A magnificent variety of types of motor yachts. Ranging from fast coastal cruisers to strengthened vessels for polar explorations, this is all part of the range from Altena Yachting. The yard chooses WhisperPower generators since the company start.
Altena Yachting in the Dutch town of Raamsdonksveer, on the shores of the river Amer near the natural reserve Biesbosch has been building yachts since the 1960’s. Yachtsmen recognise the quality of their construction. Like the first buyer noticed, when Gerard Pols (founder Altena Yachting) was building a yacht for his own use. Even before he was able to launch it, an interested buyer expressed his intentions to purchase the yacht. Pols decided to agree on selling the newly built yacht and used the money to start his yard.
Long-lasting
Altena Yachting has the longest possible co-operation with WhisperPower, as it was one of the first to order generators at the beginning of our company in 2007. “These generators are silent and trustworthy,’ current yard owner Maurice Pols has learnt. “We install WhisperPower generators aboard the yachts that we build. Next to new builds, we also have clients that have their yacht repaired at our yard and those who come to have an upgrade for their yacht – a complete refit. Other customers have their yacht in regular maintenance with our yard. This way, we can monitor how these generators are performing steadily year after year. During refit projects, after maybe some fifteen years of use, we see that battery charging equipment and converters are up for replacement. The generators can often be used for yet another period until the next refit.”
Piccolo
“We often see yachts coming in for a refit that did not have a generator other than the alternator of the engine on board,” Pols shares. “The number of instruments and equipment that needs electric energy is ever increasing aboard yachts. Batteries do not supply all of this equipment with the yacht at anchor for a longer period. Some equipment can’t be used at all without the main engine running. At these yachts, we often install WhisperPower Piccolo generators.” These compact diesel generators supply stable electric power at very low noise. The single piston engines provide electric power at 2400 up to 3600 revolutions per minute (rpm). Engine speed can be regulated automatically according to power demand or can be fixed.
Comfort and safety
Over the 54 years of building yachts, the yard has delivered more than a thousand hulls. “During the first decades that my father was running the yard, we would deliver a hull every week,” Pols recalls. “Today we build two every year.” The yard does not deliver bare hulls but completely finished yachts from 16 up to 24 meters in length (52 to 80 foot). A wealth of wood finishing in the interiors, clever motorisation and fully electronically integrated systems provide all of the safety and comfort that modern day yachtsmen desire. Altena Yachting has 18 people workforce and usually some 5 to 10 suppliers are also busy at the yard. Their larger yachts are often equipped with the M-SQ Pro series of generators.
Recently, WhisperPower delivered an M-SQ Pro 18, that produces 17.5 kVA at a fixed engine speed of 1500 rpm. “We are happy to have been working with WhisperPower for all this time,” Pols comments. “Delivery times are short. The company maintains a large stock from which they can deliver generators quite fast. The generators themselves are problem free. They just do their job. This quality even comes at a good price. WhisperPower provides good service and after sales. We like to maintain long lasting relations with our suppliers and for our trusted supplier of generator there is no single reason not to continue.”