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HOME
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A spec-built Heesen has become a Home away from home for one view-loving, Bahamas-cruising owner, says Risa Merl
Homecoming Queen
P HOTO G R AP HY E x t e r io rs – J ef f Brow n / Bre e d Me d ia; In t e r io rs – D av id Ch u rchi l l
I T WA S T H E W I N D O W S T H AT F I R S T AT T R AC T E D T H E OW N E R T O T H I S 1 6 3 F T H E E S E N . The rectangular floor-to-ceiling glazing is the first thing you notice from the outside on this yacht, which was started on spec as Project Nova, and it commands your attention inside as well, the panoramic glass pulling your gaze to the natural world beyond. “He bought the boat because of the windows,” confirms interior designer Cristiano Gatto. “He told me, ‘my idea of being on board is to wake up and see the sea around me – I don’t want to be in marinas very much.’ We worked to simplify and minimize the interiors so that the windows are the artwork.” It’s fitting also that this is the first hull to couple hybrid propulsion to the proven Fast Displacement Hull Form by Van Oossanen, allowing an owner who loves looking at nature to also reduce his impact on it. Home is another success story for Heesen’s spec-built business model. The owner bought his previous yachts on the brokerage market and didn’t want to wait three years for a new build. So when Heesen’s Thom Conboy showed him a project that had the lines, space and views he was looking for, with the ability to customize the interior within a short delivery time, it was game on. The yacht’s lines were inspired by another Heesen, 163ft Sibelle, says Frank Laupman of Omega Architects. The two boats share the aggressive bow, which might be right on trend but also serves a purpose, providing progressive buoyancy when carving through waves. The bow shape also means the crew accommodation can be set further forward. In order to stay under 500GT, Omega created walkaround decks, while also giving the master suite forward on the main deck the full beam. “This worked quite well,” says Laupman. “We chamfered the superstructure and gave little knuckles in the glass, so the walkaround starts wide then gets narrower – it makes a difference psychologically.” Uninterrupted sightlines from inside are achieved with cut-out bulwarks topped by specially designed handrails. The interior was started on spec by Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design, but the original motif didn’t appeal to Home’s owner. Gatto was called in after coming recommended. The layout, main partitions, sub-construction and some furniture were already completed; Gatto’s task was less a gut job than carefully laying his ideas on top of an already fixed skeleton. “We had to study the design that was done and transform it,” he says. “If we needed to redesign everything completely that would have been easier, but then would have caused a six month delay. But the owner is a very fast decision maker. I met him and we redesigned [the concept for the interior] in three weeks.” To the credit of all involved, she was delivered right on time. Her captain, Nigel Jenkins, who has served as a build captain five times, was brought in to help make this so. “Heesen were on track, but the external contractors were slow in providing information required, and so I was brought in to try and turn it around again. Straight away Cristiano and I hit it off, both with similar standards, both looking for the same thing – to produce a good boat, and a good-looking boat,” says Jenkins. The owner’s brief was for a modern, comfortable interior; the keyword was simplicity, not minimalism. “The owner used her for seven and a half weeks back-to-back, straight from taking delivery,” says Jenkins. “He wants to be able to live on board about seven months of the year. That’s why the name Home came about.” The style of Home’s furnishings is similar to what you’d see in the owner’s properties on shore – low, deep couches, for instance, and usable art in the
Tender and toy storage in a recessed bay on the foredeck allows Home the space to have a large and sheltered bathing platform aft
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BUENA VISTA This yacht is all about the windows. The dining room (left) is framed by full height windows, as is the main saloon entrance. The sundeck (upper right) is a prime place for entertaining with its light-up bar and ability to transform into an outdoor movie theater
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shape of chaises longues – and the palette is refined to four main hues: white, black, gray and maroon to give a splash of color. The white materials range from wood and marble to leather and metal. Texture, tactility and reflection were used to transform spaces. “Materials that have the same color react differently in light, so the same colors can be transformed by the lighting, particularly white, because of the reflection and the way it absorbs light,” says Gatto. Although all of the sub-construction of the ceilings, including the lighting, was in place, Gatto edited the lighting plan, a process that proved to be the most challenging. Focused LEDs, custom wall lamps, loose lighting and strip lighting were designed to capture the reflective nature of each of the chosen materials. Though Gatto spent six months sourcing artworks for the interior, the owner selected just three pieces. The purposeful absence of art is powerful and effective as the eye is instead drawn to the scenery outside. The owner plans to use the boat in the colorful cruising grounds of the Bahamas, primarily the Exumas. “When you’re spending time in cold destinations or want to put your focus inside, you need more art. But the nature you see outside is the real artwork,” says Gatto. The owner will use Home for work as well as play, and two offices that precede the master cabin are designed around his business needs. An inner office, connected to the cabin, is dedicated to the owner’s use, while an outer office has a desk for two so staff can work alongside. When work finishes, however, play can start. The furniture on the upper deck is all low-slung Paola Lenti pieces, which are also functional – Jenkins points out the yoga mats stored beneath the sunloungers. Everything is sea-fastened for safety, but movable to create more space for entertaining. There is a projector and a screen set-up, turning the deck into an outdoor cinema. The spa pool is much
PURE AND SIMPLE The light-filled master (right) is even more of a haven when the yacht is in eco mode
BRIGHT WHITE A skillful mix of 14 different textures brings the simple color scheme to life
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used, says Jenkins, and he also points out the dancing pole. “After a few drinks, if you’ve got the party wigs and silly hats on, it’s just for a bit of fun…” But the real hotspot for dancing on board is the sky lounge. This space is the one that perhaps best shows off the holistic indoor/outdoor ethos that Gatto and Laupman pulled off with such aplomb. “We took out everything, we erased the drawings and made an extension of the outside deck – inside,” says Gatto. The only built-in furniture is a small bar, and everything else is loose Paola Lenti outdoor pieces that can be used inside or on the aft deck. With full height windows, it’s a lovely place to sit and watch the world roll by, and the glass doors open completely so that the lines between inside and outside are blurred. Or close the doors, remove all the furniture and add a mirror ball and smoke machine to create an epic party room. More fun can be found on Home’s foredeck, in a telescopic seat that rises from the bow, allowing uninterrupted 360 degree views. It can even be used under way if the conditions are right. It’s the ideal spot to watch dolphins riding the bow wave, especially in the clear water of the Bahamas. It can’t be forgotten that Home rides on Van Oossanen’s Fast Displacement Hull Form. This is the third optimization of the design, and one that the naval architect says makes her 48 per cent more efficient than other 160ft yachts, and with a superior level of comfort. Upping the ante on efficiency is the use of hybrid propulsion. Home’s captain enjoys the variety afforded by the four engine modes: basic diesel cruising, ideal for quicker passages; quiet mode with electric motors; boost mode, which combines diesel and electric for an added surge of power; and the fourth, which is Jenkins’ favorite: eco mode. On our sea trial from Monaco to Antibes, we put Home’s various engine modes to the test. On the mains, the captain takes her to 17.2 knots. Boost mode kicks things up a notch, just a bit faster to 17.7. But it’s her silence that speaks volumes. We cruise at 9.3 knots on electric power, the air con louder than the engines. Wandering into the master cabin, the quiet is disarming as we cut through the water, gazing out the massive windows and watching the waves move by in soundless bliss. It’s easy to see how the owner will make this yacht his sanctuary, truly his home at sea. B
SPECS
HOME
HEESEN SUNDECK
UPPER DECK
Relax mode: the sky lounge can become a party room and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an outdoor cinema
MAIN DECK
LOWER DECK
Space ship: the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stateroom has a private study and a large walk-in closet
Frame game: the bold, full height windows provide the onboard art
Ship shape: a spacious gym is between guests cabins and the engine room
Prime spot: a telescopic seat rises from the bow to give a fantastic view
60ft
30ft
Focal point: the central stairs make for a grand entrance
0ft
LOA 163' 4" LWL 163' 4" Beam 29' 10" Draft 7' 1" Displacement (half load): 315 tonnes Gross tonnage 499GT
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Hybrid propulsion 2 x MTU 12V 2000 M61 diesel engines; 2 x Visedo PDR-XSe3200-T660 shaft machines; 2 x five Nibral bronze propellers Speed max/cruise 16.3/12 knots
Range at 12 knots 3,750nm Generators 2 x 184ekW Zenoro Fuel capacity 11,900 gallons Freshwater capacity 4,200 gallons
Tenders 1 x 20' Castoldi Jet Tender 21; 1 x 11' Zodiac Ribo 340 rescue tender Owners/guests 12 Crew 9 Construction Aluminum hull and superstructure
Classification ABS @ A1 Commercial Yachting Service [@] AMS, Large Commercial Yacht Code LY3 Naval architecture Van Oossanen/Heesen Exterior styling Omega Architects
Interior design Cristiano Gatto Design Builder/year Heesen/2017 Oss, the Netherlands t: +31 412 665544 e: welcome@ heesenyachts.com w: heesenyachts.com
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