Reviews

Leopard, 46, Powercat, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, power, catamaran, powercat, South Africa, Cape Town, Robertson & Caine, Miami International Boat Show, Simonis Voogd, International Multihull Show, THL Marine, The Moorings, Sunsail

Leopard’s ‘middle child’ powercat coming to Asia

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Leopard’s ‘middle child’ powercat coming to Asia

May 5, 2022
4:43 pm

After a world premiere at Miami in February and a European premiere at La Grande Motte in late April, the Leopard 46 Powercat will soon be in Asia, with a unit for Hong Kong to be followed by two hulls for Southeast Asia. By Michael Verdon.

Leopard’s 46 Powercat follows the 53 and will be joined by the 40

Unveiled at the Miami International Boat Show in February and making its European debut at the International Multihull Show in France in late April, the new Leopard 46 Powercat is the second of what will be three new-generation models in the South African-built power catamaran series. The first, the 53, was launched at the 2020 Miami show, while the new 40 will make its debut there next year.

The new family is a departure from the powercats that were earlier converted from its sailing cat line. The conversion didn’t work nearly as well as a clean-slate design, so the company hired Dutch studio Simonis Voogd to create the new family.

The first Leopard 46 Powercat for Asia is heading to Hong Kong

The Leopard line is owned by THL Marine, which also owns The Moorings and Sunsail charter fleets, and is built by Cape Town-based Robertson & Caine, which has a long history in producing sailing and power cats.

BUILT FOR ENTERTAINING

As the middle child of the growing family, the 46 PC will arrive in Hong Kong this summer with further hulls set for Malaysia and the Philippines. It has the same layout as its larger 53ft sibling, but owners won’t be sacrificing that much in terms of liveability.

I had a chance to tour both Leopards and while the 53 clearly has a 13-inch wider beam and larger bow and stern areas, the 46’s interior space doesn’t feel like much of a downgrade compared to the 53.

Forward of the transom (above), the aft cockpit (below) can host up to eight people

Although the cockpit is a little smaller than on the 53, it’s still big enough to host a group of eight comfortably due to the solid teak table and large wraparound lounge in the centre. It also offers a good view of the stern, which has a hydraulic platform for launching and retrieving the tender. It remains at main-deck height when the boat is running.

The two side passages to the bow are wide, with a high stainless rail. Also in the cockpit is the stairway – again, wide – up to the flybridge. This is a great social area and features a three-person helm bench seat in the starboard corner, while directly behind is a cooking station with electric grill, sink and fridge.

The large flybridge has a sunbed aft, dining area and wet bar, plus helm and companion seating forward

On the opposite side is a C-shaped sofa with another teak table that seats up to eight, with loungers in front and behind that area. Drink holders are embedded into the armrests. The hardtop offers shade and a mini-windshield along the front provides protection from wind when the boat is running.

BREEZY INTERIOR

Inside, the fit and finish is strong, neutral colours keep the look universal and contemporary, and there’s a charter-boat sensibility to the layout, which means it’s designed to be used much more than a conventional private yacht, without too many gee-whiz features.

The aft galley has an L-shaped configuration to port, while there’s countertop space, storage and a dishwasher to starboard

Still, there are nice residential details like a door that leads to the front of the boat, a rarity on this size of powercat. Another is the large galley aft, which has a full-sized fridge, freezer and icemaker, two-burner cooktop, microwave and convection oven, and good counter surface, made even more pleasant by the inflow of natural light from the long windows along the sides.

There’s also a separate food-prep area just opposite on the starboard cabinet that is typically used as a desk. This side also has a dishwasher, with storage in the drawers and cabinets. This food-prep space is a nice touch, particularly since the 46 is designed for socialising with large groups.

The saloon forward features facing sofas, while a design highlight is the central door to the foredeck

The saloon is long, open and airy, with good headroom. Inset LED lighting on the ceiling and along the walls offer ambient lighting at night. Stairs run down to the staterooms on either side, while forward are a large C-shaped sofa and a coffee table to port plus a two-seater to starboard. The 46 I toured had the optional lower helm station forward of the starboard couch, offering excellent visibility.

At the rear are sliding doors that link the aft cockpit to the saloon for an indoor/outdoor connection that extends the length of the main deck, from the aft cockpit to the sun loungers on the bow.

MASTER OPTION

Having both doors at opposite ends also creates a breezy crossflow that keeps the boat cool at night via natural ventilation, so owners don’t have to run the air-conditioning and generator, for a quiet and fume-free sleeping experience.

In the three-cabin layout, the master suite occupies the starboard hull

For accommodation, owners can choose a four-cabin layout or three cabins including a large master suite on the starboard side. The three-cabin layout – which features on the hull for Asia – is also a game-changer for Leopard.

The master suite has a desk/vanity and storage before the twin-sink bathroom

Anyone who has ever spent time on a large cat knows there’s a bit of an attitude adjustment with being inside a long, narrow stateroom, but the Leopard design team did a great job with the master suite.

The forward guest cabin has a window-facing bed

The rear berth extends from bulkhead to bulkhead, with a desk/vanity positioned in front, storage and then the head – with two large sinks – situated in front of the toilet. An unusually large shower stall gives the area a true luxury feel.

The bed in the aft guest cabin faces forward

The other two cabins have space-saving configurations, with the rear having a double bed looking forward and the forward cabin’s bed facing the window. This design is mirrored on the starboard side for the four-cabin version.

POWERFUL & PRACTICAL

Engine options include twin 370hp Yanmar diesels that give the boat a top speed over 24 knots. The hulls have a draft of just over 3ft and are designed for rough-water running, with a video of the 46 Powercat showing it decisively handling 2-3ft seas.

The Leopard 46 Powercat reaches over 24 knots with twin 370hp Yanmar diesels

One of the highlights of this boat for owner/operators is the design of the engine spaces. They’re separate and offer excellent access to the Yanmars for routine maintenance like changing oil, coolant and filters, as well as accessing the main systems. Since Leopard used to position its engines under the staterooms, this new configuration is a big leap forward for the brand.

Typically, the middle child is seen as one that gets overshadowed by larger siblings, but the new Leopard 46 will hold its own with any big cat and its class. If you want a turnkey boat designed around practical amenities, smart use of space and a hull for rough water, this boat should be on your shortlist.

www.leopardcatamarans.com

VP Yachts hands over Leopard 42
Vivian Chan of VP Yachts handed over a new Leopard 42 in Hong Kong to an owner looking forward to his first sailing catamaran.

Heliotrope 48 powercat holds Asia-Pacific appeal

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Heliotrope 48 powercat holds Asia-Pacific appeal

April 14, 2022
1:20 pm

A colourful variety of Heliotrope 48s have been delivered to Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia, with the tall powercat by Thailand’s PMG Shipyard offering huge outdoor areas, multiple layouts for all three decks and the option of solar power for onboard systems.

Pattaya-based Albert Nazarov designed the Heliotrope 48

The Heliotrope 48 has already made quite an impression in Asia-Pacific, with hulls cruising in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Australia. Yet although they share the same hull and superstructure, the looks, layouts and uses of the 48ft powercats built in the Gulf of Thailand by PMG Shipyard vary almost as much as their locations.

‘Custom Yacht Builder’ is more than just the Rayong shipyard’s tagline, with hull colours so far including silver-grey, all white, and even a lively mix of orange on starboard and white on port side.

The first hull with four cabins was followed by an owner’s version with three. Meanwhile, the two-cabin conglomerate-owned hull for Hong Kong was heavily customised for corporate entertaining before the version sold to Sydney was designed for high-demand day charters forup to 40 people at a time.

The Sydney Seabird was designed for charters

And although the first hulls had a central steering station on the flybridge, the Hong Kong hull required the helm on the starboard side before the Sydney Seabird needed it – you guessed it – to port.

Throw in varying regulation requirements from Europe’s CE to UK-based Lloyd’s and Australia’s AMSA and you’d be forgiven for thinking customisation was a bad word. Not for Philippe Guenat, whose 20,800sqm beachfront shipyard in Rayong has experience building Heliotrope models, Silent-Yachts solar-electric powercats, sailing catamarans and commercial boats.

“We typically build to CE (A), so we learnt a lot doing Lloyd’s and AMSA (Australian Safety Maritime Authority) regulations, even if it meant having to read hundreds of pages,” the Swiss smiles.

A Heliotrope 48 in Hong Kong; Photo: Karen Ball

“We have a lot of experience building for different clients – and not only for private owners – so when people order the Heliotrope 48, we always ask, how do you want to use it … and where do you want the steering console?”

PIONEERING SPIRIT

PMG offers the option of solar panels and batteries on the Heliotrope 48 and has become well known in the past couple of years as a production facility for the Silent 60, the first model in the fast-selling new generation of solar-electric catamarans by Silent-Yachts, which also builds in Italy and Turkey.

PMG launched the first Silent 60 last year, has since launched hulls two and three, and there are more in build. However, long before the shipyards’ cooperation was prompted by Hong Kong-based broker Bart Kimman connecting Silent-Yachts founder Michael to Guenat, PMG was building its own solar-assisted models.

A Heliotrope 48 with an orange hull to port and white hull to starboard

Guenat’s interest in the technology stemmed from his flying days when he became friends with fellow pilots and renowned adventurers Bertrand Piccard and Raphaël Domjan, the first to circumnavigate by solar-powered fixed-wing aircraft and solar-powered boat, respectively. Guenat was still managing his hospitality company well over a decade ago when he began looking at applying solar technology to a production-style pleasure boat, a novel concept at the time.

“When I was discussing this with shipyards and at boat shows in Europe, people thought I was from another planet,” Guenat says. “I was even told by someone very well-known at a prominent Italian shipyard that if I couldn’t afford fuel, I shouldn’t be owning a boat.”

HELIOTROPE EVOLUTION

Guenat was a regular visitor to Thailand, where he had lived for a decade and still had furniture made for his hotel group in Switzerland. In 2009, he eventually found support for his solar concept at the Bakri Cono Shipyard in Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Jomtien.

The bow is shown with a sunken foredeck, but new designs feature a flat, sunpad-covered area above larger forward cabins

Working with yacht designer Dr Albert Nazarov, who had founded Albatross Marine Design in nearby Pattaya in 2006, Guenat built the first Heliotrope 65, which was eventually launched in 2013 and used solar power for all onboard systems but not propulsion.

“We developed the solar system on the Heliotrope 65 as we wanted it to have plenty of roof capacity for solar panels,” Guenat says. “Once we saw it was a success, we looked into smaller models.”

Heliotrope 48 production began at the Ocean Marina facility and continued once the company relocated to its current two-hectare site in Rayong, with Guenat later buying the company and renaming it PMG.

Like the 65, the Heliotrope 48 features naval architecture by Nazarov and a huge flybridge, one of the 65’s signature features. The first 48 was initially built for the US market, leading to an emphasis on comfort and a lot of room for people to move around easily. Both sides had two cabins, each with their own toilet and sink but sharing a large shower in the middle, a design Guenat remains fond of.

Like its larger predecessor, the Heliotrope 48 is distinguished by its large flybridge

However, by the time the boat was completed, the client’s company had been sold and Guenat kept the boat. He put the boat into charter, which he says “worked extremely well, as I was able to get more orders”. Those included a Malaysian client who wanted a larger bedroom, so the shipyard developed the owner’s version with a master suite occupying the port hull.

Different layouts, features, furniture and decor were developed for the boats in Hong Kong and Sydney due to their very specific uses. Meanwhile, back-to-back requests for the steering station to the side led to more seating at the front of the flybridge, another customer-led design PMG has implemented.

HELIOTROPE RETURNS

Production of the Heliotrope 48 was paused due to three successive large-scale contracts for corporate clients that took up much of PMG’s capacity and manpower. However, with two of those contracts completed, PMG has been able to resume building its most popular in-house model alongside production of the Silent 60 and 62 3-Deck.

The cockpit offers alfresco dining

Built for use in generally warm climates, the 48 is distinguished by its outdoor areas. Almost 24ft wide, it starts aft with two fixed transoms and a central option of either a davit or hydraulic platform that can complete a full-width bathing platform. For private owners, the 290sqft cockpit is offered with a very wide sofa, a large teak table and folding chairs, as well as a lovely bar area facing the aft galley.

Port stairs lead to the towering 230sqft flybridge, where a C-shaped sofa wraps around the aft end and provides plenty of seating around adjustable tables. A U-shaped or customised wet bar can be installed to starboard, while forward options include the helm station to starboard and L-shaped seating to port.

The cockpit features a stylish bar that connects with the aft galley

The foredeck can sit up to eight people around an almost rectangular seating area featuring a drinks table and cup holders, while a flatter, sunpad-covered layout is an option.

FLEXIBILITY IN DESIGN

The suggested interior layout includes an L-shaped aft galley to port and a central island bar, along with a forward lounge featuring an aft-facing C-shaped sofa illuminated by natural light through the panoramic windows. Woodwork can be in certified teak, white oak or Asian mahogany, although Guenat is keen to emphasise that the interior can be customised, as it has been on all hulls so far.

“Interior customisation is especially important and we’re particularly flexible,” says Guenat. “We design the interior based on how the client wants to use the boat. Aside from the layout and furniture, décor and fabrics can be customised.”

With no helm, the interior offers lots of space and a forward lounge lit by wraparound windows

Accommodation options include the owner’s layout with a bespoke master suite in the port hull, while a new version with four cabins – each with private sink and toilet but sharing a large shower – includes forward cabins with raised beds facing the hull windows.

Another reason PMG is open to customisation, new materials and additional features is because the Heliotrope 48’s basic structure is light, weighing less than 13 tonnes. And when it comes to performance, it’s notable for a 1m-high bridgedeck clearance that allows waves to pass under the saloon floor during passage.

Aft cabin in the four-cabin layout

The flybridge helm is also notably high to provide better visibility for the skipper, both afar and of the waters immediately around the yacht. Guenat is a firm believer in driving from the flybridge, although a second, simpler helm with a joystick and one screen can be added in the saloon.

“With catamarans, it’s very important you’re as high as possible, especially where seas are busy or not that clear or clean,” he says. “You need to be able to check all around you and avoid anything you don’t want caught in the props.”

The yacht’s solar offering is now even more appealing following the technology’s rise in popularity in recent years, as Guenat has witnessed with the demand for Silent-Yachts models. The Heliotrope 48 offers solar panels across the flybridge hardtop and on the C-shaped overhang above the cockpit.

Stairs to the guest cabins, which each have their own toilet and sink and share a shower

The power generated can charge batteries and silently operate all onboard systems including air-conditioning while at anchor or berthing, so no generator is needed at night.

“Things have changed in last three years and there’s a much wider demand for solar technology,” he says. “Depending on where you are, electric propulsion can be a very pleasant way of cruising, but it’s not ideal for everywhere.”

Guenat believes the demand for conventional propulsion will remain popular in areas exposed to rough weather and without a convenient network of marinas, citing the fact there’s no major facility between Ocean Marina and Singapore, a 1,200nm trip.

A forward cabin

“From the Gulf of Thailand down to Singapore, there can be some extremely strong winds and impressive waves, yet once you leave Ocean Marina, the next proper marina is in Singapore, which is five days of navigating day and night,” he says.

“When you have a storm, you need to be able to either hide yourself in a marina or cruise through the waves, and you need power for that.”

www.pmgshipyard.com

www.yacht-heliotrope.com

PMG Shipyard: Pride of Thailand
Best known internationally for building the new Silent 60 for the fast-growing Silent-Yachts, the PMG Shipyard in Thailand owned by Philippe Guenat also produces its own solar-assisted Heliotrope powercats as well as custom builds in a spectacular two-hectare beachfront facility that’s now also equipped for catamaran refits.

Fountaine Pajot’s stunning new starter sail cat

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Fountaine Pajot’s stunning new starter sail cat

March 31, 2022
3:44 pm

Several units of Fountaine Pajot’s Isla 40 sailing catamaran are already sailing around Asia following strong demand for the La Rochelle builder’s new entry model.

With three winches and two banks of clutches, the helmsman can manage all sailing manoeuvres

Fountaine Pajot’s seven sailing catamaran models through to the flagship Alegria 67 have names ending in ‘a’, including some such as the Elba 45 and the Tanna 47 that refer to islands. For its new entry-level model, the Isla 40, the French builder settled on the generic Spanish word for island, pronounced ‘iz-la’.

Measuring just over 39ft overall, the Isla only had its official world premiere at last year’s Cannes Yachting Festival, yet it has already sold multiple units across Asia, where owners – including a client in Japan who switched from a 48ft motor yacht – have started exploring islands, beaches and bays around the region.

“When we think of Asia, we sometimes think of big boats because of motor yachts, but you can have a very capable, fully equipped Isla 40 delivered here for €500,000 (about US$570,000), so the pool of customers is much wider,” says Kevin Corfa, Fountaine Pajot’s Head of Asia.

A fixed helm bimini is an option

“These new owners are attracted to boats they can sail themselves without having crew while still having large social areas and privacy when needed

“For the same amount of living space, the Isla consumes much less power because it’s a sailing yacht but also when motoring because it’s a cat. It can have a big water tank and because owners will handle more things on board themselves, they appreciate having so much space around the engine in the technical area, making maintenance easier.”

A LITTLE EXTRA IN THE HULLS

Like all Fountaine Pajot’s current sail cats, the Isla 40 features naval architecture by Berret-Racoupeau Yacht Design. The newcomer succeeds another island-themed model, the Lucia 40, and is a notable upgrade on her popular predecessor, which sold almost 300 units in five years.

The comfortable bow area is accessed by wide side-decks aided by long handrails on the coachroof

The main modifications focus on the interior and the hulls, whose bows now adopt inverted stems. The hulls have gained 8in at the waterline, increasing the length from 38ft 6in to 39ft 2in, and it’s remarkable how the inverted bows alter the silhouette and give a much sportier, seductive design.

In this pivotal 40ft category – much below this length, some crews might hesitate to embark on ocean passages – the performance/comfort compromise is a subtle equation, for want of space. Hulls that are too narrow deprive the boat of double berths in the forecabins. On the other hand, a nacelle that’s too large translates into displacement and consequent windage.

The inverted bows give a modern and elegant silhouette to the Isla 40

The Isla 40 scores highly, with sufficient but controlled volumes everywhere. A light displacement of nine-plus tonnes and a total sail area of about 1,025sqft (95sqm) gives a good sail-area-to-weight ratio.

BUILT TO LAST

The generous semi-circular sections of the hulls can carry the load, while the design offers fine-entry bows and comfortable bridgedeck clearance. The hulls adopt a discreet chine on their inboard sides.

Using infusion, the hulls are made up in three sections: the underside of the nacelle, the inboard topsides and the outboard half-hulls. The sandwich consists of a balsa core and skins made of multiaxial glass cloth.

The cockpit is backed by a wide aft sofa, while the starboard daybed is by steps to the helm station

The deck and coachroof, true to the yard’s know-how, are injected parts – vacuum lamination in a two-sided mould. A closer examination of both the bilges and the electrical circuits inspires confidence, with all elements accessible and connections carefully made. The engine compartments are particularly large and the three-cylinder motors benefit from easy access for maintenance.

In addition to its sandwich construction, it should be noted that the Isla 40 is equipped with four buoyancy zones. The assembly of the catamaran’s steering components is robust and all the elements such as the rod connecting the two rudders and the autopilot ram are accessible.

TRIALLED AND TESTED

We were able to discover the Isla 40 at Bandol in the south of France, where our test model was equipped with twin 30hp Volvo engines, offering 7-8 knots. The helm station is raised, but it’s not on the coachroof, which has the option of three solar panels aft but is otherwise clear.

The cockpit includes an L-shaped sofa and a table to port

The helm offers good visibility over the water and the helmsman can easily manage all sailing manoeuvres using the three winches and two banks of clutches.

The area is user-friendly due to the double bench seat and the proximity of the cockpit below, while steps and a railing allow easy access up to the optional fixed bimini.

The mainsail is quick to hoist. As soon as the overlapping genoa is unfurled, the Isla 40 starts to move with barely a ripple on the water, even with fuel and water tanks 80 per cent full. Despite a still-low speed, she tacks easily to get closer to where the breeze looks to be.

The interior benefits from panoramic views, natural light and breeze through windscreen hatches

There, with 8-9 knots of wind, we strode along at five knots at an angle of 50° off the true wind. No need to head up any further – the Isla 40 prefers the sails just a little open. The wind finally settled down between 12-15 knots and we took advantage of this to unfurl the gennaker, which is an option. This gave the predicted turbo-boost, with the GPS displaying between 8-9 knots.

OUTDOOR ZONES

The first impression when you stroll around the Isla 40 is that the deck is clean, bare and efficient. The side decks are at least 2ft wide, the non-slip is effective even when wet, and each side of the coachroof has two long handrails.

The bow area presents a wide sunbathing area aft of the trampolines, while stools at the tip of each hull provide a fun place to watch over the water. The anchoring gear is well designed and easy to use.

There’s a watchkeeper’s berth and additional storage space

The aft cockpit is covered by a generous overhang. To port, there’s a big L-shaped sofa that seats five and a long table (5ft 5in by 2ft 9in), but with the addition of four stools, you could squeeze in up to 10 guests.

To starboard is a comfortable lounger, while aft is a 6ft-wide forward-facing sofa. The large open areas facilitate circulation and access to the deck as well as to the wide sugarscoops, plus there’s also a dinghy davit, with Fountaine Pajot offering a 10ft Hypalon with 15hp outboard as an option.

INNER SANCTUARY

The sliding bay door is the passing point between the cockpit and the saloon, and the opening is wide, while there’s also a sliding galley window that helps the flow between the exterior and interior. Like the Elba 45, the overall finish inside is very attractive, while the saloon feels roomier and more relaxed compared to the Lucia 40.

The saloon starts with an aft galley to port

The L-shaped galley includes a three-burner hob, oven, double sink and drawer-fridges. Compared to the Lucia, it offers additional storage space and pleasing, rounded corners, while the forward chart table has disappeared. Instead, all the navigation equipment is grouped together to starboard, by the cockpit.

The interior headroom of 6ft 10in offers plenty of volume, while there’s a lengthways window in the coachroof. The side windows are wide, with the view particularly expansive toward the stern, and so many windows make the saloon very luminous, especially since the uprights are quite discreet.

The three-cabin Maestro version has the master suite in the starboard hull

At the forward end, Fountaine Pajot has kept its sloping windows, which are topped by a small overhang like the peak of a cap, lessening the greenhouse effect. Furthermore, two large opening hatches provide effective ventilation. The lounge features a large, comfortable C-shaped sofa with table, which can be transformed into a double berth.

MAESTRO OR QUARTOUT

In the hulls, there are options for three or four cabins. Maestro, the three-cabin version, has the master suite occupying the starboard hull with an island bed aft, a desk/vanity table, plenty of drawer space and hanging wardrobes, a separate toilet and a forward bathroom and shower.

The port hull has a VIP cabin with island bed aft and a guest cabin forward, and there are options for both of these cabins to have en-suite bathrooms or share a larger bathroom.

Views of the master cabin’s en-suite bathroom in the Maestro version

Quatuor (quartet), the four-cabin layout, offers two cabins in each hull, either with en-suites or a shared bathroom in each hull, while there’s also space for a compact crew berth in the starboard forepeak. Overall, ventilation in the cabins is well thought out and the mattresses are of excellent quality.

If you try the Isla 40, it’s likely you’ll want one. We took great pleasure in sailing her, as she’s well balanced under sail and easy to handle. A single-hander will manage fine, novice sailors will quickly get their bearings as the miles go by, while the boat’s numerous stowage spaces support offshore journeys. The Isla is an evolution as intelligent as it is seductive.

The VIP suite on the port side

“The layout is slightly different and more open than other brands, with the cockpit and saloon of a similar size, while there’s still a very good flow of communication between passengers,” Corfa says. “I think the interior finishing is the same level as on the 51, so I’m really happy with the result of the Isla. Sales figures are really encouraging.”

Note: Original article by Multihulls World
www.fountaine-pajot.com

Fountaine Pajot MY6 in Hong Kong
A new Fountaine Pajot MY6 has arrived in Hong Kong, where it’s available for immediate delivery.

Galeon 640 sets the bar for entertainment

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Galeon 640 sets the bar for entertainment

March 23, 2022
7:17 pm

Galeon’s innovative 640 Fly is packed to the gunwales with party tricks like the brand’s iconic transformer-style wings and waterside bar, but is there more to this boat than a penchant for quayside theatre?

The Galeon 640 Fly is packed with innovation

The 640 Fly has been on the market a little while now, but it’s telling that it’s still the most innovative flybridge cruiser in the class, with a second unit in Asia arriving in Hong Kong last year, sold by Asiamarine.

Cockpit terraces have become a far more mainstream addition in the time since the 640 first hit the water, but the truth is this boat still possesses the most imaginative and usable deck spaces in her category.

The Galeon 640 Fly is designed for entertaining

Now more than ever, we want our boats to be secluded floating islands and there aren’t many better places to be than in the cockpit of this boat with the sides down and the water lapping gently over the hydraulic bathing platform. The drop-down wings, however, are just the tip of the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this boat’s party tricks.

As standard, the cockpit is fitted with an L-shaped bench, but with the carousel seating option, the entire dinette is mounted on a turntable and can be swivelled and locked every 45 degrees or turn the full 180 degrees and face out to sea. Surely, that’s where you want to be looking when you’re sitting in the cockpit?

Guests can relax on the back or drop-down sides of this remarkable boat

It’s a brilliant bit of design that also incorporates a decent tender garage, meaning the aft platform is either kept free of obstructions or can be fitted with chocks to carry a jet-ski.

IN FRONT AND ON TOP

With the terraces down and the bar stools set up, it’s so easy to drift around the main deck of this boat. With equally inventive modular seating on the foredeck that can switch between dining and sunbathing space at the touch of a button, you’ll be able to find your own space to enjoy here, even if the boat has a large party of guests.

The flexible foredeck can be accessed from the forward saloon door

The outdoor spaces on the main deck are a winner, but the beauty of the 640 is that on top of the fun and games on the middle level, there’s a spacious, well-designed flybridge to enjoy.

The hard top is an optional extra and most customers will tick this particular box. If you don’t opt for it, a rear-raked radar arch and bimini are standard. The top deck stretches as far aft as the transom below, so the amount of space on the flybridge is extraordinary for a boat of less than 70ft.

The huge flybridge has lots of seating and a wet bar

The layout puts great focus on seated space, with a vast aft dinette served by a three-part opening table and a smaller coffee table midships opposite the imposing bar area, which is more of an outdoor galley than a wet bar.

BLURRING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE

The border between interior and exterior space is blurred almost into nonexistence such is the sheer amount of glass in the saloon, most of which slides open. The central pane of the windscreen even retracts into a cassette in the flybridge moulding to grant access through to the foredeck.

At night, outdoor areas can be lit up while the lower-deck rooms also add to the effect

The iconic foredeck door, the side door at the helm and the aft cockpit doors offer three separate access points to the saloon and multiple options if you want to naturally ventilate the interior without resorting to firing up the air-conditioning.

For a full production boat, that amount of flexibility and customisation on offer is impressive and it’s not just the choice of woods, colours and materials.

The aft galley and bar to port (above) can look across to the starboard bar (below)

The lower deck, which is home to the boat’s sleeping accommodation, can be arranged in a variety of configurations, always with separate access between the master suite and guest accommodation.

The master cabin is located forward and accessed via a companionway adjacent to the lower helm, while guests have their own stairway to cabins opposite the dinette. The heart of the guest accommodation is a spacious, full-beam VIP with the option to have an identical double forward, an athwartships twin or a pair of twins. The latter is a good layout if the boat is to be used for charter.

The master cabin has a dinette to port, storage to starboard and a vanity table (below) and bathroom forward

However you choose to use the boat, there’s an interior layout that will suit most needs. The fit and finish is excellent, too, with expensive-feeling materials, high-end components and superb timber work lending the 640 Fly an air of quality that’s right up there with some of the best production shipyards in Europe.

PERFORMS ON THE WATER

You might think that with all the added complexity and weight of the deck gadgets, the 640 might feel compromised out on the water in comparison with its more strait-laced competitors, but this isn’t the case.

The helm by the central foredeck door

Engine options range from twin 900hp to twin 1,200hp diesels from Volvo Penta or MAN and our test boat had the mid-range 1,000hp Volvo D13s for a comfortable top speed of 30 knots. The meaty MANs may add a knot or two to the top-end performance, but either way, the comfortable and efficient fast cruising speed is around 22 knots for a range of around 250nm with 20 per cent in reserve.

Even with all that weight at the stern and a jet-ski on the bathing platform of our test boat, the 640 settled into a level, composed fast cruise and ate up the miles in some light chop with ease.

The Galeon 640 can top 30 knots depending on engines

The handling is equally compliant, with good response to the wheel and a steady turning circle, with the deep propeller tunnels and bite of the shaft-mounted propellers ensuring the boat feels incredibly planted in turns and on the straight and narrow. In essence, it’s an easy boat to handle, both at speed and when manoeuvring around a marina.

It’s easy to be distracted by the headline-grabbing toys that adorn the 640’s transom, but there’s so much more to this boat than its transformer-style party pieces.

Galeon’s innovation and performance are matched by its craftsmanship

It’s a high-quality machine with fresh thinking on display throughout its design and, most importantly, the gadgets are underpinned by sound boatbuilding and on-water dynamics that aren’t in any way compromised by their presence.

Galeon is a great example of a shipyard unshackled by tradition, one that’s assured of not scaring off its existing customer base with brave, innovative design. The 640 Fly embodies this spirit to its core.

www.galeon.pl

www.asiamarine.com

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Azimut’s new 68 Fly glides into Asia

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Azimut’s new 68 Fly glides into Asia

March 17, 2022
12:43 pm

Featuring extensive use of carbon-fibre, the sleek Azimut 68 wows onlookers with its sporty lines by Alberto Mancini. However, the Italian builder’s new Flybridge model is also notable for its choice of three saloon layouts by interior designer Achille Salvagni, including an aft-galley version chosen for the first unit in Asia. By John Higginson.

The 68 is Azimut’s third Flybridge model with an Alberto Mancini exterior

Firmly established as Azimut’s leading dealer in Asia, Marine Italia was last year recognised as the Italian builder’s second most successful distributor globally, behind only US giant MarineMax.

Founded in 2015 and co-owned by Directors Paul Grange and Thomas Woo, the regional dealership is headquartered in Hong Kong, where it’s known as Azimut Yachts HK, while it also represents the brand in Macau, Guangdong, Taiwan and Singapore.

Azimut sales in these markets have been dominated by Flybridge and Grande models, with Marine Italia regularly selling superyachts ranging from the 25 Metri to the 35 Metri and even the 38m Grande

Trideck, with a unit of the new flagship ordered by a client in Singapore last year.

The first Azimut 68 in Asia recently arrived in Hong Kong

However, Grange still retains genuine enthusiasm for all the builder’s models and is particularly excited about Asia’s first Azimut 68, which has been typically well specced.

A stock order (still available at time of publication), the hull in Hong Kong includes premium options such as a hard top, gyro stabiliser, upgraded navigation equipment and more, yet Grange is most animated about the hull in ‘Thames Metallic’, the same colour seen in all the accompanying photos.

“One of the most exciting things about this particular Azimut 68 is the exterior colour, which depending on the sunlight seems to change from almost bronze to dark grey, with many shades in between,” says the Brit, who has been selling yachts since 1992 and is now in his 10th year selling Azimut in Hong Kong, having also represented the brand under its previous dealer.

The hull in Hong Kong and these photos is finished in ‘Thames Metallic’

“Exterior colour is a very personal feature of a yacht. White boats always look great, but many clients prefer to add some colour. For me, what’s most important is the personal ‘kerb appeal’. When you walk or swim up to your new yacht, you want to feel that ‘wow’ factor. The new Azimut 68 in this amazing colour definitely gives you that.”

SLEEK BUT STRONG

The Azimut 68 is the third Flybridge model with an exterior by Alberto Mancini, following the 78 and 53, while the Italian’s work with the brand also includes the S8 and Grande S10 sportbridge models and the 125ft Grande Trideck.

Launched just ahead of its world premiere at last September’s Cannes Yachting Festival, the 68 features typically sleek lines from a man who cut his design teeth in the car industry.

The region’s first Azimut 68 is available through Marine Italia

Azimut’s quest to combine large volumes with speed and fuel economy has led to an extensive use of carbon-fibre in the superstructure, hard top and some of the deck, which has helped reduce weight and lower the centre of gravity in the 69-footer.

Add all this to an efficient hull designed with P.L.A.N.A. (Pierluigi Ausonio Naval Architecture) and the Azimut 68 can reach 32 knots with twin Volvo Penta IPS1350 engines, while owners also benefit from user-friendly technology including active trim control, joystick steering and Garmin onboard systems management.

The hull on show in Cannes clocked 32.1 knots during media sea trials in the bay and impressed with its agility during full turns at full speed with nine people on board. She also felt particularly light at the helm when cruising at 20-25 knots.

The aft cockpit features furniture with the look and feel of indoor furniture

“It’s an Azimut, so the styling, quality and finish all go without saying. However, with the new generation of Flybridge yachts, I think it’s the ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ nature on the water that stands out,” Grange says.

“By that, I mean the 68 can effortlessly switch from a stable, calm luxury yacht one minute into a high-performance, exhilarating sports yacht the next. This is made possible by combining Azimut’s hull design with the latest Volvo IPS drive chain. The result is a very impressive and flexible-use yacht that can deliver exactly the yachting experience you want at that moment.”

OUTDOOR COMFORT

The hydraulic swim platform is the base for swimming and watersports, and is big enough to store an Azimut edition of the almost 11ft Pirelli J33 tender. It also provides access to the two-berth crew cabin, which includes extra storage on both sides.

Elegant outdoor furniture is exemplified by the wet bar to starboard

Stairs on both sides lead up to the aft cockpit, which is fully covered by the flybridge overhang and illustrates the yacht’s outdoor furniture looking and feeling as comfortable as the interiors designed by Achille Salvagni. The C-shaped sofa, the adjustable table and the stylish, standalone wet bar all look as though they belong in the saloon.

The comfy outdoor areas continue forward, where the foredeck starts with a wide lounging sofa and an adjustable table. However, it’s the 2m-long triple sunpad that performs the party tricks, as it folds and flips to become an extra-deep, aft-facing sofa and complete a full outdoor lounge complete with built-in drinks holders and ice buckets.

Foredeck arrangements include facing sofas

And when the sun is too much, the whole area can be covered by a bimini, with poles set up forward of the sunpad. The foredeck is great, but it’s the flybridge that makes you go ‘wow’, with all the furniture featuring flowing, curved lines that echo the indoor look and feel.

Reached by portside stairs, guests are greeted by an L-shaped wet bar with wood trim that faces the sea, so allows easy circulation to the C-shaped sofa and table to starboard.

The flybridge offers three separate social areas

The main sofa connects to an aft-facing double sunpad that enjoys great views through the transparent railings, while the forward area is up a step and has a large sunpad to port alongside the twin-seat helm station to starboard.

FORWARD OR AFT GALLEY

One of Azimut’s major innovations on the 68 is offering owners the choice of three styles of saloon based on the style and position of the galley, with the options designed to cater to owners across the world. Two layouts are based on the galley located on the starboard side of the raised forward level, which is two steps higher than the aft saloon featuring facing sofas and a hidden TV.

The saloon is offered in three layouts; the hull in Hong Kong has an aft galley (not pictured)

Named Lanterna by Salvagni, the enclosed galley configuration has a sliding door yet feels airy due to the elegant vertical wooden ribbing and plexiglass design allowing ‘light but not sight’ into the kitchen. Owners can also choose an open version of the galley in the same location.

In both layouts, the upper lounge can be used as a quiet reading area and even a cosy cinema or video games zone due the option of a TV on the galley bulwark. Alternatively, it can be converted into a dining area due to the two coffee tables that can be raised, folded out and combined to form a large nine-segment table.

The third layout features an aft galley to port that faces a dining area to starboard, with the raised forward level hosting the saloon, again with facing sofas. This less formal layout allows the galley to link and serve both the exterior and interior dining areas, and was chosen by Marine Italia for the hull in Hong Kong.

The interior is distinguished by Achille Salvagni’s soft, flowing style

“After much discussion between Thomas and myself, we ordered this first 68 with an aft galley. Previous models like the 66 and 72 feature a forward galley, so we wanted to showcase the new alternative from Azimut,” Grange says.

“However, the decision to have a forward or aft galley is a personal one. The options give the yacht a different feel, but all are fantastic. I suspect our clients will be split in their preferences.”

SALVAGNI COMFORT

Grange is in no doubt, however, about the impact Salvagni has made on the Azimut models he has worked on. The Italian’s emphasis on curves, pastel colours, comfort and relaxing informality are seen on six models from the current Grande Collection as well as several of Azimut’s newer Flybridge models including the 55, 60, 78, 83 and now the 68.

In any layout, the ‘second’ lounge facing the galley can also be used for dining due to the adjustable tables

“For me, the biggest impact is because he’s not a yacht designer but a world-renowned interior and furniture designer. It’s because of his choice of materials, colours, textures and furniture shapes. He uses brass, natural woods, 100 per cent gloss woods, textiles rarely found on other yachts, to give each Azimut a uniquely homely feel, more akin to a luxury penthouse than a yacht,” Grange says.

“Whether owners are new to yachting or experienced boaters, Salvagni’s style and detailing are a welcome breath of fresh air and a very appealing advantage compared to the competition.”

It could be argued that on the 68, Salvagni’s iconic style is most evident in the lower deck, which features four colourful cabins. These include a full-beam master suite, where the bedhead lies under the starboard window, so the owners face the port side with its long hull window and retractable TV. The configuration has been used on other Azimut models.

The full-beam master suite faces the port side (below) with its long hull window and retractable TV

“Personally, I’m a big fan of this layout. I think it’s far nicer to be sat in bed looking out of a window than staring at the back of the cabin door or being on display in bed when the door is open,” Grange says.

Having the bed athwartships also allows the full-height wardrobe and the bathroom to act as a further sound barrier between the cabin and the engine-room systems such as the generator and air-conditioning.

The open-style bathroom is elegantly designed and features the stone flooring used along the port side of the bedroom, helping create a spa and wellness vibe that recalls Salvagni’s master en-suite on the Grande Trideck.

The forward VIP is among four guest cabins with distinct styling by Salvagni

The Salvagni style is also on show in the forward VIP and the two guest cabins, including a port one with L-shaped bunks that shares the starboard cabin’s en-suite bathroom.

The main materials in the cabins, including pale Thai wood with hints of mahogany, are predominantly matt, while exceptions include the polished brass, mirror and mahogany accents. Other details are in white lacquer and eco-leather, such as on the bedheads and wardrobe doors.

The Azimut 68 is latest new model brough to Asia by Marine Italia

Marine Italia always welcomes clients and prospects to its office and shipyard in Shau Kei Wan, where Asia’s first Azimut 68 was being commissioned ahead of potential showings.

“In the current market,” Grange concludes, “this is a special opportunity to acquire Azimut’s newest Flybridge model for immediate handover ahead of Hong Kong’s main boating season.”

www.azimutyachts.com

www.azimutyachts.hk

Azimut Grande Trideck coming to Asia
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Ferretti Yachts 780: The Second Coming

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Ferretti Yachts 780: The Second Coming

March 9, 2022
6:25 pm

Singapore is home to Asia’s first two units of the restyled Ferretti Yachts 780, which features a refined exterior and exciting new interior options by IdeaeItalia that match the ‘Just Like Home’ concept introduced on the brand’s 500 and flagship 1000.

The two units of the newly restyled Ferretti Yachts 780 in Singapore

When Ferretti Group’s Cattolica shipyard on Italy’s Adriatic coast launched its first yacht of 2022, it was notable that it was a Ferretti Yachts 780. Hull number 36, no less. In fact, sales of the 24m model are already in the mid-40s, marking impressively consistent demand for a model that originally premiered at the Cannes Yachting Festival in 2017.

However, continuing demand is also because the 780 has recently been enjoying a second wind as the newly restyled version launched last year features the same ‘Just Like Home’ concept introduced on the 500 and 1000, the brand’s first two models with interiors by IdeaeItalia.

The new version debuted at Cannes last September

In fact, two owners from Singapore were the first in Asia and among the first around the world to benefit from the restyle of the 780, which is built in Cattolica along with other 20-30m Ferretti Yachts models including the flagship 1000.

Both clients ordered their yachts though Singapore dealer Hong Seh Yachting in April 2020, when the pandemic looked like it was here to stay, and people quickly realised that weekends and holidays would be spent in their home nations for the foreseeable future.

SISTER YACHTS

The two almost-identical yachts – one hull is in ‘Custom Line white’ – are berthed at ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, managed by Hong Seh Yachting and regularly used, with one owner spending three straight weeks aboard the yacht.

The glazed surfaces in the hull have been expanded

The Singaporean who booked hull 29 is a first-time yacht owner and last September became the first client in Asia to receive the restyled 780. The second owner was ordering his third Ferretti Yachts model and his new 780 arrived in Singapore in October, having been used for the restyled model’s world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival a month earlier.

The first owner of the new 780 was sold on the model after seeing an earlier 780 in Singapore, which had been heavily customised and features a lower deck with a large entertainment room and just two cabins.

The aft cockpit in the Contemporary mood decor by IdeaeItalia

Della Pearce, Director of Hong Seh Yachting, says: “It allowed the client to see first-hand how the 780 could be configured either with three or four cabins, and galley on the main or lower deck. These multiple configurations are unique for this category and stem from Ferretti Group’s experience of building larger yachts.

“The 780 appealed to our clients because of the yard’s flexibility to accommodate their customisations. It also helped that the model is RINA Category A, which allows her unrestricted navigation in open sea.”

Mirror view of the stairs to the flybridge

Both the new 780s in Singapore feature the standard four-cabin layout and IdeaeItalia’s Contemporary mood interior, an upgrade option as opposed to the more colourful Classic, which is offered as standard.

OUTDOOR PLAY

Although much of the restyling is focused on the interior, there have been a few changes to the exterior such as an expansion of the main glazed surfaces in the hull, which gives the yacht a sportier look.

The beach club has drop-down sunpads and storage lockers by each stairway

The fun starts at the swim platform, which can accommodate a tender up to 4.35m. The two panels can fold down separately or together to create a large waterside sofa, while the whole area can be covered by a bimini. To the side of each stairway are storage lockers that provide enough space to store a Seabob.

Side gates provide access to a cockpit with a forward-facing sofa and a table. Symmetrical side decks lead to a large and cleverly designed foredeck, where a C-shaped sofa faces an adjustable table and seating at the aft end of a huge triple sunpad. As at the other end of the boat, a bimini can cover the area.

The foredeck has seating fore and aft of the table plus a triple sunpad

The flybridge, reached by starboard stairs from the cockpit, is one of the yacht’s main attractions and remains a winning design. Both owners in Singapore have chosen a black hard top with a fixed plexiglass insert, while options include a panel system that can open.

For the restyled 780, the flybridge includes a larger central bar, which is situated to starboard and has the option of bar stools.

The flybridge has a new, larger L-shaped bar to starboard and the option of an island sunpad aft

Opposite is the main social area, a C-shaped sofa and table, while the option for an extended sofa and dining table has been taken by one of the Singaporean owners. All exterior furnishings are from the Roda collection exclusively customised for Ferretti Yachts.

Forward of the bar is a flexible sunpad with moveable headrests that can convert into two facing sofas by removing the central pad, while to port is the helm station featuring two Poltrona Frau chairs.

The yachts in Singapore feature sun loungers aft, while one has the extended table

The aft end is surrounded by clear railings and can fit a large modular sunpad or be left clear to fit sun loungers, the latter chosen for the two units in Singapore.

CONTEMPORARY MOOD

It’s the interior by IdeaeItalia that really brings the 780 in line with the newest generation of Ferretti Yachts models exemplified by the 500 and 1000, which also offer either Classic or Contemporary moods.

The saloon featuring the Contemporary mood decor by IdeaeItalia

Classic’s warmer, more traditional colours are inspired by the island of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples, while Contemporary offers a more urban, modern look with cooler colourways inspired by Taormina in Sicily.

The main-deck interior features a long clear path on the port side all the way through to the raised pilot house, which makes for a nice sight line. The ceiling is clad in fine fabric and accommodates the new lighting design, with adjustable round spotlights plus three light cylinders in the dining area. Other new features include mirrored steel surfaces, electric window blinds and a hidden sound system.

The saloon and dining area benefit from large windows

The saloon starts with a large L-shaped sofa to starboard and a coffee table, while to port is a huge 65-inch TV, which has the option of a wine storage cabinet next to it. Forward is the dining area, which has a dining table for eight to starboard and a long sideboard to port.

The galley, also to starboard, is available in various configurations. The standard version has a fixed glass partition, while options include a closed version or a sliding glass partition that reveals a bar counter. North American clients can order a completely open version.

The galley can have a fixed or sliding glass partition, or be fully enclosed

Inside, the galley features the hobs, oven and main storage areas forward, while aft is a large fridge freezer and a prep/serving area facing the dining table. The galley also benefits from multiple side windows including a small one that opens. A second layout option includes a day head just before the entrance to a galley with a different configuration.

In both layouts, the galley and other forward areas can be sealed off by a mirrored door that slides across from in front of the port door to the side deck. From the hallway, it’s three steps up to the raised pilothouse, which has a comfortable dinette to port and the main helm station to starboard, featuring two gorgeous Poltrona Frau chairs and three Simrad screens.

The lower helm features Poltrona Frau chairs

Technology includes the electro-hydraulic steer-by-wire system developed in partnership with Xenta and the integrated Loop system from Naviop-Simrad, which controls the main propulsion, navigation, monitoring and home automation functions.

LOWER-DECK OPTIONS

The steps to the lower deck are opposite the galley and lead down to a hallway that starts aft with the entrance to the full-beam master suite, dominated by a large bed facing a mirrored TV.

On the port side is a comfortable sofa and the beautifully finished bathroom, which has twin sinks with Silk Georgette marble tops, big mirrors with integrated mixer taps, and a central rain shower. The starboard side of the bedroom features a desk-cum-vanity table, while aft is a walk-in dressing room, where a full-length mirror door comes into good effect.

The gorgeous master suite midships has a stunning en-suite bathroom

The hallway leads up three steps to three en-suite guest cabins, starting with a twin to starboard, then a similar port cabin whose bathroom also acts as the day head. The VIP suite in the bow has an aft-facing bed, storage and hanging cupboards on either side, plus a bathroom to starboard.

Owners in Asia still have the option of an entertainment room in place of the master suite, as well as an open bar on the main deck, in which case the galley is located on the lower deck.

The well-hidden access to the crew quarters is concealed in the cockpit, underneath the starboard stairs to the flybridge. A hallway leads aft to an en-suite captain’s cabin (or storage space), to port to the crew cabin with en-suite, and forward to the engine room.

An evening cruise for a new Ferretti Yachts 780 in Singapore

The standard propulsion is twin 1,400mhp MAN engines, which produce a top speed of 28 knots, but both owners in Singapore have the upgraded 1,550mhp versions for a top speed of 31 knots.

Other options include a joystick with docking mode, DPS (Dynamic Positioning System), a Seakeeper NG16 and Humphree fin stabilisers. New Ferretti Yachts models arriving in Singapore include a 500 and 550, while the brand’s next collaboration with IdeaeItalia is the upcoming 860, which will succeed the 850 and sit above the 780 in the eight-strong range.

“It’s an exciting time for Ferretti Yachts in Singapore and across Asia,” Pearce says. “All the new models with the IdeaeItalia interiors are proving very popular, so like all our owners, we’re looking forward to seeing the Ferretti Yachts 860 later this year.”
www.ferrettigroupasiapacific.com
www.hongsehmarine.com.sg

Della Pearce on Singapore’s ups and downs
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Silent 60 launches new era for Silent-Yachts

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Silent 60 launches new era for Silent-Yachts

February 24, 2022
1:43 pm

Yacht Style was invited to cruise aboard the first Silent 60 from her home base at Port Adriano in Mallorca, where the Thailand-built solar-electric catamaran showed off her spectacular towing kite option. By Lucie Gardiner.

Now based in Spain, hull one of the Silent 60 was built by PMG Shipyard in Thailand

The Silent 60 is the first in a new wave of models by Silent-Yachts that build on the brand’s 55 and its earlier 64, the first solar-powered production yacht to cross the Atlantic. Conceived by company founder and CEO Michael Kohler, the Silent 60 was designed by Pattaya-based Dr Albert Nazarov and constructed in nearby Rayong by PMG Shipyard (Shipyard, Issue 61).

The Silent 60 is a true bluewater vessel that offers a cruising speed of 6-8 knots with any of its propulsion options along with a draft of just over 3ft, less than her predecessors and ideal for exploring shallow bays.

The Silent 60 features 42 powerful 17kWp solar panels on the roof of the superstructure and flybridge

The first hull is based at Port Adriano, the Philippe Starck-designed marina on the southwest coast of Mallorca, the biggest of Spain’s Balearic Islands. Silent-Yachts selected Port Adriano as the Mediterranean hub for the brand, opening its office there last year and inviting Yacht Style for a tour aboard its newest model.

“Mallorca is an increasingly popular destination for Silent-Yachts owners and there will soon be a fleet of Silent vessels based in Port Adriano including a 55 and this brand-new 60, while a Silent 80 will also have her homeport here when she’s ready,” Marketing Director Franz Bose told Yacht Style.

SURPRISE PACKAGE

On a very calm, sunny Mallorquin autumn afternoon, the view of the Silent 60 from the dock was impressive, with her generous beam of 9m (29ft 6in) exactly half her overall length.

The large hydraulic platform can hold a tender of up to 4m and 350kg

Aft, the large hydraulic platform can hold a tender of up to 4m and 350kg, while the swim platforms either side are sizeable yet there’s an option for extended versions on the Silent 62, which are able to carry a pair of electric jetskis. On the hull sides, the long, clean window stripe is as elegant as it is practical, flooding the interior spaces with light.

Stepping aboard, the aft cockpit is partially shaded courtesy of the flybridge overhang and has thoughtfully designed social spaces that include comfortable seating and dining for eight guests.

The easily adjustable aft sofa can face forward or aft

Furniture includes an aft sofa with an adjustable backrest that can offer seating with unobstructed views out over the open water. The adjacent drinks cooler means you don’t have to leave your seat to enjoy refreshments while taking in the view. A little further forward, both port and starboard side passageways have cosy, recessed upholstered nooks for relaxing.

Venturing up, the flybridge features a helm station, more upholstered seating, a foldable coffee table and huge sun pads.

The covered flybridge provides a beautiful vantage point

There’s also the best view of most of the 42 powerful 17kWp solar panels on the roof of the superstructure, which power the twin 250kW high-efficiency motors that keep this impressive eco-cruiser and all her systems moving.

The Silent 60 is the first build from Silent that offers a Wingit kite wing option, which enables to the yacht to harness the power of the wind as well as from solar energy. Stowed in the bow, the kite wing can pull the vessel forward at 4-5 knots, further reducing the consumption of the electric motors.

Stored in the foredeck, the Wingit kite wing on hull one helps tow the yacht, adding an extra 4-5 knots

Plentiful storage, which proves to be another key feature throughout the vessel, is even evident in the aft cockpit where hatches conceal deep lockers to easily stow additional water toys.

CHOICE SALOON

Sliding glass doors welcome you into the saloon, where the focus is on open-plan living. The Silent 60 is available with two main-deck layouts.

Doors slide wide open to connect the cockpit to the interior, which features a full-width galley aft

As seen on hull one, the front-master or ‘closed’ version has a full-beam master suite forward, while the front-exit or ‘open’ option has a larger saloon and a foredeck door, with all cabins in the hulls.

Stepping inside the first Silent 60, noticeable immediately in comparison to the Silent 55 is the huge amount of extra headroom, which reaches a lofty 2.3m, giving the already generous 520sqft saloon and galley an even more expansive feel.

The bright main-deck interior features a galley, saloon, helm station and forward master cabin

The full-width galley is well equipped with an electric powered induction hob, oven with grill and microwave, coffee maker and a huge American-style fridge freezer with ice-maker to starboard.

Upping the sustainability ante even further, drinking water is on-tap courtesy of an on-board water maker. No plastic bottles wanted here!

The raised lounge and dining table to port enjoys good views all around

To port, the large, comfortable L-shaped seating area and dining table is ideal for sociable family-style meals and can double as a workspace. To starboard, the main helm station has a 360-degree view and seating for two.

COMFORTABLE CABINS

Forward, the luminous, full-beam master cabin is an expansive 215sqft and includes a king-size bed, vast amounts of storage, hanging space, shelving and a vanity with an oversize mirror.

The forward master cabin has steps down to its en-suite bathroom to starboard

To starboard, stairs lead down to a generous en-suite bathroom that houses a large shower, cushioned seating, basin with mirror and ample storage.

A similar theme runs throughout the guest cabins, all of which are well lit, have en-suite bathrooms and contain generous amounts of cleverly designed storage to maximise the space and comfort. In this layout, here are two guest doubles on the port side and a larger VIP cabin with sofa at the aft end of the starboard hull.

Guest cabins comprise a VIP to starboard (pictured) and two twin cabins to port

This cabin is the master suite in the ‘open’ main deck layout, which has private stairs for both cabins on the starboard side, while the two cabins to port – the larger one is forward – share a staircase. However, cabin configurations are flexible and Silent-Yachts offers an extensive options list and opportunity to customise.

Due to demand, the Silent 60 is in production across shipyards in Thailand, Italy and Turkey along with its sister model, the 62 3-Deck, which has a full 540sqft flybridge that can either be open or partially enclosed.

The first Silent 60 heads back to its base in Port Adriano

And with the first units of the Silent 80 and 80 3-Deck also launching in 2022 and the first Silent 120 in build, Silent-Yachts’ biggest challenge is delivering on the fast-growing demand for zero-emissions yachting that it’s helping popularise.
www.silent-yachts.com

Silent-Yachts expands production facilities, business lines
The solar-electric catamaran builder has a new production partner in Turkey and is now part of Silent Group, umbrella company for multiple Silent-related businesses.

Sanlorenzo SL120A spearheads Asymmetric series

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Sanlorenzo SL120A spearheads Asymmetric series

February 17, 2022
2:46 am

The flagship of Sanlorenzo’s planing line and largest Asymmetric model to date, the SL120A debuted at the Cannes Yachting Festival, where the Asian-owned hull one showed the remarkable outdoor and indoor spaces aboard the 37m stunner designed by the brother and sister duo of Bernardo and Martina Zuccon.

The SL120A is the largest Asymmetric model to date

“That’s my yacht out there,” he said. “The big one.” I’ve always dreamed of being able to say that – and be telling the truth – but I doubt I could say it as coolly, calmly and matter-of-factly as the owner of Stella, the first Sanlorenzo 120 Asymmetric.

Quietly spoken and smartly dressed, he was answering an enquiry about his presence at Sanlorenzo’s pre-event press conference on the eve of the 2021 Cannes Yachting Festival as guests dined on the beach after seeing the 37m motor yacht parade in the bay.

Hull one has an Asian owner

Having briefly had the pleasure of meeting him and his wife, I then had the pleasure of a tour of his yacht a few days later as the SL120A made its official world premiere at Vieux Port. The model was among three Sanlorenzo models making their global debut, along with the SL90A and the semi-displacement SD118.

However, the SL120A gained particular attention as the new flagship of Sanlorenzo’s planing line and because its volume of 280GT means it’s over 55 per cent larger than the SL106A, an extended version of the original SL102A and the second-biggest Asymmetric model.

Featuring a solitary side deck, the SL102A was billed as the world’s first asymmetric model when it premiered in 2018 and was followed by the SL96A, which debuted at Boot Dusseldorf in January 2020.

Bernardo Zuccon designed the exterior

Developing upon an idea by car designer Chris Bangle, the Asymmetric models are all designed by Bernardo Zuccon of Zuccon International Project. Each features just a single side deck starboard of the saloon and a widebody design to port where the bulwark can slide down to expand the view from inside.

LIVING BY THE WATER

When you’re on hull one of the SL120A, you’re greeted by the same sense of calm as when meeting her owner. He enjoys space and there’s plenty of it, with furniture used elegantly and selectively.

The huge garage door and drop-down sides create a remarkable three-sided beach club

At sea – or while berthed at the Cannes Yachting Festival – the yacht’s party trick is her stunning beach club, which can open to provide a truly expansive social zone on the water.

The garage door folds down to offer a huge bathing platform aft, while both sides also drop down to provide an almost 500sqft, three-terrace beach club centred around a covered area with chairs, coffee table and sunpads. There’s a bar with ice maker, fridge and sink in the slightly sunken centre zone, while the tender is stored by means of a ceiling-mounted lift crane and a little shifting of the furniture by the crew.

Zuccon says a lot of thought went into this zone, which is among areas that make you feel like you’re on much more than a 121 footer. “The configuration of the aft section, where the side and stern doors turn into a full-fledged beach area, makes use of every centimetre as if it were a larger yacht,” he says.

The SL120A has a 25ft beam, seen to good effect in the aft cockpit

Symmetrical outdoor staircases lead up to the aft cockpit, where loose chairs and sofas sit around a couple of coffee tables. Like most living areas on a Sanlorenzo yacht, the cockpit can be customised, but on Stella, it gives an indication of an owner who feels less is more and is in no rush to cram social spaces full of furniture.

INSIDE LOOKING OUT

Like on other Asymmetric models, the port stairs to the flybridge are visible from the saloon, which is where Zuccon’s interpretation of the asymmetric design works hand in hand with the interior designed by his sister Martina.

Hull one of the SL120A was customised for its Asian owner

Thai walnut wood is used for both the floor and the wall panelling, while the entire ceiling has a consistent metallic-effect lacquer finish. The décor and soft furnishings are dominated by neutral tones – wood, creams, browns – offset by splashes of colour or natural colours, such as the large painting of green plants in the saloon or navy-blue stripes on the flybridge furniture.

The saloon can be customised, but layouts include facing sofas to starboard and a dining table arranged lengthways to port. The owner of hull one has chosen just one L-shaped sofa and a chair to starboard plus a couple more chairs to port, with the dining table forward.

View to the widebody port side, which has full-height windows and a drop-down bulwark

The saloon is the focal point of the yacht’s asymmetric design and like sister models, it features a widebody design to port, which adds 8sqm or nearly 90sqft of space to the saloon.

Almost full-height glazing combines with the drop-down bulwark – another range signature – to provide guests with expansive views of the outside and a feeling that you’re hovering above the water when you get close to the windows.

Starboard view, where sliding doors open to the side deck and a fold-down balcony

Yet the real focal point is to starboard, where large sliding doors open to reveal a drop-down balcony and this side becomes the natural hub of life in the saloon.

The variety of views and settings are among benefits of the asymmetric design, which Zuccon says allows him to redefine the way people inhabit a yacht, “offering the opportunity to perceive the sea from new and dynamic perspectives, which are constantly changing as you move around on board”.

MASTERFUL OWNER ZONE

However, Zuccon’s design for the 120A compared to the smaller Asymmetric models (90A, 96A, 102/106A) differs in that the starboard side deck doesn’t continue forward all the way to the foredeck.

The lower deck has four guest cabins

Instead, it stops midships, where stairs lead up to the flybridge area forward of the semi-raised pilothouse. This up-and-down stairway allows for a full-beam master cabin forward on the main deck.

“With SL120A we were duty-bound to explore the territory of asymmetry in a different way,” Zuccon says. “Given the increased size, we decided to break the balance of the asymmetry by creating a ‘hybrid’ structure with an entirely widebody port side and a starboard side that alternates between the classic walk-around design of the aft section and the widebody bow area, with the help of a two-level walkway.”

The port hallway in the full-beam master suite features a vanity desk and wardrobe

From the saloon, the galley and access to the crew area are forward to starboard, while the port corridor leads to the lower-deck stairs and a lift, a special feature on this hull, as well as a day head.

Downstairs, the four guest cabins comprise two slightly larger bedrooms aft of the stairs and two forward, all with inward-facing beds and beautifully finished en-suite bathrooms. On hull one, the owner of Stella has chosen to turn the forward port cabin into a day area that can convert into a bedroom when needed, a sensible option with so many guest cabins.

The full-beam master features long hull windows and a wide windshield

Back up on the main deck, the guest corridor leads forward to the master suite, an elegant sanctuary that starts with a hallway featuring a dressing table and walk-in wardrobe.

The master suite enjoys plenty of natural light through the forward angled ‘windscreen’ as well as long windows either side, while there’s a desk to starboard beside the entrance to the en-suite, which is aft. The bed on Stella faces aft, although the default design offered by Sanlorenzo is forward facing, so it’s a personal choice.

UPPER DECK SUPREME

Like the beach club and tender storage, the SL120’s fun features include direct access through a watertight port door from the owner’s suite to the foredeck, which features a C-shaped sofa and a large sunbathing area protected by the prow.

The flybridge features a lounge and sunbeds aft, and a wet bar and dining table forward

Starboard stairs lead up to the forward part of the flybridge, which has a C-shaped sofa and sunpads, although these forward areas can be customised and include a jacuzzi and dinette.

Walk across this area to the port side and you’ll find yourself in another example of the asymmetric design, the port side deck on the flybridge, which means the owners can reach the upper deck from their room without having to first walk through the saloon to the cockpit.

The main part of the flybridge, aft of the wheelhouse, feels like an enormous area and again benefits from the owner’s desire for space as much as furnishings. The uncovered aft end can feature up to five sun beds across the width of the flybridge, while forward are two facing sofas, a couple of chairs and a coffee table.

The beach club offers sea views on three sides

The hardtop-covered area starts with a wide wet bar including Kenyon grill under a lift-up panel, while the starboard countertop slides out to reveal a sink and create a breakfast bar at the end. It’s a smaller party trick, but no less loveable.

Forward is a dining table for eight, 10 at a pinch, while the upper helm to port is nicely designed with a large wooden wheel, two Raymarine screens and a bench seat that’s mirrored on the starboard side, offering a grand view for guests during navigation. Central stairs lead down to the main wheelhouse, which features four monitors and, on this hull, a leaning post as opposed to a chair.

The laid-back vibe and seamless flow on the SL120A are a credit to Sanlorenzo and Zuccon International Project, having taken the Asymmetric series to a new scale by retaining all its key strengths while including a series of innovations that make the most of its three decks.

www.sanlorenzoyacht.com

www.simpsonmarine.com

Sanlorenzo arrivals in Hong Kong, sale to Sanya
Simpson Marine has announced the delivery of three Sanlorenzo models to Hong Kong, while a new sale to Sanya has benefited from Hainan’s Free Trade Port status.

Sunseeker 90 Ocean ‘X-Tends’ fun on the water

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Sunseeker 90 Ocean ‘X-Tends’ fun on the water

February 10, 2022
4:08 pm

The largest of Sunseeker’s ‘Famous Five’ new models, the 90 Ocean is the widest model in its Yacht range and the first to feature a double X-TEND™ sunbed, spearheading a completely new design concept from the British builder.

By John Higginson.

The 90 Ocean reaches 27 knots with twin MAN engines

When Sunseeker displayed its 90 Ocean with its 88 Yacht and three smaller ‘Famous Five’ models at last September’s Cannes Yachting Festival, the Poole builder showcased its ongoing focus on upgrading its range inside and out but also its desire to branch out into a new sector – a fresh way for owners and guests to use their boat.

After all, the 90 Ocean is more than a new model. If not the first of a new range, it’s the first of a new design philosophy at Sunseeker, an Ocean series of models that span the Yacht and Superyacht ranges, spearheaded by designs for the 42M Ocean and 50M Ocean.

The 90 is the first of a new Ocean line of designs from Sunseeker

Seen from the side, the more upright bow on the 90 Ocean is the most obvious indication of an increased focus on volume, but it’s from the back that you really see what the Ocean concept is all about. It’s wide – really wide.

BEACH CLUB SUPREME

With a vast beam of 23ft 6in, the 90 Ocean is a full 2ft wider than the 95 Yacht – and just 6in slimmer than the 116 Yacht!

Add in the fact the beam is carried further forward than is typical and the 90 Ocean offers a 20 per cent increase in volume and 25-30 per cent more deck space than the yard would traditionally offer on a yacht of this length.

The 90 Ocean is only 6in slimmer than Sunseeker’s 116 Yacht

This extra deck space is best illustrated in the vast beach club, where the 90 Ocean features a double X-TEND™ sunbed, a Sunseeker innovation that CEO Andrea Frabetti has called “a game changer”.

Built into the transom door, the X-TEND™ can fold out and down to create a large sofa cum sunbed in the beach club, while the raised position creates a raised lounging area that faces into the aft cockpit.

The double X-TEND™ offers a large seating and sunbathing area in the beach club

Douglas Culverwell, Sunseeker’s Director of Distributor Development, says the X-TEND™ has proved a “huge hit” with owners and prospects.

“The X-TEND™ is a great innovation and we’re delighted by the response from the clients. In the up position, it creates space that was simply not there before and adds to the social aspect of the cockpit,” says Culverwell, who has overseen Sunseeker in Asia since 2016.

Clear view from the cockpit over the beach club

“In the lower position, it’s simply an amazing place to relax, enjoy the beach club and watch the sun go down. It’s difficult to say which mode is used more, so it’s great that our clients have the choice.”

The beach club measures about 20ft wide by over 13ft deep and includes a large hydraulic platform big enough to carry a Williams SportJet 460 tender. The remaining part of the beach club can house a jetski and includes two self-draining Seabob deck lockers, while there’s further storage inside the transom for other water toys.

When raised, the double X-TEND™ significantly expands the aft cockpit

In the fixed part of the platform to port, there’s a retractable Besenzoni stairway that can be used for water access or as a passarelle, while there’s a fold-out barbecue with countertop on the starboard side, well away from the indoor areas.

OUTDOOR HUBS

The aft cockpit extends the beach club vibe onto the main deck, with moveable furniture that can be arranged to face the sea, while the glass side gates and central bi-fold doors can be fully opened for a completely clear view over the beach club. And if the sun gets too much or ‘in your face’, a sunshade can descend from the flybridge overhang.

The vast flybridge can be configured as the owner wishes

Port stairs lead up to the flybridge, an enormous space that Sunseeker estimates is 25 per cent larger than on a comparable yacht. It’s covered by a lightweight, advanced composite hardtop with a full-width retractable canopy and contains an extendable sunshade that’s able to cover the aft area of the upper deck.

To port are the twin-seat helm and a long wet bar with grill, drawer fridges, ice maker and optional stools, but otherwise the deck can be customised. One Sunseeker proposal includes an aft infinity spa pool flanked by sunpads, a fixed C-shaped sofa and a table to starboard, plus more sunbathing area forward.

Alternatively, the deck can be cleared for loose furniture, such as a dining table and wet bar under the hardtop, with the aft zone left free for the likes of sofas, chairs, sunbeds and coffee tables.

The large foredeck has three sofas facing a triple sunpad

The foredeck is another fun outdoor zone and can accommodate a large group of people on three fixed sofas – each with a ‘mood-lit’ table – and on a central triple sunpad with electrically adjustable backrests.

It’s set up for guests to stay a while as there are drinks fridges under each end of the long, forward-facing sofa and slots so a sail canopy can be erected if the sun is too much. The foredeck can even transform into an open-air cinema with the option of a laser projector and an enormous 94-inch screen.

INDOOR OPTIONS

While the 90 Ocean is distinguished by its large, multi-functional outdoor areas, the interior also benefits from the large beam, with the overall internal volume matching that of the 95 Yacht. Sunseeker offers a range of interior finishes including lacquered inner deckhead panels and perimeter LED lighting.

Saloon layouts include a dining table on either port side (pictured) or forward

Well over 18ft wide and 29ft long, the spacious saloon starts with an adjustable 65-inch QLED TV to port, while furniture can be arranged how the owner wishes.

Options include a large L-shaped sofa and chairs around a coffee table, with a dining table forward before the galley and maybe a chaise longue in the port corner, by the main stairs to the lower deck. Another option is having the dining table lengthways on port side, forward of the TV.

The galley can be open, enclosed or fitted with sliding shutters

For natural light and views, there are floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides and glass bulwarks by the saloon, while Sunseeker also offers the option of sliding doors both port and starboard. Looking forward, there’s even a direct view through to the windscreen from the saloon or aft cockpit.

In terms of layouts, the main fixture is the galley to starboard, which can be either open, enclosed or fitted with partition screens, while there’s also a side-deck door. Lively options include a 34-bottle wine cooler.

The helm station and corner sofa sit a couple of steps above the saloon

“The 90 Ocean offers so much flexibility with the layout,” Culverwell says. “The galley can be open, enclosed or even have sliding shutters for the best of both worlds, with the saloon and dining arrangement quite often driven by this selection. Popular options include the sliding shutters with an extended galley bar top, the dining table to port and extended sofa to starboard.”

SUITE ARRANGEMENT

Sunseeker hasn’t been predictable with its lower-deck layout, where the master cabin is neither midships nor in the bow, while the private stairs are for the VIP suite. The port stairs in the saloon lead down to a hallway that runs across the width of the yacht to a spectacular wooden feature wall, where there’s a forward door to the full-beam master stateroom.

The full-beam master suite is between the VIP and guest cabins

The bedroom has a forward-facing bed with stowage below, sofa to starboard and vanity desk to port, plus plenty of light from 8ft-long hull windows.

A decorative bulkhead mirror houses the television, which is located centrally. To port is the elegant en-suite bathroom, which features backlit framed mirrors, twin porcelain sinks, a large vanity unit, plenty of storage and a roomy rain shower. Starboard of the TV is the walk-in wardrobe with ‘his and hers’ pivot-hinge wardrobes, drawers and feature shelving behind panelled full-height mirrors.

The two en-suite guest cabins are aft of the hallway and each features a large hull window, a huge TV and inward facing beds that can be arranged as twins or a double. Sunseeker explains that this cabin arrangement allows the owners to be close to their children, parents or other generations.

The master suite’s bathroom

The private stairs down to the VIP suite are forward on the main deck, between the twin-seat helm to starboard and the portside chart table or dinette, which sits a couple of steps above the saloon floor.

The breadth of the VIP suite in the bow – and the size of the foredeck above – result not only from the full beam extending far forward but also the bow’s more rounded shape.

“The beam and the how far the beam is carried forward is a critical part of the design as it allows more space to be created,” Culverwell says. “The 90 Ocean is an incredibly innovative yacht and every area inside and outside has its features. It’s very well balanced, with every area feeling right.”

The VIP suite in the bow has private access

At the other end of the yacht, the crew area includes two twin-bunk cabins, a bathroom, galley and L-shaped dinette, with a door to the engine room and stairs leading from the aft end of the port side deck.

NEW MODELS DRIVE DEMAND

The 90 Ocean is also available in an enclosed version, which means that with the 88 Yacht and the upcoming 100 Yacht, four of the six models in Sunseeker’s Yacht range (76-100ft) have been launched in the past year.

Following last year’s ‘Famous Five’, 2022 launches include the 100 Yacht, Predator 65 and Superhawk 55. Now offering over 20 models compared to the 11 on offer when Frabetti arrived in 2019, Sunseeker says new models have helped drive the builder’s largest forward order book – over US$660 million – since China’s Wanda Group took ownership in 2013.

The 90 Ocean is a popular family offering

“The new models are driving that demand and they pull the whole range with them,” Culverwell says. “The 90 Ocean has had incredible success and we’re sold through to the autumn of 2023. This is a mix of retail and wholesale yachts, so the good news is there’s availability for clients through our distribution network.”

In Asia, Japan dealer Unimat Precious has secured record forward orders, while NextWave Yachting opened a stunning Sunseeker Showroom in Repulse Bay late last year following its appointment as Hong Kong dealer.

Culverwell says he expects the 90 Ocean to strike a chord in this region, due to its roomy interior and huge outdoor spaces that can be covered when necessary.

The 90 Ocean is part of an expanding Yacht range

“There are many interested parties in Asia for the 90 Ocean. We feel the boat is very well suited to the market with a great balance of inside and outside social space. All the outside space can be under shade and the access to the water from the beach club is terrific,” he says.

“Furthermore, the 90 Ocean Enclosed provides an alternative for clients looking for an even larger main deck facilitated by having a single helm station upstairs in front of a comfortable sky lounge. Sunseeker and our dealers have high hopes in Asia.”

http://www.sunseeker.com

Sunseeker’s first Manhattan 68 Pacific arrives in Asia
NextWave Yachting has released a teaser video of the first Sunseeker Manhattan 68 Pacific in Hong Kong, where it’s available for sea trials.

Built for distance: Beneteau Grand Trawler 62

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Built for distance: Beneteau Grand Trawler 62

February 3, 2022
3:20 pm

A 2022 European Powerboat of the Year winner, the Grand Trawler 62 is designed for long cruises in comfort, with Beneteau’s new flagship offering a remarkable range of over 1,000nm, highly practical indoor and outdoor areas plus a plethora of storage space. And the best bit? Asia is welcoming hull four.

Words: John Higginson Photos: Jerome Kelagopian & Nicolas Claris

The Grand Trawler 62 features naval architecture by Italy’s MICAD

When Asia’s first Grand Trawler 62 arrives in Hong Kong through regional dealer Simpson Marine, it will mark the regional debut of Beneteau’s largest powerboat to date and the pioneer of a new range of passage makers that build on the spectacular success of the brand’s Swift Trawler line.

Selling points include a whopping range of 1,045nm and 235 cubic metres of volume that includes masses of storage space. The 62-footer with an almost 18ft beam represents a large leap in size among Beneteau’s trawler-style models and even includes a multifunctional crew area, yet it’s still geared towards hands-on owners. It’s solid, seaworthy, durable, practical and functional. Let’s just say it’s the kind of boat that also has grabrails on the inside.

While there’s nothing sleek and sexy about any of those qualities, at more than twice the price of the new Swift Trawler 48, the Grand Trawler 62 is pitched at a sector of owners used to affording the good things in life. As such, the interior reflects a notable upgrade in finish and detailing, although nothing that’s going to break easily.

Nauta Design, another Italian studio, handled the exterior and interior

“Beneteau’s aim is for the Grand Trawler 62 to be the best-value proposition in the market,” says Robert Chaffer, Product Manager for Beneteau’s two Trawler lines and Gran Turismo range. “It hasn’t sacrificed common sense for bling. It has a calming quality, a quiet layer of luxury on top of the practicality.”

TRAWLER TRIBE

The Grand Trawler 62 is the product of almost two decades of development since Beneteau launched the Swift Trawler line in 2003. With 1,300 units produced so far, the series dominates a sector of economic, long-range flybridge motor yachts designed for extensive cruising, where the focus is as much on the journey as the destination.

Although the 48 is now the biggest Swift Trawler, former models included the 52, which spanned almost 56ft overall and was succeeded by the 50, a model only recently discontinued.

The aft ‘terrace to the sea’ provides seating overlooking the hydraulic platform

Recognising the growing appeal of high-volume yachts in the 50-100ft sector, Groupe Beneteau had announced the development of Grand Trawler at Boot Dusseldorf 2020 under the codename Project E, before the 62’s launch last year gave trawler-style boat lovers a new flagship to aspire to.

“From 30-50ft, Swift Trawler has been incredibly successful. It outsells all the rivals by four to one, so we’ve built up a huge following of owners who gather in rendezvous events and owner’s clubs,” says Chaffer, who has worked in the industry for over three decades including as a yacht designer.

The cockpit has a sea-facing sofa and foldable table

“We could see the trawler market becoming more popular and more owners wanting to cruise longer distances, with an increase in space and facilities. Potential Grand Trawler clients obviously include Swift Trawler owners wanting to move up in size, although the owner of hull one previously owned a Lagoon.”

Typically, Swift Trawler owners are experienced, hands-on boaters, many spending several months a year at sea or even living on their boat.

“Swift Trawler owners have a minimum of 15-20 years’ of boating experience. They’ve come from sailing, powerboats, catamarans, and they’ve probably had five to six boats, so by the time they come to Swift Trawler, they know what they want in a boat and how they want to use it,” Chaffer says.

The forward flybridge includes a staircase to the interior and sunpad ahead of the helm

“The Grand Trawler 62 is built on feedback from these owners, and we’ve poured all of that experience into this boat. Everything we’ve learnt from Swift Trawler since the first model was launched in 2003 is in the foundations of the Grand Trawler 62.”

RANGE AND STORAGE

The two priorities in the design of the Grand Trawler 62 were range and storage, essential to owners wanting to spend long periods onboard and cruise extensively.

The helm station is by the starboard side door

Having analysed the use of Swift Trawler boats, Beneteau concluded that 75-80 per cent cruised between 8-12 knots, so worked with Italy’s MICAD on naval architecture to produce a displacement hull that has outperformed initial predictions at nine knots, achieving 1,045nm with 10 per cent of fuel still in the tank.

That’s more than enough to cruise from Hong Kong down past the Philippines to Kota Kinabalu, or from Singapore to Bali, although should there be a need for speed, the yacht can reach 20 knots with its twin 730hp MAN engines.

“It’s a great passage maker,” Chaffer says. “This is a big increase in range even for Swift Trawler owners. They like long cruising and now they can consider bigger journeys, which was the feedback we had.”

The bed in the master suite exemplifies the emphasis on storage

Research also highlighted that the most common request from Swift Trawler owners was storage, storage and more storage. A tour of the Grand Trawler 62 reveals that for every flat surface, there’s often storage space underneath, above or behind.

ENJOYING THE ELEMENTS

Italian studio Nauta Design – brought in to upgrade Lagoon’s interiors over a decade ago – handled the exterior and interior of the Grand Trawler 62, which starts aft with a ‘terrace to the sea’ that recalls the ‘terrace on the sea’ introduced on the Lagoon 55 sailing cat launched last year.

The cockpit seating faces through and over a transparent pushpit

With the emphasis on views of the water and scenery instead of the saloon doors, the cockpit has an aft-facing sofa and foldable table facing a transparent pushpit and sliding side gates. Full-width steps provide a comfortable waterside seating area and lead down to a hydraulic platform that can carry a tender, although there’s also the option to store a RIB or toys on the aft flybridge.

To port, a gull-wing hatch allows access to a multi-functional area that can include a washing machine as well as toilet and shower rooms. All can potentially be used by owners and guests, as each is separate from the cross-bunk cabin to starboard, which could be used for crew or how the owner wishes.

The foredeck features a double sunpad and sofa, each with adjustable backrests

Symmetrical side decks that start with teak-slat ‘fashion plates’ lead to the foredeck, which has a connected double sunpad and sofa, both with adjustable backrests, drinks holders and plenty of space either side for books, snacks or even towels if more people want to lie down. The area can also be sheltered by a bimini.

However, the prime outdoor area is the stunning 365sqft flybridge, one of the largest in its class and accessible from either the starboard side of the cockpit or internally from behind the helm.

On the flybridge, a C-shaped sofa faces an inward-facing wet bar

To port is a folding table and a C-shaped sofa that adjoins a forward-facing L-shaped sofa, while starboard is an inward-facing wet bar with Kenyon grill, twin-seat helm and a forward sunpad. The aft area is clear by default and has the option of a crane.

FLEXIBLE INTERIOR

The interior by Nauta Design features bulkheads and cabinetwork in walnut or waxed light oak as standard, providing a light, relaxing atmosphere.

The saloon has a C-shaped sofa and either a sideboard (below) or two-seat sofa to starboard

The saloon has a grabrail overhead and a C-shaped sofa to port that can face either a two-seat sofa or a sideboard with drawers and shelves to starboard, where options include a retractable 50-inch TV, drawer fridge and wine cooler.

On starboard side, the first step up to the dining area is flanked by drawers to starboard and to port by a handrail above a purpose-built servery unit housing Villeroy & Boch glasses, crockery and cutlery.

The dining area sits close to a purpose-built servery unit

A further step up is the dinette, which has an L-shaped sofa and a tabletop that can even slide over the sofa when not in use or to create more hallway space while cruising, for example. For meals, up to four folding dining chairs can be used to round out the seating and can also be used outside, such as in the aft cockpit.

Beside the dinette is an enclosed galley with windows facing the dinette and saloon. The galley can be closed off with an optional sliding door, while to port it benefits from a side-deck door that provides air flow and ventilation.

The galley benefits from a portside door

The galley’s aft side facing the saloon is stacked with shelves, storage, work surfaces and, to port, a sink plus a trash receptacle that can be retrieved from the side deck, a nice safety buffer in the case of spillages. Forward is a full-height, 255-litre fridge-freezer, while beside the side door is a four-burner induction hob above a 40-litre multi-function microwave oven and wine rack.

The raised helm station, past the stairs to the flybridge, is another key hub and occupies most of the forward area, where it’s protected by a reverse-angle, one-piece central windscreen. Two comfortable leather seats face a large wheel and a wide leather console that features up to three 16-inch Raymarine screens and can even be completely raised up on hinges to allow access to the circuitry.

The helm station is accompanied by a daybed

Integrated software includes Groupe Beneteau’s own Seanapps and Ship Control programmes. Port side of the helm is Chaffer’s favourite space on board, a sofa-cum-daybed that offers a relaxing nook to nestle in whether the boat’s cruising or not. To starboard is a side door and a curved staircase down to the lower deck, which is available with three or four guest cabins.

CABINS AND CUPBOARDS

As seen on the hull for Hong Kong, the three-cabin layout features a 150sqft full-beam master suite midships with a forward-facing double flanked by bedside cabinets.

The master suite with the luxury package

A stylish desk-cum-vanity-table is to port, while the starboard side features storage space and the option of a 50-inch TV on the bulkhead. Forward is an elegant en-suite bathroom with Corian worksurface, Villeroy & Boch washbasin, electric toilet and walk-in shower cubicle with rain shower.

In the four-cabin layout, the bedroom area would be used for two identical cabins that would share the bathroom. The guest cabin with en-suite is to port, while the VIP is in the bow and features an angled 2m-long bed facing the en-suite bathroom on the starboard side, which has similar finishes and features to the master en-suite.

The VIP suite in the bow has an angled bed

Like the rest of the boat, the bedrooms and bathrooms have plenty of storage, with the master suite featuring half-height hanging cupboards in all four corners. In addition, the top of the double beds in both the master and VIP can be lifted to reveal masses of storage space underneath, ideal for suitcases, towels, bedding and other non-daily essentials.

The hull we toured had the model’s luxury package, which includes an upgrade in lighting, leather tops and louvered panelling on doors. They’re all nice touches and reflective of the efforts Beneteau is making to provide the premium materials and detailing that owners often appreciate when buying yachts of this size.

The aft cross-bunk cabin can be used for crew or guests

However, the Grand Trawler 62 is not about luxury. Beneteau’s biggest powerboat to date is about taking the Swift Trawler range’s emphasis on multi-functionality, practicality, space, storage and fuel efficiency to a new level. It achieves all that and makes you excited to see what’s coming next.
www.beneteau.com
www.simpsonmarine.com

Groupe Beneteau introducing Seanapps
The conglomerate is initially introducing the technology on Beneteau, Jeanneau and Prestige models.

Wally WHY200 “Has ‘Wow’ Factor Engraved In DNA”

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Wally WHY200 “Has ‘Wow’ Factor Engraved In DNA”

January 27, 2022
5:46 am

With a staggering 200GT of interior volume, Wally’s four-engine WHY200 has been described by Ferretti Group as the world’s largest fibreglass motor yacht with a sub-24m load line. But is the world ready for this futuristic vision of boating?

The semi-displacement WHY200 has a top speed of 23 knots

As the Wally WHY200 glides across the bay, she looks more like a runaway train than a luxury motor yacht. Fronted by a remarkable bow rising 15ft 5in – that’s more than twice the height of Yao Ming – the 88ft 8in semi-displacement motor yacht is also a true widebody. And what a wide body it is, with an astonishing beam of 25ft 2in (7.66m) inviting catamaran comparisons.

The full widebody design extends even to the skylounge on the flybridge, the deck with the yacht’s only forward outdoor space, a working area in front of the uber-cool helm station. The design’s front-loaded focus on interior space combined with the enormous beam mean the 200GT Wally Hybrid Yacht blows all her competition out of the water in terms of volume.

Wally founder Luca Bassani drew WHY200’s remarkable profile

Ferretti Group says the WHY200 is the world’s largest fibreglass boat with a sub-24m load line and offers 30 per cent more deck surface than any other yacht in the sub-100ft market. This all becomes apparent as you step inside, where the saloon’s huge width of 23ft is the same as on the 164ft Riva 50Metri, whose maximum span of 29ft 6in includes side decks either side of the living area.

“Now you see why we say we created a new sector with the WHY200. If you don’t see the inside, you don’t understand the outside,” says Stefano de Vivo, Managing Director of Wally and CCO of Ferretti Group. “The WHY200 is our answer to the power catamaran. It fills a hole and doesn’t overlap with any other brand. It’s not a Custom Line Navetta and it’s not a Ferretti Yachts 1000.

The hull has a remarkable beam of over 25ft

“It was a challenge, but we believe the model is going to grow on people because it grew on us, just like it grew on the owner of hull one, who previously owned fast Pershing motor yachts, but now wants to cruise longer distances.”

CONCEPT & CONSTRUCTION

Other leading builders of fibreglass flybridge motor yachts have also made a notable push toward volume and range in recent years, yet Wally looks to have gone to the extreme, with Ferretti Group admitting it took “a bit of a gamble” with such a radical design topped by a Wally-styled carbon and glass superstructure.

Bassani focused first on the hull design

Is it too much, too soon? Not for Alberto Galassi, CEO of Ferretti Group, who cited the quote attributed to Henry Ford: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

Wally’s super-smooth, clean, almost sparing designs are often perceived as futuristic, with founder and Chief Designer Luca Bassani frequently described as being 20 years ahead of the game, yet his latest model may be his boldest yet. “WHY200 has the ‘wow’ factor engraved in its DNA,” Bassani says.

The almost vertical bow rises 15ft 5in

The WOW200 would also have been a good name, so why ‘WHY’? Wally Hybrid Yacht refers not to its propulsion but its ability to offer the volume of a displacement yacht on a semi-displacement hull that can reach 23 knots with the more powerful quadruple engine options. As well as being Wally’s answer to the powercat, Bassani believes “it’s an explorer, it’s a crossover; it can be anything on this hull”.

The WHY200 started in 2019, when Ferretti Group challenged Bassani to design a high-volume, semi-displacement yacht. Interestingly, considering the final out-of-the-box exterior design, Bassani started by focusing on the hull to achieve cruising speeds of 15-20 knots without planing, working with British firm Laurent Giles on the naval architecture.

Side garage doors that form a three-sided, walkaround beach club

“We started with the hull because this is even more important for a semi-displacement hull,” Bassani admits. “We had to have a hull that can be very good through the waves, so we needed a high bow like ships or real explorer yachts to keep up speeds in big waves and reduce water on deck.”

BEACH CLUB & COCKPIT

As well as volume, another reason for creating a wide yacht was to increase stability – again, like a catamaran – and the widest part of the yacht is aft, from where it gently tapers forward. This shape means the widest areas are the beach club, main-deck cockpit and aft flybridge.

An Opacmare transformer provides access to the water and extends the beach club

One of WHY200’s most innovative features is its split garage, which is as clever as it is cool and another example of form following function.

“The stern is probably the part of the yacht where you live most of the time and we didn’t want the view blocked by the central garage, so we moved them to the side,” Bassani says.

Wide central stairs lead between the sunbathing areas to the covered aft cockpit

Yet he did much more than that. The side bulwarks also act as the garage doors and open to allow access to a Williams DiesetJet 415 on starboard, while the port side can store a large jetski, Seabob, paddleboard and other water toys.

When the bulwarks are down, they combine with the aft platform to create a walkaround, three-sided beach club offering 345sqft of social area just above the water, with two aft sofas providing fixed seating. And there’s more, with a central Opacmare transformer providing access to the water or pontoon.

The long cockpit has sofas facing inward and aft, a diagonal dining table to starboard and port flybridge stairs

Wide central steps lead to the 500sqft cockpit, which is dominated by the huge sunbathing areas on top of both garages, each lined by seating facing centre and aft. Protected by big windows either side, the inner cockpit area has flybridge stairs to port and a dining table and chairs by the starboard sofa, yet while very spacious, the zone can feel a little dark due to the enormous overhang.

A ‘BOX YOU CAN FILL UP’

Including the length of the sunbathing areas, the cockpit is notably long, so the saloon starts about 30ft from the stern or over a third of the boat’s length. Italian studio A. Vallicelli & C handled the interior design of WHY200, and the décor is a mix of wood, sandy tones, black, white and shades of grey.

The saloon features a carbon-fibre staircase; hull one has a ‘show kitchen’ to port

There’s a nice continuity as teak flooring and the white ceiling continue from the cockpit into the saloon, yet sight lines are interrupted by the carbon-and-glass staircase almost plumb in the middle of the saloon.

It’s certainly a centrepiece, one that may divide opinion, but it’s structurally essential and does provide a divider in the middle of the vast saloon, a 650sqft rectangle that owners can pretty much arrange as they wish – around the staircase.

Aft view of the saloon, which has a beam like the saloon on the Riva 50Metri

“The saloon is just enormous,” De Vivo says. “It gives you flexibility because it’s a box and you can fill it up how you wish.”

The first hull features a long white cabinet to starboard opposite a show kitchen and bar stools port of the staircase, an area that could be used for a dining or games table or otherwise.

For the forward half of the saloon, Wally’s layouts include two facing L-shaped sofas, coffee tables and chairs, while there’s also an option for a dining table and chairs with the starboard sofa.

A dining table can be included in the lounge area

The staircase leads up to the skylounge, which has four skylights – two big, two small – and on hull one features a C-shaped sofa to port that faces an entertainment zone with 55in TV to starboard.

Again, the room can be customised, with plans including a dining table to port and L-shaped sofa to starboard.

The skylounge on hull one features seating to port and a large TV to starboard

Forward within the carbon ‘dome’ is the spectacular helm station with four screens and distinctive, high-back seats by Poltrona Frau, one for the pilot and twin chairs to port. Side doors lead to the yacht’s only ‘foredeck’, which has a sofa but is mainly a working area.

The stairs also lead aft to the enormous outdoor area, about half of which is covered by the ‘hard top’, a sleek 6-7m extension from the carbon structure housing the skylounge and sole helm station.

The flybridge provides a huge outdoor space for loose furniture

Ferretti Group describes the carbon structure as “a masterpiece of design and engineering for its exceptional stability and strength” and it’s hard to disagree, although the sides do reduce the natural light in the dining area.

However, modern sofas, sun loungers and chaise longues all enjoy vast outdoor space alongside a wet bar on starboard, and again, the size of this area makes it unique for a yacht in this category.

‘WOW BOW’ AND DOWN BELOW

The indoor ‘boxes you can fill’ continue back on the main deck with arguably the most spectacular room of them all – the 400sqft master suite in the bow, although options for the space include a dining room featuring a circular table and a corner bar, a layout that might have strong appeal in Asia.

On the main deck, the forward room enjoys 270-degree views and can also be used for dining

The room features a spectacular 270-degree view from up high, with hull one featuring a forward facing bed ahead of his and hers bathrooms either side of the door. Other layouts include just one bathroom, to port, and a walk-in dressing room to starboard, but the room is really about the views.

“The volume carried forward on the main deck was a result of the high bow, so I thought we could exploit this new volume by having an owner’s suite,” Bassani says. “It has the best view and a good position because you’re far from the engine room. All potential clients who have been on board love this position.”

The spectacular master suite with two bathrooms

The central staircase also leads down to the lower-deck cabins, which are accessed by a hallway leading forward between identical guest rooms on either side, each with inward-facing beds and forward bathrooms.

The VIP suite is in the bow, with an inward-facing bed on port and storage, a sofa and a pop-up TV to starboard, while forward are ‘his and hers’ bathrooms with sinks and toilets either side of a shared shower.

Lower-deck guest cabins include a full-beam stateroom forward that can be the VIP or master suite

This bedroom can become the master if the room above it is used for other purposes, plus it can even be split into two guest cabins if four lower-deck cabins are desired.

The crew area is aft of the central staircase and contains the main galley, with stairs on the port side, below the flybridge steps. Crew are well served by a separate mess, captain’s cabin with en-suite featuring separate shower, two twin-bunk rooms and a shared bathroom, also with separate shower.

The lower deck includes the primary galley in the large crew area aft

THE FUTURE IS NOW

On board technology includes a 5G wireless network connection with home automation control, which means guests can manage audio and video systems via mobile devices, both outside and inside the yacht. The first hull features a 5.1 Premium sound system on the main and upper decks, while a sophisticated Sonance sound system serves the outdoor areas.

For propulsion, the first unit is powered by four 1,000hp Volvo Penta D-13 IPS 1350 engines, while fuel can be saved by running on just two engines at displacement speeds up to about 10.5 knots.

The sole helm station features four screens and three Poltrona Frau chairs

During media sea trials, the hull showed its impressive ability to cut through chunky waves with minimal pitching. It also ‘cornered like it’s on rails’, maintaining a horizontal position while turning, yet another catamaran comparison, yet without the ‘stiffness’ of a twin hull, Bassani emphasised.

While the width and hull design provide stability, this can be enhanced at anchor or while cruising with two Humphree fin stabilisers, plus there’s also an option for two Seakeepers.

Hull six is scheduled for Asia by late 2022

Ferretti Group is currently producing several more units in Mondolfo, where Pershing motor yachts are built, although a new facility is planned for a range of WHY models. For now, hull six of the WHY200 – with a dining room in the bow of the main deck – has been earmarked for Asia as the Group seeks to roll out this pioneering model to markets around the world.

The Wally WHY200 offers clients more space and volume than ever before on a CE-category, 23-knot motor yacht, but its radical styling, full widebody shape and other design elements will challenge many. Only the market will decide if Wally has pushed too far, too soon.

www.wally.com

www.ferrettigroupasiapacific.com

Exclusive interview with Ferretti Group’s Stefano de Vivo
Even though Ferretti Group racked up over US$1 billion in sales in the first nine months of 2021, CCO Stefano de Vivo says the Italian conglomerate is continuing to focus on advancing and widening its range of models to keep its iconic brands as front-runners in their sectors. Interview: John Higginson.

Benetti Motopanfilo 37M: Floating in Time

Reviews / yachtstyle2020

Benetti Motopanfilo 37M: Floating in Time

January 6, 2022
3:40 pm

Inspired by nautical traditions and the romance of life at sea, Benetti turns back time with the Motopanfilo 37M. By Risa Merl.

The Motopanfilo 37M is Benetti’s newest Class yacht

In a time when everything seems to run at a hectic pace, Benetti has embraced the idea of slowing down with its new Motopanfilo 37M motor yacht. Not in terms of speed, mind you – she cruises at a respectable 15 knots – but in terms of style.

Debuting at the Cannes Yachting Festival last September, the new 37m ‘Class’ model from Benetti takes inspiration from the Italian shipyard’s glamorous navettas of the 1960s and ’70s, which were loved by royalty and rock stars alike. As such, the starting point for Motopanfilo 37M was the desire to reinterpret the traditional features of iconic Benetti styling in the name of new classicism.

Francesco Struglia designed the exterior

“The brief was to conceive a new yacht that would incorporate the characteristics of Benetti motor yachts from the 1960s,” says Francesco Struglia, who studied the evolution of the lines of the builder’s models from this period to create the Motopanfilo 37M’s distinct exterior.

“I liked the clean shapes of that time when the phase of pushed fibreglass began. The yachts were shaped with enormous charm because they were the result of experience, accumulated over the years, in solving certain construction problems. They told a story full of value and meaning. Hence the idea to start from ultra-clean shapes, free from the ostentation that has piled up over the years.”

The exterior was inspired by 1960s navettas

CURVES AND WINDOWS

Struglia captures this by creating an exterior with balanced proportions and continuity between the hull and superstructure, which are connected by an angled piece of fibreglass set amidships that defines the profile. Classic fashion plates are interpreted in a new way, with a bronze piece running along the handrails, up the angled fibreglass and onto the ceiling of the aft deck overhang.

The stern, Struglia says, is a modern reinterpretation of a classic round stern. The Motopanfilo does not have a canoe stern, but she does possess generous curves that give a nod to this styling.

The iconic beach club with cabana

“The reinterpretation of the round stern required an in-depth study and is paradoxically the most modern element of the entire concept,” says Struglia, who was also inspired by automotive design. “Owners who appreciate a certain type of car will immediately recognise elements that refer to Bentley and Rolls-Royce.”

An element that separates the Motopanfilo 37M from Benettis of the past is the overall volume, as today’s yachts are much roomier. Struglia was challenged to play with the yacht’s volumes while staying under 300GT.

Covered aft deck on the upper deck

To balance the increased volume with elegant, classic lines, Struglia lengthened the forward hull windows, so they almost reach the bow’s apex. Furthermore, as today’s owners demand large windows, expansive glazing dominates the main and upper decks.

Once onboard, there’s a clear sensation of being in close contact with the sea thanks to these massive windows, which due to modern R&D in glass construction, is another design element that separates the yacht from Benettis of yesteryear.

NAUTICAL ELEMENTS

For the interior design, Lazzarini Pickering Architetti was tasked with creating living areas recalling nautical traditions.

Lazzarini Pickering Architetti handled the interior

It wasn’t the first time that the Rome-based design duo had worked with Benetti on an interpretation of the past, having worked on the 52m Sai Ram launched in 2004 – “one of the first superyachts to offer contemporary interiors in a style dominated by the classic”, according to Carl Pickering.

For the Motopanfilo 37M, the emphasis was on creating a boat that feels like a boat, not an apartment at sea.

Aft view of main-deck saloon shows the ‘ribs’

“The interior design had to embody the elegance of classic motor yachts, seen through a contemporary lens,” Pickering says. “Benetti wanted to re-propose the dream of a past that regales us with nautical stories and myths, moving away from the trending approach in modern yacht design, which is to build boats that are like villas on the water.”

To bring in classic nautical elements, Lazzarini Pickering looked at architectural features reminiscent of the past, like beams that could physically extend the lines of sight. Curved beams run up along the ceiling along the yacht’s width on each deck.

The master suite is forward on the main deck

In the saloon, white lacquered beams run across the wood ceilings, while this pattern is transposed on the upper and lower decks, where wooden beams are situated on white ceilings. Pickering has described the feeling created by these beams, or ribs, as “standing inside the belly of a whale”.

Portlight-shaped lighting fixtures add to the feeling of nautical heritage, as does the white leather cladded mast feature in the central staircase that runs from the lower to upper deck and is designed to look like a mast that would be seen in a sailing superyacht.

The lounge on the upper deck

Design motifs of the 1960s and ’70s are seen in the use of mirrored surfaces and rounded furnishings, like the curved sofas in the main saloon, which Pickering says encourage conversation and relaxed living. Mirrors are used skilfully to expand the space, such as those set into the window frames, effectively reflecting the sea and sky and opening the space further.

The interior materials are otherwise kept simple, with light woods, white leather and neutral-coloured soft goods, all conceived to highlight the yacht’s architectural lines. It’s a subdued sort of glamour, not one overly busy with crystals or gold.

VIP cabin on the lower deck

“We believe that nowadays true elegance is not the sum of details such as golden taps but comes from a feeling you can convey by giving the space a certain structure,” Pickering says.

All fabrics on board are by Loro Piana Interiors and the saloon is adorned in outdoor-grade soft goods to encourage the space to be lived in all day, even in a damp bathing suit after splashing in the sea.

ON DECK AND ON TOP

Outdoor living was a major focus of the design, and there are myriad places to enjoy life alfresco including the spacious sun deck and bow lounge, both of which can have spa pools.

A spa pool in the bow of the upper deck

The beach club captures the feel of a classic beach cabana with a collapsible, accordion-style bimini top that protects the swim platform from the sun and adds an element of privacy.

A noteworthy bonus area for outdoor living is the observation deck, set just above the sun deck. “Built around the central mast, this space would have been a small flybridge [on classic yachts], designed to accommodate a small group of guests,” Struglia says.

The sun deck is partially covered

“On the Motopanfilo 37M, it takes a whole new shape. It’s an intimate retreat, designed for two people to relax. Here, privacy is absolute.”

It might not be impossible to stop time entirely, but with the Motopanfilo 37M, it’s possible to suspend it at least and enjoy a different style of yachting, as Pickering attests.

The private observation deck on top of the sun deck

“By creating a yacht suspended in time, inspired by 1960s glamour, we brought back to life a story full of charm when the large pleasure boats of the time were the object of desire.”

Benetti’s new Motopanfilo 37M has already proven to be popular, with at least four hulls sold so far, proving there is taste in the market for a classic-contemporary yacht that celebrates the glamorous history of yachting without denying owners any of the modern comforts expected today.

www.benettiyachts.it

Azimut-Benetti tops Global Order Book; Asian builder No. 3
Italy’s Azimut-Benetti Group has topped the Global Order Book for superyachts for the 22nd successive year, ahead of fellow Italian yard Sanlorenzo and Taiwan’s Ocean Alexander.

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