Heesen Yachts has revised its 55 m series. Following successful tests in the North Sea, the Dutch company has delivered the first yacht.
According to Heesen, the “Iris Blue” met all the required specifications during the three-day sea trials and the tests went smoothly and according to plan. On the second day of trials, the yacht was tested in rough seas with waves of up to 1.7 m from north to northwest and west to northwest winds with gusts of up to 28 knots.
Just like her predecessors, “Iris Blue” proved to be extremely responsive and accepted steering commands immediately, according to Heesen. The use of large rudders in conjunction with a powerful steering unit ensured that the yacht responded very quickly.
Heesen adds an elegant touch to the yacht
Frank Laupman from Omega Architects, the original designer of this series, has taken on the redesign of the exterior lines. “As much as we love our original design with the vertical windows, we felt it was time to take an evolutionary step,” says Frank. “We opted for a larger, floor-to-ceiling glass surface without muntins in the main salon. We then took the opportunity to give the profile a slightly more aggressive look by using continuous panes of tinted glass. The horizontal lines stretch the visual length and even out the draught. The result is beautiful: we kept the familiar appearance but gave it an elegant touch.”
Revised design
According to Heesen, the owner’s quarters now have a veranda on the starboard side, which is a new feature. This feature is “something truly unique that fundamentally changes the spatial experience in the 78 m² cabin, which now also includes new walk-in closets”. The ability to access an outdoor area in complete privacy is a wonderful addition to this space.
The layout has also been revised and now offers a larger sun deck with a bar around the forward Jacuzzi. On the main deck, the central atrium has been modernized with a wider and revised main staircase, while an additional companionway from the wheelhouse deck up to the sundeck facilitates crew access.
Niels Vaessen, CEO of Heesen, comments: “The 55m Steel von Heesen is a unique and very competitive design. We believe in this proven design platform and have worked with Omega and Luca Dini to create a yacht that meets the refined tastes of clients who appreciate Dutch quality with a shortened delivery time. ‘Iris Blue’ is a wonderful addition to our fleet.”
