There is a growing trend in North America in recent years to adopt European-flavored designs.
There's good reason for it, too. Impressive builds from the likes of Axopar, Saxdor, X-Shore and others have a common theme that bears fruit in North American waters. They're sturdy, capable, sleek, and sexy. It's hard to deny that.
While Scandinavian brands like the aforementioned have been dipping a toe in, relatively speaking, with small to midsize dayboats and offshore performance shapes, Van der Valk Shipyard in the Netherlands is now pushing into larger categories that will likely yield results in the North American market.
Their latest, the 65-foot (19.8 m) Edge 65, is two sought after qualities in one hull -- a luxury cruiser and a capable offshore traveler.
Even more, it boasts an aluminum hull for rugged applications and brings an impressive top speed of 41 knots (47 mph).
Like many of the boats in the emerging Euro-American movement, the Edge is based around a low profile hull with a modified pilothouse or centre console. The Edge 65 in particular, also includes a flybridge.
The design is not just forward-thinking, it's also the product of a technical design philosophy. The Edge 65 is the sister vessel to the 90-foot LeVen built in 2019. To keep its luxury amenities while scaling it down, Van der Valk worked with Cor D. Rover, a Dutch superyacht design firm, Studio Delta Naval Architects for the hull, and Petestep, an innovative Swedish company that ran prototypes through a series of simulations to maximize the hull's potential.
According to Petestep CEO Jonas Danielsson, “Combining such speeds on a 65-footer with superyacht standards of comfort was a very exacting brief. We worked closely with CFD software experts on an extensive series of simulations to see how the boat would behave in all kinds of water. This involved calculating the resistance and pressure components of some five million air and water cells as they interacted with the design. Each simulation took between half and one day to complete and we carried out around fifty for this project.”
“The EDGE 65 can open up a new market for large luxury boats that are relatively fast and allow for both shallow water access and ocean trips," he added.
“Nothing is new here in itself but the combination of all these aspects in this size most certainly is. I truly think that the EDGE 65 is going to be the best possible boat for the Bahamas and similar areas," added Rover.
In the end, the Edge 65 uses a novel design that redirects spray water down and away from the hull, which in turn produces more lift and forward thrust. The result is a calmer ride in rough conditions and the ability to generate impressive speeds despite the size and weight. With the low-profile shape, the 65' LOA and 15'9" beam has a draught of just 36".
Reaching a top speed of 47 mph and a cruising speed of 32 mph will be helped by the inclusion of Mercury Marine's impressive 600 hp Verado outboards. The quad configuration generates a sizeable 2400 horsepower while still leaving room on either side of the transom for fold-down 'balconies' that increase social space on the aft deck. An inboard power option will also be available.
With respect to luxury amenities, the Edge also spares no expense. Cor D. Rover, one of the designers, said "we've designed kind of a cabana on the water."
Carla Guilhelm, the interior designer, further added: “The owners have no interest in a traditional lounge, preferring to entertain guests in a country kitchen galley arrangement with a bar. They know people spend very little time indoors when day-tripping around the Caribbean, and when they do venture inside, they will have an informal place to sip cocktails and gather around the island chatting.”
Other interior perks include a master stateroom with queen sized bed, an in-suite head and shower, and two guest cabins with an adjoining head/shower.
Some of her other luxury perks include the choice of four exterior colours -- including what will likely be the popular Aston-Martin Racing Green hull option.
You can check out the Edge 65 in the video below:
