The prominent Dutch builder, Hakvoort Shipyard, has signed the contract to construct the 63-metre motor yacht Zeus (YN249). Project Zeus superyacht will represent the largest luxury vessel built to date by Hakvoort, which also recently started the construction of the 61 m displacement motor yacht Golden Age (YN248).
63 m luxury superyacht ZEUS (YN249) by Hakvoort and Rene van der Velden
Slated for delivery in the spring of 2017, Hakvoort YN249 yacht Zeus has a unique contemporary profile designed by René van der Velden to some very specific requirements from the owner. Diana Yacht Design is responsible for the naval architecture and the interior will come from the boards of Sinot Yacht Design.
This second major new order for Hakvoort within the space of a few months justifies the significant investments the yard has made in recent years to expand its facilities. Luxury yacht Zeus will require a further extension of the yard, cementing Hakvoort’s position in the market for premium motoryachts up to 65 metres in length.
The owner of superyacht Zeus has a longstanding relationship with René van der Velden and asked him to draw a modern classic with a difference. “He was very keen that the yacht should not be a repeat of anything else that is currently afloat but something genuinely fresh and bold,” explains Van der Velden. “The owner admires a type of styling called streamlining, which was especially popular in the 1930s and 40s. A streamliner is a vehicle or vessel given a specific shape that reduces air resistance: Examples include the famous ferry Kalakala and the record-breaking car Bluebird. This is the first time streamlining has been so clearly integrated into the design of a superyacht.”
63 m Hakvoort mega yacht ZEUS (YN249)
A crucial part of the layout brief was the location of the tenders. “The owner has a lot of experience and knows how difficult large tenders can be to launch,” Van der Velden continues. “Seeking a very practical solution we chose to place two nine-metre tenders on the main deck. As this eats into a lot of prime real estate, we have skipped the traditional saloon, dedicating the main deck to the owner’s quarters, galley and captain’s cabin. This has freed space on the deck above for pure socialising.”
This ‘upper deck’ includes a spacious saloon forward and sky lounge aft. The latter has sliding doors that open up to create a giant inside-out zone. The bridge deck includes the wheelhouse and a large area is set aside for the gymnasium. This too can be opened up for the ultimate in al fresco fitness. Mega yacht Zeus also features a beach club with lots of storage and a sauna. Twin Caterpillar 3512Cs will give her a top speed of 15 knots and a cruising speed of 12.5 knots.
Established in 1919 in the picturesque port of Monnickendam, just north of Amsterdam, Hakvoort is one of the world’s last genuinely family-owned yachtbuilders. Over the decades, many of its yachts have been nominated for major awards, including Lady Marina (1994), Freesia (1998), motor yacht Spada (1999), superyacht Solaia (2000), Campbell Bay (2002), Saga (2002), Tigre D’or (2004) Perle Bleue (2007), charter yacht My Trust (2008), charter yacht SnowbirD (2011) and luxury yacht Pamela V (2011), with seven being outright winners in their class. Zeus, Golden Age and various other projects ensure that the future is equally bright for this renowned yard.
Main Specifications of the 63 m luxury motor yacht Zeus (YN 249):
L.o.a. 63.33 m. / 207’78” ft.
L.w.l. 59.8 m. /196’19” ft.
Beam overall 11.3 m. / 37’07” ft.
Draft 3.25 m. / 10’66” ft.
Exterior design Rene van der Velden
Interior Design Sinot Yacht Design
Naval Architecture Diana Yacht Design BV
Construction steel hull, aluminium superstructure
Classifications Lloyds +100A1 SSC Yacht G6 Mono (+) LMC UMS, Ice Class 1C, (+stands for Malteze Cross) LY3
Main engines 2 x Caterpillar diesel engines type 3512C, each with an MCR of 1174 kW at 1800 rpm
Generators Two Caterpillar C-18 generators: 275 kW at 1500 rpm
Speed cruising speed 12,5 kts, max speed 14,8 kts
Range 5.000 nm at 12 kts
Fuel capacity 150.000 ltr. / 39.625 gallons
Fresh water capacity 25.000 ltr. / 6.604 gallons
Launch March 2017
