UPDATE, MARCH 20, 2015: She took a little longer than expected for delivery, but Sibelle was officially presented to her owner today. Heesen states that sea trials in mid-February took place under moderate to fresh breezes (a.k.a. Force 4 to 5 winds on the Beaufort scale). Her captain says stabilizers were off during the trials, with seas beam-to, yet Sibelle was “stable and extremely maneuverable.” He adds, “The most remarkable feature is her frugal fuel consumption: at top speed (19 knots on the GPS) she uses 600 litres an hour, and at cruising speed (15.1 knots) it is only 220 litres an hour!” Those fuel consumptions translate to 158.5 gph and 58 gph, respectively. Sibelle reportedly exceeded her contract speed as well. It’s all in keeping with her design, a Fast Displacement Hull Form. Perry van Oossanen, her naval architect, says that this, along with “radical styling that includes a vertical stem and very strict requirements from the owner, has really pushed the boundaries in yacht design.”
Read on for more on this hull design in the original story about Sibelle.
Within the month, Sibelle, launched at Heesen Yachts just before the holidays, will be in her owners’ hands. The 163’7” (49.9-meter) megayacht is the yard’s second project to incorporate the Fast Displacement Hull Form (FDHF) developed by Van Oossanen Naval Architects.
Sibelle is customized more than most Heesens. Typically, even with the FDHF projects, buyers focus on interior arrangements. They occasionally request some exterior styling changes, too. But, they accept the naval-architecture package as is. The owners of Sibelle wanted their yacht to feature a plumb bow, which necessitated more than aesthetic changes. The build and design teams conducted tank tests to balance the visual effect with the other physical and overall performance advantages built into the FDHF. The hull form normally incorporates a bulbous bow, plus transom and spray-rail adjustments that have a large effect on hydrodynamic resistance over the whole speed range, versus just top speed. The end result is better fuel efficiency.
To that point, Sibelle has a fuel capacity of about half that of traditional displacement yachts. She carries 11,888 gallons (45,000 liters) and can still cross the Atlantic. At 13 knots (she’s equipped with twin 8V 4000 Series MTUs), Sibelle is expected to have a 3,150-nautical-mile range. Top speed under half load should be 18½ knots.
Of course, the owners wanted the interior of Sibelle to reflect their tastes, too. Bleached teak paneling, with the grains arranged horizontally, creates a casual environment. Each of the four guest staterooms, including two VIPs, have a particular lighting design to lend a distinctive atmosphere. The owners’ suite is in the typical location forward on the main deck, with separate his and her baths adjoining related dressing areas. The master suite occupies much of the 29’5” (9-meter) beam.
The 11-person-strong crew of Sibelle can transform the foredeck into a second beach club of sorts. The rescue tender and primary tender stowed here can be offloaded, and fold-down platforms are then at the owners’ and guests’ disposal. The primary beach club is in the customary location fully aft below decks. It includes a sauna and can be reached via a stairway in the saloon.
Omega Architects, which styles most of Heesen Yachts’ projects, collaborated on the interior with Moscow-based AB-Studio on styling and interior design for Sibelle.
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