57m Aluminium FDHF (Santosha)

• LOA: 56.7 m
• Beam: 10.3 m
• Gross tonnage: 780 GT
• Top speed: 22 knots
• Range: about 4,400 nm at 12 knots
• Engines: two MTU 16V 4000 M65L
• Hull: aluminium FDHF and superstructure
• Design: Omega Architects exterior, Harrison Eidsgaard interior

First of a new aluminium class

Santosha launched the yard's 57 metre Aluminium FDHF class and reached her owners in 2024 after building as Project Akira. As the first hull of a new line she carried the weight of proving the platform, and she did it convincingly. At 56.7 metres and 780 GT she offers meaningful volume while staying nimble under way. The class slots neatly between the compact fifties and the larger custom yachts in the Heesen range.

For Heesen a new class is a statement of where demand is heading. The 57 answers owners who want the fast aluminium hull with a touch more room than a 50 gives. Santosha herself was heavily personalised for her owner, so she reads as a custom yacht built on a series platform. That blend of speed and tailoring is what the class was designed to sell. Coming in as the debut hull, she also set the tone for how buyers would specify the ones that followed.

Aluminium FDHF at full pace

This is where the Van Oossanen hull does what it was made for. Santosha carries an aluminium Fast Displacement Hull Form under an aluminium superstructure, and the pairing keeps her light and quick. Two MTU 16V 4000 M65L diesels push her to 22 knots at the top and a comfortable 15 knot fast cruise. The FDHF holds its efficiency across that whole band rather than only at one speed.

Range keeps pace with the performance. With 80,000 litres of fuel she reaches about 4,400 nautical miles at 12 knots, so the speed does not come at the cost of reach. Owners can push on to make a weather window or ease back to save fuel, and the hull rewards either choice. That flexibility is the practical case for the FDHF. The 4,400 mile figure covers a transatlantic run with speed still held in reserve.

A 22-knot aluminium 57 that wears a custom interior on a series hull.

Omega Architects sets the tone

Frank Laupman's team at Omega Architects styled the exterior, extending the Heesen look to the new 57 platform. The profile is sporty and clean, with the superstructure set to leave long open decks fore and aft. Broad glazing ties the interior to the water and lightens the whole superstructure visually. She looks fast standing still, which is a fair description of the boat underneath. The three-deck layout gives Omega room to keep the lines long and uninterrupted.

The deck plan makes the most of three decks of volume. There is generous sunbathing and shaded social space, and the aft end steps down for close contact with the sea. A near vertical bow adds waterline and suits the fast hull. The styling stays disciplined so the boat ages well rather than chasing a passing trend.

Harrison Eidsgaard, made personal

Harrison Eidsgaard designed the interior, tailoring it closely to Santosha's owner. Accommodation runs to six staterooms for twelve guests, supported by a crew of thirteen. Because the owner was involved throughout, the finish feels specific rather than generic, with material choices that carry a clear point of view. This is the kind of interior that makes a series hull feel one of a kind. Thirteen crew support the twelve guests, which keeps the service quiet and constant.

The volume of a 780 ton yacht gives the designers room to breathe. Social spaces are generous and the guest cabins are properly sized for long stays aboard. Light floods in through the large windows, keeping the sea in view across the guest deck. The result is a warm, considered home that suits both family time and entertaining. A beam of 10.3 metres helps the designers open up the main saloon.

Fast, efficient and tailored

Under the deck the 57 keeps a clean conventional diesel installation matched to the light aluminium structure. The engineering priority is to protect the top speed while holding down consumption, and the FDHF hull does much of that work. Santosha is a diesel yacht rather than a hybrid, in keeping with an owner who wanted straightforward pace. The systems are sized for a yacht that will be used hard. Fuel tankage of 80,000 litres feeds both the pace and the range.

The owner profile is clear from the boat. This is a buyer who wants genuine speed and real volume in one hull, and who values a personal interior over an off-the-shelf feel. The 57 class gives him a shorter route to launch than a full custom while still allowing deep personalisation. Santosha shows how far that route can be taken.

Design

• Exterior: Frank Laupman / Omega Architects
• Interior: Harrison Eidsgaard
• Naval architecture: Van Oossanen Naval Architects (Fast Displacement Hull Form)

Who it is for: An owner who wants a fast aluminium hull with more volume than a fifty, values a deeply personalised interior, and prefers the shorter lead time of a series platform to a full custom build.