Heesen Yachts has today unveiled their new 50m Fast Displacement, full-aluminium motor yacht, YN 17850 Project Nova: the first of a new breed of Heesen yacht.
Following the undeniable success of the 65m Galactica Star, the world’s first yacht with a Fast Displacement Hull Form (FDHF), this new 50m motor yacht offers the same superlative levels of performance, efficiency and luxurious comfort in a smaller design package of under 500 GT. Rather than emphasising the elevated speed provided by the revolutionary FDHF, Project Nova is all about fuel efficiency.
Her light aluminium hull, relatively small engines (2MTU x 600kW) and Heesen’s minute attention to weight control means the vessel is not only less thirsty with a remarkable transatlantic range of 3,750 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 12 knots with only 45m3 of fuel, but also more spacious. The result is unique: a high-performance, supremely comfortable displacement yacht with reduced environmental impact.
Heesen’s in-house naval architects and the experts from van Oossanen, who devised the FDHF, thoroughly tested her newly designed hull at the Southampton tank test facility in July 2014. The results are impressive. Fuel consumption at cruising speed is a frugal 125 litres per hour and at 10 knots a staggering 85 litres per hour, which makes Project Nova the most efficient vessel in her class.
This stunning piece of technology is wrapped in an elegant design package with exterior lines by Frank Laupman at Omega Architectsand interior styling by Sinot Yacht Design. Her eye-catching superstructure, vertical bow and spacious fixed aft platform with a grandiose staircase leading to the main deck, put Project Nova a cut above the rest. Her exterior lines break with Heesen yachts of the past, but still retain the sense of seaworthiness and performance that has become our trademark. The vertical bow, for instance, is not just a styling exercise: it also serves to reduce the vertical acceleration that causes discomfort for guests on board.
Twelve guests will be accommodated in six spacious cabins. The master suite is situated on the main deck forward and has a bathroom with central bathtub. The remaining cabins are on the lower deck: the forward, full-beam VIP suite has a generous bathroom with bathtub; two twin cabins are located amidships; and the two double cabins aft are both equipped with ensuite shower rooms.
Guests have direct access to the lower deck gymnasium through a door at the end of the hallway. This layout solution protects against undue noise and vibration as the gym separates the guest accommodation from the engine room. From the gym, guests can walk straight out onto the main aft deck and take a dip in the sea after a workout. The fixed swim platform offers ample space to relax close to the water and a pantry with wet bar complements this delightful outdoor guest area.
Project Nova’s keel was laid in the presence of the ABS surveyor last February at the Heesen facility in Oss and her construction is scheduled to be completed by spring 2017.