BLOG 5. ‘The making of a modern classic’ – An inside job

Does an old hull mean you have to settle for old tech? Amsterdam Yacht Service says no, and they are set to prove it as they take on a 25-year-old, part-completed 17-metre Pieter Beeldsnijder steel hull, re-imagine the build, and re-engineer the design to skilfully blend classic style with modern hybrid systems and amenities. Follow the AYS team through each stage of the process as they work from the purchase of the hull through to the launch of the completed (re)build.

As we make steady progress with the construction of Hull 405 – the Pieter Beeldsnijder-designed 17-metre steel yacht that had laid part complete for two decades, before we acquired her in 2023 in order to finish her build – we are starting to think about some of the fun stuff. For sure, our in-house technical expertise and experience in refitting and rebuilding a huge array of vessels, yachts and superyachts makes a lot of the early phases, such as creating 3D scans and figuring out the systems engineering, enjoyable. But it’s when we get to the stages of deciding interior layout and design that it really feels like the project is jumping forward.

We’ve already decided that the size and style of the yacht means it will likely appeal as an owner-operated cruiser, and that also ties in with work we are already doing to potentially reconfigure the aft end of the hull to bring the yacht up to date. As we noted in the previous blog, that has entailed considering a handful of variants not only of an extended hull, but also of the transom and general stern area.

While the decision on the underwater extension and the exact revised styling for the new aft end has yet to be finalised, one thing we have decided is that a tender garage is likely the best way to go – not just for convenience, but also because as this yacht sits squarely in the size and type of vessel that will appeal to owner-operators we don’t have to factor in finding extra space for a dedicated, separate crew cabin.

Naturally, however, nothing we do starts without having first considered the technical implications – it’s almost an Amsterdam Yacht Service trademark! “While we haven’t made a final decision on some elements of the exterior and the hull extension, we have done all the hydrodynamics calculations,” says Robert Binnekade, our managing director here at AYS. “That means we already know roughly how much weight we can put in the yacht in terms of systems and interior.

“After that,” he continues, “it’s a case of considering some more detailed layout options, and then bringing in an interior designer to create the right look and feel in terms of finishes, materials and the like. The big decision currently revolves around the tender garage, but this is a ripe size and a beautiful hull for a non-crewed yacht, and that gives us flexibility not only in interior but also in practical amenities to make the boating experience even better. And the more we model interior options, the more it becomes clear this is going to make a superb, elegant cruising yacht that combines classic Beeldsnijder lines with contemporary style and all mod cons.”