Stories abound of yacht owners failing to find what they want before turning to custom construction. Rare, however, is the story of an owner establishing a shipyard to do so. Jack Wijnants didn’t set out to do this, interestingly. But, based on advice of brokers, who thought he was onto something with a self-created catamaran design, he’s established Amasea Yachts. From the Amasea 84, Wijnants’ personal project, to future builds, the company intends to build semi-custom aluminum catamarans with more space and more amenities than existing composite models.
Wijnants and his family have cruised previously aboard steel-hulled yachts. In addition, he ran a company that designed, built, and leased search and rescue vessels, patrol boats, and offshore support ships. Therefore, he felt well-versed in what a sturdy, global cruising catamaran should offer when he began looking. Unfortunately, offerings in the 66- to 82-foot (20- to 25-meter) range disappointed him. “They were all expensive, limited in how much the interiors could be personalized, and generally finished using low-quality materials,” Wijnants says. Upon penning a design and sharing it with friends in the brokerage community, “they told me that I should market it.”
With an LOA of 83’5” (25.45 meters), the Amasea 84 bears styling and naval architecture from Albert Nazarov of Albatross Marine Design. Nazarov and his studio specialize in high-speed craft and catamarans. He’s giving the yacht a 36-foot (10.98-meter) beam. Highlights include three decks versus two, transatlantic capability, and self-reliance away from port for up to six weeks. Twin 1,920-hp MTUs should allow an 18-knot top end and cruise of 11 knots.
The extra deck serves practical purposes as well as pleasurable ones. For instance, the Amasea 84 devotes dedicated space to the crew. They have their own galley with mess, in addition to the main galley for guests’ meals. In addition, clients can have the master stateroom on the main or lower deck. No word on how Wijnants is arranging his yacht, though the guest and crew total is 20.
While Amasea Yachts will see aluminum construction in Turkey, Wijnants is speaking with Dutch and Italian yards for finishing work. He’s building just seven yachts annually, to ensure flexibility in customization. Of course, customers can tap their preferred interior designer for general arrangements and decor. Finally, while the Amasea 84 should take 18 to 20 months, Wijnants expects future builds to take up to 16.
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