The Mighty Zeus

The Dutch shipyard Hakvoort have just completed the signing of a contract to build their largest megayacht to date. Project "Zeus" will measure 63.33m (208ft) in length and has bold strong exterior lines that are ready to dominate the worlds oceans. Diana Yacht Design is responsible for the naval architecture and the interior will come from the design rooms of Sinot Yacht Design. The sale was arranged in close cooperation with Moran Yacht & Ship.

She is the second major new order for Hakvoort within the space of a few months and justifies the significant investments the yard has made in recent years to expand its facilities. Zeus will require a further extension of the yard, cementing Hakvoort's position in the market for the building of megayachts up to 65m (213ft) in length.

The owner of Zeus has a longstanding relationship with designer Rene van der Velden and asked him to draw a modern classic with a difference. "He was very keen that the yacht should not be a repeat of anything else that is currently afloat but something genuinely fresh and bold," explains Van der Velden. "The owner admires a type of styling called streamlining, which was especially popular in the 1930s and 40s. A streamliner is a vehicle or vessel given a specific shape that reduces air resistance: Examples include the famous ferry Kalakala and the record-breaking car Bluebird. This is the first time streamlining has been so clearly integrated into the design of a superyacht." 

A crucial part of the layout brief was the location of the tenders. "The owner has a lot of experience and knows how difficult large tenders can be to launch," Van der Velden continues. "Seeking a very practical solution we chose to place two nine-metre tenders on the main deck. As this eats into a lot of prime real estate, we have skipped the traditional saloon, dedicating the main deck to the owner's quarters, galley and captain's cabin. This has freed space on the deck above for pure socialising."

Her upper deck includes a spacious saloon forward and sky lounge aft that has sliding doors that open up to create a giant inside out area. The bridge deck includes the wheelhouse and a large area for the gym, that can also be opened up for the ultimate in al fresco fitness. She also features a beach club with lots of storage and a sauna. Twin Caterpillar 3512Cs will give her a top speed of 15kts and a cruising speed of 12.5kts.