Nearly 50 years ago, a young Dutchman acquired a yacht-building company in his hometown of Oss. Frans Heesen named it Heesen Yachts, and turned it into a superyacht shipyard with clients on multiple continents. He died today in the same city where he grew up, at age 85.
An entrepreneur at heart, Frans Heesen was in the high-tech plastics business when he learned of an interesting opportunity. In 1978, Striker Boats, which built yachts in Oss, was available. Originally, Frans Heesen wanted to use the building for a different purpose. However, and despite no maritime-manufacturing background, the thirtysomething entrepreneur decided instead to keep yacht construction going. One year after he bought Striker Boats, the shipyard launched its first project under the Heesen Yachts name. Amigo was “just” 65 feet (19.8 meters), but Heesen Yachts was the only Dutch yard making all-aluminum projects.
Gradually through the 1980s, the yard started constructing superyachts. In that era, a yacht of about 130 feet (nearly 40 meters) was sizable. Ten years after renaming the yard, Frans Heesen had a 125-footer (38-meter) in build that changed the course for his fledgling company. Specifically, on April 9, 1988, Heesen Yachts launched the renowned yacht Octopussy (below). She was big and bold—and fast. In fact, her owner, the high-profile U.S. yachtsman John Staluppi, wanted to break the world speed record of just over 50 knots. Staluppi had approached builder after builder, and design studio after design studio. Everyone told him it was impossible—until he met Frans Heesen, and Frank Mulder of Mulder Design.
It was an intrepid—and risky—move to take on a custom yacht with such high performance expectations. Octopussy not only set a new record— 53.17 knots—but she made Frans Heesen a global household name in yachting circles, practically overnight.
Fast yachts became a specialty of the shipyard. As audacious as ever, Frans Heesen surprised yacht watchers when the 164-foot (50-meter) motoryacht Achiever launched in 1992. Firstly, she was a long-range yacht. Secondly, she had a steel hull. All-aluminum and steel-and-aluminum long-range motoryachts remain the focus of Heesen Yachts to this day. Still, though, a few speedsters have come over the years. Notably, the sportfishing yacht Obsessions launched in 1996, and the colorful yacht Aurelia followed in 2011. Each hit a top speed around 30 knots.
In a statement, Heesen Yachts likened the shipyard environment under Frans Heesen to that of a family. Perhaps the strongest symbols of that sentiment were the two yachts he constructed with the team. Each bore the name Lady Petra in honor of his wife. The first Lady Petra, a 144-footer (44-meter), came in 2009. Shortly after the Heesens took delivery, though, they began contemplating a bigger boat. With several grandchildren, the extra space could come in handy, they reasoned. Therefore, the second Lady Petra, a 153-footer (46.7-meter), followed in 2012 (below).
The day Lady Petra launched was also his retirement day. Frans Heesen had sold the yard four years prior, all the while remaining active in the business. At his retirement, he committed to doing the same thing. “I am going to be the brand ambassador of this wonderful company that I founded some 35 years ago,” he shared. “I will always be there to support the brand and to promote it until the end of my days!” Indeed, he appeared at boat shows and events for several more years.
Frans Heesen is survived by his wife and multiple children and grandchildren. In a statement, Heesen Yachts says, “His presence will be profoundly missed, but his spirit and vision will forever remain a guiding force at Heesen Yachts.”
Heesen Yachts heesenyachts.com
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