The Yacht Support series of shadow boats and rugged yachts built by Damen Shipyards (Amels’ parent company) and marketed by Amels just grew. Construction recently started on the first Sea Axe with a heli hangar.
Damen and Amels are referring to the project for now as a Sea Axe 6911, with “69” designating her LOA in meters, equivalent to 226 feet. She was inspired by the Sea Axe 6711, a 220-footer that has spawned two deliveries thus far, Garçon and the aptly named 6711. Of course, the buyer had a number of individualized requests, too.
This first Sea Axe 6911 will serve as a shadow/support yacht to another megayacht. (The name and LOA of that yacht are being kept confidential.) She’ll accommodate 22 crew and staff, and be used to hold additional tenders and toys. Those latter items will go on deck: About 2,691 square feet will be available. Down below, even more stowage will await, some 1,184 square feet.
Some of the remaining below-deck space will, of course, be devoted to the heli hangar. The image sequence below shows how it will work:
The hangar can hold helicopters up to the size of a Eurocopter AS365. It will additionally include a workshop and, of course, comply with LY3 and MCA requirements.
Besides all of this, the Sea Axe 6911 will further feature a dive center. She should make quick work of getting out to the best dive spots. Damen anticipates a top speed of 20 knots. And, given that the Sea Axe 6911 is derived from the Damen Sea Axe series of offshore-supply and patrol vessels, she should stand up to a variety of sloppy conditions.
Upon delivery in June 2016, the Sea Axe 6911 will be Damen’s fifth Yacht Support vessel on the water since the concept’s creation in 2009.
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