AMERSFOORT – Rene van der Velden was never the world’s best student. It made his learning curve one, requiring perseverance. He had lots of that. Experience gathered in his engineering studies, a navy stint and internships at naval architects landed him a job at Pieter Beeldsnijder, an icon of Dutch yachtbuilding design.
“He had no vacancy,” Van der Velden remembers today. “But I asked for a job and stayed for two years.”
His career is one of iconic designs, notably for Moonen Yachts, Van den Hoven Jachtbouw and Bekkers Yachts, a new kid on the block of Dutch builders of fast, high-end open cockpit motor yachts.
Early in his career, he worked for nine years at De Vries Lentsch, “I was soon used as a designer and wondered if I would do that for the 30 years as a partnership wasn’t on offer.” He started alone in the attic of his girlfriend’s apartment. At first, working for other architects and visiting yards to promote himself.
Van der Velden’s first primary design job came in 1995 for Trintella, which had developed a new line of polyester sailing boats. Then-director Emiel Bilterijst of Moonen Yachts, asked several designers to sketch the next Moonen at Moonen Yachts.
He chose Van der Velden. “Emiel said I heard him. The most important thing about this work is listening to what someone wants. I never say, “This is what I make, so go with that.”
In 2018, Moonen Yachts delivered a 36.3m (120ft) Van der Velden-designed yacht that received instant acclaim by winning a World Superyachts Award. The yard has since sold seven Martiniques and is spec-building #8 for delivery in April 2025.
The yard lists the project at €25.5 million. “We offer our customers unprecedented upfront insight,” says Moonen Yachts Commercial Director Victor Caminada. “Why keep prices and the construction schedule hidden?” The yard publishes a menu of six dates for design choices. The closer Project YN205 gets to delivery, the fewer choices buyers have.
Does van der Velden have a recognizable signature? “I think my designs are all different. There are similarities. For each yard, you have to reinvent yourself a little bit. The client and I must both like a design. A design I don’t like doesn’t leave my studio. Nor does a design my client doesn’t like.”
At Moonen, Van der Velden started with an 84ft (25.6m) motor yacht and never really left. His classic Moonens are getting a revival in the 34m (11.6ft) Mustique, also by him. The steel boat has an aluminum superstructure, a slight sheer and a fan stern.”
He came to Van den Hoven Shipyard because the latter wanted to go international with fast yachts doing 22 knots. The 18.6m Voyager 61 flybridge was his first aluminum model. The 17m Voyager 56 is now being built. Velden interferes with the shipbuilding design up to a point. “Whoever does the shipbuilding is responsible for it. S0, I stick to the above-water part.
Van der Velden has created fantastic designs. For instance:
- –The Jules Verne (1997) is an 18.5m aluminum design modeled after American fast commuters built at Vitters Shipyard in the Netherlands.
- –With Vitters’ help, a Turkish yard built six 32m (75.5ft) classic motor yachts in composite for which Van der Velden designed the interior and exterior,
- –The 39m CaryAli (2013) trawler for an American client won him international awards
Van der Velden worked with Dutch naval architect Piet van Oossanen, on the (14.5ft) Stila 44 in 2002.
“When you are a designer, people always tell you to draw your own boat. Alas, you end up believing them. Two Stila 44s were built in Poland, but in 2007, the market was harsh on expensive newcomers. We both ended up with a lovely boat! I sailed mine for 15 years!
