Holterman hits double home run with first boat sold into the US and new US sales representation
It’s no secret that the American boating market is perhaps the most important and largest in the world. It’s also a market that is primed and ready for change – buyers are looking for new capabilities and a step up in both design aesthetic and build quality. In other words, the American boating market is perfectly primed for Holterman – and this has been confirmed now with the recent sale of a Holterman Commander 54 to US clients and the establishment of new sales representation for Holterman in North America.
The steel-hulled Commander 54 brings her pedigree from the Dutch waterways yet she offers list of specifications and qualities that make her instantly at home in US waters. Her shallow draft means she’s perfect for lakes, rivers, intracoastal and coastal cruising – while practical features such as a fold-down antenna mast to clear bridges means she’s not constrained by air draft. For those who want to venture further afield, the Commander 54 is ready for exploring the Bahamas and Caribbean.
Holterman is a yacht builder that never stands still, and already the team is working on the design for Commander-style fast-going, aluminium yacht – with more features set to appeal to US boaters. “I think the Holterman offering, with the displacement Commander 54 and the new models we have in concept development, is perfectly suited to the US market and to US boating preferences,” enthuses Julian van Santen, Sales Director at Holterman. “What’s more, we’re pleased to announce that we are expanding our sales office in the US with the appointment of new sales representatives – and there will be no one better than them to highlight how Holterman yachts are ideal for the US, as they will be the owners of the US-destined Commander 54 we are building!”
Carla and Robert Frost were looking for a replacement for their 63-foot trawler and had a list of requirements that left no room for compromise – their new yacht had to offer maximum seaworthiness, modern interior styling, and ideally the world-renowned Dutch engineering. After visiting several builders in the Netherlands, they found their perfect brand and perfect model – Holterman’s Commander 54.
“Our previous vessel – an expedition-style trawler – had been a big step-up for us and we cruised it extensively for a year and a half,” begins Robert Frost. “But we didn’t love the layout or the interior styling of the boat, so we started poking around the internet looking at what boats offered a more modern aesthetic. Carla and I could see that most of the Dutch builders had great sensibilities, great ideas and great designs, but none had a presence in the US.”
The Frosts decided to travel to Holland and visit as many different yards as possible to find their ideal boat. They started looking for a new build that could offer elements that were necessary for the US market, such as the correct onboard AC voltage and tropical level air conditioning. “We were also interested in potentially becoming brand ambassadors for the US,” says Frost, “and at the end of the day we felt Holterman was the right choice – and the Commander 54 was the right boat.
“Although the boat was shorter in length than our previous yacht, we really liked the layout – it just seemed to offer much more usable, liveable space,” he continues. “What’s more, it was quickly apparent that Holterman not only came with a 60-year history, but also a fantastic team at the yard with experienced trades, craftsmen, engineers, and project managers, which gave us instant peace of mind. It was also clear,” he adds, “that Holterman was committed to the North American market and was ready to go!”
The Frosts’ Commander 54 will feature a retractable sunroof as well as foredeck controls, both options giving the advantages of a flybridge but without the restrictive air draft. Further, the yard was able to offer a shorter build time that other Dutch yards, with construction scheduled to take 14 months for an early 2025 delivery. It speaks to an accumulation of factors confirming that Holterman is as ready for the US market and the US market is for Holterman.
“We think the US market is ready for many of the same things that attracted our first customer in North America to buy a Holterman,” van Santen offers. “For instance, the interior finishes and exterior styling of most luxury yachts sold there haven’t really been updated in years. We want to change that, bringing the modern styling of our Xtreme series, steel and aluminium hulls and options like hydronic floor heating – which are standard for Holland but which haven’t been offered in North America – alongside the elegance and practicality that the Holterman Commander 54 offers”.
“It’s a cooperation that captures not only the enthusiasm and the passion of the Frosts for their Holterman, but also the mutual trust that we share with them as clients and us as the shipyard,” says van Santen. “It embodies the relationship we have with every single Holterman client, even after 60 years and more than 500 yachts built. It’s about building and delivering the very best boat we can at the very highest quality level, while working one-on-one with each and every client to ensure their expectations are exceeded. It’s why we are so excited to have Carla and Robert Frost representing us in the US, and why we believe we will offer American clients something they likely have never experienced elsewhere. It’s why, as best expressed by our corporate mantra, buying a Holterman is a ‘straightforward’ decision.”
