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leading lightWhy Amels’ 171 Bel Abri sets the semi-custom superyacht standard

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the ConCePt is clearly working very

SMoothly

he fjord-side Norwegian village of Flåm had yet to fully emerge from its winter

hibernation while the crisp early May sunshine occasionally gave way to snow

flurries tumbling off the mountains into the Aurlandsfjord. It’s a pleasant surprise

to find Bel Abri , the new 52.3-metre Amels 171 Limited Editions, moored to the quayside, a graceful presence against the rugged natural backdrop. The owner, who had taken delivery a fortnight before, insisted on a cruise to Norway before the yacht headed to the hotspots of the Mediterranean and a summer charter season. It’s an adventurous cruising ground for a superyacht at the best of times and particularly for a shakedown. But then the owner had ring-fenced this week for a family holiday in Norway 12 months ago, when Bel Abri was a long way from completion. He could do so with confidence. That’s one of the many benefits of an Amels Limited Editions: they come in on time.

Bel Abri is launch number seven in the Limited Editions range. The range has evolved into the 177 (a 171 stretched aft to include a beach club), the 199 and the 212 – there are two 212s under construction and steel

t is being cut on the first 199 in a few months. All this means that the yard is running at 100 per cent capacity. It’s a pleasing success story in an industry where good news has been harder to find in recent times.

The concept of LEs – effectively, semi-custom superyachts – is clearly working very smoothly on the Amels template. It was introduced in 2005, but had been under development for some time before that. All the boats have been delivered on time and on budget. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of these yachts is that they are built on spec. This is Amels’ business model and there is a sensible reason behind it: it cuts build time considerably. If you go fully custom, you need to deal with at least a four-year timeline. Amels says that for a Limited Editions yacht the time from keel-laying to handover is two years, so choosing to buy a yacht that is already in build cuts that time even further. There are no big design concepts to pick over and no issues to iron out. Efficiency savings mean that costs are cut, not corners. Add in those cost savings – this is a highly competitively priced yacht – and you have a very interesting proposition for potential owners.

Left: Bel Abri’s hull form and systems are well proven. Right: Charter guests will be pleased that the owner has specified a bigger than usual hot-tub. There are many places to sit, lounge or feast (and even work out) on the adaptable sundeck. Below: The custom tender (right) and rescue boat live on the foredeck. The fold-down mast between them doubles as a crane. Bottom: Sliding doors mean you can get some shelter from evening breezes on the sundeck.

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There is a trade-off, of course: you can’t have as much input as you would on a fully custom project. But that’s not to say that you can’t do anything: owner requests are inevitable and Amels is not deaf to these. The owner of Bel Abri has forgone the fifth guest cabin on the owner’s deck to create a substantial office area and a bigger owner’s cabin, and he has a larger hot-tub up top. (Indeed, the whole 177 concept came from an owner who wanted a beach club.) Amels also claims that the benefits of the semi-custom model are felt on sea trial: owner’s acceptance trials and the Lloyd’s Register acceptance certification take place on one day.

There’s certainly no doubting the character of Bel Abri. The interior is by Laura Sessa, who has produced a series of different styles for the LE range. Aboard each yacht there are standard-sized wall panels that can be quickly and efficiently used to define the chosen style (which in Bel Abri’s case can be described as ‘high gloss’). But there’s more to it than simply applying a pattern; her typical working practice involves inviting the owner and his wife to her villa outside Rome, talking over wood and material choices, and fully personalising the interior within the overall styling theme.

Facing page, top left: The formal dining area on the main deck, with superb views out. Left: The red chairs, cushions and finish on the furniture add a playful touch to the saloon. Above left: The bridge deck lounge is an undoubtedly relaxing spot to gather for a movie.Above: Traffic around the yacht is excellent – the wide side decks could be from a much bigger yacht.Right: With no rake on the windows, there is a superb view out from the wheelhouse with its integrated bridge.

In the main saloon, this high-gloss finish and the use of light maple feels particularly liberating. “I wanted to form serene spaces that recreate the mood of an island retreat or holiday home by the sea,” she says. The shutters on the windows add a distinctly Mediterranean feeling to the space.

The furniture throughout has been chosen by the owner, while flashes of red material add a warmth and richness. There is certainly no compromise on the finish: Metrica is responsible for it and so it is to a very high standard. Subtle variations in the detailing add visual interest from cabin to cabin.

The owner’s suite on the main deck is graced with a spacious office. On display here is Amels’ present to the owner: a silver guilder placed under the keel at the initiation of the build and now flattened and framed.

It’s a spacious bedroom, with a seating area and table to starboard that is unique to Bel Abri among the LEs. Tim Heywood’s exterior styling is attractive, but an upwardly curving lip of the superstructure takes something from the forward-most windows – Amels won’t compromise the undoubtedly curvaceous lines of the yacht. The flint in the owner’s cabin bathroom is

“ i wanted Serene spaces which recreate the mood of an island retreat”

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incredibly textured – it’s heated and small fossils pop out, giving the unique finish.

Below, the four guest suites have a cosy feel, with less of the gloss from upstairs. The two port cabins are mirrored to starboard, but on Bel Abri there is no sliding wall that can create a much bigger suite. Subtle differences in styling – a wooden inlay in one cabin, stainless steel in another – mean that the cabins don’t feel as if they have been built to a pattern. You stand below water level in the cabins, which makes for a great view out (although it also means shallower windows).

The guest bathrooms feature a veined sandstone, impeccably matched. The puck-controlled Lantic system in each cabin means access to the yacht’s 125 DVDs and 3,000 CDs, as well as satellite TV, radio and internet, and the yacht’s chart plotter and radar displays. Perhaps surprisingly for a yacht that will be chartered, the owner didn’t specify pullmans throughout and was happy to sacrifice the extra guest suite. But it does mean the yacht will always breathe on charter and won’t be overcrowded. Imperial, the central charter agent and Bel Abri’s build supervisor and management company, reports that all Bel Abri’s

summer charter slots have been booked. It’s Imperial, incidentally, who carried out the initial in-depth research on behalf of the owner, and settled on Amels as the best option for meeting his expectations.

Noise levels are very low – 43dB(A) in the owner’s suite at 13 knots, for example. The big-ship experience of Amel’s parent Damen Shipyards Group – who took over Amels in 1991 – has been key here, in killing the noise with floating floors and insulation. So many of the spare spaces in corridors have been utilised for dedicated storage lockers – cleaning materials here, a vacuum cleaner there – as each new 171 benefits from ideas honed on previous models.

The bridge deck lounge has a different feel to the rest of the yacht, with zebrano wood and leather panels on the walls and a big inviting sofa. It’s a cosier and more secluded area, and is sure to be a hit with guests (especially those that play the piano – there’s one to starboard). There are wide side decks outside, which means traffic around the yacht is easy, although it reduces the width of this lounge. You can order a wide-body version of the 171, with a full-beam lounge that eats into the side decks and swallows up the

the yacht will always Breathe on charter and won’t ever feel overcrowded

Above: The high-gloss panels in the owner’s cabin work well with the white fabrics and the flashes of earthier tones on the furniture. Left: The owner’s mirrored walk-in wardrobe can be accessed from the bathroom or the office. Far left: The bathroom, with its spa tub, is a relaxing mix of light stone and glossed woods. Right: The owner’s office, replacing the usual fifth guest cabin, is spacious enough for working, meetings or just relaxing in front of the TV. Above right: With sofas and comfortable chairs a plenty in the office, you may find better things to do than work.

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outside day head and external staircase to the sundeck, but it does create a full-beam lounge.

Bel Abri’s wheelhouse is an exceptional space, with settees on either side allowing guests to enjoy the great view and remain out of the way of the crew. The console has a fully integrated bridge – all the controls had to be taken apart and reassembled carefully for certification. The yacht’s tenders are stowed forward in normal operation of the 171, but when passage-making they are taken aft on the main deck. A crane has been integrated into the mast.

Bel Abri’s captain Matthew Bryant, who been master of a 171 previously, is happy. The hull form – beautifully balanced above the water – has handled some rough weather, he says, describing the 171 as highly manoeuvrable. “All the systems are proven. You can have confidence that you’ve the right yacht and you won’t get any glitches,” he says.

Amels organises a conference each year for captains and engineers. There are workshops to discuss new ideas and crew input is encouraged. There are also crew training sessions at a sea school near the yard in Vlissingen, as well as specialist safety courses. And

there is also yacht-specific training on board – for example, to master the AV system. “It means the boat works well from day one before any guests come on board,” says Captain Bryant. “It’s a win-win situation.”

Premium semi-custom yachts are few and far between. Bel Abri is 642 gross tonnes, well above the 500 mark that means a host of build, safety, fire and crew issues have to be dealt with, and under which there are many competing yards. With other yards building semi-custom boats over 60 metres, competition is sure to hot up – the Amels model is proving very attractive. But given that one LE yacht – sold after a year – fetched more money than it cost the owner to start with, it’s clear that the Amels Limited Editions brand is already carrying a premium.

Do you want to buy a yacht that is roughly the same as the one next door? Instinctively, one may shy away from this but a more thoughtful look at the numbers – the costs and the timings – makes the case a compelling one. Yacht ownership is always a balance – the right boat, at the right price, built at the right time, with the right level of quality. Bel Abri is thrilling proof that Amels has found just the right balance. SyW

Far left: There is less of the high-gloss in the guest suites, but both the doubles and both the twins have a relaxing feel. Facing page, below left: Wide stairs lead down from the main deck to the guest areas. Facing page, below right: Subtle styling changes differentiate the mirror-image double guest cabins. Below right: The bathroom of the port double guest cabin. Both doubles have a dressing room. Below: Neither of the two twin-bed cabins has pullman berths, nor can the cabins be opened up to make a bigger suite, though these are options on the 171. The berths do, however, slide together. Left: Bel Abri’s twin MTUs deliver a 13-knot cruise.

“the systems are Proven. you’ve ConfidenCe that you’ve got the right yacht”

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WING STATIONS: The bulbous shape is pleasingly mirrored on the deck above

in Tim Heywood’s design.

BRIDGE DECk: Guests can open the lounge to create a space with dining, sunbathing and an escape inside.

SUNDECk: With gym equipment nearby, you can work off the pounds you’ve just added at the bar.

SIDE DECkS: The yacht’s wide side decks make movement around safe and easy for crew and guests.

FOREDECk: The custom and rescue tenders live on

deck, but move aft on passage.

HULL COLOUR: Bel Abri’s light grey hull and white

superstructure are suitably eye-catching.

COMMUNICATIONS: Bel Abri has Inmarsat C, Inmarsat F, and satellite TV, radio and internet.

THRUSTERS: Her Jastram bow and stern thrusters

make her a highly manoeuvrable yacht.

Length 52.30m (171ft 7in)Beam 9.00m (29ft 6in)Draught 3.35m (11ft 0in)Berths Guests: 12. Crew: 14 (max)Engines Twin 1,050kW MTU 16V2000 M70 Fuel capacity 115,000 litresWater capacity 17,000 litresHull/superstructure Steel/aluminium Gross tonnage 642 Naval architect AmelsExterior Tim Heywood

Interior Laura Sessa Romboli & Nuvolari LenardBuilder’s project manager Peter Dijkwel / AmelsOwner’s project manager Imperial

PERFORMANCE NOTES/EqUIPMENTTop speed 15.5 knotsCruising speed 13.0 knotsRange 4,500nm @ 13 knots; 9,400nm @ 10 knotsGenerators Twin 155kW Northern Lights; single 80kW Electronic charting ECDIS

Entertainment Lantic Tenders Cirrus 5.8m luxury tender; Pascoe 6.2m (SOLAS MOB boat)

BUILDER/CHARTERBuilder Amels, Vlissingen, Holland. Tel: +31 118 485 002. Website: www.amels-holland.comCharter Imperial, Monaco. Tel: +377 97 98 38 80. Email: charter@imperial-yachts.com Website: www.imperial-yachts.com Charter rates: €275,000pw

the SPeCS Bel abri

SUNDECk: A screened central area offers shade and shelter.

BRIDGE DECk: Overhead heaters allow you to eat outside – even in Norway!

GUEST SUITES: The four guest suites accessed by central staircase.

MAIN DECk: The formal dining area is open to the rest of the saloon.

SUNDECk: A larger, raised hot-tub was a special request

on this yacht.

CREW OFFICE: Separate access means crew don’t

disturb a sleeping captain.

ENGINEROOM: Centrally placed engineering space is

amazingly quiet.

OWNER’S SUITE: Excellent traffic flow through the

owner’s accommodation.

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