huisman motor yacht

When the late Wolter Huisman was asked if the shipyard could build a certain type of yacht, his answer was immediate and very clear: „If you can dream it, we can build it“. Sometimes however, even dreams need a little inspiration. Click on the yacht concepts below to explore.

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Costa Palmas
• L’Atelier
• Les Marquables de Martell
• Reynolds Lake Oconee
• Scott Dunn Travel
• Wilson Audio
• 672 Wine Club
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide

The World’s Largest Sportfishing Yacht Is About to Launch in Amsterdam

Project 406 was moved from an inland facility in the netherlands to the capital, where it will depart for billfishing grounds around the world., michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories.

• This New 144-Foot Superyacht Has a Glassed-In Dining Room With Ocean Views
• Taking a Bow: How Yacht Makers Are Rethinking the Front End
• Airliners Are Trying Radical New Wing Designs to Improve Fuel-Efficiency
• Share This Article

Billfish, beware.

Related Stories

• Station Wagons Are Back: 13 of the World’s Fastest, Most Powerful Models
• Steve McQueen’s Old 1970 Chevy K5 Blazer Is Now up for Grabs
• 18 Surprising Facts About the McLaren P1 Hypercar

“Project 406 is a sportfishing machine on steroids,” Vripack co-creative director Bart M. Bouwhuis told Robb Report in 2021 as the project became publicly known. “It has the proportions of a typical American sportfishing yacht, with a long, flaring bow and open foredeck, and raked-back superstructure. It’s just bigger in every way. She’ll set a new benchmark in the world of big-game fishing boats.” The boat will include a varnished-wood fighting chair in the cockpit.

The bow will have a large sun-lounge area, while its fourth-deck sky lounge will be a “theater” for watching the sportfishing action. To keep the vessel as lightweight as possible, the hull and superstructure will be made of Alustar aluminum, a strong, high-tensile alloy. Bouwhuis would not reveal the yacht’s power, though he used the word “huge” in the conversation. “You can’t fool nature if you want a 171-foot boat to go this fast,” he says. “It will have significant horsepower.”

Royal Huisman, best known for some of the world’s largest bespoke sailing superyachts , has yet to release a launch date or the eventual name for Project 406.

Read More On:

• Royal Huisman Yachts
• Superyachts

More Marine

This New 220-Foot Hybrid Megayacht Uses State-of-the-Art Heat Recovery to Save Energy

This New 62-Foot Solar-Electric Catamaran Is Topped by a Luxe Skylounge

This New 131-Foot Electric Catamaran Can Cruise the High Seas Sans Emissions

Asia Just Got a New Luxury Airliner. Here’s What It’s Like Onboard.

Culinary Masters 2024

MAY 17 - 19 Join us for extraordinary meals from the nation’s brightest culinary minds.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Marine

12 Fascinating Facts About ‘Kismet,’ the 400-Foot Megayacht With an Underwater Lounge

The 11 Best Water Toys for the High Seas, From Electric Surfboards to Personal Subs

More from our brands, hudson’s bay company ceo richard baker in bid to buy galeria in germany, alabama, uconn share analytical mindset—and even used same firm, canneseries wacky norwegian post-apocalypse comedy ‘dumbsday’ boarded by primitives (exclusive), a $20-30 m. lucio fontana from the rachofsky collection could set auction record at sotheby’s in may, the best medicine balls, according to fitness trainers.

• THE PRINCESS PASSPORT
• Email Newsletter
• Yacht Walkthroughs
• Destinations
• Electronics
• Best Marine Electronics & Technology
• Boating Safety

Meet The World’s Largest Sportfishing Yacht

• By Patrick Sciacca
• February 2, 2024

The world’s largest sportfishing yacht, the six-deck, 171-foot all-aluminum Project 406 from Royal Huisman and Vripack yacht design , is finally here.

It’s been three years since Yachting first reported on Project 406’s development. Details and interior views of the build are still being kept quiet, but what we do know is that Royal Huisman says the supersize sportfishing yacht is headed to its final staging area and preparing to launch in Amsterdam soon.

In a press release the shipyard stated, “Project 406 is designed for an experienced owner who is passionate about fishing. She is a unique vessel in so many respects. Vripack Yacht Design is responsible for the exterior and interior design and naval architecture of this highly prestigious project. Her design is extremely distinctive, with a long bow and high bulwarks sweeping through a clear sheer to a low and uncluttered cockpit aft.”

“The high tower offers outstanding views with a downward angle on the water for specialized fishing. Apart from its practical function, the tower also offers a superb viewing platform for guests, who can follow all the action below. Project 406 effortlessly blends the ultimate sports fishing experience with genuine superyacht scale, comfort and refinement.”

Royal Huisman says a team of more that 350 craftspeople worked on the build over the last three years.

At its 171-foot length overall, Project 406 now tops several other giant custom sport-fishers such as the 144-foot Trinity Bad Company , 130-foot McMullen & Wing Mea Culpa and the 129-foot Yachting Developments Lanakai , by a significant margin.

When the build was first announced in 2021, Royal Huisman CEO Jan Timmerman called Project 406 “the world’s first true sport-fish superyacht,” while Vripack co-creative director Bart M. Bouwhuis says it’s “a sport-fisher on steroids.”

Seeing the results. We’d agree.

• More: Royal Huisman , Sport Fishing Yachts , Vripack , Yachts
• More Yachts

Meet The Italia Yachts Veloce 43

On Board the Intrepid 51 Panacea

Sunseeker 182 Ocean Reviewed

New Shipyards for Sirena and Sunreef

For Sale: Hampton Endurance 680 LRC

Sanlorenzo SL96A For Sale

Lazzara 116 Open Bridge For Sale

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding

The global authority in superyachting

• NEWSLETTERS
• Yachts Home
• The Superyacht Directory
• Yacht Reports
• Brokerage News
• The largest yachts in the world
• The Register
• Yacht Advice
• Yacht Design
• 12m to 24m yachts
• Monaco Yacht Show
• Builder Directory
• Designer Directory
• Interior Design Directory
• Naval Architect Directory
• Yachts for sale home
• Motor yachts
• Sailing yachts
• Explorer yachts
• Classic yachts
• Sale Broker Directory
• Charter Home
• Yachts for Charter
• Charter Destinations
• Charter Broker Directory
• Destinations Home
• Mediterranean
• South Pacific
• Rest of the World
• Boat Life Home
• Owners' Experiences
• Interiors Suppliers
• Owners' Club
• Captains' Club
• BOAT Showcase
• Boat Presents
• Events Home
• World Superyacht Awards
• Superyacht Design Festival
• Design and Innovation Awards
• Young Designer of the Year Award
• Artistry and Craft Awards
• Explorer Yachts Summit
• Ocean Talks
• The Ocean Awards
• BOAT Connect
• Between the bays
• Golf Invitational
• Boat Pro Home
• Pricing Plan
• Superyacht Insight
• Product Features
• Premium Content
• Testimonials
• Global Order Book
• Tenders & Equipment

Athena: Inside the 79m Royal Huisman flagship yacht

To celebrate the news that the Royal Huisman schooner Athena will be attending to this year’s Monaco Yacht Show , we speak to owner Jim Clark about his enduring love for this 79.25 metre sailing yacht.

“Let’s face it,” says Jim Clark, “you have to be a little bit nuts.” The Silicon Valley legend, founder of Netscape, WebMD and Silicon Graphics, is talking about building his triple-masted schooner, Athena .

There were a few people at Royal Huisman who would have agreed: the shipyard hadn’t even launched Clark’s previous yacht, 47.4 metre Hyperion , when he started talking about a much, much bigger boat. “I guess I was just thinking it would be nice to have something a little more roomy,” he says. “I could easily have built a 50 or 60 metre motor yacht that would have had the same space as Athena , but I was never really interested in building a motor yacht.”

The clipper-bowed beauty that was born of this thinking ranks as one of the all-time great superyachts; as big a hit today as she was when launched in 2004. Twelve years on and Clark is still smitten with Athena . “I love her proportions. To my eye, she’s one of the most gorgeous large sailing yachts, maybe the most gorgeous large sailing yacht in the world.”

The 72 year old didn’t stop with Athena . He went on to build the J Class Hanuman at Royal Huisman and the 30.4 metre carbon weapon Comanche at Hodgdon Yachts (which recently broke the Transatlantic sailing record ). But it’s Athena with which he’s most closely identified, a 90 metre nod to a more refined age, yet packed with the kind of tech you’d expect from a man who has made a fortune inventing the future.

We’re talking shortly after a bittersweet period for Clark. He was honoured with the Legacy Award at the 2016 World Superyacht Awards , which followed shortly after the sad news of Pieter Beeldsnijder’s death. The Dutch designer was responsible for the exterior and interior styling of Hyperion , and worked closely with Clark on the interiors of Athena , creating a series of rich but comfortable spaces with a classic edge.

“He was one of my all-time favourite people,” says Clark. “He and I were even talking about doing some other projects together. I would have enjoyed seeing him another time.”

Such was Beeldsnijder’s success in delivering Clark’s vision for the yacht that, all these years later, Clark says he wouldn’t change a thing. “I would design a new boat before I would change Athena . If I was forced to change something, I would convert the office on the lower deck into a children’s room because it’s next to the master stateroom. I didn’t anticipate children when designing this boat, but all that’s changed now! People who come on board can’t believe she’s 12 years old. She’s been very well cared for.”

Clark proudly recounts a story from a few days before our interview. He had been invited aboard a “very large” motor yacht in Monaco’s Port Hercules and, when leaving to tender back to  Athena , a young couple got in the boat thinking it was a ferry to shore. “It turns out they were Dutch and I invited them aboard and they were just effusive about Athena compared to the motor yacht.”

The story of how  Athena  came to be starts on the Amalfi Coast, where, in the 1990s, Clark first laid eyes on  Creole . The 63 metre wooden schooner, owned by the Gucci family, was built in 1927 to designs by Charles E Nicholson. “I looked at her and said, ‘that’s a beautiful boat’.  Athena  as a concept started along the lines of  Creole .”

“Prior to even building Hyperion I had also chartered [J Class yacht] Endeavour , so I was always intrigued by that kind of boat. When I went back and thought about building a bigger boat [than Hyperion ], I thought why not build a more traditional-looking boat? That’s where Pieter and I started.”

There was never a question about which yard would build it. Jim Clark and Royal Huisman were wed with Hyperion , which at that point was the yard’s biggest launch. Now double it, Clark demanded. But it wasn’t as easy as simply saying “yes”, recalls Alice Huisman, former MD of the company and daughter of the legendary Wolter Huisman.

“When Jim started to think about Athena , I don’t really think we understood his vision,” she says. “Where we saw limits and constraints, he saw none. For example, he pushed her physical dimensions to the point where we had to build a whole new construction hall that would be large enough to accommodate her size.” It was the boat that kept on growing, both parties remember. For Clark, though, it was just about nailing the proportions.

“I wanted it to look right, and it sort of came out where it was,” he says. “I didn’t pay a lot of attention to the actual size, but it needed to have the right accommodations and plenty of headroom. The only thing is I made a conscious effort to connect the cabins with the crew area forward, so I made a passage through the engine room that’s soundproofed; it allows you to walk through and see Athena ’s engines. It’s a great feature.”

What Clark could never have foreseen is how Athena would perform as a family boat, which she has ended up becoming. Clark married Australian model and TV personality Kristy Hinze in 2008 and together they have two children. “It’s turned into a very useful boat for children,” he says. “I have a little girl that’s not quite two and a girl that’s four, and on the main deck the side railings are really solid, so you never have to worry. And we put this netting along the poop deck. It’s now a pretty child-friendly boat. We spend a lot of time on board with the kids.”

As well as being the biggest build ever undertaken at Royal Huisman (a record that still stands), Athena was to be Wolter Huisman’s swan song. He died not long after her launch in July 2004. Alice Huisman remembers that her father was “very, very proud” and probably also partly relieved to see her on the water. Athena pushed his shipyard – and him – to the limit.

“As the length approached 90 metres, my father became more and more anxious about how much further he could extend the build hall,” says Huisman. “He even suggested to Jim that he consider another shipyard, but Jim not only knew exactly what he wanted, he also knew with whom he wanted to build it. He was very convincing!”

Clark calls Athena his “world travelling boat”, with three circumnavigations under her belt. “What better way to travel?” His love of scuba diving means itineraries have been dictated by what’s beneath the water. “I spent two one-month periods in Papua, which has some of the best diving in the world. We enjoyed diving in the Andamans. I’ve been in the Red Sea and out through there. In fact, I think we passed through about a week before that first notorious hijack [in 2009, of French yacht Tanit ].”

Such extensive cruising is off the table for the time being, with more domestic responsibilities taking priority (“I’ve got a child about to start kindergarten”), but the ambition is still there to explore remoter regions with his family. “I’d like them to get into that 12, 13, 14 age range and then they can be taught to scuba dive.”

Clark’s favourite memory associated with Athena is actually an underwater one. “It’s unquestionably doing underwater photography with my friend Louie Psihoyos. We worked together on the film The Cove , which I financed. We spent many, many hours on Athena doing underwater photography. I learned a lot from him and we came up with some phenomenal pictures.”

He’s got a few good above-water anecdotes, too. “I remember one of our first sails, overnight from Rangiroa in the Tuamotus. I had a bunch of fun movie people on board Athena — Liev Schreiber, Naomi Watts, Griffin Dunne, Fisher Stevens. We were just screaming along downwind on a broach reach, heeled over easy 15 or maybe even 20 degrees. We were having so much fun in the protected aft area, dancing and listening to music. There’s a funny video of that. It was a memorable sail and went all night – we sailed all the way from Rangiroa to Bora Bora.

“Then there was a time in the Med. We had a big party with a bunch of friends in Positano, and in the late afternoon there you get a sea breeze that picks up and blows west to east and you can sail with a slight heel and be doing 12 knots. Sails like that are very nice because it doesn’t even feel like you’re moving. But you’re up on the netting on the bowsprit, looking down and the dolphins start chasing you. Those experiences are unique.”

With naval architecture and rig design from Dykstra Naval Architects , Athena was always going to be a performer, which Clark happily confirms – even if that performance is sometimes unexpected. “One time we were coming off the Turkish coast and the meltemi was blowing and the boat heeled over so far we got thrown out of bed!”

Despite Athena being for sale , Clark is still getting maximum use out of her. The day we speak, he is on board in Monaco, sitting in the bridge. “I tend to work here, at what you might otherwise call a chart table, although there are no charts any more.”

When not working, his favourite spot on board Athena is all the way aft, where there’s a large sunbed covered by an awning. “It’s fun to get under there, out of the breeze, and hang with the children and people and have laughs and drinks. There’s another spot on the upper deck, which is covered and probably one of the nicest spots on the boat.”

The reason she’s for sale is simply time. “I’ve got too many boats,” he says. “I’m particularly afflicted with this disease. I mean, good God, how many boats have I had? A 17 metre Baltic , a 27 metre Jongert , a 47 metre Frers , Hanuman , Athena , Comanche . I have a fishing boat, a 70 foot sport fisher. That’s enough boats but I have loved them all, one way or another. It just comes down to having too many irons in the fire.”

He reserves a special affection for Athena  — the biggest boat in his fleet — and if she was to sell tomorrow it would clearly be a painful parting. “I would miss all of her,” he says. And if she doesn’t sell? Well, there’s still a few destinations on his bucket list. “I never made it to Madagascar, and I understand there’s some incredible diving there. And I’ve never been to the Seychelles or South Africa.” Sounds like Athena territory.

First published in the August 2016 edition of Boat International

More about this yacht

Similar yachts for sale, more stories, most recent, from our partners, sponsored listings.

Please use a modern browser to view this website. Some elements might not work as expected when using Internet Explorer.

• Landing Page
• Luxury Yacht Vacation Types
• Corporate Yacht Charter
• Tailor Made Vacations
• Luxury Exploration Vacations
• View All 3583
• Motor Yachts
• Sailing Yachts
• Classic Yachts
• Catamaran Yachts
• Filter By Destination
• More Filters
• Latest Reviews
• Charter Special Offers
• Destination Guides
• Inspiration & Features
• Mediterranean Charter Yachts
• France Charter Yachts
• Italy Charter Yachts
• Croatia Charter Yachts
• Greece Charter Yachts
• Turkey Charter Yachts
• Bahamas Charter Yachts
• Caribbean Charter Yachts
• Australia Charter Yachts
• Thailand Charter Yachts
• Dubai Charter Yachts
• Destination News
• New To Fleet
• Charter Fleet Updates
• Special Offers
• Industry News
• Yacht Shows
• Corporate Charter
• Finding a Yacht Broker
• Charter Preferences
• Questions & Answers
• Add my yacht

• Yacht Charter Fleet
• Fleet Updates News

First Look: Royal Huisman unveils new images of 81-meter SEA EAGLE II

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on X
• Share via Email

By Nina Done   31 March 2023

Royal Huisman has released a collection of stunning new images of the elegant 81m (266ft) sailing yacht SEA EAGLE II , currently the largest aluminum sailing yacht in the world, following her global voyage covering over 45,000 nautical miles. 

Showcasing never seen before images since her low-key delivery under the shadow of the pandemic in 2020, pictures reveal her dramatic lines, plumb bow and majestic Panamax rig under power, courtesy of Dykstra Naval Architects and Mark Whitely Design. 

Her vast rigging encompasses three mainsails that can be hoisted simultaneously for ultra-efficient post-lunch getaways, while her aluminum hull ensures a lightness, acceleration, strength and fuel efficiency, giving her the edge over other heavy, sail-assisted yachts. 

As well as being an aesthetically alluring yacht, one with real presence on the water, this is a yacht that regularly sails at double-digit speeds and takes a matter of minutes to go from anchored to sailing.

Commissioned by an experienced owner, the brief was clear: to create an extremely comfortable and spacious sailing yacht with good sea keeping and exceptional amenities for both guests and crew, alongside the important functional aspects of performance, reliability and power under sail.

Supersized sailing yachts like this are no longer an impossible dream, Royal Huisman’s CEO Jan Timmerman points out: “Continual innovation, accumulated expertise and rigorous self-challenge have come together through our highly skilled and dedicated team to produce Athena, SEA EAGLE II and, currently in-build, the world’s largest sloop, the 85 m (280ft) New World Sloop aka Project 410."

Available for charter

Now on the yacht charter market, guests can experience the elegance and sophistication of this contemporary yacht for themselves. From her beautiful outdoor cinema to her multiple al fresco dining areas, there is an abundance of space onboard where guests can kick back, relax and socialize in style. 

Accommodating up to 12 guests across six elegantly appointed cabins, the yacht is versatile for a variety of charter party configurations. She is also capable of carrying up to 14 crew onboard to ensure a relaxed private yacht charter experience.

If you'd like to learn more about chartering sailing yacht SEA EAGLE II, please get in touch with your chosen yacht charter broker . 

Alternatively, feel free to compare and contrast the entire fleet of sailing yachts available for charter .

Featured Royal Huisman yachts available for charter

90m Royal Huisman 2004 / 2019

57m Royal Huisman 2010 / 2021

52m Royal Huisman 2007 / 2017

47m Royal Huisman 1998 / 2023

• READ MORE ABOUT:
• Royal Huisman
• SEA EAGLE II
• all-aluminum
• Sailing Yacht

RELATED STORIES

Previous Post

SOUNDWAVE gears up for a busy summer in the Med

Explore the beauty of Sardinia onboard family favorite yacht CALYPSO

EDITOR'S PICK

Latest News

5 April 2024

4 April 2024

• See All News

Yacht Reviews

• See All Reviews

Charter Yacht of the week

Join our newsletter

Useful yacht charter news, latest yachts and expert advice, sent out every fortnight.

Please enter a valid e-mail

Thanks for subscribing

Featured Luxury Yachts for Charter

This is a small selection of the global luxury yacht charter fleet, with 3583 motor yachts, sail yachts, explorer yachts and catamarans to choose from including superyachts and megayachts, the world is your oyster. Why search for your ideal yacht charter vacation anywhere else?

136m | Lurssen

from $4,339,000 p/week ♦︎

115m | Lurssen

from $2,820,000 p/week ♦︎

85m | Golden Yachts

from $976,000 p/week ♦︎

88m | Golden Yachts

from $1,193,000 p/week ♦︎

84m | Feadship

from $1,085,000 p/week ♦︎

93m | Feadship

from $1,519,000 p/week ♦︎

Maltese Falcon

88m | Perini Navi

from $490,000 p/week

122m | Lurssen

from $3,000,000 p/week

As Featured In

The YachtCharterFleet Difference

YachtCharterFleet makes it easy to find the yacht charter vacation that is right for you. We combine thousands of yacht listings with local destination information, sample itineraries and experiences to deliver the world's most comprehensive yacht charter website.

San Francisco

• Like us on Facebook
• Follow us on Twitter
• Follow us on Instagram
• Find us on LinkedIn
• Add My Yacht
• Affiliates & Partners

Popular Destinations & Events

• St Tropez Yacht Charter
• Monaco Yacht Charter
• St Barts Yacht Charter
• Greece Yacht Charter
• Mykonos Yacht Charter
• Caribbean Yacht Charter

Featured Charter Yachts

• Maltese Falcon Yacht Charter
• Wheels Yacht Charter
• Victorious Yacht Charter
• Andrea Yacht Charter
• Titania Yacht Charter
• Ahpo Yacht Charter

Receive our latest offers, trends and stories direct to your inbox.

Please enter a valid e-mail.

Thanks for subscribing.

Search for Yachts, Destinations, Events, News... everything related to Luxury Yachts for Charter.

Yachts in your shortlist