Fans of long-distance passagemaking know the brand name Doggersbank well. Ever since Dick Boon, founder of the Dutch design firm Vripack, drew the first 35-foot version back in 1968, Doggersbank boats have been seen cruising pretty much every corner of the planet, from the Arctic Circle to Antarctica and lots of remote destinations in between.
Now, Altena Shipyard in the Netherlands has started construction on what will be the biggest owner-operated Doggersbank, and the first one with a single-engine PTO/PTI hybrid propulsion system. It’s a 77-foot Offshore that was commissioned by an experienced yachtsman from the Pacific Northwest who plans to cruise with kids and grandkids on board.
“It’s one of life’s great experiences if you have the means to do that,” says John Clayman of Seaton Yachts, which is Vripack’s Doggersbank partner for the Americas. “This boat has been designed specifically for his and his wife’s requirements.”
All three guest staterooms are belowdecks, including the master that’s amidships to minimize motion. The owner ordered a washer/dryer, extra refrigeration and freezers, a dedicated space for ironing and a belowdecks utility room that Vripack’s Sales and Fleet Manager Joost Mertens says is significant in size. The owner also eliminated the crew cabin that exists near the engine room in the plans and instead will use the space for a battery room, as part of the hybrid propulsion system. The main deck’s day head also is gone, in favor of extra stowage for long-distance cruising, and there will be five doors on the main deck instead of the standard three, for more access to the side decks.
“It’s a very experienced owner,” says Mertens, who goes by the nickname “Mr. Doggersbank” at Vripack. “With today’s technology at the bridge, it makes life much easier. There are bow thrusters, stern thrusters, remote control units to steer and maneuver from literally everywhere. You can park it like a 20-meter. You don’t really recognize the length. The machinery on board does the work.”
Mertens says his team is working with Pacific Yacht Management in Seattle on components that will make the most sense for the region where the owner intends to cruise. “We can look deeper into equipment that’s readily available in the U.S., so that where he is cruising up north, he will always have access to service,” Mertens says. For exploring from remote anchorages, her boat deck can accommodate a 17-foot tender.
The propulsion system’s PTO/PTI moniker stands for power take-in and power take-out. With power take-in, Mertens says, energy can be drawn from the main engine’s shaft. “You create electricity that you can store in your battery bank,” he says. “If you don’t use the main engine, say at the lower speeds going in and out of port, you can use the power take-out and run the shaft.”
The main engine will kick in at about 5 or 6 knots, he adds, but otherwise, the boat can run off the batteries. There will be a generator on board (maybe two—the team is still debating the options) but the batteries will be able to power hotel loads, including air conditioning.
“It’s nice and quiet,” Mertens says. “You can run the a/c, the galley, lighting, all that stuff. And in the morning, you can leave port quietly without all the fumes disturbing your neighbors.”
The 77 is expected to have a 4,016-nautical-mile range at 7.5 knots. At 8.5 knots, the range is 3,135 nm (both with a
10% reserve).
This Doggersbank will join quite a few others now cruising the United States, he adds. Mertens is aware of various models on the Great Lakes, in Southeast Florida and in the Northeast. They all have the same characteristics that appeal to long-distance cruisers, he says: “seakeeping, pleasant motion, but also the space for storage, carrying cargo. If it’s six or eight people and all the things they need, it’s water sports toys but also wine bottles, cutlery, freshwater bottles for weeks—where do you put it? That’s what makes an explorer an explorer. Everything has to be well thought through.”
DOGGERSBANK 77 OFFSHORE
LOA: 77ft.
Beam: 20ft.
Draft: 6ft. 5in.
Displacement: 268,894 lbs.
Fuel: 5,280 gal.
Water: 790 gal.
Engine: 1x 575-hp John Deere 6135SFM85
Info: doggersbank.com
This article was originally published in the November/December 2023 issue.
