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Willem Nieland design built in steel by VDL Shipyard in 1998. Pilot-boat lines with a raked, flared bow and generous freeboard, but purpose-built as a private motor yacht. 32 tonnes, twin 430hp Volvo Pentas, full Raymarine electronics and ten solar panels. Lying in the Netherlands.
Pilot boats go out in the weather that keeps everyone else alongside. An incoming ship needs a harbour pilot regardless of the sea state, and generations of pilotage service have refined a particular shape to make that possible: a raked, flared bow and generous forward freeboard, which keep the boat drier and, more importantly, steadier when putting a pilot onto a moving ship. This Pilot 50 wears those lines, and she wears them honestly. She is a Willem Nieland design, drawn with workboat proportions from the outset. What she is not is a conversion. She was purpose-built in 1998 by VDL Shipyard as a private motor yacht, so the hull form is doing real work rather than borrowing a look. She measures 14.99 metres with a 4.82-metre beam, draws 1.45 metres, and displaces 32 tonnes on a multi hard chine steel hull. That is a serious amount of steel for the length, and it shows in the way the hull carries its lines aft rather than pinching them in for outright speed. Above the waterline the character changes completely. A mahogany interior, central heating, 24,000 BTU air conditioning, hydraulic steering and an inside helm position for all-weather passage-making. Two cabins and four berths, which is modest for her size, but boats like this were never production runs; each was built around the demands of the buyer who commissioned her, and the space has gone into living rather than bunk count. The owner's cabin has a double bed and en suite heads, the guest cabin a V-berth, and there is a washing machine and dryer aboard. Ten Sunwave solar panels sit across the coach roof, feeding a Mastervolt Mass Combi 24/4000-120 charger-inverter alongside a Fischer Panda generator, so she can run her air conditioning and full galley well away from shore power. With 4,000 litres of diesel and 1,250 litres of fresh water aboard, she is set up for extended time away from busy marinas. Power comes from twin Volvo Penta TAMD73 EDC diesels rated 430hp each, a commercial-specification marine engine, which is a fair part of why the pilot-boat comparison holds rather than being purely cosmetic. Her collapsible radar arch drops her air draft from 4.76 metres to 3.30 metres, which opens up the Dutch and Belgian canal networks on her doorstep.
Hull material: steel, multi hard chine Hull colour: blue Superstructure: steel Deck material: steel, synthetic teak finish Superstructure and cockpit deck finish: non-skid paint Rubbing strake: rubber Window frames: aluminium Windows: double glazing Deck hatches and portholes: aluminium Radar arch: collapsible CE norm: B The raked, flared bow and generous forward freeboard are the features that keep a pilot vessel drier and steadier in a seaway. At 32 tonnes across 14.99 metres she is substantially built for her length. The rubber rubbing strake and synthetic teak decking are practical, low-maintenance choices for a boat intended to be used year-round.
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta TAMD73 EDC diesel Output: 430hp / 316.48 kW each Engine hours: 6,800 Cooling: freshwater heat exchanger Drive: shaft Gearbox: mechanical Exhaust: water cooled Propellers: fixed, stainless steel shafts, water lubricated Steering: hydraulic wheel steering, inside helm position Bow thruster: electric, 24V, 8hp Bilge pumps: manual and electric, with bilge alarm The TAMD73 was built by Volvo to commercial specification, which is a meaningful part of this boat's pilot-vessel credentials rather than simply her styling.
Installation: 12V, 24V and 220V Generator: Fischer Panda, wet exhaust Charger/inverter: Mastervolt Mass Combi 24/4000-120 Solar: 10 x Sunwave panels Start batteries: 4 x 50Ah Optima Red Top Service batteries: 8 x 200Ah gel Generator battery: 1 Bow thruster battery: yes Battery monitor: yes Shore power with cable Between the solar array, the generator and the inverter there is enough capacity to run the air conditioning and full galley away from shore power for extended periods.
Fuel: 4,000 litres Fresh water: 1,250 litres Blackwater: 500 litres (stainless steel)
Plotter: Raymarine Hybrid Touch Radar: Raymarine Autopilot: Raymarine P70 Depth sounder and log: Raymarine i70 VHF: 2 x Raymarine Ray240 AIS transceiver: yes Rudder angle indicator: yes Navigation lights: yes Searchlight: yes Wiper and horn: yes
Cabins: 2 Berths: 4 Interior: mahogany Floor: carpet Heating: central heating, Post Marine Caminus Ketel Air conditioning: Ocean Marine, 24,000 BTU Hot water: run off the central heating Owner's cabin: double bed, hanging wardrobe with drawers and shelves, en suite toilet with wash basin, shared bathroom and shower. Guest cabin: V-berth, hanging wardrobe and shelves, separate toilet with wash basin, shared shower. Toilet systems: electric. Washing machine and dryer combi. Galley: corian countertop, stainless steel sink, electric cooker, oven, fridge with freezer compartment, electric pressurised water system. Inside helm position, so passages can be run in comfort whatever the weather is doing.
Decking: synthetic teak over steel, non-skid paint to superstructure and cockpit Rubbing strake: rubber Anchor: Delta 24kg with chain Windlass: Simpson, electric Davits: 400kg Tender: Whally dinghy with Mercury 5hp outboard Deck wash and deck shower Bimini, cockpit cushions and cockpit table Sea railing: stainless steel Collapsible radar arch Ten solar panels mounted across the coach roof
CE Category B certification, rated for offshore conditions. Life raft Bilge alarm Manual and electric bilge pumps Fire extinguisher Fenders and mooring lines Sea railing in stainless steel Searchlight, navigation lights and horn
Vessel offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice. All details are presented in good faith and believed accurate but are not guaranteed. This is an introduction listing. Currently lying in the Netherlands. [[SUBSTACK:https://newsletter.yacht-buoy.com/p/commercial-lines-private-comfort]]
Model: Pilot 50 Type: Motor yacht Builder: VDL Shipyard, The Netherlands Designer: Willem Nieland Year built: 1998 LOA: 14.99m LWL: 13.66m Beam: 4.82m Draft: 1.45m Air draft: 4.76m (3.30m with the radar arch lowered) Displacement: 32 tonnes CE norm: B Purpose-built as a private motor yacht drawn with pilot-boat lines, not a commercial conversion. Currently lying in the Netherlands. Asking €349,000, VAT paid.
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