Damen Announces Sale of First All-New YS 53 Series Support Vessel

“What we are planning to do with the 5301 no one has ever done before, and I think this will set a whole new tier of adventure for future sportsmen to explore. My hope is that this ambitious programme will inspire a whole new generation of sportsmen to create their own programmes. It will be good for the sport, yachting and the fishing industries.” Anthony Hsieh, owner of the Bad Company fleet.

Hsieh has high ambitions for the YS 5301 when it joins his Bad Company fleet in 2023. Primarily located in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, she will be the epicentre of his extensive fishing programme that will intertwine fishing in unchartered waters whilst also supporting significant marine conservation projects. 

The YS 5301 will be equipped with a 43 ft Release Game boat and a 32 ft Blackfin. Both Game boats will be deployed into areas where the programme does not already have Bad Company fleet. Originally built and delivered by Damen Yachting in 2019, she went on to be sold in 2021, joining the Bad Company fleet soon after.

“This is one of the most exciting projects we have worked on. Not only is this the first of our new YS 53 range but this is also the first Yacht Support we have built that will be used exclusively as part of a sport fishing fleet and programme," says Damen Yachting’s Commercial Executive, Jan van Hogerwou, who worked closely with Neil Emmott from Superyacht sales and Charter in Fort Lauderdale on behalf Hsieh throughout the sale.

"Hsieh’s unique vision and mission he has planned for this all-new Yacht Support is very inspiring and we are looking forward to the next 12 months and getting her ready to head out with the rest of his fleet."

Revealed to the superyacht market in February this year, the YS 53 range underlines a strategic shift in the builder’s Yacht Support approach. This innovative design seeks to reflect the next generation of Yacht Support vessels designed from the ground up, specifically for the yachting market, whilst incorporating all the fine-tuned experience from the near 20 Yacht Support vessels built and sold over the past decade.

With a 499 GT, she can host up to a maximum of 16 guests, along with 10 crew members. Her exterior, interior and naval architecture were all designed and crafted by Damen Yachting.

YS 5301 features a huge 15-tonne deck crane (33,000 pounds) and two main engines delivering a top speed of 19 knots. The vessel will also be fully IMO Tier III compliant, reducing harmful emissions by 70% for full range operations.

Highly flexible and customisable to her owner's desires, she truly is the vessel of dreams. As the first of the range, YS 5301 is certainly leading by example.