Boat Review – Yachting https://www.yachtingmagazine.com Yachting Magazine’s experts discuss yacht reviews, yachts for sale, chartering destinations, photos, videos, and everything else you would want to know about yachts. Thu, 07 Sep 2023 19:31:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/favicon-ytg-1.png Boat Review – Yachting https://www.yachtingmagazine.com 32 32 Benetti’s Superyacht Calex Reviewed https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/benetti-calex-reviewed/ Fri, 08 Sep 2023 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=60877 The fully custom 220-foot Calex reflects the vision of an owner with a clear directive-fun and comfort for everyone.

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Benetti Calex
Calex’s owner moved up from a 160-foot semicustom build to this full-custom superyacht. Courtesy Benetti

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It’s a long way to go from California to Italy just to build a boat. Then again, Calex, delivered last year by Benetti, is a 220-foot fully custom build—60 feet larger than its owner’s previous superyacht, which was semicustom. It’s also an example of the degree to which an experienced owner will go to ensure the comfort of those accompanying him: not just family and friends, but also crew.

While a larger yacht naturally affords more indoor and outdoor space, this California resident wanted an abundance of both, prioritizing privacy and well-being.

Benetti Calex lounge
The owner chose maple and American walnut to create a warm, relaxing interior. Courtesy Benetti

Arguably the best example of this is the owner’s suite, which, in combination with a dedicated alfresco area, is more like a penthouse apartment. Giorgio Cassetta and his team at Cassetta Yacht Designers, which has styled numerous Benettis, penned 1,772 square feet on the upper deck for this, from amidships forward. The owner’s suite includes the master stateroom, an office, a double bath and a walk-in closet. Since the stateroom faces sole-to-ceiling glass forward, 180 degrees of changing views welcomes the owner each morning. The alfresco lounge lets the owner relax in privacy. Accessible from the suite via two curved sliding doors, the lounge has chaises, chairs and a gas fireplace. And, the raised foredeck forward can be the owner’s touch-and-go helipad.

Benetti Calex interior
Calex offers unobstructed ocean views from inside or outside. Courtesy Benetti

Unwinding in the company of friends and family was also important in commissioning the yacht, whose beach club is one of the more cleverly private places aboard Calex. Beach clubs have become bigger indoor-outdoor areas, especially through the use of fold-down platforms. They enhance the feeling of having a large lounge atop the sea, but they present a problem when owners and guests want seclusion. So with Calex, a single gull-wing door fully aft swings up to yield access. The beach club is still sizable, in part thanks to the yacht’s 35-foot beam. Guests can watch sports on the TV, enjoy drinks from the bar and use the hammam. To take a dip, they can step out onto the swim platform and use the flip-down swim ladder. Boarding water toys is just as simple from the platform.

And boy, does Calex have toys—especially ones that will help guests burn calories. Stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, water skis, electric surfboards, electric foiling boards, a wakeboard and a surfboard are all available. Friends and family craving a little more speed can step aboard two personal watercraft capable of 65 mph. If the toys aren’t enough exercise, gym equipment and a yoga space are on the sun deck, with a nearby hot tub for a post-workout muscle soak.

Benetti Calex elevator
The glass elevator transits all five decks. Courtesy Benetti

All of the time and attention put into creating these areas would be for naught if the crew had subpar quarters. Time and time again, well-planned crew’s quarters contribute to stronger staff retention and a better yacht-ownership experience. Sixteen hands, led by Capt. Eddie Cooney, handle operations aboard Calex. While no one will blink to learn that Cooney’s cabin is on the bridge deck, near the wheelhouse and the ship’s office, they’ll definitely do a double take to see its design, along with that of the quarters for the rest of the crew belowdecks.

According to the Benetti Style Department, the owner had a singular focus for their area from the start of planning. The furnishings and decorative materials are similar to those in the two main-deck VIP staterooms and four guest staterooms (two doubles and two convertible twins) on the lower deck. Finally, and wisely, dumbwaiters connect the main-deck galley to the upper decks’ lounging spaces inside and out.

Benetti Calex stateroom
The master stateroom has 180 degrees of ocean views via sole-to-ceiling windows. Courtesy Benetti

Calex also features sculptures and art pieces the owner has picked up amid his travels. The yacht casts a comforting spell, inviting guests to be as social as they wish throughout the five enclosed decks, as well as outside on the terrace-like areas and fully open sun deck. Movable deck furnishings make it easy to go from big, garrulous groups to cozier conversations. Simultaneously, Calex caters to more secluded downtime, especially for its owner. Ultimately, Calex is built for different needs, including those of the crew.

It’s a long way to go from California to Italy to get all of this. But, especially for this owner, it was worth it.  

Benetti Calex
A single gull-wing door provides access to the yacht’s beach club. Courtesy Benetti

Well(ness) Wishes

As much as the owner set aside space for health and wellness, he wanted the interior ambience of Calex to convey a sense of well-being too. Ivory-toned furnishings and warm woods, such as maple and American walnut, create a serene atmosphere, along with a dose of sophistication. The decor is by the Benetti Style Department and the owner’s team.

Engine Emissions

Calex is Benetti’s first fully custom yacht in this size range to comply with Tier III regulations. Tier III is an International Maritime Organization standard that reduces nitrous-oxide emissions by about 70 percent compared with prior regulations. Calex has a scrubbing system for exhaust gas from the main engines and gensets.

Charter Calex

Calex is part of the Northrop & Johnson charter fleet. The yacht is heading for the Caribbean this winter and the Mediterranean next year. A glass elevator and space-planning make the five enclosed decks accessible for wheelchairs. The weekly base rate starts at $680,000.

Take the next step: benettiyachts.it

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Tankoa 50M ‘Kinda’ Reviewed https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/tankoa-50m-kinda-reviewed/ Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=60847 The 164-foot Tankoa Kinda is a trideck with hybrid propulsion built to cross oceans in style.

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Tankoa 50M
The 164-foot trideck Kinda has a 4,700-nautical-mile range at 12 knots. Leonardo Andreoni

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It’s not easy to make a 496-gross-ton trideck look sleek without wasting space, but Italian designer Francesco Paszkowski nailed it with Tankoa’s all-aluminum S501 Series. Check out those lines: the high bow dipping to a chamfer at the bow, the near-square stem, the climbing chine, and the heavily raked bridge windows. They all punctuate the 164-foot length overall, and then the yacht sweeps back to create generous aft-deck overhangs and an elegantly raked transom.

Launched in spring 2022 and shown at the Monaco Yacht Show this past fall, Kinda is the fourth hull in the S501 Series. Like its sistership Bintador that launched four years ago, Kinda has a hybrid propulsion system. There are three cruising modes: diesel-mechanical, diesel-electric and full electric. Choosing the appropriate mode can improve fuel consumption, and the intervals between engine and generator servicing should be longer, saving on maintenance costs and inconvenience. The zero-emissions mode could allow access to otherwise restricted waters.

In conventional mode, the most efficient cruise speed is around 12 knots, at which Kinda’s twin 1,400 hp MAN V-12 diesels burn just over 42 gallons per hour. With a little more than 15,000 gallons of diesel, that translates to a transoceanic range of almost 4,700 nautical miles. Maximum speed is 17 to 18 knots at half-load. In diesel-electric mode, top-end speed drops to around 10 knots.

Tankoa 50M interior
Margherita Casprini’s interior design is notable for the brushed-oak, leather paneling and Botticino marble. Leonardo Andreoni

In fully electric mode using batteries alone, and with normal hotel loads, expect a little over two hours’ autonomy at 5 knots, and perhaps an hour and a quarter at 8 knots. At anchor overnight, owners should get seven hours of run time on batteries alone with normal hotel loads. Twin electric fins from Italy’s CMC provide stabilization at anchor (and when cruising) but can be disengaged to boost fuel efficiency.

Kinda’s outside lounging spaces include the usual cockpit and upper deck aft, but there’s also a sun deck up top beneath a hardtop, and there’s a noteworthy foredeck terrace. Unlike the three previously launched sisterships, all of which have hot tubs on the sun deck, Kinda has its hot tub on the foredeck. It’s a 1,300-gallon glass-wall affair flanked by sofas and able to be shaded by a Bimini top.

Views from all these spaces are enhanced by frameless glass balustrades. Even the hardtop has tinted-glass skylights that cut down on the shadows. Furniture outside comes from Italian brands such as Talenti, Kettal, Varaschin and Tuuci.

The transom’s main event is Kinda’s beach club, which includes a gym, a shower and a day head (one of three aboard). A transverse tender garage aft is big enough for a 21-foot Castoldi RIB, and there’s room on the foredeck for a 14-foot Castoldi RIB, flanked by a crane and a couple of personal watercraft. The transom door folds down, creating a dock abaft the swim platform.

Tankoa 50M stateroom
Kinda’s six-stateroom layout includes a full-beam main-deck master and a two-thirds-beam VIP. Leonardo Andreoni

Kinda’s interior was conceived by Margherita Casprini, a longtime associate of Paszkowski. The main salon and sky lounge have a contemporary, soft palette with brushed-oak veneers, rich leather paneling and dramatic Botticino marble. All is cool and calm aboard Kinda. The open-plan salon has three distinct social zones: a lobby aft with a small table and chairs; a conventional lounge with an L-shaped sofa, two armchairs and a coffee table; and a formal dining table amidships. Loose furniture comes from Minotti, Vitra, Flexform and Gallotti&Radice.

Accommodations for 12 guests are in six staterooms. However, the layout aboard Kinda is a little unusual, with two of the staterooms forward on the main deck in what is effectively an owners’ suite with a lobby/study, a master stateroom and a VIP. The master occupies the full beam with a forward-facing king-size berth, an en suite head, a lounge and a walk-in closet. The VIP spans two-thirds of the beam to port with an aft-facing king berth, a lounge chair and a coffee table, and an en suite head.

The remaining four staterooms are belowdecks. Two have inboard-facing queen berths with pocket doors to their en suites. The other two have aft-facing twin berths.

There’s also quarters for nine crew, including a captain’s cabin on the bridge deck. All other crew quarters are on the lower deck beyond an amidships galley and crew mess. Staircases connect to pantries on the main and upper decks, so crew can move around discreetly.

Tankoa 50M
Aluminum is the material of choice for this 164-footer’s hull and superstructure. Leonardo Andreoni

Kinda is this owner’s first trideck yacht and will be used for private family cruises. With luxe accommodations and trans-Atlantic range, the owner’s hardest task will be choosing a waypoint.

Exploring the Med

During its first summer season in the Mediterranean, Kinda was used for intimate family cruises along the French Riviera and the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, Elba and the Aeolians. This summer, the yacht will head to the Eastern Med’s Greek islands and Turkish coast.

In Build Now

Tankoa has more than a half-dozen tridecks in build from 147 to 190 feet. The first all-aluminum Tankoa T55 Sportiva is scheduled for delivery in early 2024, and the second is set to go to a European owner in late 2024. The T580 is Tankoa’s biggest-ever project: a 190-foot, fully custom Francesco Paszkowski/Margherita Casprini design with a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. It also should be delivered in 2024. In addition, there’s a fully custom 170-foot all-aluminum hybrid project on track for completion next year in association with Philippe Briand and Vitruvius Yachts. The smallest Tankoa to date, at about 147 feet length overall, is a Giorgio M. Cassetta design with a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. It’s called T450, and it was started on spec in autumn 2020, sold once, and is now available again with a proposed 2025 delivery date.

Capable Hands

For the past few years, the Tankoa team has been steered by CEO Vincenzo Poerio, who previously led the Benetti half of Azimut-Benetti.

Take the next step: tankoa.it

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A Luxurious Explorer: Riviera’s 78 Motor Yacht https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/riviera-78-reviewed/ Fri, 25 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=60792 The 29-knot Riviera 78 Motor Yacht offers luxe living on the inside and bluewater cruising on the outside.

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Riviera 78
The foredeck lounge is kept dry, thanks to 6-plus feet of freeboard forward.

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The Riviera Yachts 78 Motor Yacht’s sense of “wow” starts with a wave-battling, sharp bow with more than 6 feet of freeboard forward that also has a gentle flare. Then, there are the generously sized hull windows and gentle sheerline that splits to offer high deck railings. The sizable yacht’s main deck includes a fully covered after section, a salon that rivals fine apartments, and a bow lounge typically found on larger yachts. Topping it off is a flybridge deck with an extended aft terrace that offers great vistas or a private hideout.

In association with superyacht designer Luca Vallebona and the Riviera Design Group, the Australian builder set out to create more voluminous spaces, maximize stowage, maintain excellent lines of sight and wrap it all in a functional layout. Goals achieved.

Take the salon: A portside sofa complements the opposing side’s L-shaped sofa (with oh-so-soft pillows) and oversized ottoman while maintaining walking space. One way Riviera creates floor space is by tucking away items that are not always used. Riviera designed a table to hide within the portside sofa, so, after the cushions are moved, the table flips up and out from its base, becoming a dining table for six to eight guests. Additionally, the 55-inch flat-screen TV is not mounted in a credenza, but instead drops from overhead. When fully extended, it’s in line with the lower staircase’s railing, so it doesn’t impede the walking areas. The salon has 6-foot-7-inch headroom and side windows measuring more than 3 feet in height, enhancing the sense of space while offering ocean views and letting in natural light.

Riviera 78 stateroom
The full-beam master stateroom is amidships.

The galley is aft with an overhead cabinet along the starboard window, nestled next to the after corner fridge/freezer. There are clear sightlines from the aft deck through the salon, thanks to the absence of bulkheads. Rounding out the cooking amenities are an electric cooktop, options for hot or cold sparkling water at the sink, two ovens, a dishwasher, several fridges and a freezer compartment.

A drop-down electrical window aft, along with the sliding access door, seamlessly connects the salon, galley and aft deck.

The aft deck—16 by 13 by 7 feet—includes a transom sofa with an aft privacy screen, a perfect setup for cozying up with a good book. There is also a starboard-side, L-shaped settee with a walnut dining table. A portside credenza includes a wet bar, a grill, a lower fridge, an ice maker, Corian countertops and stowage.

Riviera 78 helm
The helm has an extended platform that keeps the throttles within arm’s reach.

Dual staircases lead down to the hydraulic swim platform, which not only lowers into the water for handling water toys and swimming, but also rises to clear the aft wash when running. It serves as an additional alfresco social space as well.

Up top, the enclosed flybridge is home to the yacht’s only helm station. This space is also a mini salon, another great social area. Guests can sink into the ultra-soft sofa across from the 44-inch TV. Add in the fresh breeze by opening the sunroof, aft door and side windows. Headroom here is an equally impressive 6 feet, 7 inches. An open-flybridge version is available.

The helm is laid out with four 24-inch Garmin multifunction displays, so the operator can keep eyes on all the vital data, navigation charts, radar, sonar, cameras and more at a glance. With so much glass around the flybridge, visibility is unobstructed in all directions.

Riviera 78 interior
High-gloss teak adds a sense of elegance to the salon. Note the interior access to the bridge.

Step through the aft door to the flybridge terrace for more alfresco relaxation space. Eat, drink and be merry at the portside corner wet bar, which has two stools (with latches underneath, preventing tipping when in transit). A U-shaped dining area here can be used as lounge seating as well. A half-awning shields some of the space from the elements. Aft space is sufficient for additional lounge chairs. An on-deck day head reduces the need to go below.

Belowdecks, the 78 Motor Yacht is geared for the cruising enthusiast’s family. There are four staterooms and three heads. Down the forward staircase from the salon, an atrium landing provides access to all the staterooms. The full-beam master is amidships with a lounge seat, as well as a head with a shower stall and a separate toilet space. There’s also a full-size office desk that brings new meaning to the phrase “remote working.” Two double-bunk staterooms are forward, with the VIP in the forepeak.

The 78 Motor Yacht is customizable, and Riviera is open to owner requests. Want to replace the pantry with another fridge? No problem. Change the layout of the salon? Sure.

Riviera 78
Powered with optional 2,000 hp MAN diesels, the 78 that we got aboard saw a top hop of 29 knots.

I found that responsive handling comes standard. The 78 Motor Yacht is a graceful craft that reacts well to the single-lever controls, as well as to wheel input. Going hard over on the wheel doesn’t mean it’s a white-knuckle ride. There’s a gentle lean into the turns and an easy rise when hitting the wakes. In other words, this is an easy yacht for an owner-operator or a light crew.

Speaking with Chris McCafferty, international sales director at Riviera Australia, I learned that this yacht was ideal for its owner’s needs—which mirror a lot of owners’ needs in the global cruising community. “For this owner, we were able to check off all the boxes they had,” he said. Room for a cruising family? Check. A bluewater hull form and robust build? Check. Luxurious and homelike amenities? Check. Long range for extended cruising itineraries? Check. Inside and outside living? Check.

It appears that the Riviera 78 Motor Yacht does indeed check a lot of boxes. It makes me wonder: What will they think of next?

Power Up

The Riviera 78 Motor Yacht’s engine options include V-12 MAN diesels in 1,500, 1,800 or 2,000 hp. The yacht I got aboard had the 2000s, providing a 21.1-knot cruise while burning 126 gallons per hour at 1,800 rpm, equating to a 450-nautical-mile range. At wide-open throttle, the yacht hit 29 knots at 2,200 rpm at a cost of 203 gph, yielding a range of 385 nm. Pull back the throttles to 10 knots for a 43 gph burn and a 2,500 nm range. 

Form and Function

Creating multifunction spaces is a focal point for Riviera. For example, the garage door opens to a large stowage room for water toys, rods and secured containers. A staircase (not a ladder) ensures safe footing into the well. When open, the garage door houses a rain-shower head and lighting to illuminate the platform and area aft.  

Bow Lounge

Smart design allows for a foredeck oasis with a forward-facing, U-shaped settee, a wooden table, side lounge seats and access to the foredeck gear.

At the Con

Sitting in the Stidd helm seat and taking in the dash feels like commanding a spaceship. There are touchscreens for most all functions, and buttons for on/off controls. On the right of the seat is an extended platform that houses the throttles, joystick, autopilot and chart-plotter controllers.  

Take the next step: rivieraaustralia.com

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Wally’s wallypower58 Reviewed https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/wally-wallypower58-reviewed/ Fri, 18 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=60747 Striking lines, 38-knot speed and a luxury pedigree define the wallypower58.

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wallypower 58
Fold-out sections add about 54 square feet of deck real estate. Total open-deck space? About 325 square feet. Gilles Martin

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I don’t normally pay much attention to taglines, but Wally’s current one—“20 years ahead”—is an exception. Remember the WallyPower 118? It was Wally founder Luca Bassani’s personal vision of what superyachting could be. It launched 20 years ago but still looks like it’s only just dropped in from outer space. Then there are the various smaller wallypowers that have launched since, the new wallywhys that are phasing in now, and the various iterations of wallytenders, the first of which caused a stir more than 25 years ago. All carry the same futuristic design cues. And who would argue that the new wallypower58 doesn’t look like it’s 20 years ahead of the game too?

The wallypower58 has a distinct aesthetic with a square stem; a clean, hard-chined hull; and a sharp, mostly glass superstructure. The high foredeck has deck lighting and flush sun-pad inlays, and a cockpit Wally calls a semi-open salon. That last space has hardtop protection above as well as full side glazing to plug the gaps between the roof and deck. Overall, the hull volume allocates guest spaces roughly 50-50 inside and outside.

Tanks, engines and pods are beneath the cockpit sole, and there’s carbon-fiber detailing and teak decking everywhere. The decking is particularly impressive where it wraps over the after lip of the swim platform and where it lines the bulwarks. Their after sections fold down to add around 54 square feet of deck space. The whole open-deck area then provides something like 325 square feet of space.

wallypower 58
This standard belowdecks layout includes flanking sofas. A double-berth stateroom to port is an option. Toni Meneguzzo

The star attraction aft is a 77-square-foot island sun bed with an awning stretched over a carbon-fiber frame that stows neatly around the base unit. Amidships beneath the coachroof, there’s around 6-foot-9-inch headroom and sofas down each side. The starboard one has a dining table that can be supplemented by free-standing chairs. The forward area beneath the one-piece curved and heavily back-raked windshield includes two high-backed carbon pilot seats to starboard that address a small-diameter horizontal wheel. They look like they could have been plucked from the starship Enterprise.

As with most open models, the accommodations closure is a sliding hatch inboard of the helm, which is nicely arranged with all the switches and instrumentation set into carbon-look moldings. Two Garmin displays dominate the console, where visibility is superb. An electric sunroof above the windshield provides natural ventilation when the air-conditioning is off.

The standard belowdecks arrangement includes a lower salon with two long sofas—one on either side, a head to starboard and a stall shower to port. Forward, there is a stateroom with an aft-facing double berth. The lockers and closets have a rather 1950s luggage look about them, a great contrast to the ultramodern vibe everywhere else.

wallypower 58
The cockpit sun bed can be covered with an awning set over a carbon-fiber frame that stows around the base. Gilles Martin

A smaller, double-berth stateroom with a door, or a single crew cabin with hatch access from the cockpit, are the options on the port side of the lower salon, which also includes a surprise: Instead of hullside windows, this model has what Wally calls magic portholes. Two 55-inch flat-screen TVs can relay real-time images from cameras in the vessel’s sides, or the TVs can relay recordings of the owner’s favorite bay when he’s tied up at the dock, or the TVs can play movies or games. This setup keeps the 58’s sleek hull lines pristine and is more efficient to build, as real windows require significant structures around the apertures as well as laminated glass.

There are two choices when it comes to propulsion: triple Volvo Penta D8-550/IPS700s or triple D8-600/IPS800s, which deliver reported maximum speeds of 35 to 36 knots and 37 to 38 knots, respectively. The boat I got aboard had the most-powerful, 470-cubic-inch, six-cylinder inline diesels, which, at a bit more than half load and in auto-trim mode with the Seakeeper 9 off, delivered virtually 38 knots at just over 2,900 rpm. Wallys always run every bit as well as they look, slicing efficiently and heeling into the turns just enough.

At an all-day, everyday 30 knots at 2,500 rpm, the ultimate range is around 350 nautical miles, much the same as it would be at 20 knots and 2,000 rpm, so there’s no real incentive to cruise halfheartedly with this machine. The onboard management system synchronizes the propulsion of all three pods while in ahead mode, so with only the usual twin control levers at the helm, the skipper drives the boat just like he would if the boat had a twin-engine installation. When maneuvering astern, those two levers only engage the outer engines.

wallypower 58
There is 6-foot-9-inch headroom in this indoor-outdoor space under the hardtop. Toni Meneguzzo

At the heart of a Wally build is style, performance, luxury and a bit of avant-garde thinking. It’s a formula that has made the brand a fan favorite, creating a niche that only it can own. And the wallypower58 owns it well.

The X Factor

The first Wally 58X version recently arrived in Florida. This iteration has quad 600 hp V-12 Mercury Verado outboards, which means a top-end speed of around 50 knots and a quoted fast-cruise range of 290 nautical miles. Normally, aboard an open yacht of this size with a quad rack, owners have to sacrifice some accessibility to the water aft, but fold-down quarter platforms are game-changers in that regard.

On Watch

Wally’s parent company, the Ferretti Group, used the launch of the wallypower58 to say it will soon be one of the first yachtbuilders to offer Watchit anti-collision and grounding systems across its portfolio. Developed by Israeli company Aqua Marine Tech, these systems warn captains about navigational dangers. The tech’s artificial-intelligence technology interprets data from GPS, chart plotters, AIS, radar, sonar, proximity sensors and more.

Take the next step: wally.com

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Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 Reviewed https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/beneteau-grand-trawler-62-reviewed/ Fri, 04 Aug 2023 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=60659 The Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 has 1,000-plus-mile range and 20-knot speed.

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Beneteau Grand Trawler 62
An efficient hull form paired with twin 730 hp MAN i6 diesels gives the Grand Trawler 62 substantial range. Nicolas Claris

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Beneteau’s Grand Trawler 62 has admirable fuel consumption and long range, but the most important number you need to know is 24. That’s how many wine bottles fit in this yacht’s chiller, and it might govern the range of your adventures more than something like mere diesel fuel.

The Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 itself is kind of like a fine French wine: robust and full of fun, but with hidden notes that become apparent upon closer examination. Take the cockpit, for example. Instead of the usual forward-facing settee, the 62 has an L-shaped settee with a folding table tucked into the forward port corner. Thus, the view is not of the salon, but aft through clear Lucite panels in the railing—a much more pleasant panorama. And set up against the house and protected by teak-slat “fashion plates,” the settee is out of the wind and sun. For boarding, easy steps lead from the hydraulic transom platform, which has a ladder that unfolds automatically when the platform is lowered.

Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 galley
The galley is amidships for minimal motion, which should delight chefs balancing full pots. Nicolas Claris

Thoughtful details extend beyond creature comforts. In the cockpit, there are husky mooring bitts on each corner with warping winches and roller chocks. There’s also a tidy opening to stash stray lines so no one trips. Another welcome design element is the two separate stairways to the bridge, both gentle with good rails. One leads from the cockpit, while the other is just abaft the lower helm so the skipper can easily scamper to and from the bridge.

The Alpi-veneer, gloss-oak salon is light and bright, with a U-shaped sofa aft facing a pop-up TV. The galley is amidships for minimal motion, which should delight chefs balancing full pots. The galley, in keeping with European tradition, is separated with full bulkheads. They can have openings, and snack grabbers can get in via a sliding door. On Euro versions of this yacht, the galley bulkheads have glass windows. Amenities include a four-burner Siemens cooktop, a Miele dishwasher and a full-size Vitrifrigo fridge. A sliding door connects the galley to the side deck and makes provisioning easy. An L-shaped settee with a dining table is opposite the galley on the pilothouse level for casual meals.

Beneteau Grand Trawler 62
Teak-planked decks make for secure footing, and the 20-inch-wide side decks have high bulwarks. Nicolas Claris

At the helm, the skipper and a companion have upholstered bucket seats. Their raised position allows a commanding view through the forward-raked windshield, above triple Raymarine displays. Bow and stern Side-Power thrusters—with a “hold” feature for docking—pair with the Aventics joystick controller. (A mini helm station is in the cockpit.) A sliding door to starboard should make shorthanding easy, with another large bitt just outside. A settee for guests is tucked to port by the helm, enabling them to watch the action.

A curving stairwell next to the helm leads to the lower foyer, with the full-beam master stateroom located aft. The 62’s almost 18-foot beam is put to good use, and a nearly king-size island berth offers stowage underneath. Adding to this stowage are six drawers and lockers to starboard, and a vanity to port. Natural light is courtesy of rectangular hullside windows. The en suite head has a stall shower with a Lucite door and seat. There is 6-foot-8-inch headroom, and the space exudes luxury.

Beneteau Grand Trawler 62
A sliding door connects the galley to the side deck and makes provisioning easy. Nicolas Claris

Next off the foyer is a twin-berth guest stateroom to port. The VIP stateroom is forward with an angled berth and an en suite head that doubles as a day head.

The flybridge is full-beam, with a U-shaped dinette, space for chaises aft, and a bar and grill abaft the twin helm bucket seats. A double-wide settee is to port, and a 6-by-11-foot sunroof opens in the fiberglass hardtop.

At the foredeck are sun pads, two 4-by-3-foot clamshell lockers for deck gear and fenders, and the anchor windlass stowed in a locker, as well as a snubbing capstan atop the coaming for dock lines. Teak-planked decks make for secure footing, and the 20-inch-wide side decks have high bulwarks—up to 4 feet, 2 inches forward of the helm—for safety when handling lines. There also are double-welded rails forward.

Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 interior
Light Alpi wood and lots of glass create an airy vibe. Stairs at the helm lead up to the flybridge. Nicolas Claris

Power for the 62 is a pair of 730 hp MAN i6 diesels. The engine room is laid out for owner-operators: It has diamond-plate soles for security, the engines are a whopping 50 inches apart, and there is 5-foot-10-inch headroom. The 62 I got aboard also had a 7.5 kW Onan genset, which was equally serviceable. Access to the engine room is via the crew quarters, which have crisscross berths and separate shower and head compartments.

Underway in the Gulf Stream, we saw lumpy leftover seas with a few 4-to-6-footers mixed in, and the 62 ate it up. This yacht had an optional Quick MC2 X3 gyrostabilizer. Even when the captain put us beam on to the seas, the 62 remained as stable as a table. The most devout landlubber’s stomach could enjoy this ride, which, despite the lumps, was at just over 20 knots when desired.

Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 helm
A settee for guests is tucked to port by the helm, enabling them to watch the action. Nicolas Claris

The Grand Trawler 62 is the largest vessel in Beneteau’s power fleet, and the builder has raised its own bar for finishing and details. The yacht is delivered with a full set of dishes and flatware, so all owners need to bring is a toothbrush. And oh, yes, the 24 bottles of wine.

Grand or Swift

Beneteau debuted its Swift Trawlers in 2003. So far, 1,300 of the hulls have been built. The full- displacement Grand Trawler is aimed at the voyaging set, with a range of 1,045 nautical miles at 9 knots (burning 7.9 gph), although it can hit 20 knots when needed.

Beneteau Grand Trawler 62
A 4-foot-7-inch draft gives the Grand Trawler 62 access to shallow-water waypoints. Nicolas Claris

Details, Details

Small touches set the Beneteau Grand Trawler 62 apart.They include sea rails on all lockers to keep stowed food and gear in place, leather-wrapped interior handrails for security in a seaway, and leather drawer pulls like those found on larger yachts.

On an Even Keel

Quick is an Italian stabilizer company that’s been in the marine market since 1983 and that builds marine electronics, refrigeration, air conditioning and electrical systems. It established Quick USA to provide technical assistance. The Quick X3 gyro produces 3,900 newton meters (2,876 foot-pounds) of torque with a spool-up time of 10 minutes.

Take the next step: beneteau.com

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Custom Line 140 Reviewed https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/experience-custom-line-140/ Fri, 07 Jul 2023 19:30:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=60527 Custom Line's flagship 140 marries an impressive aesthetic with a surprisingly spacious interior.

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Custom Line 140
The Custom Line 140 is defined by silver-painted hexagonal-section Y-stanchions and chunky handrails along the main side decks. Courtesy Custom Line

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Sporty is not an obvious adjective for a tri-deck packing nearly 400 gross tons, but it fits the new Custom Line 140 flagship and its previously launched sisterships, the CL120 and CL106. All three models are composite, have bold styling and share key design cues. The exteriors and space planning are the work of Francesco Paszkowski, while the interior decoration is by Margherita Casprini, working closely with the Ferretti Group’s in-house team at Custom Line Atelier.

The yacht they created is a triumph. Beyond the Custom Line 140’s super-cool lines, there’s 3,230 square feet of usable space inside and 2,150 square feet of real estate outside. A fold-down garage door allows for a beach club, a conventional cockpit and an extra-large space on the upper deck aft, with the guest spaces having full protection from decks above. There’s more seating forward and on the sun deck, which is partially protected by a carbon-fiber hardtop and which has a wet bar, a lounge and a hot tub. And the sun deck is a 750-square-foot blank canvas for owners, in terms of furniture to dress the space.

Custom Line 140 top
There is about 2,150 square feet of alfresco real estate on board the Custom Line 140. Courtesy Custom Line

Inside, the Custom Line 140 is calm, light and bright, thanks to a plethora of glazing. Stained- and bleached-oak veneers play off dramatic marbles throughout the yacht, whose furnishings have natural tones and textures. The main salon and dining area are open plan and measure around 450 square feet. Owners can choose free-standing furniture as they see fit here too. The Custom Line 140 that I got aboard mostly had pieces from Minotti. Also an option for owners: an opening glass door to starboard in the main-deck lounge and opening glass doors on both sides of the sky lounge. In the sky lounge, these doors transform the space into an entertainment zone for parties.

On the main and upper decks, guest lobbies are amidships to starboard. Partial side decks are on the main deck, with doors amidships to the portside pantry and adjacent lobby. There are full side decks on the upper deck, although there’s a stair break just abaft the bridge, which means you can’t quite circumnavigate it.

Custom Line 140 interior
Floating stairs, fold-out balconies and three decks of glass help create the 140’s seemingly borderless interior. Courtesy Custom Line

Guest accommodations consist of five en suite staterooms and a total of 11 berths. The owners’ stateroom is forward on the main deck and occupies 505 square feet. Owners enter to starboard through a dressing area with two walk-in closets. The en suite has double-door access, a bathtub and a shower, or owners can opt for a walk-through shower stall between the his-and-hers sides. The big feature in the bedroom is an optional fold-down balcony, cleverly engineered to be deployed by guests as well as crew (of course, with safety overrides).

The other guest staterooms are belowdecks, all conventionally located amidships. The two aft are mirror copies: 160-square-foot doubles with outboard-view king berths and en suite heads. The other two staterooms, forward, are 130 square feet apiece, one with an inboard-facing double berth and the other with forward-facing twins and a Pullman berth. However, as the name Custom Line suggests, owners have flexibility when it comes to interiors. For instance, some owners may prefer to specify one of the staterooms on that lower deck as a gym, a study or a media room.

Custom Line 140 stateroom
The owners’ stateroom is forward on the main deck and occupies 505 square feet. Courtesy Custom Line

Day heads are off the main- and upper-deck lobbies. For the Custom Line 140’s crew of seven, there’s a captain’s cabin on the bridge deck and three cabins forward on the lower deck, along with a crew mess and a laundry room. All the crew areas are connected by a separate crew staircase for discreet access across all decks, including to the main deck’s galley and pantry, and to the upper-deck pantry. The pantries are also linked with a dumbwaiter. It is unusual to see this sort of guest-crew separation aboard what is, effectively, a production yacht.

There are two garages aboard the Custom Line 140. The main one, at the stern, has a door to port and can take a 20-foot tender or a 17-foot tender and a PWC. The other garage is under a lid forward of the windscreen with room for a smaller tender or a PWC. The first Custom Line 140 keeps a rescue boat there.

Custom Line 140 interior
The interior decor comes from Margherita Casprini and the Ferretti Group’s team at Custom Line Atelier. Courtesy Custom Line

With its twin 2,638 mhp MTU 16V 2000 M96Ls and straight-shaft propulsion, this yacht is reportedly good for a top speed of 21 to 22 knots and a fast cruise of 17 knots, with a range of around 700 nautical miles, allowing for a 10 percent reserve. At an eco-cruise of around 12 knots and 1,400 rpm, that range would extend to around 1,500 nm. There are no alternative engines available. The hull has a planing profile and is trimmed with Humphree Interceptors.

The first Custom Line 140 is expected to remain in the Mediterranean this summer. Two more have been sold, and one of them should arrive in the United States this year. If the current sales pace continues, the future for this sporty-looking yacht is bright.  

Custom Line 140 front
Cruising at 12 knots, the Custom Line 140’s range is about 1,500 nautical miles. Top speed: 21 to 22 knots. Courtesy Custom Line

In the Details

Fabricated in aluminum, the Custom Line 140 is defined by silver-painted hexagonal-section Y-stanchions and chunky handrails along the main side decks. These elements allow light into the main salon via full-height picture windows, and they also allow for great views out for the guests.

In the Beginning

At the 1996 Genoa International Boat Show, Ferretti was a one-brand business, known mostly for building flybridge yachts. The company announced that it was developing a second brand, Custom Line, that would kick in where the Ferretti flybridge and raised-pilothouse portfolio ended. Back then, the biggest Ferretti  measured 80 feet length overall. The first Custom Line 94 launched in 1998, setting the Ferretti Group on a path of becoming the multi-brand builder it is today, not only with Custom Line but also with Pershing, CRN, Riva, Itama, Bertram and Wally.

Serious Growth

In terms of dollar volume, Custom Line is the Ferretti Group’s biggest brand. Last year, it delivered more than 20 yachts that averaged around 115 feet length overall. Around 300 Custom Lines have been delivered to date. Custom Line models range from 93 feet to 164 feet. They include the three sporty 106, 120 and 140 CL models, along with five semi-displacement Navetta models: the 30, 33, 37, 42 and 50. The Navetta 50— the first aluminum model in the series—will debut in 2024.

Take the next step: customline-yacht.com

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Tiara Yachts EX 60 Reviewed https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/tiara-yachts-ex-60-reviewed/ Fri, 16 Jun 2023 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=60436 The 40-knot Tiara EX 60 is a yacht focused on function, performance and luxury.

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Tiara Yachts EX 60
The easy side-deck access off the helm will come in handy when shorthanded cruising. Courtesy Tiara Yachts

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When Tiara Yachts created a new flagship for its fleet, it went big: The Tiara EX 60 is a full 10 feet longer than any other Tiara. More importantly, this 60-footer maintains the high level of construction, fit and finish and performance expected from the Michigan builder.

The broad strokes here are a three-stateroom yacht with a full-beam master and surprising performance—for moving 26 tons—from the twin 1,000 hp Volvo Penta IPS1350 diesels linked by jackshafts to IPS pod drives, giving a reported hammer-down speed of about 40 knots and a fuel-sipping 52-gallon-per-hour cruise at about 25 knots.

This is also a yacht for connecting with the water, with a single-deck living space stretching from the hydraulic swim platform all the way to the windshield. The cockpit, partially shaded by the hardtop overhang, and partially by an extendable awning, is where buyers can add modules that can be mixed and matched. The alfresco seating module has back-to-back couches with a folding table, while the aft lounge module adds another two-way settee aft. Other choices include an aft grill, a fridge and a sink, while the breakfast-bar version includes an aft-facing counter with three ottoman seats. Anglers can select packages including rod holders and bait-prep stations. Whatever the combinations, a pair of settees are tucked into the forward corners, protected from the sun and wind.

Tiara Yachts EX 60
The matching helm and companion seats are from Stidd. The sole is faux teak for easy maintenance. Courtesy Tiara Yachts

Also, in all configurations, the transom platform lowers to become a beach or to launch an 11-foot Williams Sportjet 345 (on hidden chocks). Both sides of the cockpit butterfly outward to create water-level terraces that extend the beam to more than 20 feet.

The salon is as bright as the outdoors, with windows from overhead to settee level, an electric sunroof and sliding doors that open fully. A raised settee to port has two removable bar stools and faces the long galley with twin Isotherm fridges, a Kenyon induction two-burner cooktop and stowage space that more than makes up for the lack of hanging cabinetry, which would block views.

Just forward, the skipper has a double-wide Stidd helm seat with a joystick on the armrest. It’s abaft a black dash with twin 22-inch Garmin monitors and a row of clearly marked buttons for systems. The sliding door here lets the skipper step onto the side deck to help with lines or get a better view when docking, since the throttle and thruster controls are next to the door. Just opposite the helm is a double companion seat. The optional Garmin multifunction display can be switched from navigation to ship’s systems via the touchscreen. For portside maneuvering, the skipper has engine and thruster controls tucked into a side locker of the cockpit.

Tiara Yachts EX 60
The EX 60’s three staterooms are accessed via this centerline stairway. The master is in the background. Courtesy Tiara Yachts

While the salon and cockpit are about fun, the lower-level accommodations whisper serenity. The full-beam master is amidships for minimal motion and provides walkaround space on each side of the queen-size berth. The starboard nightstand has a slide-out workstation. There’s also a love seat, a flip-up vanity, a built-in bureau, a full-height hanging locker, and a washer and dryer. The en suite head has a full-stall shower. Like the VIP head that doubles as a day head, the master’s head has vessel sinks and Euro-style faucets.

The VIP stateroom is forward with an island queen berth (mostly walk-around). There’s direct access to the head, which has a stall shower. Between the two staterooms is a guest space with slide-together twin berths. Tiara created carved-wood headboards that not only warm the staterooms but also create an inviting textured effect. The decor, including the headboards, was orchestrated by Mary Flores Interiors of Seattle, and it includes everything from throw pillows to bed coverlets.

The systems, from diesel mains to jackshafts to Volvo Penta’s IPS pods, take up half the boat under the deck, and I was surprised that access was not just for the skinny. A diamond-plate walkway between the two Volvo Penta D13s provided good serviceability, and the EX 60 I got aboard was fitted with a Seakeeper 9, a Volvo Interceptor trim system and a 13.5 kW Onan genset. The bilge was fully gelcoated for easy cleaning, and sound- and vibration-deadening material was everywhere, resulting in just 72 decibels in the salon while the boat was running flat-out. That’s about conversation level, and most of the noise that registered was bow wave and wake astern.

Tiara Yachts EX 60
The wraparound glass forward provides unobstructed, distortion-free views. Courtesy Tiara Yachts

The EX 60 also has a sunning, sitting and dining area on the bow. Reaching it is safer and easier with the faux-teak decking from Teakdecking Systems. This material is easy to maintain and provides a nonslip surface. Tiara uses it on all decks as well as in the salon interior. Surrounding the deck are impeccably welded rails that are “bling,” along with deck cleats and chocks. The Lewmar anchor windlass is hidden in a locker with stowage for fenders and dock lines, and the anchor hawse is through the stem with a protective stainless-steel plate.

As the new flagship of the Tiara Yachts fleet, the EX 60 carries forward the traditions of impressive construction, thoughtful design features and surprising performance. And it’s a lot of fun too.  

Origin Story

Tiara Yachts traces its lineage to SlickCraft, the first company of Tiara founder Leon Slikkers. The company started building wooden runabouts in 1955 and fiberglass vessels by 1960. Leon, joined by sons David and Robert, launched Tiara Powerboats in 1976. In 2012, his youngest son Tom, took over as president and CEO. In 2021, after a 75-year career, Leon retired.

Meet the Fleet

In addition to the EX 60, Tiara has four Luxury Sport Series models, ranging from the 34LS to the 48LS. The Luxury Crossover Series has the 34LX, and the 43LE and 48LE are in the Luxury Express Series. Lastly, there is the three-model Coupe Series with the C39, C44 and C49.

Volvo Penta Interceptors

Part of the Volvo Penta Electronic Vessel Control system on the Tiara EX 60, the Interceptors are trim controls with vertical sliding blades. With the Active Ride feature, these blades diminish pitch and roll by up to 60 percent while keeping the boat more upright in sharp turns. The result is increased cruising comfort at all speeds and better fuel efficiency.

Take the next step: tiarayachts.com

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Big Features, Smaller Package: the Benetti B.Yond 37M https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/benetti-byond-37m-reviewed/ Fri, 09 Jun 2023 19:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=60396 The Benetti B.Yond series offers long-distance cruisers—and crew—things expected they can’t find in similar sized superyachts.

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Benetti B.Yond 37M
The 400-gross-ton Benetti B.Yond 37M has a steel hull and trans-Atlantic range. Courtesy Benetti, Malgarini, Locci and Stanhero

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Space is usually the reason that owners step up to a larger superyacht—say, a length overall of 197 feet or more. On those yachts, there are easily enough staterooms to accommodate up to 10 family members and friends; there are several lounging areas inside and out, spread across a few decks; and there is enough room for a party or for privacy. Getting all this in a yacht of less than 500 gross tons, which typically caps around 164 feet long, is just not possible.

Or is it?

Paolo Vitelli, president of the Azimut-Benetti Group, was convinced there’s a way. Not only that, but he believed yachtsmen would like a semicustom series with a steel hull, long range, volume rivaling much bigger boats, and four decks. He was thinking in ways yachtsmen hadn’t seen: Steel alone is a radical departure from the norm in this size range. Four decks are unheard of too.

Benetti B.Yond 37M
The look, feel and function of the B.Yond 37M has proved popular. Next available delivery date: 2027. Courtesy Benetti, Malgarini, Locci and Stanhero

He was right. The 121-foot Benetti B.Yond 37M landed about a dozen contracts before Hull No. 1, Goga, appeared at international yacht shows in 2022. As of January, the next available delivery date is in 2027.

Increasingly, yacht buyers are realizing that volume dictates how roomy a project will look and feel. To that end, the Benetti B.Yond 37M has a volume just shy of 400 gross tons. Strong-selling American- and European-built series yachts, even those that are 10 to 20 feet longer, are unable to rival that volume.

Of course, long-standing physical dimensions remain important. Each of the four decks aboard the new Benetti is a healthy length. This includes the partially sheltered sun deck, which is a full-fledged deck for up to 12 people. With a barbecue, a dining area, a seating area and pedestal observation chairs, Goga’s sun deck even has windows inset into the hardtop’s sides.

Benetti B.Yond 37M
The Benetti B.Yond series is among the last projects designed by Stefano Righini. Courtesy Benetti, Malgarini, Locci and Stanhero

Benetti further sidesteps convention with the yacht’s 28-foot beam and an anything-but-cookie-cutter general arrangement. As much as series builders and designers say clients can arrange rooms as they see fit, inevitably, they suggest that the staterooms go belowdecks while the salon and dining area sit on the main deck. Even for yachts with main-deck master staterooms, conventional layouts still dominate. By contrast, the standard configuration for the Benetti B.Yond 37M places four guest staterooms and the master on the main deck. The lower deck is entirely for seven or eight crewmembers and all service areas.

More surprisingly, though, Goga follows an alternate arrangement, which Vitelli personally selected, since he intended to cruise aboard (and did for a month with his family). The master stateroom is on the bridge deck, with sliding-glass doors to an alfresco dining and sunning area. In the forward main-deck space where the master otherwise would have been are two guest staterooms. Just abaft them, there’s a playroom. In the not-too-distant past, a dedicated rumpus room would have been unthinkable, especially aboard a yacht of Goga’s dimensions. Perhaps in a sign of the times, nine of the contracts signed so far include the playroom. Owners can also fashion the space as a media room.

Benetti B.Yond 37M
The B.Yond 37M can run on batteries only, diesel only or hybrid diesel-electric power. Courtesy Benetti, Malgarini, Locci and Stanhero

The B.Yond 37M also has an open-air toy “garage” four steps down from the main deck aft. The main deck has neither a traditional aft-deck leisure area nor sliding doors leading into a main salon; instead, the main lounge is one deck up, offering better views and freeing more deck space for toy stowage. If you’re wondering why the toys aren’t stowed below, in a garage, it’s because the yacht has a beach club with a sauna down there—once again providing owners and guests with leisure areas not found on comparable-length yachts. The toys launch to either side via fold-down bulkheads.

Finally, the bigger thinking extends to the propulsion package. Goga has a diesel-electric system with lithium-ion batteries created in collaboration with Siemens Energy, allowing four operational modes. Enhanced Comfort Mode is for low-speed coastal trips or nighttime cruising, with just the gensets and electric motors engaged. Extended Range Mode uses the main MANs powering the electric motors for full-speed, 14-knot trips. Eco Transfer Mode sees one MAN running solo, which Benetti says lets the yacht cruise up to 8,200 nautical miles at 9 knots. Eco Cruise Mode is a zero-emissions operation in which the battery pack’s capacity determines the potential range for short excursions.

Benetti B.Yond 37M
With a barbecue, a dining area, a seating area and pedestal observation chairs, Goga’s sun deck even has windows inset into the hardtop’s sides. Courtesy Benetti, Malgarini, Locci and Stanhero

Based on an average yearly 1,000 hours of use, with 400 hours spent cruising and the rest at anchor, Benetti says the system reduces carbon-dioxide emissions by up to 24 percent and nitrous-oxide emissions by up to 85 percent.

With the Benetti B.Yond 37M, Vitelli really did prove that it’s possible to get much more in a smaller length overall.

Benetti B.Yond 37M
Each of Goga’s four decks has considerable length, which, in turn, contributes to its enhanced functionality. Courtesy Benetti, Malgarini, Locci and Stanhero

The Legacy of Stefano Righini

The Benetti B.Yond series is among the last projects designed by Stefano Righini, who died in October 2021. Righini’s pen strokes characterize the looks of nearly every Azimut and Benetti yacht currently afloat too. In total, approximately 6,000 of the brands’ yachts bear his signature.

Capable Compact Cruiser

With a reported range of 5,000 nautical miles at 10 knots, the B.Yond 37M encourages owners to cruise farther and stay independent of shore longer. The yacht has the capabilities of a larger, full-displacement build in a size that’s better for small coves and many more marinas. 

Benetti B.Yond 37M
The main lounge is one deck up, offering better views and freeing more deck space for toy stowage. Courtesy Benetti, Malgarini, Locci and Stanhero

Crew Care

Because of the B.Yond 37M’s volume and deck arrangements, the crew gets more space for amenities and operations. They have a mess opposite the belowdecks galley, and a laundry area. They also have their own stairway, independent of the guests’ stairs, and a dumbwaiter connecting all decks.

Take the next step: Benettiyachts.it

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Heesen Yachts ‘Lusine’ Reviewed https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/heesen-lusine-reviewed/ Fri, 19 May 2023 18:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=60287 Heesen’s 198-foot Lusine has the most intricate interior the Dutch Shipyard has ever installed.

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198-foot Heesen Lusine
Lusine has a Fast Displacement Hull Form. It is Heesen’s largest steel-hull build in length overall and volume. Courtesy Heesen

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The Armenian word lusine translates to “moon” in English. That’s why, aboard the 198-foot Heesen Lusine, lunar and celestial themes are everywhere, from wall features to the teak decking. A crescent moon, for instance, is in the middle of the helipad. Even the font of the yacht’s name runs from thin to thick, reflecting the moon’s four waxing and waning phases.

Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design in the Netherlands created the opulent, almost art deco interior, which Heesen says is by far the most complicated and expensive it has ever produced. Initially, the yacht’s owner was inspired by Heesen’s then-Project Ceres (which launched as Galactica), but he ended up developing a fully custom vessel. At 1,079 gross tons, and based on a Fast Displacement Hull Form by Dutch naval architecture firm Van Oossanen, Lusine is Heesen’s longest and biggest-volume steel-hull yacht to date. The overall design process was led by Frank Laupman’s team at the Dutch firm Omega Architects.

Lusine’s profile fuses contemporary and modern styling to stunning effect. While the bow is conventionally pointed, the superstructure is more angular and extends a little farther forward than usual. The high foredeck terrace is vast and capable of hosting quite a party. The bridge-deck wing stations are exaggerated to create much wider side decks, and there is a hint of a bird’s wing amidships in the superstructure relief that cleverly integrates all the upper three decks without actually breaking the horizontal sweeps of glass along the main and upper decks.

198-foot Heesen Lusine interior
Lusine’s celestial theme flourishes throughout the interior. Courtesy Heesen

Not only is the craftsmanship throughout Lusine exceptional, but the level of detailed design goes way beyond the norm as well. For instance, almost every piece of furniture is custom-size, and the breathtaking parquet soles, rich joinery and intricate marquetry are made from rare woods, special stones, and unusual leathers and skins, such as stingrays and puffer fish. One of the biggest design statements is the yacht’s circular staircase and glass elevator connecting all four decks, with a contoured leather mural depicting sea, land, air and then star themes as guests rise from the yacht’s lower deck to the top deck.

Lusine’s main-deck gathering spaces are conventional enough. Entering from the cockpit seating and dining space, the main-deck salon has lounge and dining areas aft, with an amidships galley and pantry to port. A companionway to starboard leads to the formal, double-glass-door entrance and to a side-boarding ladder beyond. The double-pedestal, cornice-topped dining table has radial Macassar veneers inlaid with gold leaf, blue agate and sycamore. The custom chandelier above is from Preciosa.

Accommodations are for 16 guests in eight en suite staterooms: three with double berths on the upper deck and five with twin berths on the lower deck. The lower-deck staterooms can also be used by personal staff.

The 540-square-foot owners’ stateroom is aft on the upper deck, where many other yachts have a sky lounge. Views from here are fabulous, with a 180-degree panorama to the sides and across the upper deck’s aft lounges, dining area and hot tub. The whole space can be secured for owner privacy.

198-foot Heesen Lusine stateroom
The 540-square-foot master stateroom is located on the superyacht’s upper deck. Courtesy Heesen

Forward on the main deck is the L-shaped VIP stateroom, conceived for close family. It has an en suite double-berth stateroom and an adjacent en suite twin-berth stateroom. Both open onto a starboard-side private sitting room, which connects to the yacht’s main lobby.

The crew complement is 15. A captain’s cabin is to port abaft the modern, paperless bridge, with the remainder of the crew cabins forward on the lower deck.

Lusine has room for three Boston Whaler tenders: a 270 Vantage, a 210 Dauntless and a 180 Dauntless. The smallest and largest are housed with various toys in a forward garage, which has hinge-up doors to either side of the bow. The 210 is kept in the stern garage with more toys.

For air arrivals, a touch-and-go helipad is on the after end of the top deck. Interestingly, the area around the mast base and at the top of the central staircase is enclosed to create an alternative foyer for guests arriving this way. The space includes a pilot’s cabin.

Propulsion is twin 2,575 hp MTU 12V 4000 M65L diesels, which reportedly deliver a top speed around 18 knots and an ocean-straddling 4,200-nautical-mile range at 13 knots. Twin Naiad fins provide stabilization, and onboard power comes primarily from twin 315 kW Zenoro generators. The yacht’s air conditioning is built to high-tropical specification.

198-foot Heesen Lusine
Lounge options are plentiful on the foredeck. Aft on the top deck is a touch-and-go helipad. Courtesy Heesen

Lusine embodies all the knowledge and experience that Heesen has amassed by delivering more than 80 metal motoryachts with an average length of 155 feet in the past 20 years. The yard consistently delivers around four big yachts annually—not tied to the four phases of the moon but stellar nonetheless.

Touchstone

A coffee table in the main salon contains a small slice of lunar meteorite. A few of these rare rocks have been found on Earth and matched forensically with samples brought back from NASA’s Apollo missions. Scientists believe that the rocks arrived in debris showers following crater-creating events. A meteorite with proven provenance is the closest thing to a moon rock that money can buy; the real ones are owned by U.S. government agencies. 

Now for Sale

Sadly, Lusine’s owner died right around the time the yacht was delivered. It’s now listed for sale “as new” with Burgess and is lying in the West Mediterranean. The asking price at press time was $82 million.

Ever Larger

Lusine is Heesen’s largest steel-hull motoryacht to date, but the yard’s largest project so far is the semi-displacement, all-aluminum, 263-foot, 1,700-gross-ton Galactica, which departed the Oss, Netherlands, yard in early 2022. Galactica is also reportedly the world’s largest and fastest motoryacht with a conventional shaft-line propulsion. Heesen says the vessel is capable of 29 knots, with four MTU 20V 4000 series engines.

Busy Builder

Heesen mostly builds semi-custom projects on common platforms. In recent years, most have been fast-displacement or semi-displacement hulls in steel/aluminum or all aluminum, but, occasionally, there’s a full-displacement steel/aluminum or all-aluminum project in the mix. Lusine is a good example of its steel-hull yachts.

Take the next step: heesenyachts.com

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Mangusta Oceano 44 Reviewed https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/yachts/mangusta-oceano-44-review/ Fri, 12 May 2023 20:00:00 +0000 https://www.yachtingmagazine.com/?p=60239 The Mangusta Oceano 44 has ocean-crossing range, a full-beam master on the main deck and water views at every turn.

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Mangusta Oceano 44
Twin 1,700 hp MTU diesels propel the Mangusta Oceano 44 to a top hop of 15 to 16 knots. Courtesy Mangusta

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Roald Dahl’s character Willy Wonka had a great glass elevator that transported him wherever he wanted to go. Hull No. 1 of Overmarine’s Mangusta Oceano 44 reminded me of that story. This yacht is elevated by glass, and it has the potential to take owners just about anywhere.

This 146-foot, 461-gross-ton steel-and-aluminum design, perhaps more so than any other yacht I have seen recently, takes the tri-deck concept to new heights. Based on a hull platform from Pierluigi Ausonio and with design by Alberto Mancini, this superyacht has a particularly strong, modern profile and a light, bright, contemporary interior. Mancini is skilled at blending inside and outside spaces, in this case with sole-to-ceiling windows, sliding doors, and ghost bulwarks and balustrades.

Powered with twin 1,700 hp MTU 12V 2000 M86 diesels, the Oceano 44 reportedly reaches a top speed of 15 to 16 knots, depending on load. That said, an efficient 11 to 12 knots will be more than enough for typical cruising. At that speed, and with a fuel capacity of almost 19,000 gallons, this yacht is capable of more than 4,000 nautical miles. In theory, that’s enough for at least a trans-Atlantic crossing.

Mangusta Oceano 44 interior
The salon furniture is from Poltrona Frau, and that salon sole is Calacatta marble. Courtesy Mangusta

Whether it’s a long passage or a long weekend, the owner can spend overnights in the main-deck master stateroom. It occupies the full 28-foot-6-inch beam and has full-beam en suite facilities forward that include a bathtub and a shower stall, a vanity desk to port, a dressing area with flanking closets and a fold-down balcony.

Guests aboard Hull No. 1 can stay in what could easily be called a second owners’ stateroom aft on the deck above the master—an optional layout that replaces the standard sky lounge. In the stateroom configuration, this space includes a walk-through dressing area with flanking closets and mirrors, a portside en suite head, a vanity desk and a free-standing seat to starboard. The views from this space are spectacular, given full-height glazing on three sides that, to some degree, will slide open. Glass upper bulwarks on either side also help make the vistas impressive.

Mangusta Oceano 44
From foldout terraces to the foredeck pool with glass sides, fun and function are found at every turn. Courtesy Mangusta

The remaining four en suite guest staterooms are on the lower deck. Two have double berths, and two have twins as well as Pullmans.

There is walkaround room outside the upper deck. Inside, a captain’s cabin and ship’s office are abaft the wheelhouse, which also has wide-open views through full-height wraparound vertical windows. The bridge has doors to the port and starboard side decks and wing stations. Up front are double-bunk crew cabins, the crew mess and the yacht’s laundry.

For guests to relax seaside, there is a beach club aft with a teak-clad lower-deck lounge that occupies the full beam abaft the engine room. On the first Oceano 44, this space includes a bar, wraparound Minotti sofas and a day head. Underway, all that is seen around the waterline aft is a narrow swim platform, but at anchor, the stern can be transformed with fold-down surfaces. Part of the transom becomes a swim deck, and “beach lounges” open to the sides, effectively creating a walkaround stern. Tenders and toys are kept in a garage beneath the foredeck with a portside hinge-up door and gantry crane.

Mangusta Oceano 44
This superyacht has a particularly strong, modern profile and a light, bright, contemporary interior. Courtesy Mangusta

Additional guest relaxation areas include the cockpit, which has stand-alone furniture and great views, thanks to an absence of opaque bulwarks and transom structure. Glass panes inset into the aft-deck sole serve as skylights to the beach club below. A foredeck pool has sun pads and chaise longues, creating what the shipyard calls an “island spa.” The pool has glass walls and glazed panels in its base that serve as skylights for the master stateroom en suite below.

Up top, half of the 1,100-square-foot sun deck has hardtop protection. Free-standing furniture from Paola Lenti with upholstery from Mariaflora is here, along with a wet bar and stools. Staircases head down to the upper-deck guest lobby and pantry, aiding circulation for guests and crew. A few discreet doors also let crew move around with minimal impact on guests.

Mangusta Oceano 44 stateroom
Hull No. 1 has a main-deck master and this second, upper-deck master. Alfresco spaces are found on all decks. Courtesy Mangusta

When guests want the sanctuary of ceilings and air conditioning, there’s a conventional main salon. Hull No. 1’s is open plan, with Poltrona Frau sofas and armchairs, and an amidships dining room flanked by full-height sliding-glass doors.

Overmarine Group has considerable experience building semicustom yachts. It has been turning out Mangustas for 40 years, with more than 120 bigger than 100 feet length overall. The Mangusta Oceano 44 continues this tradition of excellence.

Mangusta Oceano 44
Up top, half of the 1,100-square-foot sun deck has hardtop protection. Courtesy Mangusta

Where It’s Made

Northwest Italy-based Overmarine has many production areas in and around Viareggio, Massa and Pisa. Mangusta Oceano 44s are built in Pisa, close to the city’s airport and backed up to a canal that connects to Livorno and the sea. 

In the Works

Owned by the Balducci family, Overmarine has around 20 yachts in progress with an average length of 130 feet across three ranges: full-displacement or fast-displacement  composite and steel aluminum builds, semi-displacement aluminum Gransports, and composite planing Maxi Opens.

The Mangusta Oceano 44 replaces the Oceano 42/43, six of which delivered between 2016 and 2021. Thus far, five of the new model have been sold. One was delivered as Sagas, and four are under construction. The second hull should be delivered this spring, with the next available slot allowing a 2025 handover.

The first three composite Mangusta Oceano 39s are also sold and under construction. The first is due to launch this spring. Two Oceano 50s have been delivered, and another three are in build.

Five Gransport 33s have been delivered, and four are in build. The next available slot is for delivery in 2025.

Take the next step: mangustayachts.com

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