Solemates: Inside the evolved 55m Heesen superyacht attending the Monaco Yacht Show

The new exterior retains the distinctive triangular “shark tooth” detail on the wheelhouse overhang profile, which adds character. This isn’t the first time Heesen has redesigned one of its models, as Peter van der Zanden, general manager of design and development at Heesen Yachts, points out.

“We don’t rest on our laurels. Just like in the automotive industry, we in yachting understand the importance of evolving and refining the design of our successful yachts,” he says.

“Every piece has to have a story. Every piece has to be special. The owner wants to have a wow factor in each room”

Heesen’s sales team gathered feedback from the market to shape the redesign. The updates to the layout, performance and styling were inspired by a combination of feedback from Heesen’s 55-metre yacht clients and their operational teams, alongside a broader market input.

“We listen carefully to those who use our yachts and to what the market is demanding,” says van der Zanden.

Built on Van Oossanen Naval Architects’ proven Fast Displacement Hull Form, the yacht offers good seakeeping and fuel efficiency, just like her predecessor. Powered by IMO Tier III-compliant twin MTU4000 M63 diesel engines, she can reach a top speed of 15.5 knots and has a range of 4,500 nautical miles at cruising speed.

A few key changes in the engine room have improved cruising comfort on the new 55 metre – placing gear boxes on an elastic mount and replacing shaft couplings with rubber alternatives helped to reduce noise and vibration. “We’re five decibels below our target in most places on board,” says Connor.

The layout of the 55-metre Steel series has been revised both for better functionality and guest comfort. New additions include a fixed balcony in the owner’s suite to starboard, a larger sundeck, a reconfigured central atrium with a wider staircase and a six-cabin layout, the latter of which should appeal to larger families, charterers and Middle Eastern owners alike.

“The guest cabin layout has also been optimised, with the beds now positioned athwartship, which significantly increases the usable floor space within these cabins,” says van der Zanden. Crew access has been enhanced by adding a forward staircase that provides direct access to the sundeck from the crew quarters. The main-deck pantry is also considerably larger now, offering more storage and prep space for crew.

Solemates’ owner was able to take lessons from his previous Heesen and make a few changes to the layout and amenities as well. “My team had a solid list of upgrades from the default spec; Heesen were very good to integrate those ‘needs’ into our build,” says the owner. “Signing for it about a year before delivery enabled all of our changes to be fully integrated and the vessel to be delivered on time.”

Every piece of furniture on board is hand-picked for its eye-catching design

These changes included converting the beach club sauna into a walk-in fridge and freezer, upgrading the AV system and remote controls and adjusting the saloon and sundeck spaces to focus on the family unit. They like enjoying each other’s company,” says Connor. “They’re not solo, reading a book and sitting on a couch looking out to sea, they want to be able to interact all together. [The owner] will always say, ‘Can 12 people sit here?’”

The sundeck was also reconfigured from Heesen’s spec to meet this need for conviviality. The deck initially had a television outboard to starboard with a central sofa facing it. This was replaced by an L-shaped seating area and chairs facing each other, set aft of a long bar that wraps around the port side of the large spa tub forward. A DJ booth was added to this bar setup for entertaining.

The joinery and fixed furnishings had been installed, but the owner had the chance to personalise the rest

“Nice traffic flow, being able to easily reach for things and enough seating for all of the guests is very important to him,” says Deborah Viger, project co-ordinator and stylist with Luxury Yacht Group. The owner of Solemates had an ace up his sleeve in personalising the boat to his exact tastes with the help of Viger, who as well as being a decorator is also his former chief stew. This is the third Solemates she’s helped the owners design.

Having worked closely with the owners for many years, Viger is highly attuned to their tastes and was able to help create customised items for them, such as a tissue box holder that has a small waste bin built into it, so guests aren’t stuck looking for a place to throw out a used tissue.

Heesen tasked Luca Dini Design & Architecture with bringing a fresh perspective to the interiors. Like any good spec-built yacht, the decor was designed to be interesting while still appealing to a broad range of clients.

“The original project featured a daring combination of materials and colours – oak, smoked oak, palisander high-gloss cabinetry, soft leathers and precious fabrics,” says Silvia Margutti, lead architect at Luca Dini Design & Architecture.

“To personalise the design for the owners, several unique and challenging materials were added.” Margutti rattles off a list of materials chosen for Solemates, including metallic fabrics from French brand LcD, marbles that were hand-selected from quarries in Italy, crystals, alabaster and bespoke carpets. 

Each dayhead is unique and spectacular in its own right. One features alabaster ovals that offset the mirror and this proved to be one of the more challenging materials to work with – the alabaster broke multiple times before being successfully installed.

“To personalise the design, several unique and challenging materials were added”

The joinery and fixed furnishings had been installed when the contract was signed, but the owners had the chance to personalise the rest. “We were able to change all the loose furnishings,” says Viger. These, all custom-made, come from an array of vendors and include Christian Liaigre dining chairs paired with a bespoke “liquid metal” and stained oak dining table from Dtales in Italy.

“Every piece has to have a story, every piece has to be special,” says Connor. “The owner wants to have a wow factor in each room. Their style is a little bit extra but never tacky.”

Heesen’s business model of starting yachts on spec proved fruitful

Every piece of furniture on board is hand-picked for its eye-catching design, whether it’s the custom coffee table in the main saloon from Alexander Lamont with a shagreen and dark bronze base or the sculptural, stacked oak and brass bridge table in the bridge deck saloon. The owner’s wife is a competitive bridge player, and there’s also a setup for her to play bridge on the sundeck.

Margutti and Viger worked well together, whether it was collaboratively designing a chandelier or nailing down the perfect piece of furniture.

“Working with the owner’s personal decorator was a lovely experience, it was the perfect match between Luca Dini’s deep knowledge of the materials and of the potentiality of this concept and her understanding of the taste, lifestyle and necessities of the client and his family,” says Margutti.

“We have a bit of the same approach and we never seem to be satisfied with the ‘almost perfect’. Together we found the strength to go forward with particularly challenging decisions, fighting against time, which is always our toughest enemy.”

Having a knowledgeable team and owner nevertheless made that experience enjoyable. “Working with the same owner and their experienced team for a second 55-metre Heesen was a pure joy for everyone involved,” says van der Zanden.

“The client is exceptionally knowledgeable and highly experienced; he has experience with much larger boats and smaller boats, and his team understands his preferences and how he uses the yacht down to the smallest detail. This made our work much more efficient as they were able to make decisions very quickly, which was essential given their tight delivery schedule.

“We knew them, they knew us, and the focus was entirely on swiftly making things happen to ensure the owner could enjoy the yacht in time for the summer season.”

The owner and his family have already spent time on their new Solemates and are very pleased with the results. Film aficionados will tell you that there are very few sequels that match the standard of the original and, perhaps barring The Godfather Part II, even fewer that exceed the first. But in the case of Solemates, the owner’s second take on a 55-metre Heesen has outdone the first. When the owner stepped on board the finished yacht, he declared as much, saying, “It’s the best we’ve done.”

First published in the October 2025 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.