33 metres of nostalgia from Hoek Design: "Far Niente" goes on a long journey

Lying undisturbed in the harbour or at anchor, enjoying the sunset in peace - that's roughly what most owners or their guests imagine when they travel through the Mediterranean or the Baltic Sea in summer. This could be difficult for the passengers on board "Far Niente". The 32.7 metres are a real eye-catcher even in the superyacht circus, so there will be no shortage of curious onlookers and enquiries.

Specialist for classic cars and sailing yachts

What the Turkish shipyard SES Yachts has sent into the water in spring 2024 is floating nostalgia, with portholes in the straight superstructure, a deckhouse made of laminated wooden epoxy, plus a stylish chimney and wooden mast. The whole thing rests on a hull with an elliptical stern overhang that is strongly reminiscent of a retro-classic sailing yacht.

Hoek Design has constructed and designed here, and that in turn comes as no surprise. The Dutch studio specialises in sailing yachts (e.g. the Vitters-Ketsch), has designed three new J-Classes, many Truly Classics and modern racers, and at the same time has a great penchant for the elegant lines of a classic motor yacht - a basis that technically meets today's standards. Hoek also combined the 33-metre concept with a CFD-optimised underwater hull. "We used all the modern simulation software available to us for this," says Andre Hoek.

The inspiration came from old herring cutters

The Lady is not the first Hoek to be created in this way. "We have developed this design philosophy over many years and applied it in particular to the 56-metre motor yacht 'Blue II', which has won several awards," adds the designer. "Blue II" from Turquoise Yachts (issue 4/21) also has the timeless features of a classic, but its high front fuselage section is strongly orientated towards the Explorer, both visually and in terms of design.

"Far Niente" is a rather different design," emphasises Hoek. For the 33 metres, the team drew inspiration from the Dutch herring cutters of the early 19th century, which braved the stormy North Sea with seaworthiness. Hoek Design's CFD programmes not only led to the round shape of the steel hull (class A), but also optimised the propeller with a diameter of 1.45 metres, which was supplied by Dutch manufacturer SIP Marine.

29 litres per hour

Behind it is a single MAN engine with 368 kilowatts of power - and that is obviously a good combination. "At a cruising speed of nine knots, we have a fuel consumption of 29 litres per hour," says Ruurt Meulemans, Managing Partner of Andre Hoek. Under normal conditions and on typical voyages, the ship's command is aiming for ten knots, with a maximum speed of eleven knots. Thanks to a range of 3,750 nautical miles, even transatlantic passages are possible.

Twin generators and, above all, the large battery bank power the hotel operations. These are all ideal prerequisites for the owners' current plans, which are likely to fall into the "adventurer" category. The Mediterranean last season was just the beginning. "This year, they will be travelling through the Baltic Sea and on to Norway," reveals Meulemans.

Two-tonne crane for the tender

If the conditions on the North Sea become somewhat challenging, the Sleipner stabilisers help to keep the ship steady. The bow and stern thrusters also make it easier to manoeuvre in the sometimes narrow harbours.

If there is no room for the yacht during the season, the anchor is dropped in the next bay and one of the two tenders is taken ashore. A specially constructed two-tonne crane lifts the vehicles from the foredeck into the water. The owners can watch this spectacle through the glass panes of their adjoining suite.

The captain works at the front of the deckhouse

The layout of "Far Niente" is otherwise classic: further aft on the main deck is the saloon with TV lounge and longitudinal dining area, although there is no galley here. This is located on the lower deck, alongside a further four guest suites and three crew cabins.

The favourite place on board "Far Niente" during the day is probably the upper deck. The deckhouse, which has a wonderfully classic look and is made entirely from cold-pressed wooden elements, houses the steering position and a small lounge, while the remaining space is dedicated to outdoor living. The sun terrace is dominated by a large dining area, while an elongated sofa nestles aft along the semi-circular railing.

Hoek Design also designed the interior

The Hoek Design Studio was also responsible for the design of the interior and the equipment. The styling was in the hands of the owners. White lacquered wooden ceilings with transverse "support" beams transport guests back in time. Grey, brushed oak stretches almost halfway up the white walls - as panels or cladded storage space - "which was carefully stained to achieve the greywash effect desired by the owners," explains the designer.

His studio designed the fixed seating, while a local subcontractor took care of the upholstery. This inventory list includes the two sofas coming from the cockpit just behind the entrance to the saloon, as well as the corner sofas in the owner's suite and the seating on the bridge deck. The owners themselves selected all the upholstery and cushion fabrics - mostly with graphic patterns in shades of blue.

A sofa like in the owner's house

The sofa in the TV lounge is part of the Groundpiece series from Flexform. "The owners chose it because they had the same sofa in their property and they liked the comfort and proportions," explains the designer. The dining area is surrounded by bright blue chairs from the Teresa range by Ceccotti Collezioni, while the table itself is another Hoek design and is topped by a marble top chosen by the owners.

The wall above the bed in the owner's suite glows like an artistic painting. Here, an upholstered headboard merges into a wall panel, which is also covered in fabric. The eye-catching patterns with birds and wave-like lines are from KAI's Aravalli collection. The tone-setting grey is the same as on the oak furniture, while the lighter colours echo the shades of the walls and carpets. An ensemble like this looks completely composed, fresh and yet elegant. It shows that timelessness is anything but boring. Just like the whole yacht.

Technical data "Far Niente"

• Overall length: 32.7 m
• Width: 6.7 m
• Draught: 2.4 m
• Material: steel-wood
• GRT: 179
• Engine: 1x MAN 368 kW
• Maximum speed: 11 kn
• Range @ 10 knots: 3750 nm
• Generators: 2x Kohler 35 kW
• Construction: Hoek Design, Edam
• Interior and exterior design: Hoek Design, Edam
• Styling: Eigner
• Shipyard: SES Yachts, 2024