I’ve done big boats and small boats, but today we’re looking at what might be the world’s biggest tender — the VanDutch 55. If you’re familiar with Formula One or the Mediterranean yachting scene, you’ll know these boats are everywhere, constantly running people to and from mega yachts. The yacht Ulysses carries two of these 55s strapped to each side. Not much of a tender for most of us, but it is in fact a million dollar one.
Exterior and Styling
The first thing you notice is the striking lines and the color. This one is a metallic finish that shines orange at sunset, which is incredible to see at night. VanDutch builds the same design from 30 to 75 feet in charcoals, blues, oranges, and straight blacks. The bow goes straight up with minimal flare, but when you’re underway on plane the whole front end is out of the water, and that flare on the sides deflects most of the spray. I used to run this boat pretty extensively, and for the most part it’s a dry ride.
The recessed cleats are a nice design touch — pinch both sides and they drop down, sizable and sturdy. At the stern there’s a swim platform with a centered ladder, and underwater lights wrap around the entire boat. The big sun platform has a garage underneath for inflatable paddle boards and water gear. JL Audio speakers are spread throughout, including two big subwoofers hidden under the deck.
The Deck and Helm
In the center of the deck there’s a table with cup holders that slides forward and backward, spins around, and lifts out entirely with two bolts. Both port and starboard sides have built-in electric coolers and seats that raise and lower. The bimini top stores under the rear cushions and deploys on a button — it locks into ports at the helm and forward.
The helm sits on the port side with a raised section you can stand on to see over the bow. Volvo throttles, Side Power bow and stern thrusters, and the Humphrey trim tab system are right at hand, along with two identical Simrad screens for GPS and music. There’s no radar arch or radar system on this boat at all. One interesting detail up on the bow: the fuel, waste, and water fills all require a security key to open — no standard caps.
Interior
Coming below, the first thing you notice is mirrors everywhere. There are no portholes on this entire boat, so the mirrors give it the feel of having windows and make the space feel much bigger than it is. The galley on the starboard side has a microwave, a small stove, a sink, a fridge and freezer, and an ice maker underneath. Behind the couch there’s a one-way mirror hiding a TV — at night with the lights low, you can watch television right through it.
Forward is the master stateroom with a semi-king bed — narrower than a king but just as long, and I’m six feet and fit across it fine. The port side has a twin cabin with an actual door and two bunks. There’s one head on the starboard side that doubles as a shower, and the toilet has a touch system that lights up when you get close — push before for water, after to flush.
Engine Room and Christian Test
The engine hatch lifts on a giant hydraulic piston. Down the ladder you’ll find twin Volvo D13 engines producing 900 horsepower each — 1,800 total — running through a V-drive system. The engine room is clean and simple, with battery switches up front, a Cummins Onan generator sitting over the steering rack, and a fuel tank that runs the entire width of the boat and holds about 650 gallons of diesel. Christian Test: not too difficult. I got behind both engines and crawled all the way through to the front with no issues.
VanDutch 55 Star Ratings
These are out of 10 with five being average. Practicality gets a 3 — big and beautiful but not many staterooms or space for living aboard, which is what most people want at this size. Styling gets a 5 — it looks incredible and the color is excellent. Handling gets a 5 — the flat bottom sits deep with the boat’s weight and carves through turns beautifully. Performance gets a 5 — 1,800 horsepower and a top speed around 35 knots. Comfort gets a 3 — great on a perfect weather day, but with just a bimini and no enclosure, you lose comfort fast if conditions change. Technology gets a 3 — great sound system and GPS, but no radar means you can’t travel at night, and that’s pretty dangerous. Value gets a 3 — brand new they go for about 1.5 million, and while they’re worth it if you can afford it, that’s a lot of money for what you get in terms of living space. Party Boat gets a 5 — massive subwoofers, JL Audio everywhere, big deck, everyone looking at you. Repairability gets a 2 — the Volvo and Side Power components are serviceable, but VanDutch parts come from Europe and the supply chain is tough to deal with. Fun Factor gets a 5 — this is essentially the world’s nicest, largest pontoon boat that isn’t actually made of pontoons. That brings the total to 39 stars.
The VanDutch 55 scores five stars in five of the ten categories — styling, handling, performance, party boat, and fun factor. It’s not for everyone, but for what it’s designed to do, it’s perfect. Watch the full walkthrough below, and if you’ve spent time on one of these, drop your experience in the comments. Thank you for sailing with us.
If you enjoyed this one, check out another luxury express cruiser walkthrough — the Sunseeker Manhattan 55.
