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.
Having acquired a classic Pieter Beeldsnijder 17-metre steel yacht hull that had been laid up unfinished for more than two decades, we faced our first big challenge – how to get the part-built boat back to the AYS shipyard facilities near Amsterdam. The yacht, which had been bought by a carpenter with plans to complete the build and turn it into his house on the canal, was located in the workshop next to Beeldsnijder’s former design office a fair distance away from the shipyard.
“To get the hull to our shipyard, the first thing we had to do was get her into a nearby river to float her down to AYS,” begins Robert Binnekade, managing director of AYS. “That entailed craning her over a road, and that meant potential logistical headaches. As it turns out, there’s an industrial laundry on the opposite side of the road, next to the river, and they agreed to clear out their truck parking area for us to roll the hull in there and then, with a big tele-crane, we lifted the hull over the road and into the little river.”
From there, we used tugs to float the hull 50 kilometres through three locks to the AYS yard, where the travel lift could easily haul the hull out of the water and onto our extensive hardstanding. “It only takes a half-hour to drive to where the hull was being stored, but the trip downstream to the yard took a couple of days,” says Binnekade. “It was a logistical challenge, although nothing the team here couldn’t handle! And now she’s ready for the next phase, which will be taking a 3D scan of the entire hull and using that to base our re-engineering of the yacht on.”
A classic yacht is a legacy, and we treat it that way. We restore your yacht to its original glory, without losing its soul. We blend old craftsmanship with modern technology. Amsterdam Yacht Builders brings your classic back to life. Read more about our Classic Yacht Renovation services here.
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Getting repeat clients is always a thrill, not just because it’s testament to the capabilities Amsterdam Yacht Service offers, but also because it’s like greeting old friends. We were especially thrilled in late Spring this year to welcome back the mighty 64.5-metre schooner Atlantic, who trusted the AYS team to help with some involved work […]
It’s been a while since we’ve blogged about our 17-metre Pieter Beeldsnijder-designed motor yacht that we acquired part-complete in 2023. That’s partly because we’ve been so busy with a vast array of other projects that have been coming through the yard – from stunning sailing schooners like the 64.5-metre Atlantic to sections of a bridge […]
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