SCHEVENINGEN – As motor yachts grow faster, longer and more chichi, Studio Delta’s naval architecture portfolio comprises vessels running to 100m. From modest tenders to fast motorboats to complex superyachts.
“Our work is primarily based on weight, speed and stability issues,” says Studio Delta owner Menno van Dijk. “Styling, we leave to specialists.”
Increasing demand for luxury and comfort means installing more technology. Van Dijk: “The first thing we do is check if all the technology fits. We consider installations such as stabilization fins, anchor gear, spud poles, transom doors etc.”
Fast yachts are a growing segment in the Netherlands. Studio Delta clients include Vanquish yachts (top photo), a maker of high-speed watercraft that is very active in the US market, where it caters to a demand for speed. Vanquish recently delivered a Vanquish-45 with four MercuryV12 outboards, each packing 600HP. Under construction is a 115-footer with three MTU Rolls Royce engines of 2,650HP each.
“That 35m Vanquish-115,” says Van Dijk, “has an aluminum hull and exceeds 47 knots. It has a patented Petestep hull with a reduced wetted surface easing wave slamming and noise.” It complies with Lloyd’s classification rules. “Because it is the first design of its kind, we lacked any Lloyd’s rules references. Lloyds then wanted to know how the hull would behave in curves and bends.”
Studio Delta casts the net far beyond fast craft. It recently worked on a 26m (85ft) steel trawler with a bulbous bow. The client demanded much research, “not only underwater, but also in the interior across several decks,” says Van Dijk. “The client plans to carry much fuel over long distances.”
Van Dijk is particularly proud of his work on the 14.6m Glacier-48 of Bic Yachts in Latvia “because it sails exceptionally well, even in rough conditions. It is a boat with many outdoor areas and much room for technology. Two VolvoPenta IPS 950 units give it a 30 knots top speed.”
Other recent projects include the 13.7m Vanton-45, an 18.5m Steeler-61 Long Range and a 19m Bestevaer-63 motor yacht. Last year, Studio Delta worked on a Steeler Yachts tender that had to fit on a superyacht, making the windows and roof collapsible.
