Editor’s note: MegayachtNews.com editor Diane M. Byrne is visiting several Dutch superyacht builders this week. It’s at the invitation of the Holland Yachting Group, a trade organization. Several yards have confidential projects, which precludes reporting on current activity. Others, however, can publicize some of their activity. What follows is the first such report, on Amels.
Timing is everything. Visiting Amels’ shipyard yesterday allowed for a sea trial aboard one project, but came just after another saw delivery. Nevertheless, it gave a good overview of a builder with 10 yachts under construction. It further gave a good overview of a builder celebrating its 100th anniversary next year.
The recently departed Driftwood is the newest Amels 180. What’s more, she’s the 20th 180 within the series’ 10-year span. The first in the series was Deniki. Interestingly, Amels says it delivered her nearly one decade ago to the day that Driftwood left. tthe 21st megayacht in the series isn’t far behind Driftwood, either. Lili (above) leaves by the end of June. She has a few features created at her owner’s request, including a balcony deploying off the master suite. It sits on the bridge deck, which the owner also requested be longer. He additionally asked for an elongated sundeck. (For more on her, see “Lili, Amels Latest Limited Editions.”) Yet another Amels 180 is in a construction bay, for completion by next summer.
Also inside the shipyard: two Amels 242 projects, and an Amels 188 (top). The 242s represent hulls two and three in that series. The owner of hull three won’t permit publicity. However, hull two is New Secret, seeing her christening today, in fact. She features an interior by Andrew Winch Designs, with styling by Tim Heywood. As for the Amels 188, she’s hull number one, set for a summer 2018 handover. Of note, she features six staterooms spread over four decks. Further interesting, she has a hybrid switchboard solution. Created by Amels, it employs gensets and batteries, whereby one genset can take the load over from the other, and the batteries recharge accordingly.
As for the sea trial, we stepped aboard Game Changer (above), a Damen Yacht Support vessel. You may recall the vessel recently visited London on a promotional tour. Amels, which markets the Damen Yacht Support range, is currently selling her. She certainly has an apropos name. Game Changer, and indeed the full range, allows for far more toys, provisions, and personnel than traditional yachts. The hull design, proven on hundreds of Damen commercial vessels, smoothly cuts through waves. While we had calm conditions, we saw 21 knots with ease and with barely a sound from the quadruple engines. Whether used for cruising alongside a traditional yacht or venturing well ahead to scout out locations, the Yacht Support is a good niche. A few more are in build, with the next delivery taking place in September. Her name, also apropos: New Frontiers.
Amels isn’t done yet. It’s finalizing the design for its first fully custom megayacht exceeding 328 feet (100 meters). And, it’s adding yet another design to the SeaXplorer expedition vessel range. Details to come.
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