Heesen Yachts is well known for its sleek, speedy superyachts. Until now, the largest offering has been its 5500 Series, at 180 feet. With the introduction of the 6500 FDHF, Heesen is further setting itself apart.
FDHF stands for Fast Displacement Hull Form, which is a departure from the typical round-bilge, hard-chine hull of most megayachts. For one, it has a more slender shape. Tank tests show that it kicks up smaller wakes, has good seakeeping abilities, and requires less fuel consumption throughout the speed range. That’s good news not just for owners’ budgets, but also for emissions.
Heesen signed a contract with naval-architecture firm Van Oossanen & Associates last fall to develop the hull form for this new 65-meter (213-footer). The firm has been collaborating with Heesen for more than 15 years, involved in projects like the 4000 Semi-Displacement Series, both the 5000 Displacement and Semi-Displacement Series, and the 5500 Displacement Series. Van Oossanen & Associates initially presented the FDHF concept at the International Conference on Fast Sea Transportation in 2009, a.k.a. FAST 2009. FAST is a widely respected trade show and features presentations of technical papers that have undergone a strict review process. After presenting its paper there, Van Oossanen & Associates received inquiries from builders, designers, and yacht owners.
After settling on the hull design, Heesen tapped Omega Architects for the exterior design. If you’re a fan of Heesen megayachts, you’ll recognize a family resemblance in the drawing above. Van Oossanen & Associates reports that it and Omega Architects worked closely for about six months to ensure the artistic and technical needs would be met. Among the features: a touch-and-go helipad forward, a balcony for the owner and 12 guests, and the now-customary beach club. The beach club will include a sauna, Turkish bath, and a bar.
Interesting enough, Heesen is also asking other designers to present their ideas for the 6500 FDHF’s styling. Those will likely be revealed at the Monaco Yacht Show, since Heesen plans to unveil further details on the new series at that time. The anticipated performance of the 6500 FDHF should remain the same regardless of the design: a top end of 27 knots at half load and a 24-knot cruise at half load, with 75 percent engine power output.
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