Heesen has announced the delivery of the 50-metre Home, its first Fast Displacement Hull Form (FDHF) yacht with hybrid propulsion. The Heesen Home was delivered to her owner in international waters at the start of July. Formerly Project Nova, the all-aluminium yacht was launched in April. Her sea trials in the North Sea – conducted over five days in calm sea conditions and light breezes – produced impressive results, says Heesen: Home exceeded her contractual maximum speed of 16.3 knots in traditional diesel-engine mode. She also impressed in hybrid silent-cruising mode: Home’s two 127kW water-cooled DC electric motors powered the yacht to exceed her predicted speed of nine knots, with noise and vibration levels well below the specification levels.

• Read about the launch of Home here

The yard also says that the yacht is extremely fuel efficient. At a 12-knot cruising speed, she has a fuel consumption of 98 litres per hour (excluding generators), and at ten knots in hybrid mode this further reduces to 45 litres per hour. Home’s twin 600kW MTU 12V 2000 M61 main engines are smaller than those typically fitted on a yacht of this size. Home has also exceeded her range predictions, measuring an impressive 4,250 miles at 12 knots – 500 more than specified.

The FDHF is the work of Van Oossanen Naval Architects, while Frank Laupman of Omega Architects is responsible the striking profile of the Heesen Home, with her eye-catching vertical bow and spray rails. The interior is from the board of Cristiano Gatto, who worked closely with the owner to create a décor on a linear design based on a two-tone palette. “This theme gives a relaxed and bright feel throughout the whole interior, inviting the outdoors and spectacular vistas to feature centre stage from within,” the yard says.

Home will make her public bow at the Monaco Yacht Show in September. A sistership is under construction at Heesen and is available for sale, with delivery in March 2019.

• All photographs by Dick Holthuis