Yachting USA – August 2019

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particularly because of its high bow and signature raked and

rounded transom. Essentially, Zeelanders are modern com-

muter yachts with a retro twist. Credit for the styling goes

to Dutch designer Cor D. Rover. His fi rst Zeelander, the Z44,

launched in 2008 and that model has since been joined by the

Z55, and now the Z72. ¶ I got aboard Hull No. 1 of the new fl agship

along the river Maas in the Netherlands, where Zeelanders are

built. The river runs across the top of the Port of Rotterdam,

from whence this Z72 will ship to Massachusetts to replace

her owner’s previous Z55 at his summer home on Nantucket.

She will winter in the Bahamas. ¶ Stepping into the cockpit,

I fi rst saw the Z72’s bar, which is a work of art. What

my eye initially registered as high-gloss woodwork,

wasn’t. It was a paint job that created a faux grain

for the bar, barstool backs and window frame. The

same treatment is given to the aft deck’s table, the

radome, the windshield surround and the cap rails, where the

eff ect is like a zebrano wood on steroids. ¶ The window at the

afterdeck bar drops down to connect the space with the galley

aft, beyond which are booth seating and the helm station in the

salon. The helm has three seats with reversible backs. Visibility

is uninterrupted. Light and bright are often overused terms

in our business, but not in this case. There is really very little

structure to obscure a nearly 360-degree view. I’d go so far as

to say this yacht has some of the cleanest sightlines I can re-

member. The windshield is a simply whopping piece of curved

glass from U.S.-based ProCurve at roughly 10 feet, 8 inches

wide and 3 feet, 6 inches high. ¶ The owner of this

Z72 selected dark leather tiles for the sole throughout

the lower deck—an interesting choice. I liked them for

their natural patination, which should improve with

age and wear, and because they’re softer and a little

REVIEWED> ZEELANDER Z 72

ZEELANDER’S HOMETOWN

Zeelander is a thoroughly Dutch company. Zeeland is the westernmost and least-populated corner of the Netherlands, and much of it is water.

Zeelander’s waterside production facility is to the north of Zeeland on the River Lek at Groot-Ammers, a town in the province of South Holland.

72'5"

LENGTH

OVERALL

19'8"

MAXIMUM

BEAM

You can spot a Zeelander’s profi le from afar,