Azimut’s Open Your Eyes debuts in Rome

News / yachtstyle2020

Azimut’s Open Your Eyes debuts in Rome

October 20, 2020
8:59 pm

Director Gabriele Muccino, actors Francesco Scianna and Mariana Falace, and Azimut-Benetti’s Giovanna Vitelli attended the premiere of the Magellano 25 Metri tribute at the Rome Film Fest.

Francesco Scianna, Giovanna Vitelli, Mariana Falace and Gabriele Muccino at the Rome Film Fest

This year’s Rome Film Fest played host to the official premiere of Open Your Eyes, the short film by Gabriele Muccino that celebrates the debut of Azimut’s new Magellano 25 Metri. Muccino is one of Italy’s most famous directors and has directed several Hollywood films including The Pursuit of Happyness and Seven Pounds, both starring Will Smith.

The celebrated director attended the Rome Film Fest with the two stars of Open Your Eyes, Francesco Scianna and Mariana Falace, composer Andrea Guerra, editor Lorenzo Colugnati, costume designer Angelica Russo, and Azimut-Benetti Group Vice-President Giovanna Vitelli.

The Rome Film Fest, which concludes this Sunday (October 25), marked the festival debut of the film, which had only been shown in private screenings including at Azimut-Benetti Group’s gala evening after its annual press conference in Portofino last month.

Gabriele Muccino, director of Open Your Eyes, a short film about Azimut’s new Magellano 25 Metri

The film is about the new flagship of Azimut’s Magellano Collection, a model designed by Ken Freivokh with an interior by Vincenzo De Cotiis. The model made its official debut at this month’s Genoa International Boat Show.

Giovanna Vitelli said: “It filled us with emotion to present our short film at the Rome Film Fest, with the extraordinary participation of Laura Delli Colli, President of the Cinema per Roma Foundation. My thanks go to Gabriele Muccino for using images and emotions to successfully and fully describe Italian art, quality, beauty and know-how in an engaging and unexpected way. These are the values to which our every action aspires in the design and construction of our yachts.

Laura Delli Colli (far right) with Giovanna Vitelli, Francesco Scianna, Mariana Falace and Gabriele Muccino

Vitelli continued: “It is an experience that encourages us to continue working in the direction taken by Azimut-Benetti Group for a number of years now: creative collaborations with major talents and initiatives that break the mould, taking the magic of yachting outside its usual settings and conveying the unique sensation and experience conveyed by the experience of our boats.”

Open your eyes will show in the US on October 27 at a private projection in the Pérez Art Museum in Miami ahead of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (October 28-November 1). The film will be available on Yacht Style’s online channels in November.

www.azimutyachts.com

www.azimutbenetti.it

Superyacht safety with XS International

News / yachtstyle2020

Superyacht safety with XS International

October 20, 2020
8:39 pm

XS International provides protection for yachts, ranging from anti-drone technology to armed security in high-risk waters.

XS International and its partners offer a range of security solutions for superyachts including anti-drone technology. Drones present a variety of threats including paparazzi-style photography and video recording of yachts and their owners and guests, who are frequently unaware they’re being spied on.

XS International and its partner, MyDefence, a world leader in drone counter measurements devices, provide a variety of solutions for combating drones that approach the airspace near yachts.

Some sensors can detect that someone in the vicinity of the yacht is preparing to use a drone as soon as the drone is turned on. The defence technology can automatically notify the owner, captain, crew or security team via alert notification on a mobile phone, laptop or any other device that it’s time to cover yourself with a towel, leave your jacuzzi and move inside the yacht.

XS International offers a team of Maritime Security specialists that not only help in detection but also eliminate the threat by using jammers, so all on board can enjoy a carefree vacation.

Commercial drones operate in FRQ bands 433MHz, 915MHz, 1.2GHz, 2.4GHz, 5.2GHZ and 5.8GHz. The anti-drone technology can detect all these bands and let security know a drone is approaching from up to 3km away. With the detector connected to the jammer, the jammer will create a ‘fence’ up to 1km away, meaning the drone cannot come any closer.

MyDefence jammer has a jamming algorithm that counters the FRQ-hopping drones, so if a drone senses FRQ noise from the jammer or other environmental interference on 2.4GHz, it will switch FRQ to 5.8GHz and continue flying, while the algorithm in our jammer counters that and jams the drone anyway. With a conventional jammer, the drone will sense the interference from the jammer and switch FRQ band and leave the jammer useless.

Another advantage of MyDefence jammers is that they cover 60 degrees, with no need for the operator to see or aim a drone. A small drone 100m-200m away is hard to discover and hit with a usual jamming riffle, so this jammer is much more effective. XS International provides a 10 per cent discount on MyDefence equipment, while customers who contact MyDefence directly can secure the discount by mentioning ‘XS International’.

ARMED SECURITY IN HIGH-RISK WATERS

After the end of the September-October ‘shoulder’ season in the Mediterranean, many yachts head to warmer climes during the northern winter. Destinations include countries in the Middle East like Bahrain and the UAE, and within the Indian Ocean such as Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and the Maldives.

The threat to commercial shipping by piracy in the Indian Ocean has created uncertainty in that part of the world and cast a shadow over neighbouring cruising destinations such as northern Madagascar, the Seychelles and even Mozambique. It must be stressed that sailing in that area is still potentially dangerous.

To increase the changes of safe passage safe through high-risk areas, XS International can provide an armed escort. A PMSC-certified company with UKAS – accreditation for ISO 28007-1:2015, Xtreme Security provides maritime security services and delivers in-depth risk evaluation analysis to the yachting business to combat piracy.

www.xs-international.com

info@xtremesecurity.eu

+49 1577-864-8351

Jinn wins first China Coastal Race

October 18, 2020
8:29 pm

Held in place of the biennial Hong Kong to Hainan Race, the first China Coastal Race concluded a new-look China Coast Race Week in Hong Kong.

Jinn crew are all smiles in the first China Coastal Race © RHKYC / Vivian Ngan

Nicolas Cohen-Addad’s J122e Jinn won the inaugural St James’s Place China Coastal Race in Hong Kong to add to the yacht’s IRC Racer 2 division win in their Hong Kong to Vietnam Race debut in 2019.

The China Coastal Race started at Shek O Rock with blue skies and an easterly breeze of 16-20 knots, as the Category 3 offshore race replaced the Hong Kong to Hainan Race as the conclusion of the China Coast Race Week.

In rough swells up to 3m, the three competing yachts – Jinn, Ambush and Whiskey Jack – set off at 11am on the 100nm racecourse that included Ping Chau, Round Island, Shek Ngau Chau, Po Toi and Tau Lo Chau south of Lantau before finishing at TCS 2 near Tung Lung Chau.

Whiskey Jack finished second on corrected time © RHKYC / Vivian Ngan

Joachim Isler and Andrew Taylor’s Mills 41 Ambush took line honours in 14hrs 24mins 23secs before finishing third on corrected time. Ambush won IRC Overall in the 2018 Hong Kong to Hainan Race and topped IRC Racer 1 in the 2017 and 2019 editions of the Hong Kong to Vietnam Race.

Jinn was next home (15:58:55) and was followed by Nick Southward’s J-109 Whiskey Jack (17:17:28), which finished second on corrected time just days after topping IRC Racer 3 in the St James’s Place China Coast Regatta.

CHINA COAST REGATTA

The China Coastal Race provided a low-key conclusion to the China Coast Race Week, which began with 30 yachts competing in the St James’s Place China Coast Regatta, which benefited from great weather and good wind.

Alpha+ won IRC Racer 0 in a thrilling China Coast Regatta © RHKYC / Guy Nowell

Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s first major big boat event of the season, the China Coast Regatta featured six divisions and a variety of windward/leeward and island courses.

Under the influence of a northeasterly monsoon, the event featured the best of Hong Kong’s sailing conditions, with excellent breeze, blue skies and warm waters to greet the sailors southeast of Lamma Island.

On the first day, Race Officer Inge Strompf-Jepsen sent all four IRC Racer divisions on two windward/leeward races plus one short island course, while four yachts from IRC Cruiser were set two island courses.

Zannekin won six out of seven races in IRC Racer 1 © RHKYC / Guy Nowell

The second day also offered fantastic sailing conditions, with four yachts from the HKPN division joining the weekend action, meaning 34 boats came out for racing. All IRC Racer classes were set three windward/leeward sausages and the HKPN class was treated to two laps.

The wind later dropped to around five knots during the first races, so boats struggled to finish the long course, but as the day progressed, the breeze strengthened to 18 knots, with gusts up to 25. After a few broaches and ripped spinnakers, most sailors came home exhausted but with big smiles.

The superb conditions carried on to the third and final day. Racing got away with all IRC Racer divisions sailing one long islands course ranging in distance from 16.5nm to 20nm. The islands course took the IRC 0 and IRC 1 divisions on a beat towards a windward mark and two ocean marks, rounding Sung Kong, Po Toi and Beaufort before finishing south of Stanley Peninsula.

Kingsman and Jinn let the kites out in IRC Racer 2 action © RHKYC / Guy Nowell

IRC 2 and IRC 3 sailed a similar course rounding Kung Kong and Beaufort, and the HKPN division was given one windward/leeward and an islands course of around 10nm around Beaufort Island.

Almost all the division leaders were able to maintain the leads they established on the first day except IRC 0, which featured fierce competition between three TP52s – Shawn Kang’s Alpha+, Sam Chan’s Freefire and Phoenix (Robert Wiest, Victor Kuk and David Ho).

After learning a lesson from the first day, Alpha+ bounced back in the final race and closely covered Sam Chan’s Freefire, coming away with a bullet in the island race and taking the overall division by one point from Freefire after discard.

Close competition in IRC Racer 3 © RHKYC / Guy Nowell

In IRC 1, Marcel Liedts’ Zannekin took six wins out of seven to run away with first place, seven points ahead of Joachim Isler and Andrew Taylor’s Ambush. In IRC 2, which had the biggest fleet with 11 yachts, Nick Burns’ Blue Bunny remained on top with an impressive seven wins, ahead of Kelvin Au Yeung on Rampage and Nicolas Cohen-Addad’s Jinn.

Although losing the final island race to Blu, Nick Southward’s J-109 Whiskey Jack lifted the trophy for IRC 3, five points ahead of Cheung Meihan’s Dexter II. Eva Leung’s Blu climbed to third place following a bullet in the final race.

IRC Cruiser sailed a 10nm islands course on the final day and Mark Nie and Dominic Law’s Xena won all island races to lift the trophy. In HKPN, Sunny Leung’s Jibulai took two bullets and was declared overall winner of the division.

www.rhkyc.org.hk

www.chinacoastraceweek.com

Colourful Sunreef 80 delivered to owner

News / yachtstyle2020

Colourful Sunreef 80 delivered to owner

October 16, 2020
12:32 pm

The beautifully customised Nomad is the latest Sunreef 80 delivered by the Polish luxury catamaran builder, which has sold 20 units of its flagship sailing yacht.

The Sunreef 80 Nomad has been customised for a family of four

Sunreef has delivered the Sunreef 80 Nomad to her owner, the latest delivery in a remarkable order book for the yard’s flagship sailing boat. The 80-footer with an almost 38ft beam debuted at the 2018 Cannes Yachting Festival and has so far sold 20 units.

The foredeck houses two jetskis and storage for diving equipment

Customised for a family of four, the forward terrace houses two jetskis with launching cranes and storage for scuba diving equipment.

Nomad is dressed with plants and colourful soft furnishings

The aft cockpit, which can be extended by the hydraulic platform, is a great lounging and dining spot for guests, as it’s well protected from sun and from wind. The large flybridge features a jacuzzi, hammock chairs and a dual helm station.

The hammocks are the highlight of the beautiful flybridge

On the main deck, the saloon features an oversized lounging sofa to starboard and a height-adjustable dining table to portside. The central kitchen island conceals a wine-cooler as well as generous storage.

The master suite features a fold-out balcony

The starboard hull is dedicated to the owner and the family and accommodates the opulent master suite with a king-size bed, a walk-in dressing room, vast bathroom and a private fold-out balcony.

The flexible children’s cabins are also in the starboard hull

Both children’s cabins comprise bunk beds and desks for schoolwork. The port hull features the main galley, which connects with the crew quarter and the captain’s cabin.

www.sunreef-yachts.com

Beneteau to launch flagship motorboat in 2021

News / yachtstyle2020

Beneteau to launch flagship motorboat in 2021

The French builder is developing the Grand Trawler 62, which will have a range of 900nm and launch a new line that builds on the Swift Trawler collection.

The Grand Trawler 62 is currently the largest model among Beneteau’s range of motorboats

Beneteau has revealed more details of its Grand Trawler 62, which is being built at Groupe Beneteau’s Monfalcone plant in Italy and will debut in 2021. The 62-footer is one of two models previously announced under the codename Project E.

Just under 19m in length, the Grand Trawler 62 is the largest model among Beneteau’s current range of motorboats and has a cruising range of 900nm at eight knots with 10 per cent fuel reserve. Fitted with two MAN i6 730hp engines, the model has been ‘optimised for adventure’, according to the French builder, with reserve power to reach 20 knots when required.

With naval architecture by Italy’s Micad, the full displacement hull – well protected by high freeboards – has been developed to optimise cruising range and efficiency.

The saloon features a large C-shaped sofa, with the option of cabinets (pictured) or a sofa to starboard

Robert Chaffer, Product Manager at Beneteau, said: “Her exterior lines appear simple and elegant, but the underwater surfaces are mathematically complex. It took 300 hours of processing calculations and tank testing to design the hull. Our team has done a wonderful job of ensuring that the Grand Trawler 62 was 35 per cent more efficient and economical at her optimum hull speed of nine knots than a conventional planing hull.”

Italy’s Nauta Design handled the interior design of a yacht that’s focused on large living areas, designed for guests spending a long time on board.

“We wanted to make sure that people are perfectly at ease with the open, flowing and yet private surroundings, feeling very much as if they were at home,” Chaffer said.

The cockpit has an aft-facing L-shaped sofa, while the main-deck interior starts with a saloon featuring a C-shaped sofa to port and either cabinets or a sofa to starboard. The galley is to port, while an eight-seat dining table is forward to starboard and can be separated from the saloon by a door.

The galley is to port, the dining area is to starboard, while the central helm station is flanked by a bench seat and a sliding door

The raised central helm station, with panoramic views through a reverse windshield, has the option of one or two pilot seats and is flanked by a portside bench seat and a sliding door to starboard.

An internal stairway leads up to the 31sqm flybridge, which features a large C-shaped sofa that helps provide seating for eight around the table, opposite the wet bar to starboard. There’s a sunpad forward of the helm station, while the aft deck is clear for sun loungers or a RIB that can be deployed by a davit.

The foredeck has a wide sunpad and a forward-facing bench, while the transom opens fully onto the sea, creating a 9sqm swim platform just three steps down from the cockpit.

The full-beam owner’s suite in the three-cabin layout; this midships space is used for two cabins in the four-cabin layout

Lower-deck options comprise three or four guest cabins with an average headroom of 2m. In the three-cabin layout, the full-beam owner’s suite is midships, with a twin to port and an angled VIP cabin forward, all with ensuite bathrooms.

In the four-cabin layout, two midships cabins share a bathroom, while the forward cabin is the owner’s suite. As standard, the bulkheads and cabinetwork are in warm walnut shades or in waxed light oak. The Grand Trawler 62 also has a large crew cabin aft, with two single beds and access to the engine room.

Asia Yachting represents the Beneteau Grand Trawler range in Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

www.beneteau.com

www.asiayachting.net

Masselot appointed Director of Beneteau; Gailly to head Lagoon

News / yachtstyle2020

Masselot appointed Director of Beneteau; Gailly to head Lagoon

October 15, 2020
12:43 pm

Luca Brancaleon has been appointed Deputy GM of Brand and Product Strategy at Groupe Beneteau, while Yann Masselot and Thomas Gailly are the new Brand Directors for Beneteau and Lagoon respectively.

Luca Brancaleon, Deputy General Manager, Brand and Product Strategy, Groupe Beneteau

Groupe Beneteau, which offers over 200 models through its 12 boat brands, has appointed Luca Brancaleon, Yann Masselot and Thomas Gailly in new roles within the Boat Division’s Brand and Product Strategy Department, while Clément Himily has been appointed as CEO of Construction Navale Bordeaux (CNB).

After working as Beneteau Brand Director since September 2017, Brancaleon takes on his new role from today (October 15) as Deputy General Manager alongside Gianguido Girotti, Deputy CEO, Brand and Product Strategy. Brancaleon joined the Beneteau brand in May 2017 as Sales Director, after working in various executive sales positions in international and multi-brand environments. The Italian has been involved in the boat industry for the past 16 years.

Yann Masselot, Brand Director, Beneteau © Nicolas Claris

Masselot succeeds Brancaleon as Beneteau’s Brand Director after serving as CEO of Construction Navale Bordeaux since September 2018 and Brand Director of Lagoon and CNB Yachts. Masselot joined the Beneteau boatyard in 1992 and worked in sales for recreational then commercial boats, in the UK then France.

In 2000, he was appointed to head up commercial operations for Lagoon and helped drive the distribution network’s rapid development, enabling the brand to establish itself as the world leader for catamaran cruisers from 2003.

Thomas Gailly, Brand Director, Lagoon © Nicolas Claris

Gailly takes over from Masselot as Brand Director of Lagoon, having been Customer Services Director for Lagoon, Excess and CNB Yachts. Gailly joined Groupe Beneteau in 2005 and has held various sales positions for the CNB, Lagoon and Excess brands.

Clément Himily, CEO, Construction Navale Bordeaux

Himily, formerly Industrial Operations Director for Construction Navale Bordeaux, takes over from Masselot as CEO of this Groupe Beneteau subsidiary. Himily joined the Bordeaux site in 2017, initially heading up production support functions and several industrial transformation projects.

www.beneteau-group.com

New Zealand’s Sights & Sounds: South Island

Destinations / yachtstyle2020

New Zealand’s Sights & Sounds: South Island

October 15, 2020
11:26 am

Yacht Style concludes a two-part feature on New Zealand with the South Island, as local experts explain the amazing array of cruising options for visitors to the America’s Cup host nation. By Marieke Derks.

Situated at the top of the South Island, the Marlborough Sounds are a network of drowned valleys, islands, coves, bays and beaches © Rob Suisted

SOUTH ISLAND: MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS

Marlborough Sounds is at the northern tip of the South Island, west of Wellington across the Cook Strait. Captain Andy Grocott, master on the 39m expedition catamaran The Beast, says relocating the yacht here is often done without guests on board. The distance from Auckland down the east coast is about 500nm and smaller superyachts may need a reasonable weather window to cross seas that larger yachts can plough through.

“There are a few stops along the way, but for guests there’s not so much to see or do from the water,” says Grocott, who also says yachts visiting the Bay of Islands and the very north could consider cruising down the North Island’s west coast depending on the weather.

New Zealand's Sights & Sounds: North Island | Yacht Style
New Zealand is a spectacular country to visit at any time of year. However, the 36th America's Cup in March 2021 and its lead-up events starting with its World Series this December welcome you to explore the country during its stunning summer, when there's typically plenty of sunshine and pleasant on-land temperatures of 20-25°C.

Click above to read the first article, including cruising suggestions for the North Island.

Marlborough Sounds’ myriad bays offer an estimated 1,500km of coastline and encompass pristine native forest with 800-year old towering rimu trees, lush ponga tree ferns – or silver ferns – native orchids, farmland and forestry.

Kayaks are a great way of exploring this intricate maze of waterways, while on land there’s the historical Queen Charlotte Track, a 70km trail connecting Queen Charlotte Sound to the Kenepuru Sound that’s renowned for its stunning views and contrasting landscapes.

Biking is another great activity in the Marlborough region, also renowned for producing three-quarters of New Zealand’s wine © Marlborough NZ

Day hikes and bike rides can be organised with drop offs and pickups by water, while a visit to picturesque Picton can be planned along with a short drive to the wine region of Marlborough for an afternoon of sampling wines and local produce.

SOUTH ISLAND: FIORDLAND & STEWART ISLAND

It’s another 600nm to reach the Fiordland National Park on the South Island’s southwest corner, a region with deep majestic fjords, towering cliffs and mountains, numerous waterfalls and breathtaking scenery.

An alternative for visitors is to sail along the South Island’s east coast, where potential stops along the way include cities like Christchurch and Dunedin, before considering the chance to explore southerly Stewart Island before heading back up to Fiordland.

Over The Top offers helicopter tours around Fiordland and the Queenstown area in the South Island’s spectacular southwest

If time’s short, crew can take the yacht down the west coast, which is spectacular but offers few places to stop. Charter guests, for example, can fly to Queenstown and take a breathtaking helicopter ride across the Southern Alps right into Milford Sound or Deep Cove in Doubtful Sound.

Alternatively, those who have sailed around the coast can helicopter into Queenstown to explore this spectacular lakeside resort town featuring luxury lodges, wineries, excellent restaurants, world-class golf courses, and numerous adrenalin-based activities and adventures.

For scuba divers, diving in Fiordland is a treat and should there be time to visit Stewart Island, diving is also a must. “Stewart
Island offers pristine sandy beaches and great hiking, fishing and scuba diving,” he says. “Most of the island is national park and it’s the place to see kiwi birds in their natural habitat.”

A highlight of Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) is arguably New Zealand’s most spectacular natural attraction © Will Patino

The four main cruising grounds all offer lots of sheltered anchorages, Grocott says. Prevailing winds in the summer (December-February) are easterlies, although some passing weather systems can last for a few days, which means smaller superyachts may need to plan for longer passages.

Grocott warns: “Sometimes a swell from the east makes the east-facing beaches less accessible by tender and being in the Southern Ocean means you need to be prepared for the weather to change quickly.”

CHARTER CHOICES, NORTH AND SOUTH

Fleur Tomlinson, Charter Director at 37South, manages New Zealand-based yachts like The Beast, Sea Breeze III, Yonder Star and the new Rua Moana.

“We can easily build an itinerary for one, two or three weeks or longer depending on the client’s wishes,” Tomlinson says. “When clients want to experience both the North Island and South Island, we can make suggestions for on-land stays and excursions while the yacht is relocating. Normally the relocation from the North Island to South Island takes about a week.”

Paragliding is one of New Zealand’s many adrenalin-fuelled activities © Colin Watts/Unsplash

On land, guests can choose from a great network of luxury accommodation, wineries, culinary experiences and breathtaking golf courses such as Tara Iti and Kauri Cliffs in Northland, Cape Kidnappers in Hawke’s Bay, and The Hills and Millbrook Resort near Queenstown, to name a few.

Tomlinson adds: “While on the North Island, consider a visit to the geothermal area of Rotorua with its boiling mud pools and geysers, Maori villages or a heli-tour over one of the world’s most active volcanic regions. Then there are the glow worm caves of Waitomo, the quirky cafés of Wellington, and if you’re a fan of The Lord of the Rings, a visit to Hobbiton will be on your list.”

If you have time before joining or re-joining your boat on the South Island, you can consider a ride on the TranzAlpine train from Christchurch, crossing the Southern Alps including Arthur’s Pass National Park before finishing in Greymouth on the west coast.

PREPARING FOR YOUR VISIT

Whether you visit New Zealand with your own yacht, wish to book a charter or plan to charter out your yacht, “planning ahead of time is highly recommended,” says Duthie Lidgard, Director of Catalano Shipping Services New Zealand, which is managing berth allocation for visiting yachts during the America’s Cup as the endorsed superyacht agent for Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

The golden colours around Arrowtown near Queenstown © David Wall

“We encourage captains to contact us early in order to detail their requirements for itineraries and line up the paperwork and
procedures for visas, quarantine and permits,” Lidgard says.

“There are different requirements for yachts of different lengths and tonnage regarding pilotage and access to protected areas, while hull cleaning is required for certain areas because of biosecurity. A lot can be arranged, but we need to start in good time. We also provide fast-track visa processing for owners, guests and crew not from a visa-exempt country.”

NZ Marine, which represents the country’s yachting industry, has created a good overview of regulations that can be downloaded from their website, although Lidgard encourages captains to contact him in person. “We can even advise captains who have cruised New Zealand and know the area well, as regulations have changed.”

A beach in Moeraki, a fishing town on the South Island’s east coast © Miles Holden

Tomlinson also stresses early contact – from six weeks to three months, to be safe – for those wishing to operate charters in New Zealand waters as a foreign-flagged vessel as there’s “paperwork and survey work to schedule with NZ Marine ahead of time”.

As a final reassurance, Lidgard emphasises that the country offers great facilities and expertise for maintenance and refit,
highlighting the New Zealand chapter in the 2020/21 Superyacht Services Guide for Pacific, Australia and Asia as a comprehensive guide to local yacht services.

Resources and contacts:

37South – Fleur Tomlinson, Charter Director, fleur@37southyachts.com Catalano Shipping Services NZ – Duthie Lidgard, Managing Director, duthie@catalanoshipping.com

NZ Marine – info@nzmarine.com, www.nzmarine.com

SUPERYACHT SERVICES GUIDE

Marieke Derks, Zara Tremlett and Bert van Muylwijk form the Superyacht Services Guide’s author team for Asia, the Indian Ocean and Australia. The SSG features personal recommendations from professional yacht captains and crew for
the best services used around the world, not only to run a superyacht but to receive owners and guests, and to live and work on board as crew. The quick-search online directory is regularly updated, fast-tracking users to the most reliable, efficient and effective services available globally.

marieke@superyachtpublications.com

www.superyachtservicesguide.com

www.issuu.com/superyachtservicesgu

New Zealand’s Sights & Sounds: North Island

Destinations / yachtstyle2020

New Zealand’s Sights & Sounds: North Island

October 14, 2020
3:15 pm

Yacht Style kicks off a two-part feature on New Zealand with the North Island, as local experts talk about the amazing array of cruising options for visitors to the America’s Cup host nation. By Marieke Derks.

Situated in Hawke’s Bay on the North Island’s east coast, Cape Kidnappers is regularly named among the world’s top golf courses © Jacob Sjoman

New Zealand is a spectacular country to visit at any time of year. However, the 36th America’s Cup in March 2021 and its lead-up events starting with its World Series this December welcome you to explore the country during its stunning summer, when there’s typically plenty of sunshine and pleasant on-land temperatures of 20-25°C.

Aotearoa (‘long white cloud’) is a country proud of its indigenous culture, with English and Maori the official languages. It offers clean air and a colourful array of landscapes and seascapes to explore across and around its North and South Islands.

About a sixth of New Zealanders identify as Maori; visitors can enjoy cultural programmes and experiences © ATEED

Natural wonders range from giant shifting sand dunes and the iconic Bay of Islands at the top of the country, volcanic and geothermal areas around Rotorua, down to the South Island’s 500km-long Southern Alps, capped by the 3,724m Mount Cook (Aoraki), with glaciers flowing from its sides.

Cruising yachts are in their element in New Zealand, which has 15,000km of coastline and 600 islands to explore. Although most of the sailing is in the North Island, the most spectacular scenery is on the South Island, where you’ll also find the Marlborough Sounds and its many inlets and waterways in the north, while the majestic fjords of Fiordland National Park are down in the southwest.

New Zealand offers spectacular dining, in both the north and south © ATEED

New Zealand delights the taste buds, producing stunning local food and wine, as grapes seem to happily grow all over the country. You’ll find award-winning vineyards on both main islands, along with a vast river network and 3,820 freshwater lakes, led by the 616sqkm Lake Taupo in the centre of the North Island.

Fittingly for a nation that’s home to Queenstown, ‘Adventure Capital of the World’, New Zealand offers a head-spinning range of action both coastal and inland. On land there’s spectacular golf, hiking and biking plus skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Parachuting and paragliding are among air-based thrills, while water-based activities include scuba diving, fishing, white-water rafting and kayaking.

Paddle boarding around Auckland, New Zealand’s biggest city © ATEED

In fact, oceangoing canoes (waka) were used by Polynesians to travel across the Pacific to New Zealand from about 1320 onwards, with the first human arrivals establishing themselves as the Maori almost 450 years before British Captain James Cook and his crew landed in 1769.

We now welcome today’s yachting experts to be your cruising guides to this amazing country.

CRUISING IN NEW ZEALAND

Captain Andy Grocott is master on The Beast, a rugged New Zealand-built expedition catamaran measuring a solid 39m (129ft) by 12m (39ft) and notable for its camouflage-grey exterior.

Built for action, this charter yacht offers guests a whopping 4,000sqft of living space and lots of toys including a 48ft sports fishing boat, 30ft amphibious tender and full scuba diving gear. It also offers a journey into the distinct yachting experience to be found in New Zealand.

Captain Andy Grocott of The Beast details New Zealand’s four best cruising grounds

“As well as the country’s natural and cultural beauty, cruising here creates a completely different atmosphere on board compared to the Med or the Caribbean. It’s a genuine yacht cruise and not a restaurant run,” Grocott says.

“There are no shops, few towns, we are away from the crowds and stay in stunningly peaceful anchorages. All meals are enjoyed together on board or sometimes on the beach. That’s what I cherish most about being a charter captain in New Zealand. I haven’t found this experience anywhere else.”

Grocott has explored New Zealand’s waters on different yachts and recommends the following four main cruising grounds (see areas in three and four in Part Two).

NORTH ISLAND: AUCKLAND & HAURAKI GULF

New Zealanders love the water and Auckland has the highest ratio of boats per capita in the world, hence its nickname ‘City of Sails’. Many famous sailors learned to sail in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf, the setting for the 36th America’s Cup and many of the supporting events.

“We most often pick up guests in Auckland as there is easy access from the airport, excellent logistics and we do all our provisioning there,” Grocott says.

Hauraki Gulf offers sensational cruising with lots of anchorages and sights including Waiheke Island, the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island.

“All places feature great walks ashore, excellent fishing and protected bays for watersports,” he says. “Distances are 20-30nm, offering relaxed day trips to great anchorages. Guests can easily spend several days here with a different experience around each corner.”

NORTH ISLAND: BAY OF ISLANDS & NORTHLAND

The Bay of Islands and its turquoise waters are a gorgeous 120nm voyage up the coast to Northland, the northernmost of the country’s 16 regions. There are many places to stop along the way. Halfway along the route, Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve is a world-famous destination for scuba divers, with a choice of over 50 different dive sites in clear waters, stunning underwater scenery and abundant underwater life.

New Zealand’s most popular cruising destination, Bay of Islands is home the Millennium Cup superyacht regatta © Jeff Brown

Bay of Islands is New Zealand’s most popular cruising ground with scenic bays, many islands, beautiful beaches and pleasant historical villages like Russell with its iconic Duke of Marlborough Hotel.

Guests who choose to start their journey in Bay of Islands can either fly 40 minutes from Auckland to Kerikeri Airport or take a helicopter ride to the beach and hop into the tender.

About a sixth of New Zealand’s 4.9 million population identify as Maori and this area has plenty of Maori history and culture to explore, such as the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and museum. You can ask to visit a marae (Maori meeting ground), while Grocott often organises a hangi (Maori method of cooking in a pit) on the beach and sometimes even a cultural Maori experience on board.

Heading further north, sheltered Whangaroa Harbour is relatively close to the exclusive Kauri Cliffs Golf Course and not far from Cavalli Islands, which has nice beaches and anchorages, great fishing and superb scuba diving on the Rainbow Warrior wreck.

“And if you continue all the way over the top,” Grocott adds, “I suggest stopping at Three Kings Islands for some unreal big-game fishing or walk the shifting Giant Sand Dunes in Cape Reinga.”

Read Part Two for the South Island and details of local operators

OPA Architects Craft An Award-Winning Shapeshifter House Amid The Nevada

Lifestyle / yachtstyle2020

OPA Architects Craft An Award-Winning Shapeshifter House Amid The Nevada

October 14, 2020
2:57 pm

Built amidst a sandbox that changes forms to fit the imaginations of the user, the Shapeshifter residence represents a space of ambivalence.

Armed with the foundational beliefs that architecture poses significant impact over our perceptions and emotions, whilst acting as a physical framework for thought, San Francisco-based OPA architects have conceptualized their every design based on progressive builds, driven by ideas. Through identifying and crafting spatial experiences, architectural duo, Luke Ogrydziak and Zoë Prillinger, have successfully created the Shapeshifter home on Reno, Nevada.

OPA Architects Craft An Award-Winning Shapeshifter House Amid The Nevada

Awarded the AIA San Francisco Unbuilt Design Citation in 2015, and the Chicago Athenaeum American Architecture Award in 2018, this residence caters to a couple of art collectors and dealers, specializing in contemporary art and art of the American West. As a result of their work, they desired a house that would both reflect the contemporary moment and explicitly embody the ‘West’.

Taking on the natural environment as more than a ‘site’ for construction, OPA architects referenced the desert as an ambivalent component of the overall cultural imagery. Framed as a barren wasteland, the desert has long been appointed the perfect test site, a place for all genres of experimentation, such as, military, scientific, and social. The desert is rarely seen for itself, instead acting as a mirror for various projected fantasies: wilderness, frontier, and heterotopia. Enduringly mercurial, Luke Ogrydziak and Zoë Prillinger believe it is a sandbox that changes forms to fit the imaginations of the user, a space of ambivalence and uncertainty.

Therefore, this project began by treating the ground as a fluid material that allows different forms to emerge, then flicker or dissolve into other forms – exploring the idea of a slippery form through the lens of a mutable, protean material, an untapped unconscious foundation. Working tirelessly to reshape the site into anticlines, synclines, dunes and blowouts, the Shapeshifter residence sports an extreme difference in shape without discontinuity, allowing each element of the house to slide into each other with shifting relationships of fractured symmetries, local axes, and embedded parallelisms.

Prestige releasing F-Line flagship at Dusseldorf

News / yachtstyle2020

Prestige releasing F-Line flagship at Dusseldorf

October 13, 2020
1:19 pm

The French brand will debut its new 690 F-Line flagship indoors at Boot Dusseldorf in January followed by an outdoor showing in Miami in February.

The Prestige 690 will be the new flagship of the French brand’s F-Line

Prestige is scheduled to stage the world premiere of its Prestige 690 at Boot Dusseldorf from January 23-31, 2021, followed by a display at the Miami Yacht Show from February 11-15. Earlier this month, the French builder debuted its flagship X70 at the 60th Genoa International Boat Show.

With an overall length of 21.54m (70ft 4in), the 690 will succeed the 680 as the new flagship of Prestige’s F-Line series of flybridge models and features a 240sqft flybridge that the Groupe Beneteau brand describes as a “reference in her category”.

The flybridge has a portside helm station with twin carbon-fibre helm seats and double armrests, a dining area that can accommodate up to six people and a large, fully equipped galley. Multiple layout options are available for the aft area including an island lounge, lounge chairs or an outdoor saloon with a comfortable sofa.

The cockpit includes an aft-facing sunpad suspended above the transom door

The cockpit includes an aft ‘sundeck’ that’s suspended above the transom door, while the foredeck offers another inviting outdoor area, with a triple sunpad and a forward-facing sofa in the bow.

The bright interior includes a well-equipped galley to port opposite a dining table with an L-shaped sofa and loose chairs, while forward is a saloon featuring a larger L-shaped sofa paired with accompanying armchairs. The helm station to starboard has a twin bench seat.

Prestige continues its tradition of offering a private staircase to the master suite, which is located in the bow and has a forward-facing bed.

The standard layout of the flybridge, which Prestige describes as a “reference in her category”

A three-cabin layout offers two more full-beam doubles (one facing forward, one facing aft), while the four-cabin layout replaces a double with two guest cabins. There’s also a well-equipped aft crew cabin with twin beds.

The upgraded décor and furniture options include Roda outdoor furniture and Foglizzo leather interiors. The Ship Control system and a generator are included as standard, with Volvo IPS 1200 or IPS 1350 as the twin engine options.

Prestige is also developing the 690S, for its Sportyacht line, with the model including a smaller flybridge and an electric sunroof.

The flybridge is also offered with outdoor furniture from Italian company Roda

The company is also producing the 420S, the Sportyacht version of its entry-level 420 that debuted at last year’s Cannes Yachting Festival and became the brand’s fastest-selling model.

Asia Yachting, which represents Prestige in Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, staged the Asian premiere of the Prestige 420 at the Thailand Yacht Show in January.

www.prestige-yachts.com

www.asiayachting.net

Stars out for Yacht Style Vietnam launch party

October 12, 2020
5:36 pm

Celebrities and yacht industry leaders attended the launch of Yacht Style Vietnam, which featured a cruise on a Lagoon 630 MY and a party at Mia Saigon, with Mortlach whisky driving celebrations day and night.

Singer Chau Dang Khoa, actress Ngoc Thanh Tam, dancer Linh Nga, art curator Ngo Kim Khoi, director Long Kan, MC Thanh Thanh Huyen, stylist Travis Nguyen and designer Devon Nguyen were among celebrities at the exclusive launch of Yacht Style Vietnam.

Tam Son Yachting, AnaMarina, VietYacht, Saigon Yacht & Marina and Seawind Catamaran were among yacht industry companies represented at the event.

The event started from Tam Son Yachting Marina at Vinpearl Luxury Landmark 81, where guests boarded a Lagoon 630 MY courtesy of Tam Son Yachting and cruised along Saigon River while sampling Mortlach whisky and other drinks.

The single malt whisky was available in 12 Years, 16 Years and 20 Years versions, all beautifully displayed and served by a bartender at a dedicated bar in the cockpit.

As day turned to night, the party continued by the outdoor pool at the stunning Mia Saigon boutique hotel along the Hanoi Highway, offering views over the Saigon River.

As a band played, a buffet dinner was served along with premium canapes and drinks including Mortlach. As the guest list grew, Chau Dang Khoa himself was among the entertainment.

Guests also had the opportunity to win prizes from sponsors such as Mortlach 16 Years – Cong Tri Limited Edition from Diageo, a two-night stay at Seahorse Resort & Spa Phan Thiet, a two-night stay at JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa in the Gulf of Thailand, two Calvin Klein Automatic and Tissot PRS 200 watches from Top Ten, and many others.

Other sponsors included Anantara Resort Quy Nhon Villas, Fusion Maia Resort Da Nang, Fusion Resort Cam Ranh, Fusion Resort Phu Quoc, Maia Resort Quy Nhon and Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion.

www.luxuo.vn

Benetti shows new images of B.Yond 37M

News / yachtstyle2020

Benetti shows new images of B.Yond 37M

October 12, 2020
12:19 pm

Italian superyacht builder reveals updated renders of the B.Yond 37M, its new luxury expedition yacht scheduled to debut in 2021 and feature the new E-Mode propulsion by Siemens.

The B.Yond 37M is the first in a new line of luxury expedition yachts from Benetti

Benetti has revealed updated images of its B.Yond 37M, which is the first model of the new B.Yond series, with hull one expected to debut in September 2021.

Described by the yard as “a new category of expedition yacht based on tradition and the desires expressed by owners”, the B.Yond 37M has a steel hull, aluminium superstructure and enclosed volumes close to those of a 500GT, 50m megayacht in just 37m (121ft).

Foredeck on the Benetti B.Yond 37M, which has four decks and close to 500GT of volume

The yacht has four decks and is designed for long cruises with a reduced environmental impact due to the E-Mode propulsion architecture developed for the shipyard by Siemens.

The main deck is home to the owner and guest cabins, the upper deck is used as the day area, and the lower deck is entirely for the crew.

The Benetti B.Yond 37M features E-Mode propulsion architecture developed for the shipyard by Siemens

Other new models in build include the Motopanfilo 37M, also due to launch in 2021, while a new Oasis model is due in early 2022. Benetti recently premiered the first Oasis 40M at this year’s Genoa International Boat Show in early October.

www.benettiyachts.it

Benetti sells 11 units of Oasis 40M
Benetti announced that it has sold 11 units of its brand-new Oasis 40M, which was scheduled to debut at the now-cancelled Cannes Yachting Festival. The stunning sales figure was declared at Azimut-Benetti's annual press conference in Portofino, where the 133-footer designed by UK-based RWD was showcased along with the Azimut Magellano 25 Metri, which was accompanied by the world premiere of Gabriele Muccino's short film dedicated to the new Magellano flagship.

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