A brand new model 60 years in the making
Dutch semi-custom yachtbuilder Holterman has offered a tantalising glimpse at a brand new addition to its brilliantly crafted Xtreme range of yachts which began with the concept for the multi-award-winning 33-metre X-105 Lady Fleur, launched in 2022. After several years of development, the Xtreme range has grown to include the X-54, X-65 and X-78 Sport and Fly. The new yacht – the X-95 – offers the ultimate bridge between the semi-custom sub-24-metre Xtremes and the finesse and fire of the innovative, Class-built X-105.
The philosophy behind the X-95 is simple – to create the very best yacht possible at 30 metres. The result is a triumph of design, style, function and form, with an all-aluminium build and performance predicted at 22 to 24 knots, plus a design feature that will enable the X-95 to carry one of the largest tenders in its size bracket. Central to the X-95’s development has been the shipyard’s straightforward approach to design and engineering, capitalising on the heritage it has built since its founding in 1964.
Picking perfection
“We’ve been working together for many years, from when we started the Xtreme line with the X-105,” says designer Bernd Weel, founder of the Bernd Weel Design studio. “As a designer, I am always dreaming of the perfect yacht, and so is Holterman.” There was an obvious gap in the line-up at around 29 metres (95 feet), between the X-105 and the X-78 models, and it was here that the idea for the X-95 emerged.
“We thought it would be nice, instead of having a client come to us, if we developed it together,” Weel continues, “applying all our experience of developing the Xtreme series, adding in all the client feedback that I and especially Holterman has gathered over the years – because the shipyard always tries to listen to clients and yacht owners to see what they are seeking – and capitalising on the yard’s 60 years of boatbuilding prowess to create something really cool, the perfect 95-footer.”
The resulting concept, which will be built to Class rather than the recreational CE mark, is, says Weel, the perfect size with the perfect features for cruising the Mediterranean and beyond. “Combining what we have learnt so far from all the projects we have done together, we believe the X-95 is something really special,” Weel enthuses. “One of the main focuses right from the start was to create a lot of exterior space for outdoor living, but at the same time maximising interior space for a full five-cabin layout – we also really wanted to design the yacht to be optimised for potential charter, so the integration of captain and crew has been paramount in the design.”
Style and substance
The styling shares the same DNA as the rest of the Xtreme line, drawing on the distinctive, highly sculptural lines of the X-105 which have been shared across the range. “It’s about shadow and light, and how the surfaces reflect the light,” says Weel, whose background in industrial and automotive design is the perfect grounding for creating the eye-catching contours of the Xtreme series.
And while the X-95 won’t feature quite the groundbreaking aft-deck tender stowage-cum-pool design of the X-105, it will have its own benchmark feature that will make it a clear standout from its competitors. “We have something that’s really, really clever in that aft area,” Weel teases. “We’re going to be able to store a six-metre tender in an enclosed garage, and that’s really cool – there’s some clever things happening there.”
Other features will include a luxurious and light owner’s suite forward on the main deck that will lead out to a private owner terrace on the bow, a raised pilothouse design accessed via steps from the saloon – which itself will offer extraordinary levels of space as it will be a full-beam saloon with large glass panels on each side – plus an expansive sundeck that can be outfitted to cater to all indulgences, including the addition of a spa pool. Guest accommodation on the lower deck will comprise four spacious ensuite cabins.
A proven and reliable double shaft engine setup will power the X-95 delivering excellent performance, and for maximum manoeuvrability powerful bow and stern thrusters are installed. The model will also be future-proofed with an exhaust treatment system that meets IMO Tier III standards. Range is predicted to be in the region of 1,800 nautical miles at a mid-cruise of around 15 knots.
History in the making
As Weel and the shipyard finalise the design, one thing is clear – the X-95 will stand as another milestone in Holterman’s extraordinary history as the yard celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024. Alongside the avant garde styling and innovative features, the X-95 encapsulates the core ethos of the shipyard, which puts technical competence, build quality and customer requests at the centre of everything it does.
“The Xtreme range may be very new – and the X-95 the newest of those – but Holterman is not,” says Robbert Holterman, CEO at Holterman Shipyard. “We have a shipyard with a lot of experience, and we have a designer we have a lot of experience with, and together we wanted to create the perfect 29-metre, all-aluminium yacht for cruising and for charter. The X-95 is the big sister to the X-78 and the little sister to the X-105, but it needs to have it all, so we have included all the features of a superyacht in a 29-metre, fast displacement aluminium design. It really is the culmination of everything we have done and everything we have learnt over six decades of building exceptional yachts.”
Weel adds: “The collaboration with Holterman has been transformative – it’s really good to work with them mainly because of their straightforward approach. We share the same vision, and I feel as a designer there’s a lot of trust from their side so I feel the freedom to really create something special, something truly groundbreaking.
“They’re also very practical,” he continues, “so if I come up with a design element, they will tell me straightaway if it’s not going to work or if we need to do it a different way. We are always very quick in taking steps forward, and it gives me so much confidence that the X-95 will not only be a superbly considered holistic design, but will also translate into a superbly built and finished yacht.”
