NOARDBURGUM—In its 55th anniversary year, the Super Lauwersmeer shipyard is on a roll. The maker of high-end motor yachts celebrates this jubilee year by looking back on an extraordinary awards-packed 2023.
In January 2023, its 16.5m SLX54 flagship (r) debuted at Boot Düsseldorf, winning a Powerboat of the Year award. In the summer, it was named Dutch Yacht of the Year, and in late December, the shipyard launched a second SLX54 for owners who plan to sail through Scandinavia this summer.
In their anniversary year, yard owners Bastiaan and Louis Jousma will launch an SL lifestyle magazine featuring yard news, new models and travel stories from owners. The yard will also launch its clothing line.
Much has happened since the 1960s when the original Lauwersmeer (named after a northern Dutch lake) was built with a passion for innovation, craftsmanship, and a desire to create a perfect boat. That first was a steel, open-cockpit craft.
The SLX54 is the result of more than five decades of yacht-building experience. It is an innovative motor yacht suitable for cruising in many sailing areas. “During trade fairs, conversations with customers and paying close attention to yachting world trends, the idea for a new flagship arose. With the SLX54, we put a revolutionary yacht on the market,” says Louis Jousma, who worked on the yacht with his brother Bastiaan and architect Arnold de Ruyter.
“Normally, customers make a trade-off between an aft cabin or an open cockpit. With that comes a choice between inside or outside steering. The SLX54 offers both. The SLX54 is a steel yacht but can sail relatively fast, so the traditional concessions are a thing of the past.”
The SLX54 also offers a Beach Deck that moves life aboard a yacht closer to the water. The yard says many customers like to be close to the water. An open cockpit already brings that experience very close. The BeachDeck, adjacent to a BeachLounge separated by sliding doors, takes that closer.
Five steps lead from that lounge to the Wheelhouse, the SunDeck, and forward cabins. The SLX54 has two spacious cabins and two bathrooms. A double cabin with an adjoining bathroom equipped with its own toilet, rain shower, and washbasin is located on the port side. The owner’s cabin feels like a 5-star hotel suite.
The SLX54 features an underwater hull from Van Oossanen Naval Architects, making the yacht sail faster and more economically without massive engines. “The concept is halfway between a water displacement and a planing vessel, “something not seen before in this segment,” says Louis Jousma, who is responsible for technical development at Super Lauwersmeer.
“The SLX54 can overtake a freighter without pulling a huge stern wave.”
Whereas the yard’s Discovery models achieve a top speed of 8 to 9 knots, the SLX54 can reach up to 15 knots (28 km/h) with two 440HP Yanmars.
