Built by Vitters in 2005, Adèle was the first yacht to enter the extended refit hall last winter-season since it’s increase in capacity and that of the neighbouring climate-controlled paint hall. These extensions improved the workflow between construction and finish of yachts up to 90m / 300ft in one hall, 60m / 200ft in the other and together with the existing two halls enabling the yard to work on multiple yachts in parallel. Both paint halls are fitted with high-intensity lighting, air-flow, temperature- and humidity-controls exceeding the stringent requirements of all the major paint manufacturers.
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Designed for blue water cruising, Adèle’s maiden voyage took in the Norwegian fjords before starting the long journey to the Pacific Ocean. She was sold two years later, her new owners still cruise extensively to remote corners of the globe. Her busy schedule means the classic ketch covers huge distances over the course of the year, so maintaining her machinery, systems and rig — not to mention the joinery, paintwork and varnish — in perfect working condition can be challenging to the crew. According to her captain, the decision to carry out the renewal programme in Holland was easily reached and based on the following factor: the quest for outstanding quality.
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Andre Engblom, Adèle’s captain, was involved in the original build at Vitters and has been on board since her launch. Andre, who during the Huisfit acted as owner’s representative, said that they started planning refit works in advance and the shipyard was chosen based on the reputation and a prestigious history.
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The Dutch are renowned as boat builders and Royal Huisman is the epitome of a Dutch shipyard
He added:
Being involved in the original build at Vitters meant that I had in-depth knowledge of Adèle right down to her foundations. This meant that together with Huisfit we had a winning combination; we brought vital past knowledge that Royal Huisman could draw on to carry Adèle elegantly into her future travels
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Adèle underwent a complete mechanical upgrade (as well as replacing the PLC system), which necessitated removing the entire engine room. The work list invariably expands during a typical refit project as unforeseen issues are uncovered and improvements can be made. This led for example to replacing all the main engine and generator exhaust hoses with extra-tough Glass Reinforced Epoxy (GRE) piping which is also Royal Huisman’s standard choice for new builds.
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Adèle is not the only recent superyacht to take advantage of Huisfit’s services: SAMURAI (ex Mari-Cha -IV) was successfully delivered a few months ago after a radical transformation from stripped-down racing machine into a high performance luxury superyacht – the biggest composite conversion of its kind ever undertaken.
Photo by Priska van der Meulen