It’s one thing being able to offer first class facilities for maintenance, refit and rebuild projects, but it’s quite another to be able to back that up with an experienced team for whom the demands of design and the pressures of time are just two more things to be taken in their stride. For Amsterdam Yacht Services – which caters to a broad swathe of customers from commercial vessels to tour boats, classic yachts and superyachts – MS Hendrika is a perfect example of the application of talent to an element of restoration that demanded a sensitive touch and a sophisticated approach to problem-solving.
MS Hendrika is a classic 26-metre Dutch barge that was originally built in 1915. Like many of her sisters, she has been converted to run as a motorised vessel, but she retains her key classic features. “She came to Amsterdam Yacht Services for regular maintenance, but she also still carried her original oak rudder – a very large appendage at roughly 2.5 by 1.5 metres,” explains Robert Binnekade, managing director and Amsterdam Yacht Services.
“Unfortunately the oak rudder was rotten to the core, and it was obvious there was no point trying to salvage it,” Binnekade continues. “So we set out to build a new one in steel, but designed and styled to exactly match the original.”
The AYS team faced the challenge of time, with less than a month to design the new rudder, engineer it and order a pre-cut package, then assemble it in-house and fit it on the ship. “It was a very short turnaround, but we achieved it all in just over three weeks,” Binnekade enthuses.
“The end result is a modern steel rudder that we hope will last another 100 years, onto which we have transposed all the details of the original oak rudder. It’s testament to what the team here is capable of when it comes to refit and, in particular, to the refit and restoration of classic yachts and superyachts,” he concludes. “With MS Hendrika’s new steel rudder, if you didn’t know you’d think simply that the old oak one had just been repainted!”
A Fantastic Union: Hull and superstructure marriage of 64m Hakvoort at AYS
December 2023 marked another significant milestone for Amsterdam Yacht Service, as its highly experienced team carried out its first ever marriage of a hull and superstructure. The event took place over the course of just one day for the 64-metre Hakvoort motor yacht (build number, xxx, the shipyard’s newest project) which has a steel hull […]
Come hull and high water
A measure of a good shipyard is the range of services it can offer and the range of works it can undertake, and there’s no doubt that Amsterdam Yacht Services has those elements covered thanks to its background as a commercially orientated shipyard. The measure of a great shipyard, however, is not just the scope […]
Treasure at the end of the rainbow
It’s fair to say that wooden boats inspire passion like few other craft. For Robert Binnekade, that passion was sparked by a classic Dutch one-design racing dayboat that still draws ardent owners for its competitive fleet. Binnekade acquired a 1947 example of the class, number 61 name Regenbouw (Dutch for rainbow), from an old friend. […]
New wood workshop opened
While Amsterdam Yacht Service has its roots and heritage in steel-hulled fishing vessels and classic Dutch barges, in the last decade the team has made a deliberate shift toward a focus on yacht and superyacht refit and new construction. As part of this shift, the shipyard has invested in a new wood workshop, occupying part […]
Seventh Heaven: Amsterdam Yacht Service takes on seven Windcat catamarans
Busier than ever as we launch into 2024, recent activities at the Amsterdam Yacht Service premesis in Zaandam have included numerous highly efficient works on a grand total of seven Windcat catamarans (offshore crew transfer vessels) which have been situated at the shipyard for maintenance. As for the works themselves, these include the hauling out […]
Sanded to perfection at AYS: 23m Motor yacht Nageira returned to owner
The 22.9-metre 2000-built Kuipers motor yacht Nageira has been reunited with her owner following successful winter works at the Amsterdam Yacht Service facility in Zaandam, beginning in October and being completed between Christmas and New Year. For her third visit to the Amsterdam Yacht Service facilities to date, the yacht (which originally cruised under the […]
Bigger and Better than Ever: Major upgrades for Amsterdam Yacht Service
Following the successful completion in October of works on its most recent major sailing yacht refit project, a 56-metre Perini Navi sailing superyacht, the Zaandem-based shipyard Amsterdam Yacht Service has taken the opportunity to undertake some major renovations and upgrades to its facilities. The sheer size of this iconic 56-metre Perini Navi sailing yacht meant […]
Works on iconic 56m Perini Navi sailing yacht close to completion at Amsterdam Yacht Service
Zaandam-based shipyard Amsterdam Yacht Service has revealed that one of its major sailing yacht projects, a 56-metre Perini Navi superyacht, has almost finished her significant refit works. Taking the form of an extensive refit carried out in cooperation with the vessel’s highly experienced owner, the ongoing works are expected to be completed this October. With […]
This week in Monaco
Members of the Amsterdam Yacht Builders team will spend two days in and around Port Hercules this week as they visit the Monaco Yacht Show. If you would like to meet up and discuss any potential project we would be delighted to do so on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 of September. It’s sure to […]
Behind shed doors: Ongoing works
We are very pleased to reveal that we are carrying out works on the iconic and award-winning 56-metre Perini Navi sailing yacht in the form of an extensive, cooperative refit with her owner, with works slated for completion in July this year. As another ongoing project, with works beginning in November 2022, the 26-metre Moonen […]
At the yard: Recently-completed projects
The 22.9-metre 2000-built Kuipers yacht Lucky Jack (now renamed Nageira) had an eventful yet ultimately successful stay at our shipyard. With the works beginning as a haul-out and respray of one of her topsides, she was placed into a specially-designed container hall covered by a tent while these were completed. The second round of works […]
Meet us during METSTRADE 2022
When your yard is located in the greatest city in the world, and the world’s biggest leisure marine exhibition comes to town, then you know you’re in for a busy week! Amsterdam Yacht Builders will be present at all three days of this year’s METSTRADE show, which will take over the RAI complex from om […]
Meeting complex challenges on Arrabida
Our bespoke refit of the 26-metre sailing yacht Arrabida, (ex. Zoetigheid) has been successfully delivered to the owner’s scope and complete satisfaction. This beautiful aluminium schooner was given a superyacht-quality livery on her topsides, a major paint job which required the AYB experts to remove all the stainless steel fittings and the many water stays […]
This week in Monaco
Two days in and around Port Hercules Members of the Amsterdam Yacht Builders team will spend two days in and around Port Hercules next week as they visit the Monaco Yacht Show. If you would like to meet up and discuss any potential project we would be delighted to do so on the Tuesday before […]
Electric dreams: How Amsterdam Yacht Builderscould supercharge the industry
By Georgia Tindale A vision of a more eco-friendlyfuture for yachting. What do you get when you combine a prime location with deep technical expertise, a historic shipyard dating back to 1921 and currently the largest travel lift in the Netherlands (480 tonnes). The answer: Amsterdam Yacht Builders. A fresh entry to the superyacht scene […]
IJmuiden sea lock officially put into operation
His Majesty the King officially inaugurated operation of the IJmuiden sea lock on Wednesday, 26 January 2022. With a push of a button, King Willem Alexander opened the inner door of the world’s largest sea lock from the Lock Operations Centre (SOC).
Eurotank Amsterdam invests in storage for biofuels
Eurotank Amsterdam (ETA, part of VTTI) is investing in the storage of biofuels. After a successful trial, the gas oil tanks at the terminal are being converted. This makes the tanks suitable for storing various types of biofuels. These biofuels, including Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), are produced from used vegetable oils and animal fats, among […]
Our new corporate video: A new force on the Dutch Yachting Industry
Leveraging on a century of experience and managed by people with a first-class reputation in the superyacht sector, Amsterdam Yacht Builders is based at a prime location in the Dutch capital. The new, highly experienced owners of a yard which dates back to 1921 are taking a down-to-earth approach to new builds, refits and maintenance […]