NOARDBURGUM – The Super Lauwersmeer yard will soon launch a 15.6m (54ft) yacht sporting a radically new underwater hull by Van Oossanen Naval Architects.
The yard says the new hull fixes a common issue for its water displacement yachts. They are not fast enough to stay ahead of – or overtake – inland commercial shipping, often hefty craft that can exert significant suction, especially in shallow inland waters.
Van Oossanen’s solution is a new hull concept – the Fast Displacement Hull Form Multi Chine (FDHF MC) – in tandem with its patented Hull Vane. This combo lets displacement yachts stay ahead of inland cargo traffic or overtake it. According to computer simulations, the FDHF MC has a low resistance to water, which cuts fuel use by up to 20%.
Van Oossanen engineers faced the challenge of developing a fuel-efficient hull that increases speed and makes for comfortable cruising at speeds between 5 and 15 knots.
The FDHF MC is another high point for a company with an impressive track record in hull designs that yield speed, comfort and fuel efficiency.
The Super Lauwersmeer yard says the FDHF-MC hull makes for comfortable cruising at any speed. Its Discovery displacement yacht series now has a top speed of only 8 to 9 knots, ‘Project 54’ raises that to 15 knots.
‘With “Project 54” we are truly introducing a unique boat to the market,” says Super Lauwersmeer owner Louis Jousma. “It has a steel hull but can sail fast thanks to the unique underwater hull.”
The yard will formally launch “Project 54” – no final name has been announced yet – in the summer but says it has already sold two. Super Lauwersmeer markets very high-end craft. At just over 15, Project 54 will be the boatyard’s new flagship.
Van Oosanen has been marketing its patented Hull Vane for several years. It is a hydrodynamic, wing-shaped underwater appendage just aft of the transom. It comes in two custom versions: one fixed, the other maneuverable from the bridge. For smaller yachts, there is a semi-custom version.
The Hull Vane has proven effective on medium-speed displacement vessels (such as superyachts, naval ships, patrol vessels, passenger ships, offshore supply vessels, ro-ro ships) and certain container ships.
