The new Van den Hoven Voyager 50 is among the rare few boats that Dutch yard Van den Hoven build a year, leading to quality craftsmanship.
Dutch yard Van den Hoven only builds a handful of boats each year but judging from the new Van den Hoven Voyager 50, exhibited at the British Motor Yacht Show in May, there’s a good reason for that: it enables it to lavish the kind of craftsmanship and attention to detail on each boat that simply wouldn’t be possible on a production line.
The result is a beautifully built, beautifully designed boat that looks and feels like it will last a lifetime.
The big aft deck is well served by the sociable galley-up layout
Designed by Dutch naval architect René van der Velden, the Van den Hoven Voyager 50 is an elegant liveaboard coupé that’s just as happy crossing the North Sea as it is exploring the inland waterways of Europe. To that end, it features an all-aluminium semi-displacement hull with a top speed of 22 knots and relaxed cruising speeds from 5-18 knots.
Fared and painted so that it looks as smooth and curvaceous as a moulded GRP yacht but with the robustness and customisation possibilities of an all-metal construction, it’s an appealing prospect for buyers in search of something prettier and more bespoke than the usual mainstream offerings. Even the oversized stainless steel guardrails and cleats look and feel like they belong on a 30m superyacht.
The wheelhouse has double glazing and underfloor heating
A double-glazed wheelhouse all on one level with underfloor heating, bifold rear doors, electric blinds all-round and a big glass sunroof overhead ensures comfortable year-round cruising. The galley-up layout, with a domestic sized hob, oven, dishwasher and sink, makes the very most of this by ensuring that everyone feels like they’re part of the action.
The lower deck is more of a compromise. It features an attractive owner’s cabin forward and two mirror-image twins amidships but they do share the same bathroom facilities. At least it’s divided into separate shower and heads compartments – and elsewhere, the Voyager 50 is as practical as it is stylish.
Classy decor in the owner’s cabin but the heads are shared
You get a hydraulic bathing platform for the tender and a huge lazarette with secondary access to the brightly lit engineroom. And the twin 480hp shaftdrive engines and 2,800-litre fuel tank give a claimed range of over 1,000nm at 7 knots. The price takes a bit of swallowing but that’s hardly a surprise at this level.
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Van den Hoven Voyager 50 Specifications:
LOA: 50ft 4in (15.33m)
Beam: 15ft 8in (4.8m)
Top speed: 22 knots
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta D6 480hp
Price: From €1.29m ex tax
Contact details: www.bvandenhovenjachtbouw.nl
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