Classic Yacht Halcyon Gets New Lease on Long Cruising Life

“What started as a refit became something much closer to a modified new build,” reflects Capt. Joe Gallegos of the yacht Halcyon. It’s thanks to “a knowledgeable and enthusiastic owner” and the shipyard that, not coincidentally, built her 25 years ago. In fact, Feadship considers Halcyon one of the most comprehensive reconstructions that its Feadship Refit & Services division has taken on so far.

Originally launched as Northern Light, the yacht Halcyon has passed through a few owners’ hands in her two decades of cruising. When she arrived in La Kaag, The Netherlands in May of last year, it was a return to her roots, the very same sheds that fit out her steel hull and aluminum superstructure. It’s a major reason why Feadship Refit & Services inaugurated in 2018: tapping the initial construction knowledge to maintain the long-term brand essence.

“When Halcyon arrived, we expected a major refit,” explains Gallegos. In fact, the plan was to redesign her stern, upgrade a variety of equipment, and repaint her from top to bottom. However, as is common with classic yachts, additional upgrade needs became apparent once the refit team opened up her decks. Simultaneously, the difference in technology impacting everything from connectivity to comfort between her original launch and more modern times led her owner to broaden the worklist. All the while, the yacht Halcyon could retain her time-honored looks.

Fourteen months after arriving, the megayacht has slipped out of the sheds. Multiple changes outside are readily visible. For instance, new teak decking covers most exterior areas, and new paint calls attention to her hull and superstructure. Her underwater coating is entirely new, too, since the craftspeople sandblasted the previous coating off. Although not in place in the photos, the mast is restyled, in keeping with far-smaller satellite-communications equipment these days. The biggest change outside, though, is the restyled stern. De Voogt Naval Architects created a new stairway leading from the main aft deck to the swim platform.

Behind interior walls and floors, further significant modifications occurred. Entirely new air conditioning fan coils, handlers, and more run throughout the yacht Halcyon, for example. Cold-stowage mechanicals underwent overhaul. The same is true of electrical systems. The wheelhouse received a full suite of new electronics and support infrastructure. The captain and crew further have new alarm systems, monitoring systems, and power-management systems at their disposal. Halcyon’s engineer may be especially pleased to see that the work in the engine room is tantamount to a total change. New gensets are in place, plus the Caterpillar engines and associated mechanicals are refurbished. So are the fuel-management systems, tanks, and ventilation.

Suffice it to say that many more components, from freshwater production to sewage treatment and from cabling to piping, are new, too. Not left out, the décor in the guest staterooms and crew cabins is fresher. The mahogany wood paneling and the en suite bath marbles look new. Even the lazarette was kept in mind, with the dive gear being upgraded.

Essentially rebuilt from her interior out to her decks, the yacht Halcyon should return to her owner’s hands next month. “The result is a classic Feadship, renewed and ready for years of successful cruising,” Gallegos asserts.

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