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WATERDREAM CALIFORNIA
Bernhard van Oranje founded Waterdream in 2012 out of a passion for water sports, creating handmade premium aluminum boats.
Out of love for water sports, Bernhard van Oranje founded Waterdream in 2012, which designs and builds handmade premium aluminum boats of high quality. After a series of sloops and a Venetian Tender, the focus is now on the California line: day boats with sublime design and ultimate living comfort. “We think from the experience, put space and style first and do not want to make any compromises.” Text: Bart-Jan Brouwer
Online editor: Natasha Hendriks
Where did your passion for water sports originate?
“I grew up with water sports. My grandparents had a boat; my parents had good friends in Friesland, where we went every summer and spent windsurfing, water skiing and sailing on the lakes; and from the age of twelve I went to summer camp in Canada, where I was only involved in water sports.”
What does it mean to you to be on the water?
“For me that is the ultimate form of relaxation. When I'm on the water, I switch off completely. It's the easiest way to let go of everything. My first house in Amsterdam was a houseboat, we had our first boat with it, almost two meters long with an outboard motor. In the evenings after work, Annette and I often went on that boat together, which was just fun. For me, water has something magical.”
You are an entrepreneur through and through and crazy about water. Then it took quite a while before you started Waterdream.
“It is of course great to have a company in which you can express your passion, but it has to be about something. Since I lived in Amsterdam, I have had a variety of boats: RIBs, sloops, beautiful classic wooden models. I needed that experience and knowledge to know what could be improved on boats. Often a boat becomes more of a worry than an enjoyment. I've always dreamed of making a difference here. In 2012 I was ready to launch my first sloop, the Waterdream S-800. In my opinion, I created something that was not there yet: multifunctional - you can do everything with it, from cruising to water skiing -, maintenance-free, with plenty of space and a central position for the helmsman, so that he is really part of the boat. whole. In terms of layout, functional way of thinking and sailing characteristics, it was something new.”
How has the line grown since that first sloop?
“In the sloop range we currently have boats with a length of 5,50, 7,40, 8,50 and 11 meters. The basic idea and sailing characteristics are the same in all of them. The S-550 has practical advantages due to its short length and width, such as accessibility and finding a mooring; the S-740 appeals to a broad target group and is the most sold sloop; the S-850 is seaworthy and you can also wakeboard behind it. The S-850 is the fastest sloop in the world; and with the S-1100 I wanted to see to what extent you could stretch the sloop in such a way that the sturdy properties were maintained, but it also became more comfortable and in terms of design, which I don't think is a basic sloop. The S-1100 offers sleeping options, a hot water shower, generator and space for three surfboards in the back seat. It is a mini yacht with the robustness of a sloop. With these four sizes we tick all the boxes and as far as I'm concerned the sloop line is complete. Of course we can personalize the boats if desired and there is a choice of inboard, outboard and electric motor. Something for everyone."
Last summer you had the Waterdream California 52' launched. Was it logical to take a step back after the 65' in meters?
“The 52-footer is also still super large. Most other brands start with a 40-footer and stop at 55 feet. So our second boat competes with the largest day boat from a lot of other brands. That is a market segment that has already been developed, while the 65-footer playing field is a super niche that is more difficult to penetrate. With the 52' we have a product with which we can drive everyone crazy, in terms of speed – faster than 40 knots –, economy, durability and of course design and functionality.”
What is the USP of the Waterdream California 52'?
“The 52' is the most spacious, economical and durable boat and I think it is the most beautiful - but that is a matter of taste. It has the largest deck space of all boats in that class, which is also used optimally because you can lower all the tables, and it has a garage that can accommodate, for example, a tender boat or jet ski. The boat offers accommodation for five people, who can simply stand upright in the two-meter high cabin. The boat is fully equipped in an innovative way to provide every comfort. Because our yachts are semi-custom, we can choose a level of finish that you actually only find on superyachts. On the other hand, I try to keep the boat as low-tech as possible, because - especially in salt water - everything is put to the test. So no fancy frills, that can only break. But it is a vandal-proof anchoring mechanism, because people easily anchor three or four times a day. From the aluminum hull to every detail, the material has been carefully considered. This makes our boats low in maintenance and 80 percent recyclable.”
During the World Yachts Trophies at the Cannes Yachting Festival, the Waterdream California 52' won the prestigious Best Innovation Award. What does that award mean to you?
"A lot. For major brands, this usually means a sales increase of 15 to 20 percent of the model in question. But above all, for us it is an important recognition. I can think I'm doing something innovative, but if I'm the only one, it doesn't really make any progress.”
Have you ever gone out to sea in a sloop?
"Naturally. You can calculate this on paper, but doing it is of course the final confirmation. With the crossing from Vlissingen to London I wanted to demonstrate that the S-850 is seaworthy. I had already postponed that trip twice because the weather was not good. Ultimately we went to Breskens with a trailer. The weather was supposed to be nice, but it wasn't at all: there was wind force 6. The water sprayed five to six meters over the boat. We were completely soaked in no time. After two hours of hitting the waves we saw Vlissingen still behind us - we couldn't go faster than 25 km/h per hour. I still thought: this isn't going to be it. But in the end we made the crossing in seven hours. That was really a victory. And with that we have shown that that boat can do everything.”
After the sloops, the challenge now lies in the California line.
“There is quite a low margin on sloops, but you cannot build a brand on that in the long term. Moreover, it is mainly a local product. From a financial point of view, it makes no sense to set up a distribution network abroad for the S-550 or S-740. We also wanted a day boat for a target group in the higher segment, who looks beyond the canals and lakes. With the California line we have created something that is truly unique in its class. If this doesn't work, I'll quit Waterdream.”
What is so unique about the California?
“Firstly, the design. There is a curve from nose to back, which is not interrupted by any window or rail. The California is the epitome of minimal aesthetics, almost a sculpture. We started with a 65-footer. The design took two years and the construction one year. When you see a picture of the California 65', you think it is a speedboat – the proportions are so beautiful! But at twenty meters it is the largest day boat available. 'Day boat' sounds a bit derogatory, because you can of course sleep very well on it, but the concept is very much focused on the outdoors. That brings me to the next point that makes the California so unique: its functionality. In terms of comfort, the width of the boat is much more important than its length. We have taken this into account during the development. The entire width is used for living comfort. Not only the space offered makes the layout of the California unique, but also the central arrangement of the steering console. I don't know of a single motor yacht where you steer in the middle. Almost all motorboats have two or four seats with twenty screens in front of them. That takes up 20 to 30 percent of the boat space, something you only need while sailing. Sailing is only a small part of the fun. Anchoring, lying still, opening a bottle, the flow of the air: that is much more important. Of course, there is a garage on the California, so you have plenty of space to take your toys with you. And we make all boats so that you can sail them alone, with a joystick. We think from the experience, put the space and style first and do not want to make any compromises.”
You even have a clothing line and your own Waterdream bicycle.
“My ambition is to turn Waterdream into a complete water sports lifestyle brand. It's about maritime life and everything that comes with it. We therefore design practical, high-quality clothing and work together with various brands of water gadgets. As a dealer, we make the ultimate water toys available to our customers: seabobs, supplankens, eFoils, stand-up jet skis... I try to think beyond just a boat, it is part of service and the experience.”
