Van der Heijden Yachts
Van der Heijden Yachts is a founder-owned Dutch shipyard in Waalwijk that designs and builds custom and semi-custom aluminium and steel motor yachts (10-35m) for private high-net-worth buyers, with full in-house construction, refit services, and dealer distribution in the US and the Netherlands.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersWaalwijk, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Van der Heijden Yachts does
Van der Heijden Yachts is a founder-owned Dutch shipyard based in Waalwijk, Netherlands, that designs and builds custom and semi-custom motor yachts ranging from 10 to 35 metres in aluminium and steel. Founded by Ronald van der Heijden after his service in the Royal Dutch Navy, the yard has delivered over 400 yachts over roughly 30 years at an average cadence of approximately one hull per month, with nearly all vessels still reported to be sailing. The portfolio spans multiple series (Phantom, Explorer, Superior, Exclusive Deluxe, Dynamic Deluxe, Hayden, Cruiser, Ultimate and the new Traveller 63), covering planing, displacement and high-performance hull forms with CE-A or CE-B certifications as appropriate.
The entire build is performed in-house, including design, engineering, carpentry, painting, electrical systems and upholstery, supported by a long-tenured specialist team (frequently 30+ years, with father-son succession). Differentiated technology includes modular construction techniques enabling multiple variants on shared platforms, an axe bow design on selected models, fuel-efficient underwater hulls claimed to reduce fuel use by 30-50% versus comparable steel yachts, and hybrid/electric-propulsion-ready architecture. Demonstrated residual values of 75-85% for aluminium and 70-80% for steel after 20 years function as a quality proof point, alongside FSC/PEFC-certified sustainable wood, and 95% recyclable aluminium / 100% recyclable steel construction.
The business model is predominantly project-based: bespoke yacht sales typically run €1.6M to over €5M per unit with a 12-16 month delivery cycle, augmented by refit and renovation services (for both Van der Heijden and third-party vessels), pre-owned yacht sales with in-house refit options, and trade-in brokerage services. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales from the Dutch shipyard (open six days a week), supplemented by event presence at Hiswa te Water and BOOT Düsseldorf, the Hayden line co-designed with Cor D. Rover, and dealer relationships with Schwartz & Co. Yacht Sales in the US and De Valk Yachts Loosdrecht in the Netherlands. The website is published in Dutch, English and German, evidencing a structured European (and selectively transatlantic) commercial footprint.
Van der Heijden Yachts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Van der Heijden Yachts
- Legal name
- Van der Heijden Yachts
- Website
- https://vanderheijdenyachts.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Van der Heijden Yachts is a founder-owned Dutch shipyard in Waalwijk that designs and builds custom and semi-custom aluminium and steel motor yachts (10-35m) for private high-net-worth buyers, with full in-house construction, refit services, and dealer distribution in the US and the Netherlands.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Van der Heijden Yachts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Luxury Motor Yachts
- NAICS
- Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Ship and Boat Building (3366), Boat Building (336612)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury Motor Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury Yacht Refit, Rebuild & Lifecycle Upgrades (MRO) (IMAJAMAJ), Explorer Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAE), Motor Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAB), Yacht & Recreational Boat Service & Refit (TLAKAKAD)
Keywords
Where Van der Heijden Yachts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Waalwijk
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Van der Heijden Yachts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Yacht Construction: Full custom-built and semi-custom motor yacht construction. Customers can choose from existing series (Phantom, Explorer, Superior, Exclusive Deluxe, Dynamic Deluxe, Hayden, Cruiser, Ultimate, Traveller) with extensive customization options. Yachts range from 10 to 35 meters in length. Lead time is 12-16 months for custom builds.
- Refit, Renovation & Repair Services: Renovation, repair, and refit services for Van der Heijden yachts as well as other vessels. Services include interior, exterior, and engineering refit according to original quality standards.
- Pre-Owned Yacht Sales: Sale of pre-owned Van der Heijden yachts. The company offers renovation and adaptation options at the shipyard for pre-owned vessels, providing safety, credibility, reliability and highest standards.
- Brokerage/Trade-in Services: Trade-in value assessment for existing boats. The company offers inruil (trade-in) services where they determine the trade-in value of customer's current boat and offer favorable deals versus selling through a broker.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Exclusive Deluxe 1700 - Demo yacht |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Phantom 80 Expedition Flybridge - New demo yacht |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Phantom 70 Flybridge - New |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Custom Built Yachts (10-35 meters) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Van der Heijden Yachts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Van der Heijden Yachts is a Dutch shipyard in Waalwijk that designs and builds custom and semi-custom motor yachts in aluminum or steel, ranging from 10 to 35 meters, using fully in-house capabilities (design, engineering, carpentry, painting, electrical, upholstery). In addition to new construction, the yard provides refit, renovation and repair services for its own and third-party vessels, sells pre-owned Van der Heijden yachts with optional refit, and offers a trade-in (inruil) service against new purchases.
Product overview
Van der Heijden Yachts is a Dutch shipyard building custom and semi-custom motor yachts ranging from 10 to 35 metres. The product portfolio includes multiple series: Phantom (luxury aluminium yachts 18-28m with planing hull), Explorer (long-range explorer motor yachts with displacement hull), Superior (high-performance yachts up to 40 knots), Exclusive Deluxe (luxury yachts with classic lines and axe bow design), Dynamic Deluxe (modern design with hard-chine hull), Hayden (compact aluminium yachts designed with Cor D. Rover), Cruiser (open cabin displacement yachts), Ultimate (custom-built mega yachts 26-32m), and the new Traveller 63 (fast explorer). All yachts are built in-house with aluminium or steel construction, featuring complete design, engineering, carpentry, painting, and outfitting done by company specialists.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Phantom Series Motor Yachts Aluminum yachts from 18 to 28 metres (58–91 feet) in pilothouse or flybridge variants with a planing hull, full bow, elegant stern, and extensive glass for panoramic views; custom-built interiors accommodate 6 to 8 guests plus crew. Range includes Phantom 65 Coupé, Phantom 70, Phantom 79, Phantom 80 Flybridge, and Phantom 80 Expedition Flybridge.
- Explorer Series Motor Yachts Long-range explorer motor yachts with displacement hull, extending bow, modern vertical bow form, and rounded stern; designed for comfortable long-distance voyages. Includes Explorer 2100 (L.O.A. 22.8 m, 6 guests) and Explorer 2400 II (L.O.A. 20–27 m, 8 guests in 4 en-suite cabins), buildable in steel hull with aluminum superstructure or full aluminum.
- Superior Series Motor Yachts High-performance yachts with stable, course-stable hulls designed for easy handling on European inland waterways while delivering performance exceeding expectations, including up to 40 knots on the Superior 2400. Includes Superior 2100 ALU (L.O.A. 20.8 m aluminum) and Superior 2400 (L.O.A. 23.7 m steel hull with aluminum superstructure or full aluminum).
- Exclusive Deluxe Series Motor Yachts Luxury yachts expressing the heritage of Van der Heijden with classic lines combined with state-of-the-art axe-bow design. Includes Exclusive Deluxe 1500 (L.O.A. 15.45 m), Exclusive Deluxe 1600 (L.O.A. 15.92 m), Exclusive Deluxe 1700 (demo, L.O.A. 15–22 m, aluminum hull with FPT C90 2 650 hp engines), and Exclusive Deluxe 2000 Sportbridge (L.O.A. 17–24 m, 3 double en-suite cabins, 2x 800 hp Volvo D13 engines, 28 knots top speed, CE-A certified).
- Dynamic Deluxe Series Motor Yachts Modern yachts with hard-chine hull, stylized superstructure, extending bow, and sleek-lined stern ending in an angled transom with integrated swim platform; available in full steel or full aluminum. Includes Dynamic Deluxe 1500 (L.O.A. from 15 m), 1700 (L.O.A. 17.4 m, 5 guests), 1800 (L.O.A. 17.96 m), and 2100 (L.O.A. 21.5 m, suited to Dutch and European coastal waters).
- Hayden Series Motor Yachts Compact yet spacious yachts designed in collaboration with the Cor D. Rover design studio, leveraging advanced modular construction for high quality at fair prices. Includes Hayden Flybridge (13.05 m hull, master cabin, double bathroom, guest cabin, galley, large salon) and Hayden Sedan (13.5 m aluminum hull, 2x 280 hp engines).
- Cruiser 1350 Motor Yacht Open-cabin displacement yacht in steel construction with L.O.A. 13.5 m or 14.5 m, spacious interior for its size, CE class B certification, designed for discovering European inland waters alone or with two people.
- Ultimate Series Mega Yachts Custom-built mega yachts with immense dimensions and refinements, handcrafted interiors with endless choices, state-of-the-art communication and navigation systems. Includes Ultimate 2600 (L.O.A. 26.1 m, widebody owner's suite and guest cabins) and Ultimate 3200 (L.O.A. 31.9 m, teak flybridge with spa, bar, grill, fridge, icemaker, dining area, garage with hydraulic swim platform, up to 8 guests and 2 crew).
- Traveller 63 Motor Yacht Fast explorer motor yacht (L.O.A. 15–24 m) with sea-water resistant aluminum construction, axe bow design, CE-A ocean classification, cruising speed 8–30 knots, twin 600 hp engines and approximately 1,000 nautical mile range; designed for ocean-going adventurous cruising.
- Refit, Renovation & Repair Services Interior, exterior, and engineering refit, renovation, and repair services for Van der Heijden yachts as well as third-party vessels, performed at the original Waalwijk shipyard to original build quality standards with the option of an extended warranty and worldwide maintenance team.
- Pre-Owned Van der Heijden Yacht Sales Sale of certified pre-owned Van der Heijden yachts, with the option to perform renovation, refit, and adaptation at the original shipyard, providing safety, credibility, reliability, and adherence to the original quality standards.
- Trade-In (Inruil) Service Trade-in value assessment and brokerage service where the company determines the inruilwaarde of a customer's existing boat and offers favorable terms toward a new Van der Heijden build versus selling through an external broker.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30-50% less fuel consumption compared to comparable steel yachts
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Van der Heijden Yachts
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Van der Heijden Yachts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Van der Heijden Yachts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Schwartz & Co. Yacht SalescoreUS dealer for Van der Heijden Yachts. Located at +1 312 533 9111, [email protected]. Provides local sales and support for American customers interested in Van der Heijden yachts.
- De Valk Yachts LoosdrechtminorDutch yacht dealer collaboration for The Yacht Experience event. Presented VDH Phantom 80 Expedition Flybridge, VDH 1600 Exclusive de Luxe, and VDH 70 Phantom Flybridge during De Valk Experience Event in Loosdrecht, Netherlands.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Van der Heijden Yachts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Feadship: Dutch luxury yacht builder producing fully custom superyachts (50m+) through a partnership of De Vries and Royal Van Lent. Overlaps on Dutch craftsmanship, in-house build, and HNW customer base, but operates at a larger scale and higher price tier than VDH.
- Sanlorenzo: Italian luxury motor yacht builder offering semi-custom and custom yachts from 24-70m+. Comparable in targeting HNW private owners seeking customised motoryachts, though larger and more international than VDH.
- Sunseeker: Major British luxury motor yacht manufacturer (13-50m) with global dealer network. Overlaps on European luxury buyer, yacht-show-led sales motion, and motor yacht product category, but positioned as a high-volume semi-custom player vs VDH's bespoke niche.
- Princess Yachts: British volume luxury motor yacht builder offering semi-custom yachts in the 13-40m range. Comparable model lineup and buyer, but operates at much higher volume and broader dealer scale rather than full bespoke builds.
- Amels: Dutch builder of custom and semi-custom superyachts (50-80m+) under Damen. Comparable Dutch custom-build heritage and HNW buyer segment, but at a larger scale and higher price tier than VDH's 10-35m focus.
Direct peers
- Royal Huisman: Dutch builder of custom-built sailing yachts and motor yachts with a long-tenured specialist workforce, focus on craftsmanship, and bespoke specifications for private owners. Direct comparable in custom-yacht positioning and Dutch in-house craftsmanship model.
- Heesen Yachts: Royal Dutch shipyard building fully custom and semi-custom motor yachts in aluminium and steel, in a directly overlapping size range (typically 30-80m). Most direct comparable: same Dutch shipyard DNA, in-house build, similar HNW buyer base and European distribution.
- Moonen Yachts: Dutch custom motor yacht builder (25-50m) with in-house naval architecture and a focus on displacement motor yachts for private owners. Direct comparable on Dutch custom-build positioning and HNW buyer.
- Mulder Shipyard: Dutch boutique shipyard building fully custom motor yachts in aluminium and steel with full in-house production. Closely comparable in scale, Dutch bespoke-build philosophy, and target buyer.
Others
- Vripack: Dutch design and engineering studio specialising in custom motor yacht naval architecture, often collaborating with boutique builders. OTHERS classification because it is a supplier/partner-type relationship to VDH rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Van der Heijden Yachts social profiles
Digital presenceVan der Heijden Yachts compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Van der Heijden Yachts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Van der Heijden Yachts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Van der Heijden Yachts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Van der Heijden Yachts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Van der Heijden Yachts
What does Van der Heijden Yachts do?
Van der Heijden Yachts is a Dutch shipyard in Waalwijk that designs and builds custom and semi-custom motor yachts in aluminum or steel, ranging from 10 to 35 meters, using fully in-house capabilities (design, engineering, carpentry, painting, electrical, upholstery). In addition to new construction, the yard provides refit, renovation and repair services for its own and third-party vessels, sells pre-owned Van der Heijden yachts with optional refit, and offers a trade-in (inruil) service against new purchases.
Is Van der Heijden Yachts a public or private company?
Van der Heijden Yachts is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Van der Heijden Yachts founded?
Van der Heijden Yachts was founded in 1990. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Van der Heijden Yachts based?
Van der Heijden Yachts is headquartered in Waalwijk, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Van der Heijden Yachts make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Yacht Construction is the primary driver. The others are refit, Renovation & Repair Services, pre-Owned Yacht Sales and brokerage/Trade-in Services.
Who are Van der Heijden Yachts's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Feadship, Sanlorenzo, Sunseeker, Princess Yachts and Amels. Direct peers are Royal Huisman, Heesen Yachts, Moonen Yachts and Mulder Shipyard. Vripack is listed as an others.
Does Van der Heijden Yachts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Van der Heijden Yachts.
What industry is Van der Heijden Yachts in?
Van der Heijden Yachts's product category is Custom Luxury Motor Yachts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAMAD, Luxury Motor Yacht Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMAJAMAJ, Luxury Yacht Refit, Rebuild & Lifecycle Upgrades (MRO). Its NAICS code is 336611 and its SIC code is 3730.