Damen Yachting sent the second Amels 80 "Netto II" out for sea trials on the North Sea. Construction of the second hull of the Amels Limited Editions flagship line began on speculation before the vessel was sold in December 2022 - just a few months after the model was unveiled. Construction initially took place at the shipyard facilities in Galati, Romania. The yacht was then moved to Vlissingen in the Netherlands, where the outfitting work took place. "Netto II" was launched at the beginning of February and presented her customised dolphin blue metallic hull paintwork, a platinum-coloured waterline and a white superstructure. The first yacht in the series, "Pangea", was delivered in October last year.
Design and interior of the Amels 80 "Netto II"
The exterior design of the Amels 80 was created by Espen Øino, while the hull lines were developed by Damen Yachting, the yachting division of Amels. The interior of build number 2 was designed by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design. Although the details remain confidential, "Netto II" has several special features, including a speakeasy bar with a "60s casino atmosphere". In the original 2022 sales announcement, the shipyard stated that American studio JQB Design - known for the interior design of the 126-metre Octopus - would be involved in some areas of the yacht's interior and exterior design. "Netto II" is seen as the successor to the 34.9 metre Nordlund yacht "Netto", which was delivered in 2014 and has a similar blue hull designed by JQB.
Equipment features
The highlights of the Amels 80 model include a 200 square metre sundeck with an oversized jacuzzi, a separate owner's deck and a helipad on the foredeck. The latter also appears to be able to transform into a tennis court on "Netto II", as the aerial photos reveal. Closer to the water is the beach club with fold-out terraces on three sides as well as a wellness and spa area with gym, hammam and sauna. The space is illuminated by the 6.5 metre long pool with glass floor above. "Netto II" (2,175 gross tonnes) offers space for up to 14 guests in seven cabins and 21 crew members as well as ample storage space for tenders and toys.
Test drives and technical verification
"The sea trials are the moment when the project comes together as a complete yacht," explains Stefan Regtvoort, Project Manager at Damen Yachting. "It is the first time that we see how everything works under real conditions at sea, not as separate elements, but as a system. For the team, this phase is about verification, but also about fine-tuning performance in practice." The test runs serve to test all of the yacht's systems under real conditions and to optimise performance. Amels currently has eight yachts under construction or in the order book, including five Amels 80 and the shipyard's flagship, which is scheduled for delivery this year.
Martin Hager
Editor in Chief YACHT
