Model makeover: Zeelander yacht makes glamourous return after lavish restoration

There’s something wonderfully intriguing about a yacht with a backstory. This one involves a supermodel, a shimmering titanium hull, and a Dutch shipyard with a perfectionist streak.

This is the tale of a Zeelander Z44 yacht, freshly restored to head-turning magnificence after a transformative refit. A nautical glow-up, you might say, equal parts craftsmanship, celebrity sparkle, and engineering rigour. 

It’s easy to imagine Adriana Lima stepping aboard in a sun hat and oversized sunglasses, cruising South Florida’s Intracoastal in effortless style…

Originally built in 2012, this 44-footer once belonged to Victoria’s Secret icon Adriana Lima. It’s easy to imagine her stepping aboard in a sun hat and oversized sunglasses, cruising South Florida’s Intracoastal in effortless style.

With its curvaceous hull and sexy silhouette, the Z44 is more than just a pretty face. It’s a yacht with an unmistakable presence, whether docked at a chic Miami marina or slicing through water like a letter opener through cream.

But time, sun, and saltwater are not kind to even the most glamorous of vessels. After more than a decade, the boat’s original shine had begun to fade. Her titanium-hued hull dulled by the endless sunshine, her engines aging gracefully but inevitably. 

Time for a refresh. Not a makeover, mind you. A full-blown ressurection.

Zeelander Z44 refit: Dutch craftsmanship, supermodel looks

Restoration work was carried out at Zeelander’s shipyard in Groot Ammers, in the Netherlands. We’re not talking about some light sprucing.  

The hull was taken right back to the bare laminate. A shipyard spa day that involved careful sanding, microscopic inspection, and a multi-layer facial courtesy of Awlgrip’s finest finishes. Rolls Royce titanium was the shade of choice, a nod to the original livery, followed by three layers of clear coat. The result is an immaculate mirror finish that gleams like a freshly waxed supercar.

Below deck, the cherry wood interior barely needed a touch. Twelve years on, and it still looked like it had been installed last week. A gentle polish to remove dust and fingerprints was enough to reveal its original lustre. The same went for the cockpit’s pommele wood table and much of the interior upholstery. Quality, as it turns out, has a long shelf life.

Inside and out, the boat now wears fresh upholstery in ice-white Silvertex, stitched in a diamond pattern that evokes the interior of a high-end Bentley. The teak decking was deep-cleaned and recaulked, restoring its honeyed glow. And then came the real pièce de résistance – the engines.

Though the twin Volvo Penta IPS 600s only had 500 hours on the clock, barely middle age in boating terms, Zeelander opted to rebuild both engines and pods entirely. The result is a propulsion system that’s not just restored, but as-new, with a factory warranty to match.

Here’s the twist: the Zeelander Z44 is no longer in production. The shipyard has since expanded its line-up to include the Z5, Z6, Z7, and Z8 – bigger boats, with newer tech, and price tags to match. That makes this Z44 not only rare, but a time capsule of Zeelander’s early glamour.

And now, after this top-to-bottom transformation, she’s back, perhaps even better than new. 

The epilogue to our story? This yacht is once again sale, catwalk ready and available for immediate delivery through Zeelander Yachts.