The Team
At Vripack, exceptional yachts emerge from exceptional collaboration.
Led by co-creative directors Bart M. Bouwhuis and Marnix J. Hoekstra, our designers, engineers, architects, project managers and client liaisons share a love of the water and a commitment to meticulous craftsmanship.
We believe the best solutions come from bringing diverse perspectives together. Every member of our studio contributes specialised expertise, combining passion for the craft with deep respect for the sea. This collaborative approach energises us to design yachts that match each owner’s vision of life on the water.
Collaboration is our craft
Vripack’s co-creative directors, Bart Bouwhuis and Marnix Hoekstra, embody the creative spirit and collaborative ethos at the heart of the studio. Often likened to the David Crosby and Graham Nash of yacht design — one composing melodious forms, the other writing technical lyrics — they bring complementary talents to a singular vision.
Their partnership began two decades ago, when Bart, already a rising star at Vripack, invited his university friend to join him at the helm. Together, they steered the studio into a new era, building on its proud heritage of seaworthy explorers and pushing into bold, innovative territory.
For Bart and Marnix, the most remarkable part of their journey has been creating a studio environment where multidisciplinary teamwork thrives. Every design is the result of shared imagination, open dialogue, and collective craftsmanship.
Bart Bouwhuis
PARTNER AND CO-CREATIVE DIRECTOR
For Bart Bouwhuis, boating has been his lifeblood since childhood. Growing up on the water with a family devoted to sailing and restoring classic boats, he spent long summers learning the highs and lows of life at sea. At thirteen, he sketched his first sailboat design, setting him on a path to study naval architecture and join Vripack as an intern in 1994. Within just four years, he became a partner.
Bart’s instinct for yachting, fuelled by the saltwater in his veins, shapes his distinctive approach to design. He sees boats not as symbols of glamour, but as tools for doing great things. His passion lies in classic sail and power boats, sailing with his family in summer and restoring them by hand in winter.
A self-described pragmatist, Bart’s skill is in forming shapes, lines and layouts around an emotion, then grounding that feeling in advanced engineering and innovative solutions. For him, true beauty comes from simplicity and function, thoughtfully crafted to get under your skin and endure.
Marnix Hoekstra
PARTNER AND CO-CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Marnix brings an explorer’s mindset to yacht design, always looking beyond conventions to find new ways of connecting people to the sea. Growing up on his family’s shipyard and racing sailboats in regattas, he developed a lifelong passion for boating — but also a curiosity about how design can reflect the world we live in.
For Marnix, creativity starts with observation. From the canals of Amsterdam to the streets of Venice Beach, he draws inspiration from art, culture and people, translating shifting moods and trends into designs that feel both timeless and contemporary. His background as a naval architect and international surveyor sharpened his technical expertise, but his true strength lies in his ability to blend precision with imagination.
At Vripack, he encourages a culture of experimentation, where influences from architecture, automotive design, street art and beyond are woven into a holistic vision of interiors, exteriors and engineering as one. It’s an approach that has led to some of the studio’s most original, boundary-pushing work.
Senior Leadership/Leadership Team
Alongside co-creative directors Bart and Marnix, our Partners and dedicated Owner Liaison bring decades of expertise in design, engineering, project management and client care, ensuring every project benefits from a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach and a seamless experience.
Robin de Vries
Partner | Head of Design
Joost Mertens
Parner | Senior Designer
Caroline van Rijswijk de Jong
Owner Liaison
Jeroen Droogsma
Partner | Sr. Project Manager
Gerben Wiersma
Partner | Sr. Project Manager
Jim Horrevoets
Partner | Sr. Project Manager
Jeroen Schoonheim
Partner | Managing Director
Interested in joining the team?
We’re always looking for passionate, creative people to join our crew.