Being present at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, CharterWorld was invited aboard the unique and very impressive Sea Axe FYS Vessel Garcon 4 Ace, the support vessel to the magnificent 87m luxury yacht Ace by Lurssen. Garcon support vessel is designed to accompany the ‘mother ship’, carrying all the superyacht toys, tenders, fuel and a range of other equipment, which could not be stored aboard a superyacht. Garcon comfortably accommodates up to 21 crew and staff, and is ideal for accommodating a relief crew for a large superyacht, featuring a large captain’s cabin and comfortable additional crew accommodation. One of the most impressive features is her deck, which has been equipped with a helipad able of supporting a large helicopter with maximum take-off weight of 5000kg. Sea Axe Fast Yacht Support Vessel Garcon 4 Ace was built by Damen with marketing and sales by Amels.
Garcon for Ace FYS vessel - A support vessel to the Lurssen yacht ACE
Sea Axe Yacht Support Vessels
Imagine never again being distracted or inconvenienced by crew handling a 40-foot tender or small sailboat; disposing of tons of wastewater or trash; taking on fuel, lubes, or stores; deploying water toys; preparing to land the helicopter; or even scouting for an anchorage in a remote bay. The SEA AXE FYS, just like Garcon, stows all the things you need for a long cruise, but which you don’t want cluttering your very private space. With a powerful double-knuckle crane, it’s a practical ticket to total freedom and enjoyment of the yachting experience. The SEA AXE can be configured to a maximum boat speed of 28 knots, with transatlantic range. This means you get all the comforts you expect, every time, everywhere.
Garcon 4 Ace - Luxury support vessel to motor yacht Ace
DAMEN has designed, delivered, and continues building a series of Fast Crew Suppliers and Patrol Boats to meet demand among a variety of clients around the globe, including many national Coast Guards. The FYS is the only yacht-oriented craft with the same SEA AXE hull form and capabilities as these working boats. The essence of the SEA AXE performance is that it is not required to significantly slow down in heavy weather and large seas. Therefore, it can carry its load of vehicles, fuels, supplies, and other amenities and, with its reliable speed, reach a prescribed destination in advance, to prepare for the arrival of the mother ship and her guests, by deploying tenders and toys as needed.
Damen FYS vessel Garcon 4 Ace
Efficiency
In the early 1990s DAMEN and Technical University of Delft studied effects of lengthening hulls without changing shapes. They found that efficiency, operability, and running costs all improved, with little added building cost. They refined the bow, confirming in tank tests that this reduces vertical acceleration and slamming, which cause seasickness and force a crew to slow down. They then developed a new hull form, superior to the “Wave Piercer”. They called it “AXE BOW” because the forefoot is deeper than the keel, resembling an axe. The SEA AXE is very efficient in smooth water. It has up to 15% less resistance, better seakeeping in large waves, up to 75% less vertical acceleration than other fast ships, and resists broaching in following seas.
Arrival Garcon - a Sea Axe Fast Yacht Support Vessel to the motor yacht ACE by Lurssen
Practicality
The FYS was conceived to enhance each owner’s chosen lifestyle, and equally to assist every crew’s logistic and operating needs. Set on a standard SEA AXE hull, the FYS can easily be configured to the requirements of any superyacht, with open or partially covered main deck, auxiliary cabins, and variable General Arrangement. This is a vessel of great practicality. The FYS delivers improved economical performance, with an already proven reduction in fuel consumption of as much as 18% over “standard” fast supply vessels. It is also practical in the way it “delivers the goods,” unburdening the mother ship in countless ways. Its performance is reliable and sustainable. After experiencing a four-hour endurance test aboard a SEA AXE supply vessel, in Force 7 winds and rough sea conditions, an experienced captain was quoted as saying: “I don’t believe that any other ship of this limited size and weight can come close to this sustained speed for such a long time in these conditions.”
Garcon a 67m fast yacht support vessel to the luxury superyacht ACE
Quality of the interior finish
One important aspect that will clearly distinguish the SEA AXE FAST YACHT SUPPORT vessel from lesser support boats, and set it apart from commercial service vessels, is the quality of the interior finish of the permanent accommodations. This is not the usual inexpensive industrial finish. It has been elevated to match the style and feeling of the crew areas of the current LIMITED EDITIONS AMELS 177s now in production. This means that high-quality, practical material will be used to create pleasant surroundings to support the crew’s morale, just as on the mother ship. It is the maintaining of such high standards that will make the FYS even more attractive to crews – as well as owners.
Security
Because SEA AXE supply and patrol vessels are designed and built to endure constant duty at sea, have long range, and maintain predictable speeds regardless of weather conditions, they are outfitted with reliable multi-engine power trains and their bridges are equipped with top professional control, monitoring and communications components. The FYS will meet these strict standards in every way and have optional Dynamic Positioning, a great convenience when manoeuvring near the mother ship. In addition to these important specifications, wheelhouse windows are canted forward to eliminate glare, as on most commercial ships. With such close attention to detail and the typical DAMEN drive for design excellence, the result is a vessel in which captain and crew will feel the highest level of confidence and security in being able to perform their duties for the mother ship.
Sea Axe Garcon in dock
The sea axe Fast Yacht Support vessel could not have been developed by a single entity alone. It required cooperative technical efforts and the market experience of three renowned Dutch organisations – DAMEN, Technical University of Delft, and the towing-tank MARIN – each with a specialty that harmonised with the others. The initial thrust came from DAMEN’s headquarters in Holland. There, more than 20 years ago, top management saw the need to develop a fast offshore commercial supply vessel that could withstand heavy weather, as routine storms are no excuse for halting offshore work.
HULL MATERIAL: STEEL
SUPERSTRUCTURE: Aluminium + STEEL
LENGTH OVERALL: 67.15 METERS (220.3 FEET)
LENGTH WATERLINE: 66.91 MetreS (219.5 FEET)
BEAM MOULDED: 11.20 MetreS (36.7 FEET
DEPTH AT SIDES: 5.40 MetreS (17.7 FEET)
DRAUGHT FULL LOAD: 4.00 MetreS (13.1 FEET)
DISPLACEMENT: 1150 METRIC TONS
GROSS TONNAGE: 1128 GT
SPEED, MAX AT 100% MCR: 18–25 KNOTS
RANGE AT 18 KNOTS: 4500 NAUTICAL MILES
CREW / STAFF (other layouts possible ): 21 PERSONS
FUEL CAPACITY (fys + cargo): 300 CUBIC MetreS
FRESH WATER CAPACITY: 42 CUBIC MetreS
DECK SPACE (excluding helicopter landing area ): 235 SQUARE Metres
Interior deck storage (excluding crew accommodation ): 140 SQUARE Metres
VIDEO OF GARCON – Sea Axe Fast Yacht Support Vessel
GARCON
The SEA AXE 6711 – GARCON is driven by four Caterpillar diesel engines. The vessel has four inside decks serving a total of 21 crew, with galley and mess. Enormous deck space of 235 square metres offers plenty of room for carrying water toys and a large helicopter with take-off weight of up to 5000kg. An optional hangar covers all vehicles and an optional on-deck “cabin” accommodates added crew or a workshop.
HELICOPTER MAX TAKE-OFF WEIGHT: 5000 KG
STABILISERS: FOUR QUANTUM XD ZERO-SPEED STABILISERS, PARTLY RETRACTABLE
CLASSIFICATION: Bureau Veritas (other class on request)
FIRE FIGHTING: Fixed system for engine room and aft tank room
ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION: Three generator sets CATERPILLAR C9, 50Hz or 60Hz, 175 ekW each
PROPULSION: Four Caterpillar 3512C B rating, 1425 kW @ 1600 rpm each / Reintjes gearboxes / Fixed-pitch 5-bladed propellers Alternative propulsion layouts available
BOW THRUSTER: Two tunnel type bow thrusters, 150 kW each
NAUTICAL, SURVEILLANCE AND COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT: Searchlights / GPS and magnetic compass / autopilot / echo sounder /radar / GPS / chart plotter display / VHF / MF/HF / Navtex / wind measurement equipment / AIS
