Van der Valk 34m Pilot Hits the Water

The first Pilot is striking in many ways, from her astonishing looks with an exquisitely detailed exterior profile, to an exceptional volume of 295 GT. She blends robust and masculine proportions with a wealth of curves, resulting in a dynamic feel. D. Rover has acknowledged that this project is very different to anything in her size range, highlighting her impressive position within the market. ‘The client for this bespoke build, an experienced owner of multiple boats, asked to extend the length within this maximum-interior-space principle while taking the contemporary looks to an even higher level of sophistication.’ 

Van der Valk has not shied away from challenges throughout the build process of the first Pilot. Already dealing with the challenges with regards to her size, the shipyard was also faced with the tricky task of combining all large windows and a glass ‘eye’ on the bridge deck, with partitions in the superstructure that give the impression of glass. The rest of the yacht is then finished with an owner-chosen colour palette; in this case, castle tan and stark white. Despite being a challenging task, the result is an eye-catching exterior that showcases the skills of the designers. 

Bram Kooltjes, General Manager at Van der Valk, commented on this impressive exterior achievement: ‘All these exterior details and round forms required a great deal of skill from our aluminium shapers and welders in order to create the base shape… Our in-house design team made an enormous contribution in order to complete this project in a short timeframe.’ 

The interior details have not yet been released, however, they are known to be an equally complex custom design, so are bound to be as impressive as her exterior design. She has two large balconies as well as two 7 x 1.5m foldout balconies, serving to double the available area close to the water. Watersport pleasure has been taken into consideration, with a transformer platform and a full aft lazarette for a large Williams tender and a three-person wave runner being notable features. 

There is ample outside deck space; the aft deck features a large dining table with circular seating which can accommodate up to ten people. The bridge deck is home to a large wet bar with a BBQ as well as sacrificial air conditioning for the sake of the hottest climates. 

The Pilot will have an impressive top speed of around 20 knots, made achievable by twin MTUs, and she has been fitted with CMC stabilisers. 

This stunning secret of Van der Valk is an exciting new launch for the shipyard. Superyachts.com would like to congratulate everyone involved in this launch and are excited for the future of Pilot.