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265-Foot Yacht, Galactica, Just Narrowly Squeezes Through Dutch Canals

Heesen’s 265-foot superyacht, Galactica, drew quite a crowd when it narrowly squeezed under a bridge on the River Maas. ...

Michael Lozina
January 18, 2022

Heesen’s 265-foot superyacht, Galactica, drew quite a crowd when it narrowly squeezed under a bridge on the River Maas.

This boat is bloody massive! It’s the biggest that Heesen have ever made and its size was only made more apparent when it narrowly fit under a bridge on the River Maas. The sight drew quite a crowd from some very sceptical observers.

Heesen project coordinator, Arjan Veldman, thought the whole thing was very funny, “The press and public that were watching from the river bank didn’t understand all the precise measuring operations we conducted. They thought we were just ‘trying’ to pass under the bridge and got stuck. But, for us, these operations are just business as usual. We’ve been going through locks and under bridges like this for over 40 years.

“My family and friends are still mocking me and asking if I need a tape measure to take with me to work. Who knows, maybe as a joke we’ll create a Heesen tape measure to hand out at the next Monaco Yacht Show, where Galactica will be on display!”

While that is funny and all, they still had to remove the top deck in order to fit under the bridge. And even then they made it under with just inches to spare.

While it’s very big and impressive, let’s take a look at the design.

Heesen are claiming that the boat will have a top speed of almost 30 knots which is about right for a superyacht. The Galactica differs from other superyachts as it is made from aluminium instead of regular steel. This means that the designers were able to provide added strength to the yacht without having to add extra weight to the yacht.

The glass comes from the British studio, Winch Design. Jim Dixon, Director of Yachts and Aviation, said of Galactica, “The Winch vision for Galactica was to retain Heesen’s sporty DNA but blend it with an innovative, futuristic spin. Curved glass forms smooth, sculpted shapes, creating a feeling of slick, contemporary charm.”

Winch Design Associate, James Russell, added, “The brief stressed that she had to have a strong and unique signature whilst retaining the Heesen DNA that we all know and love. The emphasis was on creating a fast-looking yacht that sits elegantly on the water, a feat that has been cleverly achieved through the use of sculptural, curved forms and perfectly balanced proportions.”

We have no photos yet of the interior, but Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design (the firm responsible for the interior design) say that it features and neutral colour palette with blue splashed throughout.

Heesen Yachts CEO, Arthur Brouwer described the launch of the magnificent yacht, “Building large and complex superyachts is exciting, both from an engineering and construction perspective. We are incredibly fortunate to have the best naval architects, engineers and craftsmen in the country to build our yachts. In spite of all the challenges imposed by the pandemic, we also managed to keep the construction on schedule – which was no mean feat. This yacht is the ultimate expression of our ability to build daring projects that stretch the imagination of its engineers and craftspeople.”

If that tickled your fancy, check out this super yacht concept that looks like something out of Star Wars.