Blending function with form, practicality with design and the promise of a day excursion with a dream encounter on the water, the California 52’ is a boat with all-round appeal.
A compact yacht with James Bond swagger, Waterdream’s Vripack-designed boat made its international debut at the 2020 World Yacht Trophies in Cannes in July where it immediately proved its worth by scooping the Best Innovation Award.
The California 52’ represents Dutch design through and through. It is the brainchild of Prince Bernhard van Oranje, founder of Loosdrecht-based Waterdream, whose brand mission is to deliver high quality, sustainable, practical, and timeless designs. Built by Van der Valk Shipyard, the latest Waterdream model hails from Dutch design studio Vripack, whose holistic vision is underpinned by strong naval architecture. The result is the California 52’, a lesson in minimalist expression for maximum effect. “Without a doubt, the biggest innovation within the California 52’ is our Human Centred Design approach, which we applied from day one,” says Bart M. Bouwhuis, co-creative director at Vripack. “This ensured the design, build, development and communication on the project remains primarily focused on the ‘human’ aspect. Simply look at the steering console and you get my point.”
The California 52’ is both a practical boat for family weekends and a versatile one-man cruiser. Built by hand in just five months, the boat oozes sex appeal: Curvaceous exterior lines; a voluptuous interior with full head volume and collapsible tables; a striking 35-inch all-carbon central W steering console that puts the driver at the heart of the action with an easy-handling joystick; and a soft top with epic sound system for the ultimate party. Lightweight, strong, nippy, and easily customisable, it is also fuel-efficient thanks to a lowest in class weight to speed ratio. In fact, Vripack succeeded in making 80% of all build materials recyclable, including both the hull and superstructure, which are built from 100% green aluminium.
Fully optimized using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the hull design offers a 30% reduction in seasickness and a 50% reduction in dynamic trim (greater comfort and visibility when underway). And at just over 15m, it is the only boat of its size to include a stern garage large enough to carry a stand-up jet-ski or tender, both of which guarantee extended on-the-water fun and convenience.
The Waterdream California 52’ is more than a boat. It is a nod to innovative design, Dutch craftsmanship, and sustainable yachting, neatly tied up with a party bow.
About Vripack
Vripack is a yacht design studio, made strong through its extensive naval architecture and engineering experience. From the moment it threw open its doors in 1961, Vripack studio’s approach to design has been governed by the playful interaction between form and function. With a portfolio that represents over 7.400 designs, Vripack has been able to evolve its processes to be as efficient and as effective as possible.
Vripack’s unique working structure, which provides a holistic approach to the design of a yacht, ensures that we produce better boats in less time. Our involvement in the entire process of designing the safest and most durable yachts ensures that clients and their guests feel at home at sea.
