A Duo of Dutch Superyachts Launched by Heesen

Heesen’s 164-foot Project Maia was christened Omaha during its recent launch ceremony at the shipyard in Oss. Omaha is the first of Heesen’s 50-meter steel class vessels, replacing the Dutch builder’s 47-meter steel series.

Using classic-car features for inspiration, Clifford Denn created a bold look on the exterior, with elements like a “Fiskers Whiskers” grille that combines specially designed aft plates and navigation lights. Denn’s use of other features like forward-slanting windows also gives Omaha a muscular profile, while providing protection to the wheelhouse. The multilayered deck structure gives the exterior several privacy zones, while a special nook on the foredeck for the tender opens up the aft section. There are many clever design features that differentiate Omaha from superyachts in its class.

For Omaha’s interior, the owners worked closely with Reymond Langton and Heesen’s in-house engineers to create what they term a “contemporary, calm” look. Others, seeing the light-colored oak and stained walnut combined with clean lines and textured materials, would just call it simple but sophisticated.

The new Heesen’s twin MTU M63 engines will give the yacht a top speed of 15 knots. At 12 knots, it has a range of 3,800 nautical miles. Currently undergoing sea trials in the North Sea, Omaha is scheduled to be delivered to its owners at the end of June. A sister ship, named Project Triton, is now under construction at Heesen.

Irisha, the second recent superyacht launch from Heesen, was just delivered to its owners. The 167-foot all-aluminum vessel has a stunning profile by Harrison Eidsgaard that has been engineered to resemble a fighter jet with an unconventional color scheme. The designers combined a “Snow White” top with a Midnight Blue main deck, finishing with a metallic Pacific Blue hull. In changing sunlight, Irisha’s hull transforms from blue to a dark olive-green. Concealed LED strips trace the lines of its profile at night, flooding the yacht’s glass surfaces with bright light.

The interior is a bit less dramatic, but still beautiful with beige, gray, and blue. Special lighting was developed to draw a guest’s eye to the architectural and design elements in each room by creating different atmospheres, all with the touch of a button. Irisha was also designed to be a spacious, elegant gathering place. The main deck has a formal reception area for large groups, with a protected, aft-deck winter garden connecting to the main interior saloon. The idea is that the inside and outside can be connected with removable glass panels, so guests can enjoy seaside views, even during inclement weather. The 30-foot-long saloon has an “imperial” dining table that seats from 14 to 22 guests. In contrast with the social areas, the owner’s suite forward is a haven, with its own study, balcony with sliding glass doors, and his-and-her walk-in dressing rooms. Custom artwork defines the master suite, and is laced across the yacht, including the main atrium with the yacht’s primary staircase.

Besides its glimmering hull, one of the other attractions of Irisha is that the yacht will be available for charter in the Mediterranean this summer, while making its public debut at the Monaco Yacht Show in September.