s/v VERO BLUE

HEESEN Yachts, the world renown Dutch yacht-builder of James Bond’s “Octopussy” fame, with over 170 other world class mega-yacht constructions, only ever built TWO sailing yachts. “Veroblue” is one of the two and she is now coming up for sale.

HEESEN yachts mainly custom builds motor yachts in the 150ft – 300+ ft class and almost exclusively in aluminum for high speed and performance.

The professional Dutch construction is reflected in this wonderful floating home that has served the engineer owner and his family with great memories over the last decade.

Fully refitted in 2010-12 “VeroBlue” has sailed the Atlantic and Caribbean for years, with just mainly Dad, Mom, two teenage daughters and a Chihuahua ‘scupper-puppy’.

“Vero” as she is affectionally known, is a shorthanded sailors dream.

With Electric- winches and hydraulic furling Main, Genoa, sub-deck anchor Windlass and hydraulic BOW THRUSTER,  she is pretty much push button sailing with ‘big-boat’ stability, comfort and speed.

Her waterline length makes every passage short and luxuriously comfortable. You arrive at the end of any passage rested, fresh and ready to explore.

Vero gets her righting stability from an 8 ton centerboard keel operated hydraulically. The Centerboard actuating cylinder was completely renewed in 2019.
Hydraulic power for the Centerboard comes directly from the Main Engine as well as an electro-Hydraulic Pump for operation when the main engine is not running.
The swing keel retracts invisibly under the cabin floor and allows the 8’ board-UP draft to increase to about 13’6” board-DOWN when under sail.

The “grunt” comes from Vero’s commercial class marine hydraulic systems that deliver power, endurance, reliability and longevity as only seen in the mega yachts.

Vero Blue was refinished and painted outside and completely rebuilt inside, finished in teak, sycamore, ceramic and Corian tops.

A large main salon table is electrically operated by push button, to hydraulically adjust for height, transforming into a giant lay-back bed area, great for kids and family to lay on and watch TV, or just dozing off.

A large cockpit is protected from sun and spray by a Bimini and not enough can be said about the pilothouse. Wet windy night watches are a delight for anyone at any latitude, when you can sit in a soft Captains helm chair, listen to the stereo and take the con without having to stand watches in the salt and spray.

Vero was masterfully designed for high latitude sailing but makes no compromises for tropical sailing. Large opening hatches, opening hull ports and dorade vents allow even the slightest breeze to keep the boat cool and airy inside, when not running the A/C.

Inside and Outside helm stations with duplicate controls and dual station instrumentation, autopilot and stereo systems make even the dullest passage enjoyable and relaxing.

The Main Engine is an MTU V8 marine diesel ( Mercedes) with an ample
275 HP giving about 8 knots at only 1,100 RPM for just a 3 gallon burn per hour.

A 15 kW Northern Lights 120/240v 60Hz Diesel Generator is normally run about twice a day for an hour or two.

Vero also has two large solar panels fitted onto the Bimini structure with Generator and Inverter 110/220v AC and 12v/24v DC throughout the vessel. House and Engine batteries are 24v Gelcell with 12v inverter supply to the electronics where required.

Two separate 2 ton chilled water MarineAir air-conditioning condenser units are located in the machinery room, with compact air-handlers distributed throughout each cabin area, providing quiet cool air throughout the vessel’s upstairs and downstairs.

The Vessel was originally built to Lloyds 100A1 class, so has water tight bulkheads aft of the main chain / sail locker, forward of the aft lazaret locker and enclosing the Engine and machinery room.

There are two separate bilge pumping systems that utilize EIGHT 2,000 GPH high capacity 24V DC electric submersible pumps distributed throughout the vessel’s bilges and another NINE 240 GPH 24v DC diaphragm pumps that suck up the last drop.
All pumps have both automatic float switch and manual override controls located at the Pilothouse and in the Engine room.

Several fridges, freezer and an icemaker, allow copious amounts of provisions to be carried for an easy Ocean crossing.

Two independent RO water makers can provide up to 80 Gallons of fresh potable water per hour. So in-passage, just running the generator for an hour recharges all batteries, pulls down the fridge/freezers, makes some ice and about 80 gallons of water burning about 1 gallon of diesel.

The abundant fresh drinking water allows for long hot showers and for the boat to be washed down, head to foot at the end of a days salty passage. A joy and a luxury not many cruisers experience.

Teak decks allow for non slip working and lazing in the sun.

The interior is designed for comfortable spacious family living.
There is a double Vee berth private cabin forward under a breezy hatch, with sit-down desk/bureau and adjoining private access to a head and shower cubicle.
Opposite is another private cabin with twin over-under berths having access to the forward head and its separate shower cubicle.
The main salon has a door that shuts it from the forward berth areas.

A “U” shaped galley to Starboard and the adjustable round dinning table to port leave plenty of room to dine, watch the big-screen and doze-off.

The galley has deep twin athwartships sinks, microwave oven and a gimballed propane cooker and oven.

A companionway gives up-access from the lower cabins into the pilothouse, situated over the machinery room.
The Pilothouse is a large self contained totally weather proof cabin with a circular dining table, ‘U’ shaped seating, a comfortable swiveling Pilot’s armchair and an impressive aircraft style instrument panel.

It is air conditioned but also has two opening overhead hatches. A finger-touch sliding main cabin door gives easy and direct access to the aft cockpit.

Back to the downstairs, a full height walk through passage leads from the main salon past the Engine room with its fireproof and water tight door to port and a washer/drier to starboard. Continuing aft there is another door that enters into the aft Master Cabin.
A huge King size double bed has step around floors with lockers and drawers each side. Another door leads into the sycamore blond-wood and Corian top aft head with adjoining shower cubicle.

Large opening hatches, opening portholes and dorade vents confirm the designer’s consideration to practical, all climate, onboard comfort.

The sail plan is a basic cutter design with Hydraulic in-mast mainsail reefing/furling, hydraulic furling genoa and furling staysail. The aluminum mast is about 90’ tall above its step.

The electronics includes two Furuno radars, Furuno Plotter, a FLEET 33 satellite comms dome mounted on the Bimini arch, Autohelm autopilot and B&G sailing instruments inside and out.
The Autopilot controls the hydraulic steering powered from a 24vDC commercial grade hydraulic steering pump.
There is a Furuno GPS plotting system and a spare GPS, two Marine VHF radios, two compasses and a Plotter screen.

There are presently two CQR anchors and a collapsible Danforth, but only a short rode of ½” Galv. chain. It's two 250' rodes are due for replacement.

Dinghy davits on aft lazaret deck are electric with manual backup.

Steps lead down to a sugar-scoop transom deck and a hinged swim ladder.
 

An ELECTRIC  Bauer aqualung recharging compressor is permanently fitted in the aft lazaret locker as well as a place to store SCUBA tanks.

The vessel has laid on hardstand at a secure Trinidad boat yard over the 2020 COVID lock-downs. It has however been kept covered with a shrink plastic covering structure for the period and the interior is air-conditioned from the deck, while on the hardstand.

Some numbers:
LOA: 71’ ( 21.64m)
LWL: 59’ (18m)
Beam: 18’8” (5.7 m)
Draft: approx. 8’ Board UP to 13’6” board Down
Displ: 90,000 lb ( 40.8 mT)
Fuel: 460 gal (1,742 L) Aluminum
Water: 400 Gal ( 1,514 L) Aluminum