
suite has a huge 5-metre wide wall, a meticulously crafted relief inspired by the
colour and form of great symbolist artwork. Everywhere, the expressive language
of colour combines with special finishes.
Z’s owner was intimately involved in the design process, regularly visiting both the
yard in Vlissingen and Andrew Winch Designs in London. AMELS Project Manager
Peter Dijkwel says the team could feel the owner’s enthusiasm and involvement
– something that pushed them even further to realise his vision. “Z was a very
complex yacht to build,” he says. “The owner’s ideas really challenged us to look
for technical solutions, how can we make it happen. It’s been enjoyable and really
satisfying for all of us to see what we’ve made possible.”
Inside-out feeling
The owner’s influence is also seen in the layout alternations made to the
Limited Editions platform. Two guest cabins on the lower deck made way for
Z’S UNIQUE SIGNATURE OF LIFESTYLE, STYLE AND
CREATIVITY RUNS THROUGH EVERY ASPECT OF
HER ANDREW WINCH DESIGNED INTERIOR.
a full-beam wellness centre with sauna,
gym, massage room and hair salon.
Sunlight pours into the main deck’s fullheight windows along the owner’s suite
and corridor. On the main deck aft, large
semi-circular doors open up for al fresco
dining. That inside-out feeling repeats
throughout, including the two VIP cabins
on bridge deck, with French windows
opening onto the balcony.
“It’s an imagination studio,” Winch says
of the development of Z from the AMELS
Limited Editions platform. “I love the
boat we’re launching today. It’s really an
artist’s boat. Z’s spirit inside is completely
different. It’s beyond what we thought
when we started out. I think it’s a
triumph of AMEL’s versatility.”
8 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 9
ABOUT ROB
INTERVIEW WITH ROB LUIJENDIJK
“AMELS Full Custom is only natural”
AMELS MANAGING DIRECTOR ROB
LUIJENDIJK HAS WORKED FOR DAMEN
AND AMELS SINCE 1999. IN 2004
ROB AND HIS TEAM OVERSAW THE
CONCEPTION AND ROLL OUT OF THE
AMELS LIMITED EDITIONS CONCEPT.
NOW THE SAME SUCCESSFUL TEAM IS
BEHIND AMELS FULL CUSTOM.
AMELS recently revealed the next phase in its growth – AMELS Full Custom. The Dutch
luxury yacht builder will build one-off creations in the 80 to 110-metre segment, alongside
the already successful AMELS Limited Editions range and AMELS Refit division. As
Managing Director Rob Luijendijk makes clear, full custom yacht building is a natural step.
Can you explain why AMELS is taking this step into full custom?
Well, in recent years there’s been a market shift towards larger yachts and I think in the top
segment of that market we’re really talking about full custom. If you look at 80-metre plus
yachts, they are complex constructions. There aren’t many yards that can build at that level
and deliver the highest quality at the same time. At AMELS we’re proving our capability
with the 83-metre project we’re building now. At the same time, the success of the Limited
Editions concept that we introduced 10 years ago means we have a very strong basis for
further growth. So it’s a very organic process that has lead to this next step for AMELS.
Is this the right time to enter the full custom market?
What we’ve seen is owners coming back to us and asking for larger yachts, and in particular,
full custom yachts. That repeat client effect has been very strong and has grown naturally
as the Limited Editions fleet has expanded. And particularly as the 83-metre AMELS 272
takes shape, the market has taken notice and we’ve had a number of enquiries for large
projects. Owner representatives know that we’re very capable; we have a reputation for very
professional and reliable project management. So the market approaching us with enquiries
has definitely been an important factor in developing our AMELS Full Custom offer. I think the
time is right.
Will AMELS keep building Limited Editions yachts as well as full custom?
Yes, we’re absolutely committed to our AMELS Limited Editions range and all the benefits
our concept delivers for owners. The difference with our AMELS Full Custom offer is that
in the 80 to 110-metre segment, we’re really talking about a quite small market for very
high value, one-off creations. So I think the two offers have a slight crossover around
the 80-metre mark, and from there it’s all AMELS Full Custom. Our clients can decide for
themselves which offer best suits them.
Is there currently enough capacity at AMELS for full custom projects?
It’s true that we’re in the fortunate position of having quite a full order book. We have
nine yachts under construction, which include projects from all five of the Limited Editions
designs. But over the years since introducing the Limited Editions concept, our team has
perfected our build process to a very high degree. So while we have a full yard, it’s very
smooth production, very predictable and well-planned and that’s why we feel ready to grow
with this step into full custom. It’s a controlled growth and we’re supported in that by our
parent company DAMEN Shipyards. They are not only financially strong but also familyowned so they take a long-term view of the market.
What facilities and expertise does AMELS have for large yacht building?
In terms of facilities, we’ve just commissioned a modern climate-controlled 200-metre
covered dry dock. Our yard is the largest superyacht facility in the Netherlands. We also have
a very strong reputation for project management and our team of craftsmen and co-makers
work at the very highest level. Our internal design department has vast experience working
with the best designers in the world as well as classification societies and flag states. Plus
our engineering team is second-tonone and closely linked with our parent
company DAMEN’s R&D programme.
We work together on CFD calculations
and tank testing. DAMEN is also our
neighbour in Vlissingen with a very large
naval shipbuilding yard. That’s where
DAMEN completed its largest vessel ever
last summer – a 204-metre Joint Support
Ship for the Royal Netherlands Navy.
We have access to those facilities and
expertise in full SOLAS shipbuilding, so
we’re in a very strong position when it
comes to building large yachts.
Can you detail AMELS’ experience in
large yacht building?
As I already mentioned, the first AMELS
272 – the 83-metre yacht at the top of
the Limited Editions range – is rapidly
becoming a reality. We’re well into the
project and on track for scheduled
delivery at the end of 2016. In terms of
design and engineering capacity, as well
as build capability, I think the AMELS 272
is an excellent example of the expertise
we have for AMELS Full Custom. It also
shows how we can collaborate very
well with the most renowned designers,
in this case Tim Heywood and Andrew
Winch. And of course, if we go back one
or two decades, you can still see AMELS’
heritage as a full custom yacht builder
in iconic yachts that were among the
largest yachts of their day – 78-metre
MONTKAJ, 76-metre BOADICEA (now
REBORN), 74-metre ILONA, 68.5-metre
LADY ANNE (now LADY S), 64.5-metre
MY SHANTI (now AQUARIUS), and
58-metre GU (now ASTRID CONROY).
These full custom yachts are still very
prominent references for AMELS
Full Custom.
Building full custom 80 metre plus
yachts in our 200-metre dry dock; this
is another step forward alongside our
successful Limited Editions range.
INSIDE AMELS 11
Calm determination
AMELS has the largest superyacht facility in the Netherlands. A recent
snapshot captures the yard just before scheduled spring deliveries
with no less than nine luxury yachts in Vlissingen – six new builds
and three refit projects. Significantly, all five Limited Editions designs
are currently in production, including the 83-metre AMELS 272, the
largest yacht AMELS has ever built.
Z. AMELS COMPLETED THIS 65.50-METRE AMELS 212 WITH EXTRAORDINARY
INTERIORS BY ANDREW WINCH DESIGNS AND NO LESS BEAUTIFUL EXTERIOR LINES
PENNED BY TIM HEYWOOD. READ MORE ON PAGE 4.
VOLPINI. AFTER AN INTENSIVE WINTER REFIT, THE 49.30-METRE VOLPINI LEFT
AMELS FOR THE SECOND TIME, 10 YEARS AFTER THE YACHT’S ORIGINAL DELIVERY.
READ ALL ABOUT HER ON PAGE 76.
ASTRA. DELIVERED ON TIME FOR THE SUMMER SEASON, THE AMELS 180 ASTRA IS
A BEAUTIFUL SUPERYACHT ILLUSTRATING THE TIMELESS LINES OF TIM HEYWOOD’S
EXTERIOR DESIGN.
GET A 360° INSIDE LOOK
AT THE AMELS YARD
SERENITY J. THIS AMELS 180 FEATURES AN ELEGANT CUSTOM-DESIGNED INTERIOR
BY LAURA SESSA. READ MORE ON PAGE 34.
12 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 13
AMELS 242. THE FIRST AMELS 242 IS A HIGH VOLUME SUPERYACHT NOW UNDER
CONSTRUCTION. SHE IS THE RESULT OF APPROXIMATELY 100,000 HOURS OF UP-FRONT
ENGINEERING TO ENSURE THE HIGHEST QUALITY. GET TO KNOW THE ‘BRAINS BEHIND
THE BOAT’ – OUR ENGINEERING TEAM – ON PAGE 54.
AMELS 242. WHILE THE PRODUCTION TEAM WORKS ON
COMPLETING THE FIRST 74-METRE SUPERYACHT, AMELS
HAS ALREADY LAID THE KEEL FOR THE SECOND AMELS 242.
Delivering the highest level of quality, on time and on budget,
is the job of 600 and sometimes even more personnel at the
yard, plus hundreds more craftsmen at co-maker facilities.
With several very complex superyacht projects underway at
once, you might expect a madhouse. Quite the contrary,
says René Berkvens, CEO of the DAMEN Shipyards Group,
owner of AMELS.
AMELS 272. AT 83M, THIS IS THE LARGEST YACHT EVER BUILT BY AMELS. THE AMELS
272 DEMANDS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY AS WELL AS THE WORK
OF TWO ESTABLISHED DESIGN TALENTS – ANDREW WINCH AND TIM HEYWOOD.
READ THE INTERVIEW ON PAGE 24.
MADAME KATE. THE AMELS 199 STANDS OUT NOT ONLY FOR HER RADICALLY
MODERN DESIGN, BUT SHE IS ALSO THE FIRST AMELS FINISHED ENTIRELY IN PEARL
EFFECT PAINTWORK. READ MORE ON PAGE 68.
“Every time I go there, which is quite regularly, I am always
struck by the sort of quiet, determined professionalism,” he
explains. “You walk into these buildings, you see a lot of
people at work and everybody is very purposely doing their
thing. Nobody is panicking. You don’t have a lot of noise, you
don’t hear people shouting. The whole atmosphere breathes
with what I think AMELS is, which is quality, a top product
and you feel surrounded by it when you walk in there. That’s
what I always find. It makes AMELS very different to many
other businesses.”
The Dutch way
AMELS achieves it in a very Dutch way – with hard work,
craftsmanship and a love of doing things the right way.
That was reflected in the words of the Nathan McFadyen,
Captain of the AMELS yacht VOLPINI, following the yacht’s
winter refit at the yard.
14 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 15
GENEROUS PROPORTIONS. DUE FOR DELIVERY IN SPRING 2016, THE FIRST AMELS 242 LIMITED EDITIONS
PLATFORM COMBINES ELEGANT TIM HEYWOOD EXTERIOR LINES WITH INTERIOR STYLING BY ANDREW
WINCH. WITH THE LIGHT AND AIRY 1,787 GT DESIGN, GUESTS ALWAYS FEEL CONNECTED WITH THE SEA.
“Morale here is fantastic,” he says. “Everyone is always on time.
It’s a set work day and it’s always the same. People are very,
very qualified. When we took over the ship, we had problems
that the previous crew had been trying to fix for the last 5 years
– dealing with electrical issues and so forth. When we came
here, they guys came on board and they’ve got the knowledge
and they’ve got the experience. They had it fixed within about
a week. You kind of sit back wondering, why didn’t you come
here earlier?”
BUILDING THE LARGEST
AMELS SUPERYACHT SO FAR
The 83-metre AMELS 272 is the largest yacht so
far for the Dutch luxury yacht builder. The project
is progressing well and the 2,827 GT Limited
Editions yacht is on track for delivery at the end
of 2016. Finishing will take place in AMELS’ 200metre dry dock facility, which recently became
fully operational with the latest yacht building
technology and full climate control. To ensure
smooth production, AMELS invested in first-class
upfront design and engineering, including CFD
calculations and model testing in collaboration with
parent company DAMEN Shipyards’ research and
development resources. The AMELS 272 stands
out with a very sleek profile, long decks and a very
large volume compared to length. In addition to five
generously proportioned VIP guest cabins on main
deck, the dedicated 42-metre owner’s deck offers
300 square metres of luxury space.
Enjoyable experience
AMELS’ delivery record speaks for itself. An AMELS yacht won’t
have hundreds of rest points when it leaves the yard, but just a
handful at the most, and the yard is getting closer to its goal of
a clean sheet. However, it’s not just the quality that sets AMELS
apart. It’s having an enjoyable experience during the build, and
that includes co-makers as well as crews, designers, consultants
and the owners’ teams. It’s something that designer Andrew
Winch calls the AMELS family.
“The relationship within the company is all friends,” Winch says.
“You don’t get that a lot anymore, but you do here. When you
walk into the yard, everyone who you’ve known for years says
hello to you and it’s nice. It’s a very pleasant environment to visit
and to work in, because it’s friendship and that builds
better boats.”
Less surprises
AMELS Head of Design Hans Konings reiterates the importance
of having a friendly yard. “It sounds very logical, but it’s very
rare, because it’s very complex to build yachts at this level.
And it’s not that we don’t have challenges, but it’s the way we
solve them. We don’t hide from them, we talk with the technical
consultants and the owners representatives in a constructive
way. It sets us apart.”
The experience at the yard is also one of the reasons that
owners come back to AMELS. As Managing Director Rob
Luijendijk says, the repeat clients are really a reward for AMELS.
“When you build something with the right ingredients in design
and engineering, the right quality, and delivering on time – all
these factors come together, something happens in the mind
of the client, and they come back. That level of trust is a good
barometer that we’re doing something right. I think that connects
to the fact that we deliver what we promise.”
With family and friends
Even though there’s a lot of focus on quality
and getting every detail right, Luijendijk says
the aim in everything AMELS does is the perfect
yachting experience. “Building a yacht at this
level is one thing, but the enjoyment of being on
the water with family and friends — that’s what
yachting is really about. In a way, when you
get on the water, you change as a person and I
think that’s also one of the things that attracts
these people. Another tranquility. Life is short,
the more you laugh and the more you feel good,
well I think it’s a great thing.”
KEY BENEFITS
OF THE YARD
• OUR ENGINEERS, PROJECT MANAGERS
AND DESIGNERS DELIVER ON TIME AND
O N B U D G E T S U P E R YA C H T S , E A R N I N G
THE TRUST OF OWNERS AROUND
THE WORLD
• TECHNICAL FACILITIES SECOND
TO NONE FOR NEW BUILD AND REFIT
PROJECTS UP TO 200 METRES
• O U R YA R D I N V L I S S I N G E N H A S
A S H I P B U I L D I N G H E R I TA G E
STRETCHING BACK OVER 100 YEARS
• I D E A L LY L O C A T E D O N T H E N O R T H
SEA – FOR CENTURIES THE CENTRE
OF MARITIME EXCELLENCE IN THE
NETHERLANDS
WATCH THE VIDEO
'WHAT SETS AMELS APART'
16 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 17
MAIDEN VOYAGE REACHES ARCTIC CIRCLE
VITAL STATISTICS
LENGTH OVERALL
60.00 METRES (199 FEET)
GROSS TONNAGE
1,119 GT
DESIGN EXTERIOR
TIM HEYWOOD
DESIGN INTERIOR
LAURA SESSA
N AVA L A R C H I T E C T U R E
MAXIMUM SPEED
RANGE
AMELS
16.5 KNOTS
5,000 NAUTICAL MILES (13.0 KNOTS)
SEE MORE BREATHTAKING IMAGES
OF EVENT CRUISING THE NORWEGIAN FJORDS
An EVENT
to remember
18 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 19
“THIS YACHT IS WITHOUT DOUBT THE GREATEST THING
I HAVE PRODUCED. IT’S NOT THE LONGEST, IT’S NOT
THE BIGGEST VOLUME – BUT IT’S JUST A JEWEL"
Tim Heywood
A long way from the sun-drenched Caribbean or the Mediterranean, Norway offers one of the
wildest and most spectacular coasts on the planet. Among the teeming bird life and magnificent
whales, this rare place still has seclusion and exclusivity. Those passionate about the yachting
experience can fully enjoy remote sanctuaries of pure nature together with friends and family.
No wonder the award-winning EVENT, the first AMELS 199, headed to these northern climes
for her maiden voyage, just weeks after delivery.
EXQUISITE DETAILING
AND FINISHES
EVENT’S INTERIOR
DESIGNER LAURA SESSA
CREATED WHAT COULD BE
DESCRIBED AS A MODERN
CLASSIC LOOK – ELEGANT
WITH A LOT OF RESEARCH
INTO DETAILING, COMFORT
AND THE PRACTICALITY
OF EVERY SPACE. EVERYTHING WAS CUSTOM MADE,
INCLUDING DETAILS IN
EMBROIDERY, COLOURS,
AND MATERIALS, AS WELL
AS SPECIAL ATTENTION
IN SELECTING THE
DIFFERENT WOODS
AND SPECIAL FINISHES.
20 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 21
“WE REALISED THAT THE AMELS 199
IS A TRUE BENCHMARK FOR OUR COMPANY"
Rob Luijendijk
RADICAL FORM &
PERFECT FUNCTION
INDOOR OUTDOOR LIVING
THE SUNDECK HAS A WONDERFUL CENTRAL
LOUNGE – A BEAUTIFUL ROOM WITH LARGE SIDE
WINDOWS AND COMFORTABLE SOFAS THAT CAN
BE REPOSITIONED TO FACE A DROP-DOWN MOVIE
SCREEN. FLOOR TO CEILING TEAK AND GLASS
DOORS THAT CONCERTINA AT BOTH ENDS CAN
BE OPENED TO THE SUNBATHING AREA OR LARGE
SPA POOL. WHEN THE DOORS ARE OPEN, IT’S LIKE
HAVING AN EXTRA DECK; WHEN THEY ARE CLOSED,
IT IS A FANTASTIC, COSY AREA FOR THE FAMILY.
THIS VERY VERSATILE AREA IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE
OF THE BEAUTIFUL COMBINATION OF FORM AND
FUNCTION THROUGHOUT EVENT.
It’s a testament to the trust in AMELS’
ability to deliver high quality and reliable
yachts that Imperial as Operational Manager
began planning the trip to Norway while the
AMELS 199 was still under construction at
the AMELS yard. After Imperial – the broker
who sold EVENT, supervised construction
and acted as Operational Manager – had
overseen the on-time delivery, EVENT crossed
the notoriously rough North Sea. Then, with
guests on board, the yacht sailed through
a prism of ever-changing wind and weather
conditions from the quiet sanctuary of the
UNESCO World Heritage sites Aurlandsfjord
and Nærøyfjord to the remote Arctic
Circle archipelago of Vesterålen. The yacht
glided over mirror-like surfaces and then
cut cleanly through breakers coming in from
the open ocean.
Radical form and perfect function
Far from shipyards and spare part stockists, the guests and crew on board EVENT put their faith
in the craftsmanship and quality that AMELS is known for around the world. Those qualities were
particularly important on this yacht, as it was the first in class of a radically modern new Limited
Editions design.
board and the sea around them. Part of this ultimate
experience of yachting, EVENT navigated the Nærøyfjord
– the name originates from the norse god 'Njord',
the god of the seafarer and the sea. Where better to
appraise the quality and beauty of EVENT, a pinnacle
of Dutch yacht building, than set against Norway’s
stunning mountain peaks?
EVENT performed perfectly across the board – on speed, noise and vibrations, seakeeping and
comfort on board. The results prove the value of AMELS’ extensive engineering and commitment
to research and development, which saw the hull of the AMELS 199 tank-tested at the renowned
MARIN institute in the Netherlands.
Of course, it is not only EVENT’s technical prowess and quality craftsmanship that sets the yacht
apart. It has one of the most surprising and beautifully modern exterior designs seen on the
oceans today. The Tim Heywood design, unveiled to the public as the star of Monaco Yacht Show
in 2013, also wowed the World Superyacht Awards jury in 2014 – taking home the award as overall
winner of the hotly contested 500 GT to 1,299 GT Displacement Motor Yacht category.
Exterior designer Heywood was effusive in his
admiration for the result. “This yacht is without doubt
the greatest thing I have produced. It’s not the longest,
it’s not the biggest volume – but it’s just a jewel. To
create something pushing the envelope as much as
this boat does and get the yard to build it was a unique
challenge in itself. It has exceeded my expectations.
Everyone is impressed with it. It’s everything that I’ve
wanted to do, and I am just so proud of EVENT.”
Pinnacles and mountain peaks
Yet it was during EVENT’s maiden voyage, sailing confidently on the arms of Norway’s beautiful
and dramatic Sognefjord, where its design and performance met the true judges – the owners on
Complex, curved surfaces
Heywood’s curvaceous designs are always challenging
to engineer and build. However, the AMELS 199 is
notably different from traditional yachts. The complex, fully curved surfaces, combined
with long hard edged lines on both hull and superstructure required a high level of skill in
construction, fairing and painting.
He also came up with what he calls the Scimitar bow, from which he says, everything
flows. “The boat is full of details, little surprises, little differences. Aft of the wing station
the form of the boat shoots up to the deck above and then I changed the tumblehome
from in to out – from positive to negative – and it makes such an interesting form.”
Benchmark avant garde design
“After receiving the first very positive responses on EVENT,” AMELS CEO Rob Luijendijk
says, “we realised that the AMELS 199 is a true benchmark for our company. We proved
that within this 60-metre avant garde design, AMELS is able to offer our clients an
exceptionally high level of customisation.”
AMELS were confident that their upfront investment in engineering would help them
sell the second AMELS 199, and so it proved. Now under construction, the second
yacht is due for delivery in Spring 2015. And May 2014 saw the keel laid for the third
AMELS 199, ready for customising to a new owner’s wishes – a beautiful confirmation
of the radical concept created on the boards of Tim Heywood and delivered by the
craftsmen at AMELS.
22 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 23
INTO DETAIL:
SCIMITAR BOW
GULLWING
DOORS
It’s all very ‘James Bond’. Push a
button and the gullwing doors open,
and EVENT’s crew can deploy the
limousine tender in under 5 minutes.
EVENT’s Scimitar bow created more space in the forward sections, which gave AMELS
the option to locate the tender garage in the bow. Built into the hull forward are enormous
gullwing doors on port and starboard hiding a vast internal tender garage. An overhead
crane lifts the tender and slides it out in one smooth operation. Alongside the limousine
tender, there is plenty of storage in the garage for personal water craft, diving equipment
and other ‘fun in the sun’ toys.
Moving these operational areas of the boat forward also means that the aft of the yacht
is a 100 percent guest area – the three larger than normal lower deck guest cabins have
direct access aft to the Beach Club.
CUSTOM TENDER
Under Imperial supervision Tim
Heywood also designed a custom
limousine tender complete with
matching Scimitar bow to complement
the mother ship. The custom-built
Yachtwerft Meyer tender reflects the
styling of the mothership, right down
to the bow detail and the circular
ports in the hull.
Tim Heywood envisaged the so-called Scimitar bow
for the AMELS 199, but it was up to the AMELS
design and engineering team to execute it. Project
Manager Adriaan Roose explains the engineering
challenge, “The bow is narrow, and it’s complex to
build, from a welding and construction point of view.
But then there are the benefits of a longer waterline
which gives the hull the same efficiency as a typical
superyacht of, say, 67 metres in length.”
In tank-testing at the MARIN institute in the
Netherlands, the hull proved to be quick and made
little fuss through the water. The model proved that
the hull could reach the minimum contractual speed
of 16.5 knots smoothly, and even exceed 17 knots
without much trouble. “We asked Tim Heywood to
work on an aesthetic design for the spray rail, and it
has become a feature clients have really responded
to. It gives the AMELS 199 a bite and an edge, and
shows that it means business.”
24 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 25
AMELS 242 and AMELS 272
Stepping up
At the AMELS yard in the Netherlands, designers Andrew Winch and Tim Heywood
join AMELS Managing Director Rob Luijendijk for an exclusive interview.
“As a team, we’re really
working at the top
of our game with
these large yachts.”
Rob Luijendijk
26 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 27
Two very different yacht designs – for the AMELS 242 and
AMELS 272 – flowed from the boards of two of yachting’s most
established creative talents: Tim Heywood for both the exterior
lines and Andrew Winch for both the interiors. During a visit to
the AMELS yard in Vlissingen, the two designers met with AMELS
Managing Director Rob Luijendijk and described the growing sense
of excitement as the reality of these two large yachts unfolds.
Owners of existing AMELS yachts looking to step up to a larger
vessel – that was the rationale behind the development of the two
newest AMELS Limited Editions. “The lifestyle will change a lot on
these boats,” says Winch. Heywood agrees, “It shows the flexibility of
AMELS to deliver what the clients are after.”
Construction of the first AMELS 242 and the first AMELS 272 is well
under way. These will be the largest AMELS yachts ever built, demanding
the highest level of technical proficiency at Holland’s largest superyacht
facility. The two projects also represent the two great British yacht
designers performing at the top of their game.
“On all the big Limited Editions boats we have now, all three of our
signatures are on them,” Winch explains. “People like that. People are
confident about all aspects of the boat. Interior, exterior, technical. It fits.
It’s the top.”
Signature structures & spaces
On the 83-metre AMELS 272, part of Tim Heywood’s signature is the rub
rail curvature all around the aft end, which he says, is an indication of the
craftsmanship at AMELS. “These are what I call feminine athletic shapes.
TIM HEYWOOD DESIGNS
Tim Heywood has not only been awarded with all five AMELS Limited Editions
exterior designs so far, he is of course also no stranger to very large superyachts.
So how did Heywood approach the design for the largest AMELS so far
– the 2,827 GT, 83-metre AMELS 272? “It was like a clean sheet of paper. Of
course, there’s a heritage from the other yachts in the family. But she’s become
a yacht in her own right. She doesn’t look anything like where the design began.
Which is nice. She really does have her own identity. She’s a big girl, but with
a very streamlined profile.”
There are some benefits to doing curved structures I feel, but it isn’t easy.
None of this is easy. This is as difficult as it gets in yacht building. It’s a major
investment in time and effort to make that curvature around the aft end. But
AMELS, very kindly, have done that for me.”
Both the 242 and the 272 began with an architectural detail that was still very
adaptable, creating spaces open to imagination. Winch believes that what
AMELS has managed to do is develop the confidence in the Limited Editions
platform by engineering repetition. But that doesn’t mean that clients have
a copy. Everything has an adaptation – in signature, in look, in spirit, in
colours and furnishings. In fact, as creator of both interiors, Winch says the
two designs could not be more different.
Opening a new chapter
“We’re not just
doing yesterday’s
job again. We really
are working years
ahead with these
projects.”
Andrew Winch
ANDREW WINCH DESIGNS
The 83-metre AMELS 272 is a very big volume boat, says Andrew Winch, designer
of the yacht’s interiors. Luxury spaces flow from the main saloon to the seven
generously proportioned guest cabins on main deck to the impressive owner’s suite.
“The spaces are actually more undecorated. More beach villa, muted tones. It’s not
a sort of Sardinia bright. It’s very gentle, almost ethnic in its interior.” In contrast, the
AMELS 242 has Andrew Winch’s take on a more classical Côte d'Azur interior.
“These are going to be very original boats when they are launched.”
Combined with AMELS quality, these are yachts that not only reflect
the pedigree of their designers, but also the teamwork and a passion
that has gone into providing these owners with premium yachting
experiences. This teamwork stretches back more than three decades to
the AMELS custom yacht building era when both Heywood and Winch
were at Jon Bannenberg Designs, which was behind many of the early
AMELS yachts.
“So the relationship goes a long way back,” Winch says. “Longer
than one would want to admit! That’s important for the market.
That’s valuable. But this team hasn’t sat back and done old fogey
drawings. We’re producing, I think, reality for tomorrow, rather
than just yesterday’s ideas. They’re not what you would expect.
But when you see them, they’re going to open a new chapter for
yachting owners.”
“It’s amazing to see the
owners develop
a passion for their yacht
during this process.”
Tim Heywood
28 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 29
Captain Christoph Schaefer shares the story
of KAMALAYA’s first season
A SARONIC
GULF CRUISE
VITAL STATISTICS
LENGTH OVERALL
55.00 METRES (180 FEET)
GROSS TONNAGE
671 GT
DESIGN EXTERIOR
N AVA L A R C H I T E C T U R E
RANGE
TIM HEYWOOD
AMELS
4,500 NAUTICAL MILES (13 KNOTS)
On 1 July 2013 AMELS delivered Project 464, an AMELS 180,
with a delay of 4 hours. The delivery was delayed by the Chief
Stewardess forgetting to buy sufficient milk, the Captain’s wish
to take a picture of all the AMELS staff on board, and difficulties
of the deck crew to find takers for their trusted bicycles they
wanted to give away.
When the doors of the building shed finally
opened, everyone was excited to take
our fine ship out to sea and out into the
wide world. During the trip to Malta we
encountered true wind speeds of 55 knots,
and the associated seas, on the nose. This
experience showed us just how good a
boat we had. Our summer cruise took us all
across the Mediterranean and after clocking
some 8,000 miles we pulled into Athens
in early October 2013 to a warm welcome
from our agent Kostas Skiathitis of Oceania
Yachting. Greece has always been one of
my favourite cruising grounds in the Med
and I was excited to be here already during
our first season.
Escape the metropolis
At the end of our Aegean cruise we dropped
anchor in Vouliagmeni, on the outskirts of
Athens. While Athens certainly does not
have any shortage of marinas that can
KAMALAYA’S DELIVERY WAS DELAYED BY THE CHIEF STEWARDESS FORGETTING TO BUY SUFFICIENT
MILK AND THE CAPTAIN’S WISH TO TAKE A PICTURE OF ALL THE AMELS STAFF ON BOARD
handle large yachts, Vouliagmeni – lying halfway between the city and the
airport – is the ideal staging ground to board your yacht to explore the Greek
Islands. The small bay is calm and well protected. On its southern shores lies
the Astir Palace Beach Resort, a five star resort and spa that offers first class
facilities (and a heliport, for those that do not want to land a helicopter on
their yachts). The resort is not open to visiting yachts, but Kostas arranged for
us to get permission to anchor off the resort and use its facilities.
Kamini Harbour
Hydra
Unless drawn to the sights of Athens such as the Acropolis, most visitors will
be glad to escape the throbbing metropolis, and will want to head straight out
into the Aegean to visit the islands. I do believe there are only a few readers
who would not instantly recognise the white-washed houses clinging to the
sheer cliffs of Santorini, the windmills of Mykonos or the ancient ruins of
Delios. These images appear to be engraved in our collective memory.
Across the Gulf
However, on a balmy October morning we pointed the bow of KAMALAYA
west, across the Saronic Gulf and towards the islands of Aigina and Agkistri
lying just 20 miles from the city, in search of different destinations that lie off
the beaten track. Certainly Greece offers plenty of just that. Over the next
few days we slowly worked our way from there south along the shores of the
Peloponnese and the off-lying islands of Hydra and Spetses, to Monemvasia
Agios Nickolaos Crete
30 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 31
NOT A BREATH OF WIND RIPPLED
THE WATERS THAT NIGHT
The island was an important port and trading town until the mid
18th century and was at one time or the other ruled by every
power active in the Mediterranean over the centuries. Much of the
city has been restored and its medieval streets are too narrow for
any kind of traffic.
Finally at the very southern tip of the Peleponnes lies the island
of Elafonisos, Where you will find some of the finest beaches of
Greece. Another highlight of the island are the petrified forests of
the island.
Elafonisos
As so often, when we finally pointed the bow of the fine ship
KAMALAYA towards new destinations beyond, I felt that we had
spent far too little time and seen far too few places, missing out
on Navplion, for example and many of the historic sites along
the coast. I am not sure just how long it would take to get to
know the Greek islands properly and visit all the special places.
I feel that even after half a lifetime cruising there you would still
discover the one or the other hidden gem on every voyage.
Pictures by Fraser Gow, Aaron Riegen of the KAMALAYA
and Kostas Skiathitis of Oceania Yachting, Greece
Oia Santorini
and on to Elafonisis, one of the best Greek beaches located on the south eastern tip
of the peninsula.
Surrounded by history and mythology, the cruise takes you to some of the most
underrated destinations in Greece. While many of the Aegean islands are windswept and
harsh we encountered flat seas with windless days and quiet peaceful anchorages, the air
heavy with the scent of pine trees and herbs.
Preserving integrity of place
Our first night we spent stern-to at Moni Island with a full moon rising behind the island.
While there were a few day sailors at anchor off the island, by sunset we had the island to
ourselves. Not a breath of wind rippled the waters that night. If it was not for the glow of
the city lights of Athens giving the clouds in the distance an orange tint, you could have
thought you were alone on the earth. After an early morning swim we picked up anchor
and while breakfast was served, sailed down the coast towards the island of Hydra.
PASSING THROUGH
THE CORINTH CANAL
Watch the video of KAMALAYA as
she passes through the dramatic
Corinth Canal. With spectacular
views captured by the crew using a
drone camera, you’ll see KAMALAYA
passing through the narrow Isthmus
of Corinth that connects the
Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic
Gulf in the Aegean Sea.
The statistics of the island are really quite exciting: not large at 52 square kilometres,
1,900 people live in the town of Hydra, other hamlets are Mandraki (population 11)
and Vlychos (population 19). The statistics do not mention how many live in Kamini,
Palamides, Episkopi and Molos. But what really makes Hydra interesting though is the
fact that motor vehicles are not allowed by law. The only vehicles on the island are some
rubbish trucks.
You either walk, or you take a donkey or of course a boat. So Hydra has managed
to maintain its integrity in this fast paced world. It was voted by National Geographic
Traveler the highest ranking Greek island (ranked 11th out of 111 islands worldwide) as a
“unique destination preserving its integrity of place”. Offering numerous bays and coves
we chose to anchor at the south end of the island in a perfectly protected bay, again
offering us an absolute quiet night at anchor.
Gibraltar of the East
Just a short hop down the coast lies Spetses and, similar to Hydra, the absence of the
omnipresent automobile is striking. Private vehicles are not allowed within the city limits
and only taxis, horse drawn carts and delivery vehicles are encountered. Spetses has
developed into one of the favourite get aways for the Athens high society.
Sailing even further south our next stop was Monemvasia, nicknamed the Gibraltar of the
East or The Rock, an island separated from the mainland by an earthquake in 375 AD.
32 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 33
Hans van Triet
ABOUT HANS
How to stay small
when you are big
HANS VAN TRIET HAS BEEN THE
AMELS TECHNICAL DIRECTOR SINCE
2008. HE BROUGHT A WEALTH OF
TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE WITH HIM
WHEN HE MOVED TO ZEELAND FROM
ROTTERDAM. WITH FRIENDLY LOCALS
AND A RELAXED LIFESTYLE, IT’S VERY
EASY TO FEEL AT HOME IN VLISSINGEN
– ESPECIALLY WITH THE TOWN’S
MARITIME ROOTS AND PASSION FOR
SHIPBUILDING.
Things are getting big at AMELS – big yachts,
multiple projects, larger production facilities and
hundreds of craftsmen. As Technical Director
Hans van Triet describes, the impact of this growth
on the yard is huge.
“When you look at the gross tonnage we are
constructing with bigger superyachts – our
largest yacht is four times the size of our
AMELS 180 – you can imagine what that
means for our yard operations. Everything
from engineering to procurement to interiors
is bigger, more complex with more people
working for longer periods. And when you’re
working on twelve projects of different size
yachts at the same time, the challenge
is to give full attention to each build as a
unique project. Our organisation is very
much focussed on that. Even though we’re
growing, we want to stay a small shipyard in
our mentality.”
AMELS makes
each project unique
“One of the things I was surprised
and very pleased to see when I
arrived is that the Project Manager
Roeland Berrevoets was devoted
just to us, he doesn’t have any other
projects,” says Captain Grahame
Shorrocks of IMAGINE. “In other
yards you sometimes have two or
three projects for one guy. Here
Roeland is 100 percent for us. We’ve
had an excellent relationship with him.
We’ve found him very open to our
ideas, to changes.”
WATCH CAPTAIN SHORROCKS
DESCRIBING HIS EXPERIENCE DURING
THE BUILD OF THE AMELS 212.
No lawyers’ way of working
According to Van Triet, one of the reasons
owner representatives have such confidence
in AMELS is their close connection with
project managers and everyone at the yard.
“Our clients and their teams have strong
relationships with our project managers, they
know they can depend on us. The way we
are set up, we have a very flat organisation
here. When something needs to be solved,
we are quick to the case. It’s not a lawyers’
way of working. What we see as well is that
repeat clients ask for the same project team
they had the first time.”
Working at AMELS, it’s hard not to notice
the maritime traditions of the area. It’s not
just in the harbour activities, the active
naval and commercial shipbuilding, but also
in the monuments recalling centuries of
maritime excellence. Often first-time visitors
to the yard like to visit the historic former
headquarters of Royal Schelde. Just a short
walk from AMELS’ on-site helicopter landing
platform, the history of Dutch shipbuilding
is embodied in the great halls of this
magnificent building. AMELS is proud to
maintain the proud legacy of shipbuilding
in Vlissingen.
Stay sharp teams
As the yard grows, AMELS works every
day on developing the team needed
to coordinate all the works and ensure
consistently high standards – particularly as
the number of co-makers involved increases,
Van Triet says. “It’s a complex job and we’re
pretty strict about how we want people to
act. It takes time to develop that in people.
We’re very fortunate that we have a loyal
team. Dedicated people.”
CLOSE CONNECTIONS KEEP AMELS DOWN TO EARTH,
EVEN WHEN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AT WORK
IN HOLLAND'S LARGEST SUPERYACHT FACILITY.
Even though we’re growing,
we want to stay a small
shipyard in our mentality
34 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 35
a
s
s
e
S
a
r
u
a
L
y
b
d
e
r
i
p
Ins
Every AMELS yacht has a custom interior, inspired by the owner’s
individual experiences and tastes. So it’s a testament to designer
Laura Sessa’s talent and versatility that she has already created custom
interiors for 11 Limited Editions builds. Over the years, her designs
have continued to surprise and impress, revealing new possibilities
and interpretations of the Limited Editions concept.
the materials, the fabrics, and
everything that can go inside
their yacht. They can do all that
at the studio.”
The location in Italy also reflects
her inspiration. “I’m from the
Mediterranean and I love the
colour, the feeling of holidays
and everything that surrounds the
marine world. Every client makes
a special request, so it’s not
always that every boat has that
feeling in the end. But for me the
start is always the Mediterranean
and the feeling of the sea.”
Since Laura Sessa’s first project with
AMELS back in 2000, she has been such
a regular visitor to the yard in Vlissingen
that she could call herself a local. “It’s like
a family. When I’m at AMELS, it’s home,
like in Italy. More or less.”
Mediterranean inspiration
Although she definitely has a ‘second
family’ at AMELS in Holland, much of
the creative design and selection of
materials happens at her studio outside
Rome – a beautiful estate where she not
only works with her team, but where
she also welcomes owners during the
design process.
“While we’re working together, clients
nearly always want to come to my studio
in Italy. All the clients love to touch
Enjoying the design process
“We’ve always had very good
relationships with the client,” she
says, highlighting that the design
process should be enjoyable for
the client. “We try to follow the
taste and request of the clients,
in an elegant way, and suited for
life on the boat.”
Some examples of her work
on AMELS Limited Editions
include BEL ABRI, LADY NAG
NAG, STEP ONE, 4YOU and the
World Superyacht Award 2014
category winner EVENT. She is
currently working with AMELS and
the owner team for the second
AMELS 199, MADAME KATE,
due for delivery in 2015. For each
build she and the AMELS Design
Department work together with
suppliers of interior elements
and carpentry. “When we are
customising something, I like to
work with different companies, so
you’re making it very individual,
like a home. It is a home, as well
as a yacht.”
We try to follow
the taste of the clients,
suited for life onboard.
36 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 37
WHAT DOES TRUE FREEDOM FEEL LIKE?
GARÇON
WATCH GARÇON COME ALIVE AND GET A TASTE FOR
THE UNCOMPROMISING POWER AND PERFORMANCE
OF A YACHT SUPPORT VESSEL.
Yacht Support vessel GARÇON has made quite an entrance.
First, the vessel turned heads at the Monaco Yacht Show
– one of its first destinations following delivery; then went
on to take the award for Innovation at the International
Superyacht Society Gala. And recently, in the blue waters off
Sicily, GARÇON demonstrated for the cameras just how well it
combines functionality and performance with beauty and form.
Together, DAMEN and AMELS have
developed the next generation of support
yachts under the Yacht Support brand.
The range of vessels, purpose-built to
superyacht standards, is based on the
successful DAMEN SEA AXE platform. The
67-metre GARÇON perfectly captures the
concept, providing the owner with a new
level of freedom to fully enjoy the yachting
experience.
Boys and their toys and much more
Both below and on deck, there is ample
space for toys such as tenders, jet-skis
and sailing dinghies. Without the beam
or height limitations of the mothership’s
tender garage, GARÇON carries the
right gear for each destination on the
360 square-metre deck and in the
140 square-metre storage area below
deck. The heavy-duty knuckle-boom
crane can handle tenders, gear and almost anything else required
during a superyacht voyage. This also makes the mothership more
spontaneous – able to depart while GARÇON stays behind to
retrieve toys.
GARÇON’s deck is as attractive as it is practical, laid out with
hard-wearing Bolidt artificial teak. And it’s not just about fast and
large tenders – the vessel’s capacity opens up new possibilities
in superyacht logistics. The deck has standard 20-foot container
twistlocks, which makes it possible to quickly mobilise the vessel
with different configurations. It can carry refrigerated containers
to store perishables until required, or containerised equipment
for diving or entertainment. Containers can hold automobiles and
specialist vehicles as well as advanced security equipment. This
modular approach can make planning for different holidays and
charters a lot simpler.
Helicopter freedom
One of the key attractions of a Yacht Support vessel is the fully
certified helideck, making the mothership easily accessible without
sacrificing luxury spaces and sundecks. GARÇON features a helideck
38 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 39
DAMEN’S PROVEN SEA AXE BOW DESIGN (ABOVE) DELIVERS DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE, WHILE GARÇON HAS
NO SHORTAGE OF STORAGE (LEFT) WITH A 360 SQUARE-METRE DECK AND 140 SQUARE METRES BELOW DECK.
THE 5T DECK CRANE HANDLES THE LARGEST TENDERS WITH EASE (BELOW LEFT) AND THE FULLY CERTIFIED
HELIPAD IS ALWAYS READY. OWNERS AND GUESTS ENJOY SUPERYACHT STANDARDS IN THE BRIDGE LOUNGE
AS WELL AS A 360-DEGREE VIEW (BELOW).
VITAL STATISTICS
LENGTH OVERALL
67.15 METRES (220 FEET)
BEAM
11.50 METRES (38 FEET)
DRAFT (FULL LOAD)
4.00 METRES (13 FEET)
DISPLACEMENT (FULL LOAD)
1.150 TONNES
GROSS TONNAGE
with 5,000kg take-off weight, refuelling, de-fuelling and fuel cleaning capacities. The
helideck is SOLAS-certified for use both day and night. Of course, the vessel also
has substantial helicopter fuel storage, making it suitable for areas of the world with
less developed superyacht infrastructure.
1.128
N AVA L A R C H I T E C T U R E
DAMEN
MAXIMUM SPEED
18 KNOTS (POTENTIAL 25 KNOTS)
RANGE
4,500 NM @ 16 KNOTS
C R E W A C C O M M O D AT I O N
21
DECK CRANE
1 1 . 5 T O N N E S AT 1 0 . 2 5 M E T R E S
While GARÇON is largely devoted to power and technical spaces, she certainly has
both superyacht looks and standard. The wheelhouse, like the vessel exterior, has
been decorated to the standard of the mothership, an 87-metre superyacht. When
the owner or guests arrive by helicopter for example, there’s room to refresh and
relax in owner’s lounge. This area in the wheelhouse provides a comfortable place to
watch operations as GARÇON powers through the waves. The bridge itself features
leather-clad stations and clear 360-degree views to the deck below. In fact, it’s the
perfect place to join the captain on the bridge. High-tech equipment controls the four
stern drive propellers that accelerate GARÇON to an easy and comfortable 21 knots.
The patented DAMEN SEA AXE bow is central to the performance of the vessel.
Vertical peak acceleration is reduced by up to 70 percent and resistance by up
to 10 percent when measured against
conventional fast hull designs, facilitating
comfortable sailing at speed.
Privacy and service
The SEA AXE’s seakeeping and comfort
is important for everyone on board.
GARÇON can comfortably accommodate
up to 21 ancillary staff and crew – perfect
for facilitating a relief crew for a large
superyacht. The crew spaces, like the
rest of the vessel, are prepared to
SOLAS standards and offer more comfort
than a commercial vessel. The facilities
include a gym, hospital, a large day
room, galley and mess. The vessel has
advanced communication and navigation
equipment so that she can keep a close watch on the mothership
and the surrounding area, even if she’s stationed just out of sight.
The Yacht Support vessel is much more than simply a workhorse
or a converted commercial vessel; great care has been taken in its
appearance and high quality design. As AMELS Managing Director
Rob Luijendijk says, “Anyone who saw GARÇON in Monaco against
the backdrop of so many luxury yachts would understand what
we mean when we say the SEA AXE is not an embarrassment
to be hidden out of view – her angular beauty and yacht-quality
finish make her look right at home in Monaco – or any other luxury
destination.”
40 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 41
TEN MAIN REASONS WHY
Your time at sea should be a time of uninterrupted luxury and pleasure. Your yacht
should do exactly that, nothing more. Everything else should be left to a support vessel
to handle. That’s what an increasing number of forward-thinking owners are realising,
and that’s why they want a DAMEN Yacht Support vessel. Pictured here with an
83-metre AMELS 272 mothership, the Yacht Support vessel means owners and their
guests can enjoy a true luxury yachting experience – without limits.
7 INTERIOR FINISH
At a minimum, accommodation on your
Yacht Support vessel will be furnished to
the same standard as a crew interior on
an AMELS luxury yacht. But you have the
option even to finish to the standards of a
superyacht luxury interior. Travel fast, travel
in style.
8 AESTHETICS
First impressions count, and the bold,
muscular looks of a Yacht Support vessel
make it a real headturner. Every vessel is
faired and painted to yacht standard, and
the deck is finished in Bolidt artificial teak.
1 BIGGER TOYS
9 SPEED!
Would you like to have a 45ft tender? A
submarine? A sailing boat? Could you
physically fit one on your superyacht?
Even if you could, at what cost? Having a
Yacht Support vessel removes the need for
compromise. No toy need be left behind!
You need speed. There is no point having a
support ship if it lags behind. The patented
design of the SEA AXE hull form gives it the
power and stability to maintain speeds of up
to 25 knots, even through a rough seaway.
2 SAFER HELIDECK
3 NO WAITING!
4 PRIVACY & SECURITY
5 PLATFORM
6 UNLIMITED CAPACITY
10 INNOVATION
Safety first? Would you prefer landing on
a small helipad or a fully certified helideck
for day and night operations? Do you mind
abandoning your sun lounger when the
helicopter arrives? Everybody inside, and
don't forget the cushions! The picture shows
the safer, simpler answer - a fully certified
5,000kg helideck developed for the offshore
industry.
Depart - and arrive - whenever it suits you.
Isn’t that how it should be? Deploying and
retrieving watertoys is a time-consuming
and tedious process. So why not sail away
and leave the Yacht Support to do the hard
work, and then watch it cruise past at high
speed to prepare your next destination?
The risks of piracy in some parts of the
world are well known, and a risk not worth
taking with your superyacht. A Yacht
Support vessel can be equipped to provide
the security you need - both personnel and
hardware - to ensure a smooth passage.
Also, why not use a Yacht Support vessel
to accommodate ancillary staff, and to give
your regular crew some time away from the
mother yacht? We all know the formula:
happy crew = happy ship. And more privacy
for you.
Yacht Support vessels are developed out
of the large DAMEN portfolio, which are
deployed around the world into offshore,
military, and other challenging environments.
More than 100 SEA AXEs have been built,
with another 40 currently in construction.
Our range provides you with unlimited
capacity for all kinds of items that cannot
be stored on the mothership: bigger tenders,
unlimited crew and staff, provisioning, fuel,
spare parts, etc, etc…. Imagine what that
extra capacity could bring for you and your
crew, the new possibilities it creates...
Dr Lex Keuning wanted to explore a new
concept in ship design. His thinking was:
"If you can sharpen the bow, increase the
sheer and lower the centreline of the bow,
this should dramatically reduce the waveexciting forces when a ship is sailing in a
seaway." And so, in conjunction with T.U.
Delft, MARIN and DAMEN, Dr Keuning
pioneered and patented the 'Axe Bow', so
called because the forefoot is deeper than
the keel, resembling an axe. The SEA AXE
is very efficient. It has up to 15 percent less
resistance, better seakeeping in large waves,
and up to 75 percent less vertical peak
accelerations than other fast ships.
42 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 43
A full-custom build will take a minimum of 4 years.
In contrast, a Limited Editions superyacht takes almost
half the time – two extra summers of quality time enjoying
the yachting experience with friends and family.
WATCH TO FIND OUT HOW
AMELS DELIVERS FASTER
Is everyone
comfortable?
The Sooner the Better
AMELS CREATES YOUR VISION IN HALF THE TIME WITH HIGHER QUALITY
SEMI-DISPLACEMENT VS FULL-DISPLACEMENT
It’s a fast-moving world, so why put off to tomorrow what you can have today? AMELS
has put a lot of effort into taking the best from the world of full-custom building without
the long wait. AMELS Sales Manager Johan Kaasjager says that the AMELS Limited
Editions concept can save thousands of extra hours spent pouring over engineering
details and extra years spent waiting for the scaffolding around your yacht to come down.
“Things are different with our Limited Editions,” he says. “We build these yachts using
tried-and-tested engineering and construction processes. By repeating this technology,
AMELS ensures higher quality, lower technical risk and faster delivery.”
A yacht with inordinate power and speed might seem seductive
at first, but is it worth sacrificing the comfort of everyone on
board, the champagne glasses bouncing off the table? Such
a yacht will not only require an overdose of diesel-guzzling
power generation to reach semi-planing speed, but also an
uncomfortable semi-displacement hull.
“A Limited Editions yacht is designed in such a way that specific client requests and ideas
can be quickly translated into new interior designs, change of construction and deck
layout, without affecting the ship’s performance, stability or technical installations.”
Of course, any yard will tell you it can deliver to an agreed date. As Kaasjager points out,
the difference is that AMELS has delivered 100 percent of its Limited Editions yachts on
time, and some of them well ahead of schedule.
ABOUT JOHAN
AMELS SALES MANAGER JOHAN KAASJAGER
HAS FORMED A STRONG TEAM WITH MANAGING
DIRECTOR ROB LUIJENDIJK FOR THE LAST 9 YEARS.
JOHAN’S PASSION FOR YACHTING IS BEHIND HIS
BACKGROUND IN NAVAL ARCHITECTURE AND
DEDICATION TO THE ART OF YACHT BUILDING.
“A V-shaped semi-displacement hull is fine
if you want to go fast, that’s one thing,”
says AMELS Naval Architect Giorgios
Pijnen. “But normally that’s less than
1 percent of such a vessel’s sailing time.
The rest of the time, at 12 or 13 knots,
you’re sailing like a full displacement
vessel, but with an ineffective hull shape.
And that means everyone on board is
going to feel the consequences: a wobbly
trip. And on top of this, at slow speeds,
or at anchor, the adverse motions can feel
even worse.”
V-shaped hulls are very susceptible
to rolling, pitching, slamming, large
accelerations and gravity loads – all
factors in sea-sickness that are proven
to render people incapable of proper
functioning. And that’s not even including
the noise and vibrations created by large
main engines. It’s a very bumpy ride.
Limited Editions: Highest quality, delivered faster
Limited Editions
CUSTOMISING
DESIGN
BUILDING PROCESS
TRIAL & DELIVERY
ENJOYMENT ON BOARD YOUR NEW AMELS
total project time around 2.5 years
Full-Custom Building
DESIGN
SHIPYARD
SELECTION
ENGINEERING
BUILDING PROCESS
TRIAL & DELIVERY
total project time at least 4 years
Fastest toys
Imagine the power required to lift a
55-metre or larger yacht – several hundred
tonnes of metal and machinery – through
the sea’s resistance curve, pushing 25
knots and burning thousands of litres
of fuel per hour. And even then such a
yacht can’t match the kick of a fast tender
breaking 60 knots. If speed is your thrill
of choice, AMELS can provide you with
Typical section in mid ship
the fastest water toys on the planet,
which you can have lowered from your
yacht’s tender garage while your guests
look on from the comfort of the AMELS
mothership.
No compromise on comfort
AMELS believes in a comfortable and
enjoyable experience for everyone on
board. That’s why the yard’s naval
architects like Pijnen have invested
thousands of hours in developing the
Limited Editions full displacement hulls
using Computational Fluid Dynamics and
manoeuvring simulations. They leverage
research & development expertise from
DAMEN as well as tank testing at the
renowned MARIN institute.
“Seakeeping performance is very
important in AMELS hull design,”
Pijnen explains. “For example, the
AMELS 180 has proven its excellent
seakeeping behaviour, even in rough
conditions. Of course, stabilisers can
help a bit, but the major influencing
factor is the hull shape. The AMELS
experience is a comfortable trip with less
environmental impact. You’re sailing at a
very fuel and power efficient rate, more
quietly, with less noise and vibrations. We
won’t build semi-displacement yachts.
The compromise on comfort is too great.”
Displacement
hull shape
Semi - Displacement
hull shape
Ship Resistance [kN]
But crucially, Kaasjager says, AMELS allows owners to realise their personal vision
with extensive customisation possibilities. So, the Limited Editions designs effectively
bridge the gap between full-custom and semi-custom – AMELS makes the best of
both worlds possible.
Ship Speed (kts)
44 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 45
The taste of
From sun-bathed Sicily, through the fabulous beaches of the Caribbean, to the icebound rocks
of Alaska – since delivery in 2011, AMELS 171 SPIRIT has travelled the globe in a unique
journey. During this marvellous culinary experience, the owners and guests have enjoyed the
most exclusive ingredients and the finest gourmet creations. At all the different locations the
master chef on board, Andrew Graham, created his own recipes with the best local ingredients.
Mexico
Prawn carpaccio
with Bergamot ora
nge
and fennel slaw.
“One of my favou
rite flavours from
the
ocean would have
to be the Gambero
ni
rosso prawns.”
uit salad
r
f
k
e
e
l Gr
Colourfu
GreecGoeds
he
Land of t
DOWNLOAD HERE A SELECTION FROM
THE SPIRIT BOOK, CONTAINING ALL
THE RECIPES SHOWN HERE.
46 INSIDE AMELS
Sicily
INSIDE AMELS 47
Alaska
- The Island of the Sun
Recipe: Ricotta-stuffed courgette flowers with tomato
salad, raspberry vinegar, vanilla and mint dressing
An interesting combination of sweetly fragrant
raspberry vinegar and mint to dress your best
tomatoes is a surprisingly superb taste. Andrew
Graham has gone one step further to turn a simple
side dish into a starter by adding a ricotta-stuffed
courgette flower.
Corsicaof Two Faces
Recipe: Cedar plank salmon with kedgeree-style rice
A dish prepared on board in the galley grill many times,
but it was also delicious when cooked on a shore BBQ
in the wilds of Alaska.
An Island
and
riatic scampi
violi with Ad
ra
h
es
Fr
e:
Recip
ullet) ragout
rouget (red m
INGREDIENTS:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 side of king salmon app. 2 kg
5 gr white peppercorns
10 g coriander seeds, lightly toasted
fresh coriander, dill & mint
lemons
1 orange fine zest
300 g fine salt
400 g white sugar
2 limes fine zest
5 g juniper berries
3 tbsp vegatable oil
2 brown onion
3 cloves garlic
1 piece ginger
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp fennel seed
1 tsp ground turmeric
400 gr basmati rice
greek style thick yoghurt
water
ic scampi
t
ia
r
d
A
h
it
w
Fresh ravioli
Majorca
With fa
scinating
Tonka be
ans
- A turquoise Sky
‘The sky is like turquoise, the sea like lapis lazuli, the mountains
like emerald and the air as in Heaven. In day-time, sunshine;
everyone goes about in summer clothes and it’s hot. At night,
guitars and songs for hours on end. Huge balconies with
overhanging vines: Moorish ramparts. Everything including the
town has an African look. To put it short, life is marvellous…’,
Frédèric Chopin, 1838
INGREDIENTS:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2 kg monk fish, 1 piece or 2 smaller pieces
6-8 fine slices prosciutto di Parma
sea salt flakes
espelette pepper flakes
1 kg waxy red skin potatoes
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely slices
50 g unsalted butter
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
500 ml fish stock
parsley
The Galapagos
Recipe: Tonka bean crème brûlée
The tonka bean is a fascinating ingredient that has really
come into the spotlight as chefs have searched further into
South America for new flavours, and the world of cuisine
has become more globalised.
The Caribbean
with
conut rice pudding
Recipe: Young co
s, and
ve
sh kaffir lime lea
Thai purple rice, fre
and salt.
e
ngo with chilli, lim
shredded green ma
INSIDE AMELS 49
One of
the
highligh
ts of th
e
year at
AM
brings ELS, the rall
friends
y
and col through Holl
an
leagues
togethe d
r.
AMELS
Classic
Car Ra
lly
48 INSIDE AMELS
Get behind the wheel
Beautiful cars in Holland
AMELS hosts its Classic Car Rally, a chance for clients, owners’ teams and
captains to jump behind the wheel. Whether it’s an invigorating tour around the
islands of Zeeland or the Dutch ‘mountains’ near Maastricht, the rally has all
the ingredients for a great weekend – a wide range of classic automobiles from
the 50s and 60s, smooth and quiet Dutch roads, and just a smidgen of friendly
competition. The route takes in all the sights from the busy boulevard in Vlissingen
to tree-lined dikes and winding coasts, ending up with an extended toast to
quality motoring and a good night’s rest, staying in comfort and style.
SEE THESE CLASSIC AUTOMOBILES
IN ACTION HERE
50 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 51
René Berkvens, CEO DAMEN Shipyards
Synergy beyond
anyone’s Expectations
For more than 20 years AMELS has been part of family owned DAMEN Shipyards, an
international group of 32 ship repair and new build yards generating an annual turnover
of Euros 1.7 billion. DAMEN’s CEO René Berkvens reveals how AMELS has grown into
Holland’s largest superyacht builder, and explains why it will remain focussed in Holland.
DAMEN SHIPYARDS
TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROJECTS
In many parts of the world, from the Middle East to the Americas, from China to Australia, DAMEN is synonymous with quality workboats, offshore
and military vessels. While Berkvens agrees that the superyacht industry has its own character, he believes the segment fits very well with the rest
of the group. The synergy is not just in sharing expertise in research & development and naval architecture, but in the very philosophy that underpins
DAMEN’s successful approach to shipbuilding. Plus, he says, DAMEN’s reputation around the world has had a very positive effect on the AMELS brand
and vice versa.
“If someone opens the DAMEN corporate brochure and sees, ah you’re
building superyachts, that helps in how people perceive DAMEN as a high
end, high quality builder in many different niches.”
Holland’s superyacht infrastructure
DAMEN acquired AMELS in 1991, and made a clear decision to
concentrate its yacht building activities in the Netherlands. Berkvens says
the group profits from the strong superyacht infrastructure in the country,
particularly in design, engineering, finishing and organisation. “Holland
has developed into, let’s be a little bit chauvinistic here, the number
one quality superyacht builder.”
Of course, this is not only due to AMELS, he continues, but a whole
string of other Dutch yacht builders. “And it’s not just the yards, but very
importantly it’s the entire supply industry that comes with it.”
Family owned character
With 8,000 employees worldwide, the company has certainly come a long
way from the day two brothers established a small Dutch shipyard in 1927.
After buying the company from his father in 1969, Kommer Damen built
up DAMEN into a powerful conglomerate. Now Chairman of the Board, he
remains very much involved in the business, as do his children, including
COO Arnout Damen. However, the family owned character goes much
deeper, as Berkvens explains.
“If you look at our how the company is organised, our guiding principles, we
feel like a family owned business and we act like a family owned business.
And we promote that internally, the same values, the same ideas and
business principles.”
ABOUT RENÉ
RENÉ BERKVENS HAS BEEN CEO
DAMEN SHIPYARDS SINCE 2006 AND
MEMBER OF THE DAMEN BOARD SINCE
2000. A QUALIFIED SHIPBUILDING
ENGINEER, HE JOINED DAMEN IN 1983.
This was the foundation behind the acquisition of AMELS and then later
the introduction of the Limited Editions concept. “We set the company on a
path of growth, but very much in a manageable and controlled way. In think
that’s important in any business, but definitely in the yacht business.”
Totally outperforming expectations
The Limited Editions concept stems from DAMEN’s commercial shipbuilding
business. DAMEN had proven that repeating certain technical solutions
has an enormously positive impact on product quality, performance,
recognition and resale value. This DAMEN approach also provides clients
with hassle-free projects and short delivery times. “Those are the principles
that we have been applying within the DAMEN group for more than 40
years already, and we felt that it was something that would also work in the
yachting market. That’s why we developed the Limited Editions.”
Now, 10 years later, the concept has worked extremely well, leading to
new, larger designs including the new AMELS 242 and the AMELS 272.
“The Limited Editions concept has totally outperformed any expectation
that I think we had. We started with the AMELS 180 model and we
have made steps into the bigger Limited Editions. And I guess the two
largest vessels are a logical step on that path. That fits with the yachting
market in general where you see vessels getting bigger and bigger and
we do have to respond to that. And what helped to push the idea even
more was that we have very good clients who are looking for repeat
business but a bigger boat.”
Leveraging expertise in promising market
AMELS invested hundreds of thousands of hours in developing these
two new large Limited Editions designs, which was also an opportunity
to leverage DAMEN’s research & development expertise. “We spend
a lot of time and money on things like vibrations and propulsion and
hydrodynamics. And there is definitely a crossover from our commercial
business into the yacht business. Noise is a very important issue on yachts,
for example and when you look at tugboats, they’re relatively small but have
an enormous amount of power. For that reason we’ve
studied it at length and come up with lots of solutions
that we can apply in our yachts.”
DAMEN’s purpose-built Yacht Support vessels
are almost a perfect example of where yachts and
commercial shipbuilding meet each in the middle,
Berkvens says. Based on a proven, quality product from
DAMEN’s workboat business, DAMEN has invested in
new build designs for a very promising market. “I believe
we are extremely well-positioned to come up with the
product that the market can use and the market wants.
It’s not just the building, you also have to understand
what your clients want, why do they need this and why
does it have to look the way it looks? That’s where the
AMELS input is crucial and working very well.”
All of these developments fit with DAMEN’s strategy for
growing its global business. “In all the product market
combinations that we are in, we’re striving for the
best possible quality vessel, best service, the shortest
possible delivery times and no hassle for the client.”
WATCH AN OVERVIEW OF THE GLOBAL
DAMEN SHIPYARD GROUP
52 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 53
MARCEL WANDERS
THE DUTCH DESIGNER AND ART DIRECTOR
DESIGNED THIS SKYGARDEN LAMP FOR
FLOS. THE LAMP’S RETRO DESIGN IS CAST
IN PLASTER AND POLISHED BY HAND. BACK
IN 1996 WANDERS ATTRACTED WORLDWIDE
ATTENTION FOR HIS ICONIC KNOTTED CHAIR.
Art & Culture
SKYGARDEN BY MARCEL WANDERS,
WWW.MARCELWANDERS.COM
The Dutch know
how to Create
VANMOOF DESIGN BIKES
BICYCLES FROM VANMOOF HELP THE
AMBITIOUS CITY DWELLER MOVE AROUND
TOWN FASTER, MORE CONFIDENTLY
AND IN UTMOST STYLE.
© Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
AMSTERDAM
THE CAPITAL CITY OF THE NETHERLANDS,
ALSO NAMED VENICE OF THE NORTH, HAS A
RICH HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE AND
100 KILOMETRES OF CANALS. MORE THAN
1,200 BRIDGES LINK THE CITY’S 90 ISLANDS.
VIKTOR & ROLF
THE WORLD FAMOUS AMSTERDAM-BASED
FASHION HOUSE CREATED THIS CUT-OUT,
TULLE CAKE-LIKE GOWN. SPECIALISTS IN
COMBINING FASHION WITH DESIGN AND
THEATRE, VIKTOR & ROLF ARE ALWAYS UP TO
SOMETHING SPECTACULAR.
VINCENT VAN GOGH
THE POST-IMPRESSIONIST PAINTER FINISHED
THIS STILL LIFE, VASE WITH TWELVE
SUNFLOWERS, IN 1888. VAN GOGH’S WORK
IS NOTABLE FOR ITS ROUGH BEAUTY,
EMOTIONAL HONESTY AND BOLD USE
OF COLOUR.
Holland is known for its history of art, design and superb craftsmanship. Naming some
of the world’s greatest artists off the top of your head, you are likely to come up with many
of the Dutch masters including Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh. The country is also
famous for its festivals, museums and exhibitions that attract large numbers of tourists
to the country every year. Traditionally, the Dutch are passionate about creating objects
of the highest quality and style – the same craftsmanship seen in today’s cultural exports
such as music, art and architecture. And when it comes to integrating the latest technology,
innovation and imagination into high quality luxury objects, nobody does it better.
Summing up, you might just say that the Dutch know how to create…
OMA
THE INFLUENTIAL DUTCH ARCHITECTURE
PRACTICE, FOUNDED BY REM KOOLHAAS,
DESIGNED THE CHINA CENTRAL TELEVISION
(CCTV) HEADQUARTERS IN BEIJING, ONE OF
THEIR MOST SPECTACULAR PROJECTS.
ARMIN VAN BUUREN
THE INNOVATIVE MUSIC PRODUCER AND
DJ IS KNOWN FOR PLAYING PROGRESSIVE
AND UPLIFTING TRANCE MUSIC. AMONG
THE DUTCH TALENT’S ACCOLADES IS THE
NUMBER ONE SPOT ON DJ MAGAZINE'S
TOP 100 DJS FAN POLL.
RIJKMUSEUM
THE RECENTLY RENOVATED GALLERY
FEATURES A CHRONOLOGICAL JOURNEY
THROUGH THE COLLECTION OF 8,000
OBJECTS INCLUDING REMBRANDT’S
‘THE NIGHT WATCH’.
54 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 55
TECHNICAL UPDATE:
What makes
an AMELS so special?
Each AMELS yacht represents thousands of hours of quality craftsmanship –
from upfront design and engineering to the final touches before delivery.
Creating superyachts since 1982, AMELS has built up vast expertise in
engineering, design and construction. This is what lies beneath the surface
of each AMELS Limited Editions – dedication and knowledge.
AMELS Head of Engineering Maarten Slegers
The brains behind the boats
The 80 brilliant minds in the AMELS
engineering department are the guardians
of more than 30 years of AMELS experience
and knowledge, which they distil into
each yacht.
Isn’t 100,000 engineering hours a lot
for one superyacht design?
It is, but we believe you have to think about
the details. The quality of a yacht is in the
details. So we invest a lot in developing
a new Limited Editions design. Either you
do it upfront in engineering or you do it in
production. I think it’s more efficient to do
as much as possible upfront.
Has the Limited Editions platform
changed over the last 10 years?
Talking about the AMELS 180 for example,
the exterior is similar, but inside it’s changed
tremendously since the first build. It’s a
constant flow of improvements from different
sources – owners, brokers, captains, chief
engineers, market trends and regulations,
or suppliers improving their equipment. We
always find out things we can do better and
incorporate that feedback from production
back into the model. The same is true for
our more recent designs.
It’s a proven platform, so why spend around
10,000 hours on each subsequent build?
We do rather a lot of customising and with
every change and improvement we have to
make sure we’re not introducing things like
extra paths of sounds transmissions which
can have an impact on noise and vibrations
for example. Or tank arrangements that can
affect range and stability. We really want to
be on top of design and details to guarantee
the client the expected level of quality.
Registry & Rules
What you need to know before you start building
It’s a complex matter, but smart
registration and decisions about regulations
can make many things possible and even
avoid ruined holidays down the line.
AMELS has a deep understanding of all
matters concerning flag states, regulatory
bodies and classification societies. In fact,
the very first MCA-compliant large yacht
was the AMELS custom build TIGRE D’OR
in the late 1990s.
“We pioneered the code, working closely
with MCA, and cooperating with flag states
to get the wheels in motion,” says Head of
Design Hans Konings.
At a certain size, a superyacht becomes a
ship – with all its implications for the safety
of the owner, guests and crew.
“Meeting all kinds of regulations – from
fire protection to watertight integrity
to qualified crew – it does impacts on
the total cost of ownership,” Konings
continues. “But your operation will also
be better and safer. We believe in this kind
of safety that’s behind the boat, we’re not
going around rules and regulations.”
AMELS also has the experience and
expertise to advise on choosing a flag
state and registry. However, as owner of
a Limited Editions yacht, you always have
a choice between private and commercial
registry – AMELS has taken care to
build commercial-readiness into each
Limited Editions design.
CAN AMELS BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN
CUSTOM AND SEMI-CUSTOM? HANS KONINGS
HAS THE ANSWER IN THIS VIDEO.
56 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 57
Happy CREW !
An Enjoyable Experience
Reducing emissions
WHAT DO YOU MEAN
WE’RE BANNED
FROM SAINT THOMAS?
A spontaneous rendezvous in the Virgin Islands sounds
simple enough, but if you’re not in an AMELS yacht, your
captain might have some bad news for you and your
guests. “Sorry, not in this yacht.” For keels laid from 2016
on, stringent emissions regulations come into force for
certain IMO-designated Caribbean waters, as well as many
other areas around the world, including the North Sea, and
Mediterranean restrictions might also be coming soon.
AMELS believes that every yacht it delivers should be able
to sail anywhere in the world. Compliance also creates
engineering challenges, but AMELS puts the puzzle together
to ensure there are no ‘No-Go’ areas for your yacht.
Heat Recovery
NOT A WASTE OF ENERGY
Electricity generator sets produce a lot of waste heat, which is normally
ejected to the environment. At AMELS we have a developed a waste
heat recovery system that changes the way we manage energy usage
on board one of our yachts. This new approach reduces generator set
starts, saves fuel, ensures the owner and guests always have enough
hot water and the interior climate is just right. Overall we are optimising
generator set running hours and reducing operator and maintenance
costs for our clients. By operating with increased efficiency we reduce the
environmental impact and achieve fuel savings of 20 percent and more.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), a
United Nations agency, requires that vessels comply
with technical solutions to reduce the environmental
impact of engine emissions in controlled areas.
Additional regulations cover particularly sensitive
areas, including:
•
•
•
•
•
The
The
The
The
The
Great Barrier Reef
sea around the Florida Keys
Galapagos Archipelago
Strait of Bonifacio
Saba Bank in the Caribbean.
“As a builder, we understand that the owners’
crew is a crucial factor in the yachting
experience, says Head of Design at AMELS
Hans Konings. Limited Editions yachts are
designed with crew in mind – for service,
yachting operations, ease of maintenance,
safety, sufficient space and storage but
keeping a good guest-to-crew ratio. “If the
yacht is not working well for the crew, the
owner will have a horrible experience.”
Complying is not enough
The AMELS design hasn’t gone unnoticed
by crews and captains, including Captain
Grahame Shorrocks and the crew of IMAGINE,
the first AMELS 212 (pictured).
“One of the great things I’ve found on IMAGINE
is that the crew who work the boat, they can
do their job without impacting on the guests,”
he says. “Having the tank deck down below –
where we can walk from forward to the aft of
the vessel in all the service and technical areas
– just that one thing alone, for the crew is one
of the highlights of the boat.”
All AMELS yachts comply with the International
Labour Organization’s Maritime Labour
Convention, as translated into the Large
Yacht code (LY3) by Cayman Islands registry.
However, Konings points out that just
complying with LY3 is not enough. “It would
mean that crew still have a very tiny recreation
area meant for half the crew on board, and
still a small sleeping area. So we go far
beyond that.”
Anywhere in the world
The captain and the chief engineer have their
own private quarters, not doubled up. Even
technical areas such as the laundry receive
the full attention of the AMELS design team.
“We think the laundry should be a functional
space large enough for the crew to do their
job. If you try to combine the laundry with
something else, okay, you make more room
for an owner’s gym or something, but it affects
the operational profile of the vessel. Is it a day
boat, or is it designed to be operated anywhere
in the world?”
So, it’s unsurprising that top crews want to
work on AMELS yachts. And, as Konings points
out, many owners go even further to ensure a
happy crew. “Often crews move with the owner
to his new yacht. These are people he’s familiar
with and trusts. When he’s enjoying his vessel,
they know when to bother him and when not
to. An effective and happy crew is crucial to
an enjoyable experience on board.”
58 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 59
The GT Secret
How much yacht have I got?
Comparing yachts by their length is part of our nautical
heritage, stemming from age-old traditions of sailboats and
their skippers. It’s a tradition that AMELS carries on in the
names of its Limited Editions range, but as Head of Design
Hans Konings explains, the method has little relevance to
today’s large full displacement superyachts.
+
GT = (0.2 + 0.02LOG10V) V
AMELS’ AFTER SALES CRAFTSMEN HEAD TO THE SOUTH OF FRANCE TO
MAKE SURE OWNERS ENJOY A TROUBLE-FREE YACHTING EXPERIENCE.
“Length is not a reference for size,” he explains. “For example, the 83-metre AMELS 272 is
one and a half times the length of the AMELS 180, but four times the volume. The clients
who’ve been building superyachts before know exactly that they have to ask for the gross
tonnage [GT]. That’s a big factor in the cost price. The length isn’t.”
GT is derived from the vessel’s volume using a universal tonnage formula adopted by the
International Maritime Organisation (IMO). GT is not only related to cost price, but also to the
all important IMO and Flag State rules that govern superyacht design requirements. So if you
want to show off your real size, use GT not metres.
The GT comparison
After Sales service
NICE TO SEE
A FAMILIAR FACE?
With their customised AMELS mountain bikes,
there’s no mistaking who the Dutch craftsmen
are when the AMELS After Sales service bus
reaches the Mediterranean. A Dutchman without
his bicycle is like a fish out of water!
MICHEL COENS BELIEVES AFTER SALES
SHOULD BE AS EASY AS POSSIBLE
– WATCH HOW AMELS DOES IT
“We send the same After Sales craftsmen to the south of France
that worked on the build here in Vlissingen,” says AMELS After
Sales Manager Michel Coens. The service bus travels from the
Netherlands to France, Spain or Italy, and Coens and his team are
also available 24/7 anywhere in the world.
“We tend to be on board at least once every month, not only to
look at any problems that might arise, but also to see how the
owner is using his yacht, to anticipate any problems in the future.
We like to make the process as easy as possible. It tells our
clients, that if something’s not working as it should be, we’ll fix
it. And I believe that taking that proactive approach is what has
brought us a lot of repeat customers.”
AMELS 272
AMELS 212 AMELS 180
A M E L S 1 8 0 ( 5 5 . 0 0 M ) 7 0 7 G T
AMELS 212 (65.50 M)
1 5 7 4 G T
AMELS 272 (83.00 M)
2 8 2 7 G T
INSIDE AMELS 61
VITAL STATISTICS
LENGTH OVERALL
52 METRES (171 FEET)
GROSS TONNAGE
645 GT
DESIGN EXTERIOR
TIM HEYWOOD
DESIGN INTERIOR
LAURA SESSA
N AVA L A R C H I T E C T U R E
RANGE
AMELS
4 , 5 0 0 N A U T I C A L M I L E S AT 1 3 K N O T S
CHARTER REPORT BELLE AIMÉE
FAMILY PLEASURE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC
Beginning the ultimate
journey of lifelong learning
The French Polynesian Tuamotu atolls have all the
makings of a great adventure. The day begins with an
exciting snorkelling session letting the younger guests
feel like true explorers. A treasure hunt and picnic lunch
on a beautiful pink sand islet is followed by a deeper
lagoon dive in crystal clear waters that are also home to
bottlenose dolphins, coral reefs and sailfish. Back aboard
BELLE AIMÉE’s beach club, the children gush with
excitement as they share stories and discoveries
with their own dedicated teacher. These are the
adventures that shape curious minds and
build resourceful characters that will
last a lifetime.
62 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 63
BELLE AIMÉE’S EXTERIOR AREAS BECKON
AS THE GUESTS ENJOY THE SEA, SUN AND SKY
A parent’s greatest joy in life is seeing their children enjoy new experiences and broaden their minds.
Chartering the AMELS-built BELLE AIMÉE provides the perfect platform for a voyage of discovery.
Equipped for discovery
BELLE AIMÉE offers the opportunity to create a bespoke educational programme delivered by the
internationally accredited Ross School.
For those serious about underwater exploration, BELLE AIMÉE is comprehensively equipped for all
scuba diving possibilities – including nitrox compressor and all diving equipment. Naturally, the crew
includes expert dive instructors capable of guiding dives at all levels.
SCIENTIFIC ADVENTURES
ABOARD BELLE AIMÉE
IN OCTOBER, BELLE AIMÉE’S VOYAGE OF
DISCOVERY TAKES IT TO THE SOLOMON
ISLANDS. FIVE ROSS SCHOOL STUDENTS
WILL BE ABOARD WORKING WITH DAVID
LIITTSCHWAGER, AN AWARD-WINNING
NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER WHOSE WORK
HAS APPEARED IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC,
AS WELL AS SCIENTISTS SPECIALISING
IN MARINE BIOLOGY. TOGETHER, THE
TEAM WILL DOCUMENT AND RESEARCH
THE DIVERSE ARRAY OF LIFE FOUND ON
THE SOLOMONS’ REEFS. THEY HOPE TO
SHED NEW LIGHT ON THE AREA’S MOST
UNDERSTUDIED SPECIES, INCLUDING
COWRIES AND OCTOPUS. THIS JOURNEY
IS JUST ONE OF THE WAYS BELLE AIMÉE
IS BEING USED TO SUPPORT THE ROSS
SCHOOL’S MISSION OF INTELLECTUAL
INQUIRY, GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT AND
EDUCATING CHILDREN FOR A MORE
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
When BELLE AIMÉE sails into Fiji’s waters in the South Pacific, she heads for the outer islands
among the more than 330 islands and islets. In this unspoiled enclave, the guests swim with manta
rays and dive with sharks in their own private island paradise. Those who prefer to remain on board
don’t miss a minute of the underwater action; an ROV underwater vehicle can travel with the divers
and transmit live video back on board.
Platform for enrichment
The Ross School provides a professionally trained and certified teacher to travel with the charter
expedition, delivering location-specific one-on-one instruction, private tutoring and educational
enrichment programmes either to specific individuals or to the entire family.
Based on the AMELS 171 platform and delivered in 2010, BELLE AIMÉE is the ideal platform
for these voyages of discovery. AMELS engineered and built the yacht to travel the world while
providing comfort, reliability and performance at the highest level. Her 13 crew can operate and
manoeuvre the vessel with the smooth and reliable seakeeping that AMELS yachts are renowned for.
She also offers plenty of luxury spaces for unwinding in the evening with interiors by Laura Sessa.
However, the next day the energetic guests are keen to be back in the water. The 13-metre
BLUE DEVIL hardtop tender provides great waterskiing, kneeboarding and wakeboarding services.
Even the youngest guests are splashing around. The sheer entertainment value of the two Seabobs
has all riders beaming with pleasure.
Gourmet experiences
A still early morning offers the best fishing.
The Captain keeps her sailing at the perfect
speed across the lagoon until the children
amaze themselves by hauling in a yellowfin
tuna or mahi-mahi. BELLE-AIMÉE’s master
chef prepares to transform the day's catch
into a fabulous dinner.
From breakfast on the shaded main deck
aft to a casual lunch on the sun deck, to
formal dinners inside at the antique monk's
table or under the stars on the bridge deck,
every deck offers unique dining spaces.
Guests aboard BELLE AIMÉE are treated
to exceptional dining experiences featuring
the finest cuisine carefully crafted by the
yacht's master chef. Parents can share
their passion for gourmet dishes, exotic
flavours and local cuisine with their children
while BELLE AIMÉE's culinary team and
Silver Service-certified stewardesses
ensure that each meal is orchestrated
to perfection.
BELLE AIMÉE’s exterior areas beckon as
the guests enjoy the sea, sun and sky.
When she weighs anchor in New Zealand,
DISCOVER MORE ABOUT
ROSS SCHOOL’S WORLD TRAVEL ACADEMY
WWW.ROSS.ORG/TRAVELACADEMY
the parents watch from the sun deck as
guides lead the children through a canopy
of native tree ferns and up through the
beech forest. From the ridge high above
Ship’s Cove, the intrepid explorers look down
on BELLE AIMÉE. There, the yacht awaits
them in the same cove where 300 years
before the British explorer Captain Cook
arrived in his 32-metre HMS ENDEAVOUR.
If he could have travelled through time, how
he would have marvelled upon the yacht
building excellence in BELLE AIMÉE and
the inspiring sight of young adventurers
following in his tracks.
CHARTERING BELLE AIMÉE
IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC & SOUTHEAST ASIA
BELLE AIMÉE’S CHARTER PROGRAMME FOCUSES ON
EXOTIC DESTINATIONS THAT ENCOMPASS THE UTMOST
IN DISCOVERY, EDUCATION AND ADVENTURE. THESE ARE
EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ADVENTUROUS
TO EXPERIENCE FANTASTIC DIVING, EXPLORATION AND
CULTURE IN THE AMAZING DESTINATIONS INCLUDING
FIJI, VANUATU, NEW CALEDONIA, VIETNAM, CAMBODIA,
PAPUA NEW GUINEA, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, THAILAND
AND BURMA.
64 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 65
When the world
began coming to Holland
for luxury yachts
Maritime Genes
In Amsterdam the Dutch National Maritime Museum, Het
Scheepvaartmuseum, shows how the sea has shaped Dutch culture
for hundreds of years. The museum is one of the cultural highlights
of the city and has the second-largest maritime collection in the
world – everything from paintings of the Dutch Masters to navigational
instruments. Built in 1656 for the Admiralty of Amsterdam during the
Golden Age – a time when the city was the largest port and market
place in the world – the museum combines its historic heritage with
cutting-edge modern architecture. In 2014 the museum hosted the
World Superyacht Awards’ glittering ceremony and gala dinner – AMELS
was one of the event partners, and AMELS’ parent company DAMEN is
a long-term corporate sponsor of the museum.
In 1660 Lieve Pietersz Verschuier, one of the Dutch
Masters of the Golden Age, painted this scene of
HMY MARY sailing into Rotterdam. Built in Holland, this
‘yacht’ was a sort of vessel unknown to the rest of the
world. The Dutch invented the concept of a ship built to
the highest standards for comfort and pleasure. In the
17th century, wealthy merchants saw the appeal of these
luxurious vessels. They liked to sail out to greet their
returning ships laden with cargo. HMY MARY became
one of the first yachts built in Holland to be acquired
abroad – effectively the begin of Holland’s superyacht
export industry. The English word ‘yacht’ itself comes
from the Dutch ‘jacht’, as does the Portuguese ‘Iate’, the
Russian ‘Яхта’ and many others. From the outset more
than 450 years ago, the world’s luxury yachting stemmed
from Dutch innovation and craftsmanship – traditions still
exported around the globe today.
Party with AMELS: King's day!
The Dutch love to work hard, but anyone who has joined the AMELS team at the
carnival-like King’s Day celebration will tell you, the Dutch can play hard, too. On
their annual journey north to Amsterdam, AMELS and many of the hard-working
crews and owners’ teams hit the biggest street party of the year as the city overflows
with orange madness. With live music, concerts and DJs, the city erupts into a
full-blown party.
Up to a million people throng to the city from all over the world, joining the locals
along the canals, streets, parks and on the water. Below the city’s many bridges,
a floating spectacle unfolds as revellers take to their dinghies, yachts, barges,
houseboats, towboats, electric boats, even lifeboats.
So why orange? During the festivities, it’s easy to forget that the public holiday actually
marks the birthday of King Willem-Alexander of the Dutch Royal family, the House of
Orange-Nassau, hence the colour. In fact, somewhere among the orange, the King
and Queen Máxima are also celebrating. The ‘orange-pride’ (which is also a football
phenomenon) stems from the Royals, but for most Dutch party-goers the colour is less
a patriotic emblem than a symbol of the fun and festive atmosphere where everyone is
welcome, no matter their nationality.
66 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 67
What the experts say...
Building without hassle
GRAHAME
SHORROCKS
CAPTAIN IMAGINE
AMELS 212,
BUILT 2011
Still happy
after all these years?
BEN YOUNG, SYM
OWNER REP.
VOLPINI AMELS
CUSTOM BUILT 2004,
REFIT 2014
DENIKI has proved to be a fantastic, reliable yacht. Right from her
maiden voyage in 2007 (she was the first AMELS Limited Editions
yacht delivered) I was impressed by her sea keeping and since then
wherever we’ve taken her, we’ve never felt unsafe which is quite
remarkable as we have done some fairly extreme cruising right up to
Alaska and all the way down to Antarctica.
We’ve covered a lot of miles in some very challenging conditions and
she hasn't missed a beat or let us down in any way. I think we’re
blessed that she’s been so reliable and that we’ve never missed a
guest trip. The owners have used her probably on average 100 days a
year and have thoroughly enjoyed all the places that we have been to
in true luxury and comfort. We’re really lucky to have such a fun-loving
and adventurous boss who's willing to take DENIKI all over the world
and explore unusual destinations.
I’ve been with this yacht for more than 8 years now during which time
I’ve had some great crew. A great yacht is useless without a great
crew and their hard work and positivity have obviously been a key
factor in all these successful years of cruising, not to mention the fun
times that we have all shared together along the way. A big thank you
to all the crew and Captain Richard Callaghan too!
Seamless rebirth
In 2013 we took over VOLPINI and started looking at different
yards around the world. AMELS was not the cheapest, but in the
end the reason we took the boat back was to ensure the continuity
of the same standard, carried out throughout the rebuild. What I
was conscious of was that if we took it to the United States for
example, we might end up patching what was a beautiful boat.
And the idea was that we wanted it to look seamless, so you don’t
notice it’s had the refit.
Almost half of our crew have been here for 5 years or more. There are
many reasons for this, but certainly part of the equation is having a
safe, reliable and comfortable yacht that the crew can feel at home on.
We cruised 6 years without having to do any major refits other than
routine maintenance. Whenever we’ve had something to be solved,
the AMELS After Sales team has always been very quick to help and
react with their young dynamic team, regardless of where we’ve been
in the world. DENIKI has been and continues to be a truly sensational
yacht that we are all very proud of.
Thank you AMELS! You should be proud, too.
The refit at AMELS was a fantastic experience, I really enjoyed
it. Most of the projects I do I’ve got concerns about timescale
or quality. But I didn’t have either of those concerns at all with
AMELS. The team did a fantastic job, they listened, they worked
with us, they found solutions to all the problems we encountered.
You’ve got access to all the original suppliers, the original
subcontractors – that was another key factor in the decision to
bring the boat back to AMELS.
We’re now a bit over half way through the build of MADAME KATE,
which is my first project with AMELS.
Stable manoeuvres
The owner, the family and guests absolutely love the yacht.
They’ve found that one of the best things for them is the space
on board, it’s very roomy. You’ve got plenty of entertaining areas,
which is very important. As a build, IMAGINE is very, very good.
The interior luxury areas are of the highest quality I’ve seen
from not just Dutch yards, but pretty much all European and
American yards.
I’ve been involved in other construction projects in places like France
and Italy, but here at AMELS I enjoy every day looking at the facility,
the workshops, the workers, the co-makers, and be convinced that
quality is everywhere. Unlike in other shipyards, here in Vlissingen
there’s no need to fight to get the quality, it’s always delivered, even
in the smallest details. In the past I have had bad experiences with
shipyards trying to lower the standards just to maintain budget and
delivery schedule. Of course, as a surveyor it’s my job to supervise
the project, but there are very few remarks in general, and the remarks
I make have often been noticed already by the AMELS Project
Manager and the quality controllers of the shipyard. Immediate actions
are taken so corrections are made before my next visit.
This shipyard makes no compromise. It’s not just a philosophy but a
working culture shared by the management and the workers. This was
really easy for the owner to feel the first time he visited AMELS, and
this is mainly what convinced him to sign his new yacht with AMELS.
For me, as owner representative and surveyor, instead of having
a hassle with the shipyard to get quality, I spend most of my time
focussed on the other aspects of the yacht – all the little details that
will make the difference for the owner and his wife and will give them
this unique pleasure every day they spend on board MADAME KATE.
During the last 3 years on the boat we’ve covered around 45,000
miles. The boat manoeuvres absolutely perfectly. Doesn’t require
any extra power. Even in high wind it’s a strong boat. I like it. You
can manoeuvre in very fine areas, in Saint Tropez and Bonifacio, in
all these areas it’s very good.
A lot of guests we have on board, family and charter, are very
aware of movement – they’re not used to being on vessels. And
we’ve found that IMAGINE is a very good, stable platform. Both
underway and at zero speed, at anchor.
In 2011 we left AMELS with a very, very small snag list. I think
only three items on it, which were pretty much fixed by the time
the yacht was delivered to Palma. The back-up from AMELS was
always excellent. The After Sales Department was a great help.
We never had a problem that wasn’t fixed in good time. Especially
when the pressure is on, with guests wanting to get on the boat,
that’s where the shipyard benefits us.
Communication was good, we had weekly meetings. The yard
provided very good facilities for the owner’s team and were very
accommodating during the project. I was also invited on the
AMELS Classic Car Rally and I really enjoyed that.
I would strongly recommend to anyone with a yacht of that quality
to return back to the shipyard that built her to ensure absolute
consistency and maintain the integrity of the yacht.
MADAME KATE’s owner has been a client of ours for many years.
He and his wife are very experienced in yachting, they enjoy cruising
non-stop for 3 months a year. Being sensitive to comfort, design and
perfection in details, they really wanted to climb a step to a first class
yacht. Having followed different new yacht constructions in different
shipyards in Europe, we selected for the owner three first-class
possible builders, among which was AMELS.
BENOIT FAURE, YACHTING CONCEPT
OWNER REPRESENTATIVE MADAME KATE
AMELS 199, DELIVERY 2015
LAWRENCE COCKX
DENIKI CHIEF CAPTAIN
AMELS 171, BUILT 2007
HEAR CAPTAIN GRAHAME SHORROCKS
DESCRIBE LIFE ON BOARD IMAGINE
68 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 69
A finish limited to the elite
The owner’s first option was a colour not unlike some famous boats
delivered in recent times. Beautiful, yes, certainly recognisable, but a
touch on the flashy side. The second option was more ambitious – a
pearlescent white. Applying this sophisticated fine effect over very
large surface areas is complex and very expensive. The paint experts
at AMELS poured their heart and soul into developing a custom-made
and top quality pearl paint in this lavish finish.
We’d like to show you just
how remarkable pearl effect
paintwork is. However, the
limitation of print means
you won’t see it in these
pages. Only those fortunate
enough to see MADAME
KATE themselves, perhaps
in the brilliant sunlight of
the Mediterranean, can
appreciate the unique
paintwork. The 60-metre
superyacht is the first AMELS
to be completely finished in a
pearl effect paint system.
The application
of Brilliance
First AMELS superyacht ever
with full pearl effect finish
Never seen before on a Limited Editions yacht, MADAME KATE’s complete hull
and superstructure is in a ‘pearl effect’ paint system. In sunlight, this lustrous
coating on the AMELS 199 will look like no other, fully revealing the radical
lines and contours of Tim Heywood’s exterior design. The idea came from the
owner’s passion for automobiles such as the Bianco Isis of Lamborghini. Owner
representative Benoit Faure says the owner had two ideas for the colour of his
new AMELS 199. Both options had to fulfil the same criteria – something that
would stand out.
“The owner had in mind a yacht which would be very special to him, he also
wanted a yacht that would be different from all other yachts in terms of design,”
he says. “This factor of recognition was very important for him.”
The paint team then apply a first layer of clear coat over the whole
vessel, which is then sanded and resprayed with another layer of
clear coat. As these coats are transparent, the base paint underneath
is very important, Springvloet Dubbeld continues. “There’s no hiding
at all. It has to be completely white. Not one spot of black, no
failures, no dust, no runners. Nothing can be visible.”
“It took quite a long time for AMELS to confirm that they could
do this colour in the quality desired,” Faure says. “Then we got
the confirmation that yes, we could do the pearl colour. That
extraordinary aspect of the project was particularly interesting for
the owner.”
Spraying the pearl on such a large surface area is a job for real
experts, particularly on curvaceous and flowing Tim Heywood lines
that require continuous sprays. “If you make a mistake in the pearl,
like a runner, or fish eyes or dust inclusion or whatever, you have to
go right back to the base system – in this case a snow white top coat
– and then start all over again. So any mistake, you’ll have to redo the
entire job.”
There’s no hiding at all
Elaborate illumination
“This is a pure pearl – not metallic – effect,” explains AMELS Paint
Manager Arie Springvloet Dubbeld. “The pearlescent optical effect
works like Isaac Newton’s prism, you have different colours in one
colour. Pearlescent is basically the next step after metallic paints.
You get a very elegant and refined effect.”
This unique finish will not only stand out in sunlight, but will also
sparkle with elegance at night, thanks to an elaborate lighting system.
According to Faure, the owner wanted the boat to be in the spotlight,
like a star at Cannes film festival, thanks to sophisticated lighting –
above and below the waterline – with the ability to change colours.
Made from aluminium, the base of any metallic is always grey,
Springvloet Dubbeld says. “You can make metallics in red, green,
blue – any colour you want, as long as it’s not white. A white metallic
is impossible. On the other hand, in pearlescent paint you have very
fine mica, which is glass, so you see through it to the layer below.
This makes it much more complex to apply than metallic paints,
because you first have to spray a whole system before you can start.
And on top of that you start with the pearl effect.”
“The lighting in general was part of the quest for the boat. And on
top of that, the paint finish of the boat became even more important.
When you illuminate your boat at night, if it has a special colour, it’s
even more beautiful. So we wanted special underwater lights, but also
the biggest modification was to change the superstructure lighting.”
Following the base
paintwork, the pearl
effect starts with a
very thin layer – 10-15
microns – of mica and
binder.
The result, Faure says, is going to be superb when MADAME KATE
is delivered before the summer of 2015.
70 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 71
SPIRIT of the
Pacific North-West
Convinced by
AMELS quality
MADAME KATE will be delivered just over 2 years after the project began for owner
representative Benoit Faure from Yachting Concept. His long relationship with this
experienced yacht owner began with chartering several different yachts. The owner
then decided to build his first yacht, a 43-metre, at an Italian yard. Four years
later, in early 2013, the owner was looking for another yacht but of a much higher
standard. He asked Faure to propose a first class shipyard that could deliver a
yacht in less than 3 years.
After visiting AMELS, the owner was convinced, but he made some quite important
changes to the layout and design of the AMELS 199, including outside areas and
relocating the galley from the lower deck to the main deck.
“Both the owner and his wife are fine gourmets,” Faure explains. “They wanted
to put the art of making fine cuisine back into the centre of the boat. As far as
the interior design was concerned, Madame was expecting to get an original and
extremely elegant environment, a promise clearly delivered by the design Laura
Sessa. The matching was very good, she is very talented and understood at once
what the client wanted.”
Faure concludes, “Looking at the long list of modifications requested by the owner,
I was really impressed by the speed of reaction from the AMELS Project Manager
and the quality of the solutions given to us. All this comforted the owner that he was
building his new yacht at the right place.”
One remarkable journey among the
AMELS 171's many adventures around
the world since delivery in 2011 - captured
in this wonderful illustration by the owner’s
daughter. Captain Robert O’Connell recalls
watching bears pounce on leaping salmon,
and humpback whales bubble feeding below
dramatic step-sided fjords.
SPIRIT sailed near glaciers, the thundering
crack as ice chunks the size of houses
tumble spectacularly into the cold sea.
And there was time on a quiet afternoon
for fishing in the chilly air – trout, salmon,
Dungeness crab and a memorably
delicious halibut sashimi with soy sauce
warmed up with a shot of vodka.
72 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 73
WATCH A SHOWCASE CAPTURING
MORE OF ENGELBERG’S FASCINATING
INTERIORS.
FRESH IDEAS BY ENZO ENEA
In 2014 ENGELBERG beat out the competition to win its
category in the Asia Boating Awards. The jury was impressed
by the yacht’s striking colour scheme and in particular the
completely original interior by Swiss landscape architect Enzo
Enea, the result of his first ever yacht project.
Enzo Enea integrates the sea
The success of the refreshing design not only proved the value of creative talent from outside
the business, but pushed the AMELS design team to explore new possibilities and make
Enea’s vision a reality. In many ways, this makes the award-winning ENGELBERG the ultimate
expression of the Limited Editions concept.
A love of the ocean
Having worked with ENGELBERG’s owners on their home in Switzerland, Enea and his team
were invited to pitch for the yacht’s interior design. “They know our taste and how we treat
material, how we choose materials. They liked what we brought in, this idea of integrating in the
sea and the coast.”
Enea’s design brings superyachts back to their origin: a love of the ocean, always connected
to the outside. His colour scheme is carefully matched to shades of the sea, trees and natural
landscapes outside: greens, blues and light greys.
“The whole philosophy was to get the surroundings and the flow from outside to inside,” he
says. “The opposite of what architects and designers normally do. We do not look at the interior
space in isolation. When you design an outdoor space in a landscaping way you have to read
the place, the place brings the style and the design. You cannot decorate, you have to integrate.
This is a big point – I try to work really hard on that. For instance, I would never plant olive trees
in Switzerland, even if the people like it.”
With this idea to integrate the yacht with the coast and as much as possible with the sea
surrounding it, Enea’s team then worked out the process of how to translate it into materials.
74 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 75
ENZO ENEA INTEGRATED ENGELBERG’S
INTERIORS WITH THE SEA, WEAVING A STORY
THROUGH THE DIFFERENT DECKS. FROM THE
BEACH CLUB’S FUN HOMAGE TO THE WORLD
BELOW THE SURFACE (ABOVE) TO THE FRESH
AIRY SHORE OF THE MAIN DECK (LEFT).
“THIS IS A BUSINESS BOAT AND THERE ARE A LOT
OF PLACES WHERE THE OWNER CAN WORK, BUT
IT’S ALSO ABOUT ENJOYING LIFE, HAVING FUN.”
Enea says they also weaved a story of function
and different uses through the different decks.
The lower deck can be considered a homage to
the world below the surface of the sea. Sparkling
starfish, luminescent jellyfish captured in glass,
and life-sized artist portraits of turtles, stingrays,
sharks and dolphins and a glass mosaic depicting
a coral reef with some well-known fish – all
entangle you in their magic. The main deck brings
you to the shore with wide open rooms, fresh airy
colours in tones inspired by ocean, beaches and
lush greens.
Creativity and professionalism
Although the owners took some risk in awarding
the project to a first time yacht designer, Enea
believes the firm’s creativity and professionalism
won them over. “If we say something we do it,
and the owners trusted us in that way and it came
out that way. It’s design. You have to create
something and then bring it into its form and then
it has to function. The big challenge for us was to
work with yacht materials – carbon, wood, glass.”
Initially, the yacht builders at AMELS were
wondering how the landscape architects would
approach the challenge, Enea says. “I think at first
they were looking at us, like these guys, I don’t
know how they want to do that. Because AMELS
knows what it means to design a boat. But I think
after the second meeting, or even after the first meeting, it was quite clear that we could deliver.”
In fact, AMELS quickly discovered that Enea and his team were faster than many other designers
and very precise, too. On the other hand, AMELS also provided the Swiss team with practical
advice. “Working with AMELS was a good experience. The technical part of the team really
helped us.”
New ideas
After specifying the design requirements, the designers developed the different spaces and
adjusted the layout accordingly to give ENGELBERG its character and its connection to its
surroundings. Asked whether AMELS and the Limited Editions provided enough potential for
customisation, Enea answers with conviction. “Absolutely. Of course there are limits, but it’s
like reading the land, you have to deal with perimeters, regulations, the heights, the way you are
positioned. I liked it because, you know, we cannot design a boat, somebody has to do that. We
are creative enough to work with what we have, and do something beautiful. For us, it was the
perfect way to get in.”
AMELS Head of Design Hans Konings says the yard’s experience on ENGELBERG brought in
many new ideas. “If you get a designer who’s not only focussed on shipbuilding, you get new
ideas. They ask the question, but why can’t I have this? And then we look into the rules and
regulations and think, okay, maybe we can facilitate this. We’ll make it work.”
AMELS also brings decades of experience in designing for yacht operations – the logistics of
service on board – as well as feasibility and fit with regulations. Konings continues, “In yacht
design you’re confronted with, for example, fire tight doors, insulation, watertight integrity. We
have to facilitate all kinds of specialist maritime systems like fire protection and suppression
systems, air conditioning. Our job is to enable the designer to achieve his vision.”
“I’m a fan of this boat,” Enea concludes. “It’s a human size, it has this feeling that you can
have some adventure and discover things. It’s integrated and still contemporary, with a
certain freshness.”
CUSTOMISED
ARCHITECTURE
AMELS put an incredible amount
of customisation into ENGELBERG,
including a wide-body sky lounge,
and extra folding balconies and
sliding doors to open the interior to
the sea. The opening balcony in the
owners’ cabin is huge, with carbon
fibre stanchions, and glass that can
be switched between dark privacy
glass or vision glass. An extended
sundeck provides an additional
32 square metres of deck space –
probably the largest sundeck you’ll
find on any 55m yacht.
76 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 77
REFIT VOLPINI
Integrity is ageless
With a ring on the brand new ship’s bell, VOLPINI left AMELS for the second time, 10 years
after the yacht’s original delivery. AMELS completed an intensive winter refit as scheduled
in time for the new owner to enjoy the season in the Mediterranean. While the owner had
a number of alternations made to the interior and upgraded technical systems, the owner
representative Ben Young from SYM says the key mission for AMELS was nothing short of
a rebirth while ensuring the integrity of the yacht’s original character.
VITAL STATISTICS
LENGTH OVERALL 49.30 METRES
AS VOLPINI LEFT THE AMELS YARD, THE YACHT PASSED BY THE VLISSINGEN
BOULEVARD WHERE VOLPINI’S CREW STAYED DURING THE REFIT PROJECT. CAPTAIN
NATHAN MCFADYEN, “THE CREW HAD A GREAT TIME. THE ACCOMMODATION WAS
FANTASTIC – A WATERFRONT LOCATION. EVERYONE WAS VERY WELCOMING.
SO VLISSINGEN REALLY DOES HAVE A LOT GOING FOR IT.”
GROSS TONNAGE 659 GT
D E S I G N D O N A L D S TA R K E Y
N AVA L A R C H I T E C T U R E A M E L S
B U I LT A M E L S 2 0 0 4
REFIT AMELS 2014
WE HAD A GREAT STAY! WATCH THE VIDEO
INTERVIEWS WITH THE VOLPINI CREW
78 INSIDE AMELS
Looks of a new build
Part of the VOLPINI refit work scope was a complete repaint. Refit
Project Manager Frank van Loo says it’s a point of pride at AMELS
that a repaint is treated with the same meticulous attention to detail as
new build paintwork. “We go all the way back and start with primer.
Doors, hatches, everything comes off.”
AMELS applied that same attention to detail to the interior woodwork.
According to VOLPINI’s Captain, Nathan McFadyen, the yacht had
had some woodwork done in France prior to coming to AMELS, but
matching the wood proved difficult. At AMELS the original interior
co-maker Metrica came back and completed the job in no time.
“Looking at the finish, it’s perfect,” McFadyen says. “You can’t tell
it’s been touched. It’s absolutely fantastic.”
Captain McFadyen praised the AMELS project management. “I think
we were finished 4 days before the contract date. But we had also
added a lot of jobs. As you dig deeper you find more problems.
Being a 10-year-old boat, we had a lot of piping, fresh water valves,
add-on jobs and we still finished those before the scheduled
timetable as well.”
INSIDE AMELS 79
Matter of seconds
During the refit Young flew regularly from Monaco to
Vlissingen to meet with the AMELS project team, keeping
an overview of the project and making key decisions on
a weekly basis. He was full of praise for the project team
at AMELS, particularly their focus on sticking to schedule,
quality and communication with the owner’s team. The
AMELS approach, Van Loo says, is to talk to the captain
and the owner representative and take care of what needs
to be done. “What you see in some other yards is that the
captain ends up having to tell the yard to do this, and
the carpenter or electrician to do that. That’s not how we
do things here.”
As the original builder, AMELS can easily find a part, check
the original drawings or even find the original subcontractors
that worked on the yacht. “If a valve is broken, it’s a matter
of seconds for us to find it on the computer and order a new
one. For the crew, it’d take a day to figure it out. If something
like that needs fixing, it makes no sense to throw the problem
back to the boat, there’s no progress in that.”
VOLPINI DURING HER REFIT AT AN AMELS COVERED DRY-DOCK. WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO THE NORTH SEA, THE YARD CAN
ACCOMMODATE NEW BUILDS AND REFITS FOR EVEN THE LARGEST OF PRIVATE YACHTS UP TO 200 METRES.
Integrity intact
AMELS has already completed nearly 40
refit projects. AMELS has a straightforward
approach to refits – delivering what it
promises and no surprises. That includes
no separate charges for cooling water,
Internet, electricity, etc.
“Initially we might seem expensive
compared to the competition,” says Van
Loo, “but at the end of the day it’s good
value. You come to the yard and we treat
the boat as we discussed and that’s it.
There is a sort of sense of responsibility
for the boat, because it’s an AMELS.
Before she left the yard we fitted her with
a new ship’s bell, it’s a rebirth. Her original
character is intact, but for the new owner
she’s as good as new.”
Captain Nathan McFadyen at AMELS
We had a 10-year class survey while we were here, for Lloyds and for
Cayman Island. It all went through so easily because during our refit Lloyds
was on site once a week. And we were ticking off things for the 10-year
survey as we went along. So it was really, really easy. The AMELS guys and
the project managers helped us so much in organising that as well. So it
takes a lot of pressure off the captain. By the time we launched, we only had
about 5 or 6 items left to actually cover.
WATCH CAPTAIN MCFADYEN DESCRIBING HIS EXPERIENCES AT AMELS IN VLISSINGEN.
Lorient, FRA
80 INSIDE AMELS
Newport, USA
The Hague, NED
Lisbon, POR
Gothenburg
SWE
Auckland, NZL
Itajai, BRA
Before the sailors of the Dutch-flagged
Team Brunel began the demanding Volvo
Ocean Race around the world, they went
sailing with AMELS, setting off from the
Vlissingen yard on the North Sea. This is an
offshore sailing crew at the top of their game,
welcomed by a yacht builder performing at
the top of its game, and inspiring thousands of
Dutch kids to set their sights on yachting.
BOUWE BEKKING, TEAM BRUNEL SKIPPER IN VOLVO RACE 2014
Striving for the ultimate result
Following
Team
Brunel
DOWNLOAD THE VOLVO OCEAN RACE APP
TO FOLLOW THE RACE IN “REAL-TIME”
“We owe this to our heritage and to
future sailing generations,” says skipper
Bouwe Bekking about his team’s
upcoming challenge. Back at the pier
beside the AMELS superyachts under
construction at the Vlissingen yard,
Team Brunel invited school kids on
board to get a taste of the race. Signing
their name on the bulkheads, the kids’
names will travel the world together
with Team Brunel. And AMELS will be
following the team’s progress, too.
Top sport = top yacht building
Just as the world’s toughest sailing
race pushes Team Brunel to the edges
of their capabilities, the superyacht
business demands the pinnacle of Dutch
quality in every luxury yacht that the
AMELS team delivers. Bekking sees the
parallel with successful professional
sailing. “It’s very much like in business.
Of course you need someone to take
the lead, but what you really need are
some good guys to make the calls, take
responsibility. It’s all about the people.
You need to keep that enthusiasm, and
the closeness – like a family business.”
Alicante
ESP
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Sanya, CHN
Cape Town, RSA
“On the boat, even for just a few hours,
you can feel the true team spirit,”
notes AMELS Managing Director Rob
Luijendijk. “The way that people work
together. That’s something we try to
keep in the shipyard – to stay very close.
Very down to earth. That’s such a big
asset. Although we’re growing, we know
how important it is to keep that part of
our DNA.”
Dutch, and connected to the world
Team Brunel has a very Dutch approach,
including the country’s tradition of
reaching out to the rest of the world. To
select the crew and shore team, Bekking
focussed on finding the very best guys,
no matter their nationality. “It’s in our
roots to look beyond our borders. We’re
a trading nation. You pick the best guys
and bring them here.” AMELS does the
same, comments Luijendijk: “We have
seventeen different nationalities at
the yard. It’s very positive thing, an
added value.”
The Volvo Ocean Race takes the boats
on centuries-old maritime trading routes
Follow Team Brunel with AMELS
Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15
Start: Alicante, Spain, 4 October 2014
Distance: 38,739 nautical miles - 11 ports in 11 countries
Finish: After a 24 hour pitstop in The Hague, the Netherlands, the yachts will
make the final run to the finish in Gothenburg, Sweden in the summer of 2015
to all the corners of the world, including
the United Arab Emirates, China, Brazil,
the USA’s East Coast and Portugal.
In all these places, the reputation of
the Dutch precedes Team Brunel.
As Bekking notes, the seafaring nation
has sailing, and the Volvo Ocean Race,
in its blood.
Sailing DNA
To inspire the next generation of
sailors, Team Brunel is behind the
Team Sailing Holland School Project.
Thousands of school kids across the
Netherlands are taking part to learn
not only about the yacht race, but
also about the environment, culture,
biology, history, geography and
meteorology. And in Vlissingen, Team
Brunel’s visit was a chance for 250 kids
to take part in Optimist sailing clinics
organised in the harbour. As AMELS
knows, it’s not just the next generation
of top sailors that these activities will
inspire, it’s also the next generation of
top yacht builders.
TEAM BRUNEL VISITED AMELS IN HOLLLAND, GIVING HUNDREDS
OF LOCAL SCHOOL KIDS A TASTE OF SAILING AND INSPIRING
THE NEXT GENERATION OF YACHT BUILDERS.
82 INSIDE AMELS
INSIDE AMELS 83
"During the last 2 years, AMELS has delivered
seven Limited Editions yachts from the 55 to
83-metre range – all on time. Our greatest
satisfaction is seeing each owner enjoy life’s best
moments on board their AMELS yacht. That’s what
the yachting experience is really about.”
ENGELBERG
55.00 metres (180 feet)
ASTRA
55.00 metres (180 feet)
Recent yachts to emerge
from the AMELS yard
DELIVERIES
"A big compliment to
everybody involved"
EVENT
60.00 metres (197 feet)
SERENITY J
55.00 metres (180 feet)
We thank our clients and their teams for
entrusting their vision of yachting with us.
We wish them, their families and guests many
memorable moments on board their AMELS
So what’s behind the Limited Editions concept? In 2007, after 25 years of yacht
building, AMELS asked a fundamental question: how can we build a better
superyacht, one that meets the needs of a busy owner in the early 21st century?
And so we arrived at a new concept, one that takes the best from full custom
and semi-custom and combines them into something new. We call this concept
Limited Editions – yachts of the very highest quality with a unique character
created to the owner’s vision in less time.
Today, the revolutionary Limited Editions approach has captured the imagination
of the superyacht world, creating a new era in modern luxury yacht building. The
Limited Editions fleet already totals 20 yachts around the world, with more on the
way, including the largest Limited Editions yachts ever built. The future certainly
looks good, but our challenge is to deliver what we promise for each new project.
And we never stop asking the question, can we do things even better?
Limited Editions 55 to 83-metre range
Current global fleet (2007 to 2014): Under construction as of summer 2014: yachts. There are a lot of dedicated and
passionate people that make that happen,
from the craftsmen working on board,
to the designers and engineering teams,
AMELS 180
55.00 metres (180 feet)
Z
65.70 metres (216 feet)
not to mention the owners’ teams,
captains and crews. That’s the soul of
superyachtbuilding at AMELS, something
we’re all very proud of.
20
9
Yacht Support range
AMELS works together with DAMEN Shipyards on the advanced Yacht Support
range, including recent deliveries of the SEA AXE 6711. These purpose-built
vessels create a whole new standard for the superyacht experience.
FOLLOW AMELS YACHTS AND DAMEN YACHT SUPPORT VESSELS
WORLDWIDE ON GOOGLE MAPS VIA AIS TRACKING.
KAMALAYA
55.00 metres (180 feet)
6711
built by DAMEN 67.15 metres (220 feet)
Managing Director
Technical Director
AMELS
KONINGSWEG 2
4381 NA VLISSINGEN
PO BOX 84
4380 AB VLISSINGEN
THE NETHERLANDS
T
E
+31 118 485002
[email protected]
www.amels-holland.com
DISCLAIMER
All information, specifications, descriptions, and images in this brochure are considered preliminary, non-binding and subject
to change by AMELS. No images herein may be reproduced in any form without written permission of AMELS.