Succes Motor Yachts for Sale

Succes

From Amsterdam to Paris, then on via the Rhône and Saône to the Mediterranean? By boat through Belgium or along German rivers and canals to the Baltic Sea? This is exactly where Succes yachts come into their own. They are not outright beauties, and perhaps they never intended to be. In return, they offer a surprising amount of space on ten or eleven meters and a cruising concept made for long legs at a leisurely pace.

Steel instead of speed

Many of the best-known Succes models were built entirely of steel. Typical features are hard-chine hulls, relatively wide superstructures, a large aft deck and often an aft cabin.
That costs speed, but it makes for genuine cruising boats. A Succes 108 Ultra, for example, has a length of 10.80 meters and a beam of 3.65 meters. A single diesel engine is entirely sufficient for its intended use. The Succes 115 Ultra follows the same principle too. Its 11.50 meters of length accommodate two cabins, a saloon, a galley and heads – dimensions that allow two people to live on board comfortably for extended periods.

Passing under bridges

On a Dutch steel cruiser, one figure is sometimes more interesting than the engine power: the air draft. On many Succes boats, antennas, navigation lights and other equipment sit on a folding equipment carrier. In front of a low bridge it is simply folded down – on Europe's inland waterways a genuinely important part of the onboard technology. That considerably extends the cruising radius. After all, Europe's inland waterways do not consist of water alone; a remarkable number of bridges span them as well.

A small apartment with a diesel engine

The interior layout is one of the brand's real strengths. Saloon, galley, dinette and aft cabin are spread over several levels. Large tanks and plenty of storage space underline the cruising character. Many models also have an indoor and an outdoor helm station. In good weather you steer from the aft deck, in the rain from inside. Bow thrusters – and on newer or retrofitted boats stern thrusters as well – make maneuvering these heavy steel cruisers easier.

108, 115 and a fairly large family

Over the decades, Succes built an unusually broad range. Frequently encountered series include the 850, 880, 950, 980, 1000, 1050, 108, 115, 125 and 135. Added to these were numerous variants with designations such as Sport, Ultra, OC, AC or Ascona.
The Succes 108 and 115 became particularly well known. The 115 appeared in various versions and was developed further over many years. Above them, the yard also offered considerably larger cruising yachts with the 125, 135 and 145.
Alongside these, further model families such as Marco Motoryachts existed under the Succes umbrella or with the later operating companies. Not every Succes is therefore automatically a steel displacement cruiser; on the used boat market in particular, it is worth taking a close look at the specific model.

A brand with an eventful history

Succes Yachts, based in Marknesse in the Dutch province of Flevoland, became a well-known manufacturer of motor and steel cruisers. The brand developed above all in the 1980s and 1990s and launched numerous model series. Later on, the company's history became more complicated. In 2006, Yachtbouw 2000 took over the Succes shipyard in Marknesse and moved its production there. Alongside Succes, other brands and individually configured motor yachts were also built at times.

Buying a used Succes

With an older steel motor yacht, the condition of the hull is naturally high on the inspection list. Corrosion, coating, the underwater hull and hard-to-reach areas should be checked carefully. A professional ultrasonic measurement of the steel thickness can be worthwhile for older boats or those showing signs of wear.