Van der Valk: samba and the rhythms of life

The impressive and expanding fleet of bespoke superyachts built by Van der Valk Shipyard in the Netherlands will be joined by the 35-metre Samba in the summer of 2025. Ordered by clients who are highly involved in all aspects of the design process together with Guido de Groot, every aspect of this all-aluminium tri-deck explorer is being custom-built from the waterline up to create an exceptional residence at sea.

Every great onshore home has a garden to match and this has certainly been the underlying philosophy for Samba, with an emphasis on creating wonderful outdoor leisure spaces for three generations of a family who will enjoy extended stays onboard. Taking Van der Valk’s Lady Lene as inspiration, the owners of Samba requested an expansive aft deck that will include a relaxation lounge zone with a large aft-facing sofa and a formal dining table for alfresco lunches and dinners.

Further outdoor family fun will be found in an impressive beach club with a chill-out zone, a luxurious sauna and steam room, a day head and lots of washer/drier capacity for towels. The large transformer platform will descend into the water to facilitate the swimmers among the party. A seamless flow with the interior spaces in terms of furniture and flooring will add to the good life vibe; sliding doors in the bridge deck saloon, for example, will open up on three sides to offer the maximum connection with the outside environment while retaining a pleasant degree of shade.

Smart building

The influence of the multi-award-winning Lady Lene goes beyond her aft deck, as Van der Valkhead of salesYoeriBijker explains. “The owners of Samba have chosen to make the most of the engineering and naval architecture package we developed for Lady Lene. Her successful underwater design has been transformed into a fast displacement hull for Samba, with twin MAN 1450 hp diesels offering an expected top speed of around 17 knots. Leveraging on a proven-in-practice platform in this way is a highly efficient way of building while offering total freedom to customise above the waterline.

“If you’re considering building a bespoke superyacht between 24 and 45 metres with Dutch pedigree, Van der Valk is perhaps the only yard that will not try to guide you into a more semi-custom route. Clients welcome the confidence that comes from knowing others have already enjoyed the under-the-waterline assets of stability, performance, comfort and safety that our track record offers.

Distinctive looks

As the renderings illustrate, Samba’s exterior profile will have a distinctive explorer-like look and feel with a forward mast. Guido de Groot and his team have spent many hours developing the rhythmic lines, complex surfaces and sculptural elements together with the clients. The finely integrated balconies adjacent to the wheelhouse will provide the captain with great views for manoeuvring as well as being a neat design feature in their own right. Darker graphic details and offset surfaces lower the profile and enhance the elegance of this relatively high yacht. Colour separations around the wheelhouse facilitate a sense of security while the one-metre-high bulwarks will ensure children are exceptionally safe when using the sidewalks.

Advance knowledge

“We have deployed extensive 3D modelling throughout the design phases to give the owners a true sense of how Samba will look and feel when completed,” explains De Groot. “This project is an enjoyable challenge and it is a pleasure to work with clients so invested in their yacht on a personal level. Their knowledge is also being deployed on the technical side and in choosing the best possible equipment for the wheelhouse. Samba is an excellent example of why people who appreciate a bespoke building process choose to work with us and Van der Valk.”

The interior design and layout will also reflect the family ambiance onboard Samba, continues De Groot. “Warm earthy tones will generate a lived-in feel with respect to detailing; never fancy or flashy, the yacht will have a pretty and practical style. Superior finishing will be combined with durability in a relaxed and calm environment that will be very pleasing on the eye.”

Pure custom choices

Safety, comfort and convenience have played a key role in many of the other personal choices made for Samba. A central staircase with a single large column moving through the yacht from lower to bridge deck will serve as a piece of home-from-home art as well as optimising freedom of movement. As the galley will be regularly used by the family it has been designed with lots of working space, a cooking island and air extractors imbedded in the ceiling to avoid any spread of culinary aromas.

The master stateroom is also on the main deck and includes an office and a lounge seat for the owners to relax and read books as they like to do onshore. A large bathroom arrangement with a separate toilet and shower makes smart use of sliding doors to make the suite feel larger. His & her walk-in wardrobes with lots of storage will further support long-term residency.

On the lower deck are two VIPs and two twin suites with their own entrance lobbies. Three crew cabins are located in the bow with a watertight bulkhead separation from the guest area. The captain will have a very comfortable cabin close to the wheelhouse which includes an office with lots of space for storing files. Here, as in all areas, every aspect has been meticulously considered to ensure the owners, their family, their guests and all crew members will embrace the rhythms of residing onboard Samba.