On 11th March the hull of the 52m / 171ft sportfish yacht was turned at Royal Huisman’s new build headquarters in Vollenhove, the Netherlands.

Spectators were able to appreciate the long, sweeping bow, high bulwarks and the clear outline of the fishing cockpit. The characteristic low, uncluttered aft cockpit is close to the water for easy access to gear and a clear sight of the catch. Seating immediately above will provide a platform to follow the action as it unfolds below.

Interior and exterior design and naval architecture come courtesy of the Vripack Yacht Design Studio. Since the projects inception, the owner has put together a team to support Royal Huisman with expert advice from Bush & Noble around sportfishing and the classic yacht forms, Hampshire Marine managing the day to day technical aspects of the project at the shipyard, Aqua Marine handling the general logistics and Pascarelli Consulting acting as owners representative. 

Project 406 is extensively engineered. The Alustar® aluminum hull, which has been constructed by Royal Huisman’s in-house team of welders in recent months, offers strength and resilience. It also achieves the lighter weight that ensures a smooth and efficient passage to the fishing grounds.

A project like Project 406 demands an array of talents and expertise. With a shipyard team of over 300 individual experts, all with their own skills, Royal Huisman can carry out much of its engineering and production work in-house. But in the interest of a fast, cost-efficient and optimally coordinated production, flexibility is vital. In the case of Project 406, the specification for the Alustar® aluminum superstructure was prepared and detailed by Royal Huisman’s own engineering departments. Its  production, however, will be outsourced to co-makers.

Royal Huisman’s CEO Jan Timmerman observes a pleasing symmetry in Project 406: “Some have commented that a sportfishing vessel – even one as exceptional as this – seems an unusual excursion for a shipyard best known for its magnificent ocean-going sailing yachts. But not so. Founded in 1884, our shipyard started its journey as a builder of wooden fishing boats and workboats – its core business for decades to follow.

The general area where Project 406’s hull was turned, was once the shore of the ‘Zuiderzee’ inland sea, during Huisman’s first 50 years. On the waters of this sea, Huisman-built fishing craft would operate in all weathers to prove their reliability. Reclaimed land, the Noordoostpolder, now occupies much of that sea area although a canal remains. But that connection with sturdy fishing vessels and the challenges of the sea will always be part of Royal Huisman’s DNA. We are proud and excited to be building a truly unique and exceptional stunning sport fish yacht that still resonates with the work of the shipyard’s founding fathers.”

The Superyacht Group spoke to CEO Jan Timmerman at the 2021 Monaco Yacht Show last September as part of The Superyacht Forum Live Tour concerning Royal Huisman's upcoming projects, please click here to watch the episode.  

The above graph highlights Royal Huisman's deliveries since 2015 and their average LOA(m). In the seven years between 2015-2021 Royal Huisman have on average made one delivery every year, with the projected order book for 2022 set to increase this output to two deliveries.

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Profile links

Aqua Marine Service

Royal Huisman

Vripack

Hampshire Marine

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