Galactica Super Nova (70m)
- LOA: 70.07 m
- Beam: 11.9 m
- Gross tonnage: about 1,200 GT
- Top speed: 30 knots
- Range: about 4,000 nm at 12 knots
- Engines: twin MTU diesels on propellers plus a third MTU booster jet
- Hull: aluminium FDHF and superstructure
- Design: Espen Oeino exterior, Sinot interior
A record for the yard in 2016
When Galactica Super Nova was delivered in May 2016 she was the largest yacht Heesen had ever built at 70 metres. She also proved that the Fast Displacement Hull Form could scale up without losing its edge. A 30 knot top speed put her among the fastest superyachts in her class anywhere in the world. For the yard she was both a size milestone and a performance statement. That top speed still places her at the front of the 70 metre field a decade on.
Her significance is really about the ceiling she raised. Reaching thirty knots on a 70 metre aluminium hull is a serious feat of naval architecture and weight control. She showed owners that Heesen could take the fast-hull idea into flagship territory. Everything the yard later did at 80 metres builds on what Super Nova demonstrated. Her delivery gave Heesen the confidence to plan even larger fast hulls.
Thirty knots from an unusual driveline
Galactica Super Nova owes her speed to the Van Oossanen FDHF hull and a clever power arrangement. Two MTU diesels drive fixed propellers, and a third MTU feeds a booster jet for the top end. That layout lets her sit at an economical cruise on the mains and call on the jet when the owner wants the full 30 knots. The main engines are rated at around 5,765 hp each. The jet stays idle for most cruising and only earns its keep at the top of the range.
The FDHF is what makes the speed usable. It keeps resistance low across the range, so she is efficient at a 12 knot cruise and still able to sprint. At that cruise she covers about 4,000 nautical miles. Few 70 metre yachts can shift between quiet passage-making and thirty knots as cleanly as this. That mix of reach and pace is rare in a yacht built so clearly for speed.
One of the world's fastest 70s, with a booster jet for a true 30 knots.
Espen Oeino, sculpted for speed
Espen Oeino International styled the exterior, and his profile makes the pace obvious from any angle. The superstructure is long and low, sculpted to look like it is moving even at the dock. Sweeping glass and taut lines give her a purposeful, athletic stance. The design has aged well, which is the mark of a disciplined hand. Espen Oeino's studio is known for exactly this kind of assured, sporting line.
The exterior also delivers real amenity across her length. Broad sun decks and a proper beach club near the water give guests room to spread out. The styling never lets deck clutter break the clean run of the profile. Form and function sit comfortably together here. A beach club opens the stern to the sea for swimming and easy tender work.
Sinot below decks
Sinot Yacht Design created the interior for twelve guests across an owner's stateroom, a VIP and four further suites. The style is calm and contemporary, using natural materials to soften the yacht's obvious power. Volume from a 1,200 ton hull gives generous social spaces without feeling cavernous. It is a restful counterpoint to the performance in the hull. The single owner's stateroom and a VIP sit among four further guest suites for a full complement.
Light is a theme throughout the guest areas. Large windows and open plans keep the sea present wherever you sit, and the finishes stay quiet enough to let the views lead. The layout suits both relaxed family use and larger gatherings. Sinot's work here reads as timeless rather than fashionable. The restraint keeps the focus on the water rather than on the decor.
Serious speed for a demanding owner
The engineering story is the combined diesel and booster-jet driveline, an unusual choice that delivers both economy and a high top end. Everything is built around protecting that thirty-knot figure while keeping cruising consumption sensible. She is a conventional propulsion yacht rather than a hybrid, matched to an owner who prizes outright pace. The systems are sized for a hard-driven flagship. The booster jet is the piece that turns a fast cruiser into a genuine thirty-knot yacht.
Galactica Super Nova suits an owner who genuinely wants speed at 70 metres and will not compromise on it. He values the ability to outrun weather or simply to arrive first, backed by flagship volume and comfort. Few yachts of the length offer this blend, which keeps her desirable years after delivery. For the speed-focused buyer she remains a benchmark. For a decade she has held that reputation with very little to challenge her.
Design
- Exterior: Espen Oeino (Espen Oeino International)
- Interior: Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design (Sander Sinot)
- Naval architecture: Van Oossanen Naval Architects / Heesen (aluminium Fast Displacement Hull Form)
Who it is for: A performance-minded owner who wants genuine 30-knot speed at 70 metres with flagship volume and comfort, and who is happy to run a conventional high-power driveline to get it.