A new age of exploration starts at Van der Valk

IT'S YOUR WORLD

Van der Valk has started work on a fantastic custom-designed and built 34-metre explorer. This all-aluminium tri-deck motoryacht has been ordered by repeat clients who’ve returned to our yard to leverage on the expertise acquired during their previous project and blend that with the rest of their exceptional superyacht building experience.

Wow factors
Due for delivery in December 2021, the new project is taking into account every stage of life. The yacht will be completely wheelchair-friendly with a lift for easy access between the decks and all floors being level with no protrusions or steps. High ceilings will enhance a spacious feel generated by giant windows that offer panoramic views and while emphasise the family’s love of living close to the water.

Impressive accommodations for up to ten guests include a VIP stateroom on the bridge deck, a balcony and an aft terrace. The owner’s stateroom with office is located on the lower deck, which is also home to two double suites in the bow and a single suite. The main deck includes a dining area bathed in natural light and large open saloon. Despite the care paid to the interior, the focal point of the design of the yacht and social life of those onboard will likely be the aft entertainment area. This large open space will have a real wow factor with its clean deck, cool zones for relaxation and dining, bar and swim platform.

Enhanced performance
As you’d expect from a custom build of this sophistication, an enormous amount of work has also gone into the design, engineering and performance. The hull features a wave piercing bow and a performance-enhancing Hull Vane appendage. Twin SeaKeeper gyro stabilisers and a Humphree electric fin stabilising system will combine to provide comfort across the range from zero speed to sailing in rough seas.

To ensure these and many other bespoke wishes are met, Van der Valk and the owner’s team from YachtCreators are working in close partnership with Guido de Groot Yacht Design, Ginton Naval Architects, Diana Yacht Design and Hull Vane BV. Van der Valk’s slogan ‘together we are excellent’ is a reflection of the reality on the ground as we follow the Dutch tradition of flat hierarchies and uniting for the common good. By bringing in the best people for the task at hand we guarantee clients the perfect blend of flexibility and specialisation.

Challenging brief
Designer Guido de Groot describes the owner’s brief for this explorer as challenging and adventurous. “We started our design by taking into account the very specific interior requirements for height and accessibility. The owners also had detailed aesthetic wishes for the exterior design, including a high robust bow and soft curved lines. The desire for clean exterior spaces and a large aft deck necessitated moving the superstructure volume forward, including the wheelhouse. To ensure the profile remained sleek and slim we added attractive design features like the black line extending from the bow to the dining room windows before dividing at the bulwark to head aft. We also created a darker ceiling where the TV domes and mast are located. These and other elements make for a stylish overall look.”

Strength in numbers
A design where form primarily follows function requires seamless collaboration between all, as Hans-Maarten Bais, creative director at DIANA Yacht Design, confirms. “Together we’ve created a construction that is sufficiently strong while reducing the distance between ceiling and deck. As the experts at Ginton have taken care of the hull lines, the DIANA team has leveraged on our 50 years of experience to provide the engineering and construction drawings. Partnerships such as these save time and costs because we can tackle new challenges as and when they arise, such as the addition of a large tender on the foredeck with a heavy crane.”

Hydrodynamic expertise
The Fast Displacement hull developed by Ginton Naval Architects has no compromises in terms of hydrodynamic performance at both cruising and top speed, as Jaron Ginton explains “Because the LWL is so important at these speeds, we cut the hull ‘horizontally’ at a level around the waterline and scaled it in the length, creating a wave-piercing – not bulbous – bow and longer submerged hull. The Hull Vane will save over 12.5% on fuel consumption at 11 knots as well as reduce wake and pitch in head seas. Installing this submerged wing on the transom required a special design for the rudders, based on the work we previously did with Van der Valk on Anemeli.”

Comfort and performance
This new explorer is the second Van der Valk yacht to feature a Hull Vane after our successful installation on Jangada. It also reduces resistance, improves performance and offers major benefits in terms of lower engine noise. “Being involved at an early stage of this complex project enabled us to make many predictive calculations,” says Bruno Bouckaert, sales director at Hull Vane, the sole licensed producer of the appendage. “We worked carefully with the Ginton team on an integrated solution to optimise the propulsion layout and design of the aft ship as well as define the best possible hull shape.

“The Hull Vane reduces the gradient and flattens transom waves, making the fantastic aft deck on this yacht an even nicer place to sit. This will be an exceptionally quiet and efficient boat with the best possible seakeeping performance. It takes an innovative yard like Van der Valk and hugely experienced clients to create a custom superyacht of this quality.”