A history of investments... for the future

The shipyard from 1884 until today, home of the world’s finest custom yachts

1884

The yard was founded in a small hamlet called Ronduite, about ten kilometers / 6 miles east of Vollenhove. It all started there…

Historic photo of a boatbuilder standing beside the ribs of a wooden hull under construction

Historic photo of two boatbuilders working at an outdoor workbench among timber

1930

Next to commercial or fishing boats the yard started to build cruising boats. During the second World War few ships were built or delivered. In the post-war years, the yard slowly re-established itself and the workforce grew to eight or ten men. When Wolter Huisman returned from military service he was determined to build in steel.

Historic photo of workers lined up outside the wooden yacht yard shed by the water

Historic photo of a flag-decorated motor yacht at the yard shed, with guests on the quay

1961

The last steel yachts were built in the early 1960s. The shipyard moved on, pioneering the bending and welding of aluminum for the construction of hulls. Huisman Shipyard became a pioneer within Europe, exploring the vast advantages offered by this new alloy material.

1971

The boats were getting bigger. Because of insufficient draught in the adjacent canal; problems with transportation across the road and limited expansion possibilities, the yard moved premises to Vollenhove after the first hall was built on the present site.

Historic photo of the waterside yard with a crane, a shed and small sailing yachts

Historic photo of the timber frame of a new yard hall under construction

1972 – 1974

Further expansion took place with the construction of three more halls.

Aerial view of the early yard with three sheds and boats along the waterside

1987

A much larger construction hall and new modern and sophisticated offices were built. It was in this year that the construction of the Endeavour, a magnificent 40m / 130ft J-class sloop began.

Endeavour's hull lifted by two cranes at her launch, with spectators on the quay

Aerial view of the yard with halls, sailing yachts moored and the town behind

1972 – 1974

Further expansion took place with the construction of three more halls.

1996 – 1999

A new aluminum cutting shed and canteen were brought into use. The systems / installations hall was modernized and a new hall was commissioned especially for the carbon composite production of spars, hatches, steering consoles and superstructure components.

Truck carrying a long carbon mast section out of the new carbon hall

Aerial view of the shipyard halls beside the water, with a separate flat-roofed hall in front

2000 – 2001

A state- of- the- art furniture manufacturing facility was created and opened — the new Hall 2 to accommodate the build of project 378, Athena. It exceeded all environmental, firefighting and working conditions requirements. In this same period the Vollenhove bridge was modified to facilitate the transportation of larger vessels to and from the yard and the IJsselmeer.

2003

The Rondal rigging and hardware facility moved into a new purpose built facility on the shipyard site.

Aerial view of the shipyard halls and roundabout, taken from a hot-air balloon

Front of the shipyard building seen across the canal from the grassy bank

2007 – 2008

Hall 1 was upgraded: the reinforced, laser levelled floor enabled greater dimensional stability during welding and greater accuracy during assembly. “Energy boxes” in the floor provide connection points for services such as electricity, compressed air, telephony and data. Hall 1 was also equipped with a radiant heating system, advanced industrial lighting, a higher and wider main doorway and welding fume extractors.

2009

New facilities include a central hall with stock room, sub-assembly facilities for aluminum construction, a canteen and additional offices.

Aerial view of the yard halls and courtyard with a yellow excavator

Aerial view of the yard in winter with a tall construction crane beside the halls

Aerial view of the yard with a coloured 3D block showing the planned capacity increase

2015

Hall 3 and 4 were extended to accommodate yachts of 60m / 197ft.

Aerial view of the shipyard beside the canal in morning mist, with a bridge in front

2017

The floor of Hall 2 was upgraded…

Steel build frame laid out on the floor of a yard hall for a mock-up

Sea Eagle II's dark hull rolling out of the building hall on transporters at dusk

…in preparation for project 400, Sea Eagle II.

Aerial view of the shipyard with a large yacht moored at the quay

Royal Huisman's Amsterdam yard with sailing yachts moored along the quay

2019

The shipyard facilities were extended to the Amsterdam region. This added 12.000 sqm / 129.200 sqft to the available capacity. This area is easily accessible from open sea and comprises three modern and heated main halls and a 120m / 394ft deep water quay…

…which can be extended with pontoons.