Feadship launch the first 34-metre Feadship 162

One of the three 34-metre superyachts by Feadship has been launched at the company’s Aalsmeer facility, in the Netherlands.
Feadship hasn’t been building vessels under 40 metres since 2010: its primary area of focus has always been fully custom superyachts ranging from 40  to 100 metres, and the 77 per cent of its fleet fall within such range. Nonetheless, the Dutch shipyard can also fulfill different tasks and expand in the mid-range market as well.
As explained by Feadship CEO Henk de Vries, the ability to respond positively to off-the-wall requests was the key of several successes: “Three years ago, the owner of a pure custom Feadship asked us to build a smaller yacht to Feadship standards. It needed to have a length and draught that would allow access to new markets where mooring facilities are restricted and facilitate cruising in shallower depths. We don’t like saying no to clients at Feadship so we decided to explore whether it was even practical to design and construct a 34-metre cruiser to Feadship quality within the boundaries of this compact size.”
“Our research established that, while building such a custom yacht was indeed possible, it would only be economically viable for the client if we built three of them to the same design template. Turning normal market dynamics on their head, we therefore agreed to our client’s proposal as long as he could introduce two more clients who would like to order one of these unique Feadships while, of course, having flexibility in terms of the interior.”
The triple project was then given to Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects to develop three commercial LY3 superyachts with ocean range capabilities.
The three yachts have the largest window surface as a percentage of the profile ever seen on a Feadship. The vessels feature  a selection of recognisable design elements, such as the top lines of 78m Venus, the bow of 83.5m Savannah and the hull strength of 46.2m Lady May.
Although similar by exterior, the three superyachts have different interior. Hull 692 features an interior by London based designers Bannenberg and Rowell Design, with an owner’s stateroom and guest suites accommodating up to eight people. Hull 691 and 693 have different features and layouts.
Feadship started the new year with two launches so far, and the two other 34m yachts are likely to launch in the next weeks. Four are the Feadship’s superyachts expected to be delivered in 2016, the largest of which is the 70m 812.