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Sea Axe Fast Support and other shadow/support vessels

Discussion in 'Yacht Escort Ships & Shadows' started by Yacht News, May 8, 2012.

  1. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    "New Frontiers" was sold towards the end of 2017, she is now named "Shadow". I believe she was built on speculation and never had an owner, well she finally does now.

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  2. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    News is that the Damen Sea Axe "Game Changer" has been sold... which explains why she left the Caribbean so early to return to Damen. She is now undergoing work to make her more suitable for the new owner.

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  3. nmna

    nmna Senior Member

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    Garçon was listed for sale. The asking price is 27 million euros.
  4. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    The Sea Axe fast support vessel previously known as "7611" is now called "Dapple".

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  5. nmna

    nmna Senior Member

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    Game Changer spent the last 10 months being refitted.

    She was lengthened to 72 meters (she now has a suitable swimming platform) and she now sports a new paint scheme. They also improved her noise insulation, positioning/stabilization systems, new interior details, etc..
  6. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    She was lengthened to 72-meters because of her new extensive dive center and a need for access to the dive center directly from the stern. The old small swim platform would not have allowed this.

    Photo by @GameChanger

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  7. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    "Game Changer"...

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  8. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    Smash up of five yacht support vessel from Damen Yachting.

  9. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    Here is a look at 68-.20-meter Shadow support vessel "Wayfinder" which was recently delivered by the way.

    Video Link
  10. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    The latest one has been launched at Damen Yachting's facility in Turkey. It is called "Time Off". The 55-meter Yacht Support TIME OFF has been launched at the Damen yard in Antalya. Her launch is the ninth of the popular 55-metre YS 5009 (182 ft) design and following her final outfitting, will be available for immediate delivery this Summer. TIME OFF follows in the footsteps of her predecessor "GENE CHASER" with a large multipurpose Main Deck hangar which is technically ready for stern A-frame installation and allows for a flexible deck layout. Configurations can include submersible and dive operations, vehicle garage or workshop facilities, stowage of equipment, space for social engagements or even transport of relief goods. In addition a number of other new features have also been incorporated into the design including a new accommodation layout for up to 7 guests and 4 staff plus crew. Further design and mechanical enhancements also distinguish TIME OFF from Damen Yachting’s previous Yacht Support deliveries. Yachting features have been incorporated, designed to enhance onboard comfort such as generator sound enclosure, upgraded AV and navigation systems and updated engine room installations.

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  11. Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

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    This looks very similar to Garçon about to be hit by a waterspout. Taken in the Bahamas yesterday.

    [​IMG]
  12. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    A look at "B3" maneuvering to berth in some light ice.

  13. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    Closeup of "B3" with her tenders out.

  14. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    Appears "Game Changer" is now for sale.
  15. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    "Wayfinder" seen alongside in Gibraltar.

  16. Yacht News

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    "Time Off"...

  17. Yacht News

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    "Phi Phantom".

  18. Yacht News

    Yacht News YF News Editor

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    Looks like she has been sold...again.

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  19. HTMO9

    HTMO9 Senior Member

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    Sorry members I could not resist!

    No wonder it has been sold again. IMO, those boats are totally useless as shadows for a megayacht and a PITA for the crews. If I would force my crews to work on such a faulty construction, they would run away from me.

    6711-Lifting-Limo-tender.jpg
    What does it say about the stability of such a pretty large vessel, if just lifting a little tender, will cause such an angle of list. Besides the typical quality of boats and ships from this yard, the internal layout caused by the narrow and shallow draft hull is also far less than practicable.

    FYS 6711-GAP.jpg
    But the version with the elevated helicopter deck and hangar below is the absolute culmination of bad design. Dangerous and completely impractical. This design has caused deadly accidents on other yachts.

    6711-heli-6.JPG
    6711-heli-7.JPG
    6711-heli-10.JPG
    With the helo lowered into the hangar and the roof closed, the landing pad is unusable for anything.

    Back to the boat and its principle. With 4 MTU 16V4000 and its large exhausts above the waterline, this boat is a real fuel to noise converter. Even those huge stabilizers cannot prevent that boat from rolling even on a wet lawn. The boat rides very wet and these expensive toys are sprayed all over and permanently exposed to the environment.

    I was on board of this boat during the MYS twice and I had more than enough time to check this boat out. This design is the typical beating of a dead horse by Damen / Amels to make profit out of a useless and not selling commercial design. And please check, where those hulls are build now, it is even worse, as far as quality is concerned.

    This is only the personal opinion of an old boater. But I believe, YF should not give so much coverage to bad boats.
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 21, 2021
  20. HTMO9

    HTMO9 Senior Member

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    Also I personally have a totally different approach towards a shadow for a larger yacht, I am not against the concept of a fast and agile yacht supporter. But to be used as a fast courier boat, as kind of greyhound protecting the yacht (against paparazzi and pirates with high ration anti fire water guns), as a standby tow for the yacht and as a fast transport ship for supply and even the temporary transport of toys.

    The Sea Axe concept is just using a totally wrong hull. This very narrow hull with its very ineffective underwater body, although having almost 14 feet of draft, has only very little volume below the water line and most of the weight is located above the pivot point. Also the bow looks very dramatic, it is not very effective. And the forward hull is so narrow (have a look at the crew quarters), that the crew cabins are well below standards. In my country even a rabbit stable has to be bigger.

    But using the above mentioned principle with a different hull might really work. For example a large PT boat hull (just the hull, no guns :)) with a triple or quad engine configuration, extended to 60 or 65 meters could be usable as a yacht supporter.

    S69_Habicht.jpg
    Or the hull of one of those SAR ships like the Hermann Marwede with triple engine configuration, extending the hull to about 60 to 65 meters and addition of a full cargo deck would perfectly do the job.

    2646481.JPG
    Marwede Gleitfahrt.JPG

    This boats can withstand any weather and seastate and carry enough cargo and toys temporally. And would have sufficient space for crew comfort and even one guest cabin.

    4600.jpg
    But in my personal opinion, the optimum yacht shadow is a long range displacement hull with a large volume for supply, cargo, fuel for the tender and the yacht and enough cargo space for below deck storage of tenders and toys. And by using a commercial cargo vessel, this approach is rather cheap.
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 21, 2021