Heesen has announced that the construction of 59m project SkyFall officially began on 1 October at the shipyard in Oss. The owner’s representative laid a 450 BC Greek coin on the keel to commemorate the start of the build of this unique yacht, which will be tailored in every way to suit the owner’s lifestyle.

As a discerning yachtsman with a passion for speed, SkyFall’s owner has long been aware of Heesen’s high-performance capabilities, with pioneering fast-yacht projects such as Octopussy making the Dutch shipyard the natural port of call for this ambitious project. It will be the shipyard’s most powerful yacht to date, using waterjet propulsion on a sportsfishing-oriented superyacht.

SkyFall will harness 22,000hp from four MTU 20V 4000 engines, driving four Kongsberg S90 waterjets. The outer engines, compliant with the latest Tier III environmental regulations, drive steerable jets, while the centre engines operate fixed units. With less back-pressure and a slightly higher power output, the centre engines will be used solely for high speeds. Waterjet drives lower the yacht’s draught to less than three metres and reduce vibration by 40 per cent compared with traditional shafts and propellers.

“Project SkyFall forced us to think out of the box and look for smart engineering solutions...”

Thanks to its lightweight aluminium Fast Displacement Hull Form, complete with course fins and interceptor trim plates, SkyFall will reach an impressive top speed of 37 knots in light load conditions. Her efficient FDHF will also deliver a much smoother and flatter ride compared to a conventional semi-displacement shape, while its extra volume offers plenty of space for equipment and amenities. Three gyro-stabilisers will keep the yacht comfortable at low speeds.

“Project SkyFall forced us to think out of the box and look for smart engineering solutions,” comments Peter van der Zanden, Heesen’s design and development manager. “At Heesen, we enjoy putting our thinking caps on, to find ingenious solutions to challenging requests from our clients.” 

Four suites on the lower deck will accommodate up to ten guests, while the owner has reserved the entire aft section of the bridge deck, with a large aft-facing suite opening onto a private terrace, complete with whirlpool spa and a relaxing seating area. With tenders and a wide range of water toys conveniently stowed in the tender garage, the lazarette in the stern is fitted out as a luxurious beach club, with a wellness area, a ‘fishing cave’ with stowage for 40 rods, and a multi-tiered swim deck.

Heesen has been impressive in terms of consistent output in the last decade, averaging four deliveries a year in recent years with an average LOA around 52m. This trend looks set to continue with four deliveries scheduled for 2020 and 2021, and three for 2022, with an increasing average LOA of 62m in 2022 and beyond due to large projects including 80m project Cosmos and 67m project Sparta.

Project SkyFall is due for delivery in 2023.

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