Since launching in 1976, Heesen has launched over 170 yachts and is now considered a world leader in the design and construction of aluminium superyachts. But what makes a boat quintessentially ‘Heesen’? Is it world-class craftmanship? Sporty lines or performance?
In this series, BOAT sits down with some of the world’s most revered superyacht designers to chat about their favourite Heesen designs and what makes up the shipyard’s idiosyncratic DNA. In this third instalment, we chat with founder of Winch Design, Andrew Winch.
Winch, who founded the eponymous London-based superyacht design studio 35 years ago, reflected on his experience working with the Dutch yard, which he describes as “great fun”.
“They did so many of the fastest aluminium yachts but they developed the technology for it, they developed the proof of product that their yachts actually achieve those speeds and those yachts are still around today doing their yachting, which is proof of the product,” he said.
Heesen is currently building two Winch-penned projects; the 67 metre Project Sparta, which is based on the yard’s 66 metre Project Avanti, and the 80 metre, all aluminium Project Cosmos.
Project Sparta is due for delivery in 2023 while the keel was laid on the 80 metre Project Cosmos in May this year. “Now that I’ve got into the family at Heesen, I’ve found it, not only great fun, but also they are unique in the history of yachts, especially for doing the fastest yachts – it’s a signature for Heesen.”
Winch has also designed the first explorer concept in Heesen’s 41-year history, the 57 metre Xventure.
“We are looking at a new adventure with Heesen called the Xventure, this is an explorer Heesen and it follows on Heesen’s history because they have built yachts that have carried cars and gone round the world.”
In partnership with Heesen Yachts