The fourth episode of the superyachting talk show by Dutch shipbuilder Heesen has now aired, with the latest instalment of YachtTalk offering an exclusive insight into the design and construction of superyacht tenders.
The episode also took the opportunity to shine a light on some of the beautiful tenders created for Heesen superyachts, including 45 metre Amore Mio, 55 metre Quite Essential and 70 metre Galactica Super Nova.
Heesen’s YachtTalk show first debuted back in September to fill the void left behind by this year’s cancelled yacht shows, and each episode brings together industry professionals to discuss current issues and hot topics within the yachting world, from design trends to sustainability practices.
For this episode, moderator Charlotte Kan was joined by three experts that specialise in tender design and construction. Ernest Menten, the founder of Dutch shipyard Tenderworks, and Wajer Yachts director Dries Wajer offered their insight into custom tender design. To broaden the perspective, Stefan Zucker of Zucker & Partner GmbH, a global firm that provides surveyance, project management and consultancy in the yacht industry, also contributed to the discussion.
The conversation started off with Kan asking the experts to define exactly what constitutes a superyacht tender. Menton described a tender as a yacht that belongs to and is carried by a superyacht – designed only for short distances, unlike chase boats that literally “chase the mothership” clarified Wajer.
As well as functionality, the design of tender boats is exceptionally important, as Mention explains that they provide “the first impression that the client, friend or owner gets of a boat, when getting picked up from the shore.”
When discussing current superyacht tender trends, Zucker noted that “there is an increasing demand for larger boats” among clients.
But when clients get carried away with creating their dream tender, this poses its own problems. “Typically, the wished tender doesn't fit into the boat. Because you're limited in weight, you are limited in height, you're limited in length, and ultimately also in width” explains Zucker, which is where the world of superyacht tenders and larger day boats and chase boats begin to collide.
Wajer added that ease of use is another important aspect of today’s tender design. “Manoeuvring [the tender] with a joystick is very important to the owners. That makes the driving of these chase boats easier and easier – you don't have to be a professional captain to basically run it and enjoy it. So that’s a request that we get a lot.”
The show closed with Kan asking each expert about which dream destination they would like to travel to on a tender, and with which celebrity on board – answers varied from the Arctic Circle to Saint Barths, and celebrity guests included Elon Musk and Julia Roberts – watch the video to find out why the experts made their choices.
Next up, the fifth episode of YachtTalk will bring together Heesen’s very own COO Rick van de Wetering with Brainport Industries Campus director Erik Veurink and Managing Director of RAMLAB Vincent Wegener. They will talk about the future of yacht building practices and consider how to increase efficiency while maintaining the fine details of craftsmanship when undertaking new projects.
To watch the latest YachtTalk episodes as soon as they are have aired, click the button below and subscribe to Heesen's youtube channel.
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