K&M Yachtbuilders currently have 12 custom aluminium yachts under construction in Makkum, The Netherlands inlcuding an Icon 48, a Frers 88, six Bestevaers and four Bestewinds.
Straight bow Bestevaer 55ST Albatros - Credit K&M Yachtbuilders
The straight bow (ST) Bestevaer is taking the lead with five 45 to 56 footers. The 22 metre Bestevaer 73S “Christopher” is the only one with a sloop bow. K&M has great expectations of the Bestevaer 45ST. The smallest in the series up to now is being built for an American customer. He seems be setting a downsizing trend, having moved from a Bestevaer 60C (clipper bow) to a 53ST and now to a 45ST.
Straight bow Bestevaer 56ST Tranquilo - Credit K&M Yachtbuilders
As well as the Dijkstra designs, K&M Yacht builders are now also working on an Icon 48 “Leeloo” (Satelliet Yacht Design) and a Frers 88 “Tulip” yacht (German Frers Naval Architecture). Both are unique projects for K&M. The hull of “Leeloo” has a thickness of just 4mm as requested by the owner. That posed the hull buildings with a challenge to deliver a yacht with the usual fine lines. The Frers 88 is K&M’s biggest project so far. Eeuwe Kooi, shipyard owner: “I’m a great fan of technology and development, which makes a new yacht like the ‘Tulip’ just the thing for me.”
Frers 88 sailing yacht Tulip
Jildou Huisman, Sales, Communication and PR notes: “It’s a huge boost for us that sales are going so well in a time of recession.” At the end of January 2011 the Frisian shipyard will once again be promoting its work at Boot Dusseldorf in Germany. The most important aspect of an exhibition is to make and maintain contacts, rather than to achieve actual sales. They know from experience that clients want to take their time to find the right shipyard to build their dream yacht.
