Van der Valk has launched its newest superyacht, the 34-meter model for a custom-series called Pilot with the exquisitely detailed exterior profile for a contemporary explorer with an exceptional volume of 295 gross tonnes. The yacht spreads across three-deck, with the exterior by Cor D. Rover.
“We certainly gave the yard an enormous challenge as the Pilot is different to anything in her size range. Blending masculine proportions with a wealth of curves, her raked bridge windows hint at the sturdiness of a commercial vessel. Together with the air grills, inspired by the automotive industry, these shapes create a dynamic overall feel. I’m very impressed with how Van der Valk has managed to capture all these elements so well,” says Cor D. Rover.
One of the many tricky tasks which was faced by the shipyard was to include all the large windows and glass ‘eye’ on the bridge deck, amalgamate these with partitions and black-painted surfaces in the superstructure that look like glass, then finish the rest of the yacht in an innovative color palette of castle tan and stark white.
“All these exterior details and round forms required lots of skill from our aluminum shapers and welders to create the base shape. The exterior paint crew then had to create perfect straight lines on a perfect curved shape, where the slightest deformation would be instantly apparent due to the different colors used. This was also the first vessel we’ve delivered under American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) rules and our design team worked tirelessly too,” says Van der Valk general manager Bram Kooltjes.
Pilot has two large balconies: one on the main deck for the master suite, the other on the hull side for the lower deck VIP. The aft platform also has two 7 x 1.5-meter foldout balconies which double the available area close to the water when out. A transformer platform and a full aft lazarette for a large Williams tender and a three-person wave runner add to the watersport fun.
Other notable features are a large dining table and circular seating that both easily accommodate ten people on the aft deck, a large wet bar with BBQ on the bridge deck aft. Twin MTUs will give the Pilot a top speed around 20 knots.
Van der Valk is a family-run company building comfortable, innovative and efficient (semi) custom motor yachts from 18m to 45m. From its humble roots in the 1960s, Van der Valk today has a global fleet of over 1000 motor yachts.
Credits: Van der Valk