While it’s one of the youngest megayacht yards in The Netherlands, Holland Jachtbouw stands shoulder to shoulder with other notable names from its home country. Established in the early 1990s to build traditional flat-bottom Dutch boats, Holland Jachtbouw has gone on to build prominent power and sailing pleasure yachts alike. About 125 people on average work at the yard, with nearly 90 of them being direct employees. Both of those figures should scale up in the coming months, however, due to the first phase of a shipyard expansion wrapping up soon.
The illustration above shows what Holland Jachtbouw’s waterfront will look like. Hall 1 already exists, finished in 2008. Hall 2 exists as well, though it’s being expanded from about 156 to 174 feet (48 to 53 meters) in length, to accommodate the ever-increasing LOAs of yachts. The shorter structure between Halls 1 and 2 is all-new, comprised of project offices. Also new is the glass-fronted area between Halls 2 and 3, housing additional project offices. They’ll have bird’s-eye views of the yachts under construction in both halls. Finally, Hall 3 itself is an all-new building. Hall 3 measures 197 feet long by 85 feet wide (60 by 26 meters, respectively), rising 61 feet (18.5 meters) high. It’s the last structure of the phase-one development to be started, and it should be finished prior to the new year. The three buildings line about 394 feet (120 meters) of deep waterfront in the city of Zaandam, outside of Amsterdam.
The expansion of Holland Jachtbouw allows it to take on larger new builds and refits alike. During our visit in summertime, the sailing superyacht Asgard (ex-Hetairos) was in for work, expected to remain through this month. The 141-foot (43-meter) ketch was built in 1993 by Abeking & Rasmussen and has been undergoing extensive electrical and systems replacements as well as a redesign of the interior. As proof of the need for expansion, Asgard occupied nearly the full length of her shed. Shortly after our visit, build number 095 (top of page) arrived at the yard. Holland Jachtbouw is keeping most details about her close to the vest, though delivery is set for 2016.
Two new builds are among the first to take advantage of Holland Jachtbouw’s larger sheds. The first is a 151-foot (46-meter) sailing yacht designed by Tripp Design. The hull arrived in August (Holland Jachtbouw subcontracts its hulls, a practice common among Dutch yards). The second new build: a 167-foot (51-meter) schooner named Rainbow II that’s a replica of an 1897 build. She’s not yet at the yard, since the keel laying took place in early August. However, the hull should arrive next year, since delivery is set for 2016.
Perhaps the most anticipated new build, however, is J8, the latest J-Class yacht. She’s a Frank C. Paine design from 1935 that was never built. Delivery is set for springtime. J8’s original plans have been brought up to modern standards by Hoek Design. The firm, and Holland Jachtbouw, expect her to be a top-notch performer. J8 has the longest waterline of the Js, the highest keel aspect ratio, and the lowest wetted surface area.
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