SUPERYACHT DIGEST | The July Issue 2020

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ISSN 2532-4284

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QUARTERLY | Italy 10.00 €; Austria 13.50€; Belgium 11.00€; France and Principality of Monaco 13.50€;

Germany 13.50€; Spain 10.00€; Portugal (Cont.) 10.00€; UK 9.95£; USA 14.95$

Aesthetic manifesto in the art of yachting

SUPERYACHT

Year III, Volume 2 - July 2020

DIGEST Back to life together Broken But Together

by Michael Benisty

Courtesy of ART ANGELS Art Gallery (Los Angeles | Miami)

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HEIMAT. A SENSE OF BELONGING Armani Silos - Milan 22.02 - 10.01.2021 © Peter Lindbergh (All photos courtesy of the Peter Lindbergh Foundation)

We have chosen to dedicate this important introductive section of our magazine to the works by Peter Lindbergh, and especially to the initiative by Armani Silos, for two reasons.

The fashion designer is the figure that, more than any other, has reacted with great courage to the impact of covid-19 on the business. The decision to say au revoir to Paris is a strong decision, that symbolizes the end of an era. Moreover, his choice to have no seasonality, “the garments will be suitable for winter as well as lighter clothing for summer”.

Such a dramatic change - with which we can try to make a parallel - has also been requested by the superyacht communitity with the decision not to participate in the traditional Monaco Yacht Show this year. The world needs to change. We need to change.

The second reason is connected to the artist and the atmosphere of his works. For Lindbergh, Heimat is Duisburg, where he grew up, a place surrounded by a landscape of factories, fog, steel and many other grey shades. The taste of factory emerge in all of his shots, which is a kind of atmosphere that reminds us what we usually perceive visiting some yards.

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D i s t a n c i n g

w i l l

L i v e

k e e p

u s

t o g e t h e r.

r e s p o n s i b l y !

Alexandra Carlsson, Beri Smither, Harue Miyamoto, Beauduc 1993 © Peter Lindbergh, Emporio Armani Magazine 10

THE EXHIBITION / Personally curated by Giorgio Armani with the Peter Lindbergh Foundation, “Heimat. A Sense of Belonging” pays homage to the powerful affinities between two visionaries whose unique sense of identity has set very personal standards, in art as well as in life. There is an inherent honesty to Lindbergh’s work that is closely linked to his own Heimat. The word Heimat, in German, means more than home: it is a place of the heart; it is where one belongs.

PUBLISHER Pamela Paci Comunicazione Via Lorenteggio, 124 - 20146 - Milan (ITALY)

SUPERYACHT DIGEST Aesthetic Manifesto in the Art of Yachting Year III, Volume 2 - July 2020

SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook/Superyachtdigest Instagram/Superyachtdigest LinkedIn/Pamela Paci

Superyacht Digest is an International quarterly magazine registered at the Court of Milan n. 158/2016 superyachtdigest.com \ info@superyachtdigest.com

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EDITOR IN CHIEF Pamela Paci

ART DIRECTION Pamela Paci Comunicazione

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Gemma Fottles, Julia Zaltzman Alessandra Ferraiolo, Ilaria Pedrinelli, Ilaria Sabbioni

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This issue was printed on 30th June 2020.

All rights reserved.

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MEDITERRANE O

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T I M E L E S S, T H E B E N E T T I W A Y. CL ASS

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Armani Silos - Heimat. A Sense of Belonging - Courtesy of Giorgio Armani

THE ARTIST

/ Known for his cinematic images, Peter Lindbergh (1944-2019) was born in Leszno, Poland, and spent his childhood in Duisburg (North Rhine-Westphalia). He studied fine art in Berlin and free painting in Krefeld, and had a great interest in photography. Joining the Stern magazine family along with photography legends Helmut Newton, Guy Bourdin and Hans Feurer, he moved to Paris in 1978 to further his career. Lindbergh introduced a form of new realism, prioritizing the soul and the personality of the subjects. His work is best-known for the simple and revealing portraits, and the strong influences from early German cinema and the industrial surroundings of his childhood.

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OVERTURE Heimat. A sense of belonging - Armani Silos

AMELS Design rich builds

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ON COVER | BACK TO LIFE TOGHETHER Michael Benisty

CRN Exploring half a century of Made in Italy with CRN

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YAYOI KUSAMA The princess of polka dots who reigns in a male-dominated society

NEW MISSION Fincantieri Yachts presents 70m Blanche

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M/Y EXCELLENCE Eye-catching, head-turning, what else?

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Lynne Koester, Paris 1984 © Peter Lindbergh

THE WORKS / The photographer’s unique viewpoint, his idea of space and beauty and his unmistakable aesthetics are revealed,

together with the sources of inspiration, in a journey that goes beyond the idea of fashion photography.The core of the Armani/ Silos exhibition revolves around images in which expressive industrial surroundings are more than mere backgrounds. Within three movements - starting with the portraits of The Naked Truth, expanding with the powerful ambiances of Heimat, settling with the startling rawness of The Modern Heroine, the exhibition depicts the complexity and the directness of Lindbergh’s work, and its sense of timelessness.

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OPTIMA DESIGN What is behind a perfect project

SANLORENZO YACHTS Three new models make their seagoing debut this summer

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CCN - M/Y VANADIS Environmental friendly, efficiency and classic elegance

NEW ICONS Riva Superyachts Division presents RIVA 50 METRI

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SUPERYACHT TRAVEL GUIDE The ultimate guide for first-time charterers

CRANCHI SETTANTOTTO Celebrating 150 years of history

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AZIMUT VERVE 47 The ultimate boating machine

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BALTIC YACHTS Developing high performance and multi-role superyachts 16

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PAMELA PACI

EDITORIAL Back to life toghether The lesson we have learnt from covid-19 can be expressed in one only word: respect. Respect the rules, respect people. This new decade started out as any other but rapidly unfolded into a scenario that the world will remember for decades to come. The coronavirus crisis is reshaping the world; for those who work on planning our future cities and public spaces, the pandemic is both a daunting threat requiring immediate measures – and an opportunity to rethink how we live, move, and get together. Our convivial practices will have to change, but this could also become an opportunity.

After second-guessing everything from hugging our loved ones to delaying travel, there is one big question that everyone is likely thinking about: will we ever get back to the status quo? Humans don’t cope well with isolation. Restoring social spaces as soon as it’s safe to do so is more than a financial priority, experts say. It’s a way to look after people’s wellbeing. From battles on the front lines to social distancing from friends and family, COVID-19 has caused a massive shake-up of our daily lives. The worst casualty of the epidemic is the loss of human contact.

We will not return to where we were just a few months ago. The world needs a more cooperative, global and human rights-based approach to the crisis. We are physically distant today, but we must stand together.

Only global solidarity will ensure that we can combat it effectively. If we consider the position taken by the main superyacht association (SYBASS), not to take part to the Monaco Yacht Show this year, and look at it as a collective reaction, we can dare to state that this is a sort of first action representing one only community which wants to stay together in front of new condition.

If the world needed to be changed, the same goes for the nautical sector. I hope that this period of time so far from "normality" can help define new strategies, new opportunities and create a real system for the development of a HEALTHY business.

Pamela Paci

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In Every Lifetime I Will Find You Michael Benisty (2018) Courtesy of Art Angels Gallery artangels.net

by Pamela Paci

COVER STORY

BACK TO LIFE TOGETHER WHAT DID WE LEARN FROM COVID-19? LET US NOT GET CONFUSED: THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IS ABOVE ALL A HUMAN TRAGEDY AND OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES, AND TO THOSE PUTTING THEMSELVES AT RISK TO SAVE OTHERS. PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THIS HUGE COST, IT IS VITAL THAT WE LEARN AS MANY LESSONS AS WE CAN. A SORT OF MASSIVE DISRUPTION THAT, SUDDENLY AND DRAMATICALLY, CHANGED OUR "BUSINESS AS USUAL" PHILOSOPHY. THIS NATURAL EXPERIMENT MADE US REDISCOVER THE HUMAN VALUE.

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out of this world. It requires preparation both mentally and physically. "It’s a calling for those seeking freedom, enlightenment, something higher, to experience something unreal", precises Michael Benisty.

ichael Benisty was born in Antwerp, Belgium.

His self-taught creative process first began with photography throughout Europe and New York. He has worked with various publications such as Art, Architectural Digest, and Whitewall Magazine. His first Mixed Media Collection was presented in 2007 at the Xerxes Gallery in London and later at the Pearl Lam Gallery of Shanghai.

As every extreme experience you may face in your life, Burning Man can really change you. Has not the covid-19 emergency been one of those moments in your life where you need to reconsider the entire order of things? At the end of any crisis, you feel like re-born, maybe broken, but new and ready to re-start. Alone? Usually, not! People who survive with you are your new mates, fellow adventurers.

In 2012 Michael’s Die to Live Skull sculpture was presented during Art Basel Miami, standing at eight feet tall made from mirror-polished stainless steel, the sculpture was adorned with under 350,000 golden-black Swarovski elements.

The artwork In Every Lifetime I Will Find You (pg. 22), is a sculpture representing the power of love, unity and magnetism that we experience as humans, lovers and wandering souls. As the artists says, "They stop together, connected strong. Through the radiating sun, harsh winded dust storms and cold dark nights. Shining, dancing, embracing. They were one".

During the Art Basel Miami 2016, Michael’s installation was presented at the Faena hotel Art Collection.

Creating artworks in various formats, Michael Benisty creates output in photography, sculptural work, digital and multimedia art.

In 2018 he participated in the Burning Man Festival in Nevada. In late August each year, thousands of people trek out to Black Rock City in Nevada to experience the weeklong communal event of Burning Man. Everything that is brought in must be taken out, so the city that forms for just a few days leaves no trace when the event comes to an end.

This isn’t just a week of camping - elaborate structures, spaces, and art are built for temporary enjoyment and personal transformation. One such artwork at the last Burning Man was Michael Benisty’s In Every Lifetime I Will Find You, a sculpture of two figures embracing.

ON COVER Broken But Together, 2019 (Mirror polished stainless steel)

The theme of the 2018 edition was "I, robot", focusing on the many forms of artificial intelligence that permeate our lives; from the humble algorithm and its subroutines that sift us, sort us and surveil us, to automated forms of labor that supplant us. In a world increasingly controlled by smart machines, who will be master and who will be the slave? That was the question.

In continuation of In Every Lifetime I Will Find You, presented at Burning Man 2018, Broken But Together represents a more fragile side to relationships. As humans we are destined to live our individual paths, but by nature our stories become entwined within others. The complexities of love and growth are expressed within this symbol of unity and protection.

In an interview released to Whitewall, the artist described the event Burning Man as a primal and communal experience, truly unlike any other. Challenging, magical and free. You can experience a place and time that is absolutely

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Mirage Michael Benisty (2017) Courtesy of Art Angels Gallery artangels.net

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Art Angels art gallery works for the artist in exclusive.

Talking about the artist, Jacquelin Napal and Kat Emery, both founders and owners of the gallery (based in Los Angeles and Miami), state, "We find Michael Benisty and his breathtaking sculptures to be phenomenal. Each piece speaks for itself and provides the viewer with a very unique experience, an internal dialog of sorts that evokes so many beautiful emotions. His installations are unforgettable and we are very grateful to be able to share this love with our collectors".

Sacred Grounds Michael Benisty (2019) Courtesy of Art Angels Gallery artangels.net

As to Sacred Ground, this is a beautiful piece that represents the Wonders of Mother Natures beautiful creations. The two gallerists continue, "Part Woman, part tree she is able to emerge in the harshest of conditions to spread her light.

Giving energy to all whom seek, she becomes a communal place for comfort, strength and growth. She is a symbol of feminine divinity and maternal protection".

Beginning my journey as an artist, I dreamt of making a change in the world.

Throughout the evolution of my work, in sculptures and installations, I have been honored to witness my pieces transform into community spaces that become filled with global dialogue and self expression without barriers.

"A healer enchantress and shape changer, Mirage has been a beacon of love, hope and all things magic for those who had the good fortune of viewing this 5 meter tall sculpture during Burning Man".

I have learned to regard my art to what it means to others, as I now finds inspiration in human evolution.

My intention to combine humanity, spirituality, nature and mythicism is not just to build something beautiful, but rather to create an experience that encourages growth and discovery.

At the end of our conversation with Jacquelin and Kat, we asked them how the covid-19 impacted on the art world.

"The art world has been greatly affected by Covid, forcing all of those within the industry to rethink how they will be able to interact with collectors, support artists and create/ generate awareness and sales when no one can physically go into any spaces. We have always placed an emphasis on diversifying our platforms to ensure that we are well equipped for moments such as these and we will continue to do so".

I see my work as both iconic and holistic - with bold pieces that radiate and react to all environments they're placed in.

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Yayoi Kusama © YAYOI KUSAMA Courtesy of NYBG - “KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature”, The New York Botanical Garden (exhibition re-scheduled in spring 2021)

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by Ilaria Pedrinelli

WORLD'S FAVOURITE ARTISTS | YAYOI KUSAMA

THE PRINCESS OF POLKA DOTS WHO REIGNS IN A MALE-DOMINATED SOCIETY SMALL, PETITE, WITH HER SIGNATURE BRIGHT RED WIG AND EXTRAVAGANT CLOTHES AND SUNGLASSES, YAYOI KUSAMA HAS HAD IN THE WORLD OF ART THE SAME STRONG IMPACT LADY GAGA HAS IN THE WORLD OF MUSIC. CHARACTER, PERSONALITY, A SPECIAL NEED OF EXPRESSION THAT COMES FROM THE CORE OF THE HUMAN SENTIMENT AND REASON.

Life, 2015 © YAYOI KUSAMA - Courtesy of NYBG - “KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature”

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er artistic style influenced Andy Warhol e Roy Lichtenstein pop art, amongst others. A genius that created an original, unique, innovative and recognizable art through a series of polka dots painted on walls. Yayoi Kusama is the biggestselling and the most successful contemporary female artist in the world. One of her canvases was sold at auction for $7.1m, a record for a living female artist. At 91 years old she is still astonishingly prolific.

Yayoi Kusama's life is a touching testament of the healing power of art. Born and raised in Japan during II World War, plagued by mental illness as a small child and abused by a callous mother, the young artist persisted by using her hallucinations and personal obsessions as sources for her prolific artistic output.

Today, she lives in a mental facility in Japan, where she voluntarily entered in 1977. When Kusama began to see hallucinations as a child, her way of coping with the bizarre phenomena was to paint what she saw. She says that art became a way to express her mental disease. She earned her recognition despite sexism, racism and a stigma of mental illness and emerged as the bestselling and most influential female contemporary artist.

With hours-long lines to enter her museums and gallery, there is no doubt that Kusama is a crowd favourite. In the past five years, more than 5 million visitors have queued for her exhibitions, all involving pumpkins, mirrors and, of course, polka dots. She is the most instagrammable artist: just search for #YayoiKusama and #InfiniteKusama.

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Infinity mirrorer room - Illusion Inside the Heart, 2020 © YAYOI KUSAMA Courtesy of NYBG - “KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature”

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Disobeying her mother, Kusama studied art in Matsumoto and Kyoto. During that time, Japan rejected any Western influence so Kusama was forced to only study Nihonga, which consisted of creating paintings using 1000 years old traditional Japanese techniques and materials. Her artistic talent was already clear at a very young age.

Her dream was to become a painter, so she started painting at 10. Her mother didn’t want her to paint, she wanted her to study etiquette in order to make a good arranged marriage with someone rich and become a housewife. When she was a girl her mother tore her canvas and took her inks away.

Her mother had such a disrespect of her art. When Yayoi Kusama got to New York and went on top of the Empire State Building she promised herself one day she would conquer NYC with her passion for the art.

However, the strict conservative Japanese culture and her abusive mother were too much to handle for Kusama, and in 1957 she moved to the United States, settling in New York City. Kusama arrived in New York, at 27, with a few hundred dollars sewn into the lining of her dresses, with 60 silk kimonos and some drawings. Her plan was to survive by selling either one or the other. Before she left, Kusama's mother handed her some money and told her to never set foot in her house again. She had no friends and couldn’t speak English so breaking into the art world was a big deal.

Born in 1929 in Matsumoto, Japan, Yayoi Kusama grew up as the youngest of four children. Her childhood was anything but idyllic. Her parents were the product of a loveless, arranged marriage. Her absent father was a womanizer and was adulterous with many different women. His angry and lonely wife turned to Kusama, physically abusing and emotionally tormenting her youngest child. She used to

Flower Obsession (Sunflower) © YAYOI KUSAMA - Courtesy of NYBG - “KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature”

However, once in the United States, Kusama was free to explore her artistic expression that was previously censored in Japan. In the 1960s, she got into contact with different artists including Donald Judd, Andy Warhol, Joseph Cornell and Claes Oldenburg, influencing many along the way.

send her daughter to spy on her father which lead to the mental trauma and a permanent aversion to sex and the male body. At the age of ten Kusama began experiencing vivid hallucinations in which flowers spoke to her and patterns in fabric would come to life. She began to draw these visions as a therapeutic outlet, looking for solace and control over her anxiety. It was her way of making sense of her hallucinations. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, when Kusama was 13, she was conscripted to work in a military factory sewing parachutes for Japan's World War II efforts.

Her teenage years were spent in the darkness of the factory listening to air-raid sirens and the sounds of army planes.

The horrors of war would have a lasting effect on her, leading Kusama to create numerous anti-war works later on in life.

Her experience at the factory also provided her with an incredible sewing ability, which was useful for creating her soft sculptures in the 1960s.

During that time Kusama worked feverishly, fully embracing the free-spirited hippie culture of the 1960s, which also included protesting against war. Combining these themes with her own intimate anxieties, she created a deeply personal art, still spoking about the injustices of the time.

She became a central figure in the New York avant-garde and her works were exhibited alongside those by Donald Judd, Claes Oldenburg, and Andy Warhol.

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Kusama's artistic output during this 15-year period was prolific and diverse, experimenting with drawing, painting, sculpture, performance, fashion, writing and installation.

She would sometimes work up to 50 hours restlessly.

In 1973 she moved back to Japan to seek treatment for her mental exhaustion and declining physical health. When she got back to Japan, no one knew her, it was a new beginning for her, a starting point. To her eyes, Japan was quite oldfashioned, in comparison with Wester world she had left behind.

In 1977, after being diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive neurosis, Kusama checked herself in to the Seiwa Mental Hospital and has been living there by choice ever since.

She also has a studio with assistances, space for painting, a library and her archive right across the road. Every morning she goes there, she is professional, after all. She works from 9 to 6. Her way of managing her madness has always been so sane. She took her traumas and past experience to a productive end.

In 1993 she reborn when she was invited to represent Japan at the 45th Venice Biennale. The acclaimed Infinity Mirror Room containing her signature dotted pumpkins, together with the artist's performances alongside, renewed the interest and appreciation for her work and the artist herself.

She was the first woman to represent Japan. Before this official participation, in 1966 with the help of Lucio Fontana, she placed 1,500 mirrored balls before the Italian flag and stood there in her kimono Narcissus Garden, uninvited and without authorization.

In 2008 one of Kusama's Infinity Nets, set a new art auction price records for a living female artist and led to collaborations with luxury fashion retailers, like Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton in 2012. They released the “LOUIS VUITTON X YAYOI KUSAMA collection” which features, of course, big, bright and obsessive polka dots. In 2013 she partnered with Lancôme for a lip gloss.

For Kusama, artmaking has always been an essential survival mechanism, a therapy. Kusama uses art to process hallucinations, to confront personal phobias, especially the fear of sex stemming from the traumatic experiences of her childhood. This is quite clear in her soft sculptures and furniture pieces covered in phallic forms. She had a negative relationship with sex, her mother taught her that it was something to be ashamed of and to be hidden, not to mention, dirty. Her family wanted an arranged marriage for her, excluding any possibility of romance. Whatever she painted or reproduced is within her, is therapeutic, she uses art as a medium to overcome her fears and her interior discomfort and uneasiness. Obsession, traumas and fear are the main themes of her works. Her art rises from illusions, and taboos.

Digging in her remote past we better understand her art: since she was very little, she suffered from obsessive-compulsive disturb and hallucinations. At 12 she had a severe crisis: the flower pattern of a tablecloth spread all around the room, on walls and floors, and from that moment on it became a lifelong obsession. Well aware of her hallucination’s realm, she lived her reality in horror. At that time, psychiatry was not accepted and she had to face it all by herself. The only way to cope with that burden was to represent what she saw, to transfer on paper her hallucinations.

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Pumpkins Screaming About Love Beyond Infinity, 2017

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Polka dots, gigantic flowers, nets, soft protuberances and phallic forms, multiplication, obsessive accumulation are the main ingredients of her oeuvres.

Before reaching the exalted position of being the most influential artist in contemporary art and one of the best-selling painters in the world, Kusama had to endure childhood trauma and watch her ideas openly stolen by her male peers, which led to mental illness and suicide attempts.

Her extraordinary story is told in a fascinating biographical documentary, "Kusama: Infinity", directed by Heather Lenz and released in September 2018. _______________

Her early work in New York City included “Infinity net” paintings. Those consisted of thousands of tiny marks obsessively repeated across large canvases as if they continued into infinity, creating an almost hypnotic sensation for both the viewer and the artist.

Obsessive repetition continued to be a theme in Kusama’s sculpture and installation art, which she began to exhibit in the early 1960s. The theme of sexual anxiety was clear in Accumulation No. 1 in which Kusama covered the surface of an armchair with small soft phallic sculptures constructed from white fabric. Installations from that time included "Infinity Mirror Room - Phalli’s Field" (1965), a mirrored room whose floors were covered with hundreds of stuffed phalli painted with red dots.

Probably the most fascinating is "Gleaming lights of the Souls". In a room full of mirrors, Yayoi a hundred lamps hang from the ceiling. The lamps change colour in a way that transport the visitor into a special rythm and pulse, almost as though we become one with the universe of the installation.

She exposed her works all over the world, having an incredible success: Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art, New York, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, as well as a major retrospective shown at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofí�a, Madrid; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Tate Modern, London; and Whitney Museum of American Art, New York. The artist has won numerous awards and honors, including the Asahi Prize, French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and 18th Praemium Imperiale award for painting.

A multitalented woman that explored any artistic reality, starting from painting, to writing, fashion and cinema. An artist that despite her mental health is able to mix and match illusion and reality, conveying her thoughts, values and principle in her art that she managed to diffuse all over the world. A great artist and a fragile woman that survived her mental illness, that lived traumatic experiences, all strictly linked to her art.

She has identified herself as an outsider, a female artist in a male-dominated society, a Japanese in the Western art world and as a victim of her own neurotic and obsessional symptoms. Nonetheless, she is now Japan’s most prominent contemporary artist.

Outsider, that’s the title of our issue of April. Not merely different, but source of inspiration for the others, art lovers or artistis. Yayoi Kusama is in the world of art the outsider par excellence. In this issue, we have tried to emphasize the meaning of being an outsider in the design sector. Do you agree with our editorial choice?

Let us know at info@superyachtigest.com

© YAYOI KUSAMA - Courtesy of NYBG “KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature”

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by Ilaria Sabbioni

Photos: Exteriors © Guillaume Plisson / Interiors © Winch Design

M/Y EXCELLENCE

GERMAN, EFFICIENT AND WITH A GROUNDBRAKING LAYOUT: THIS IS THE NEW MOTOR YACHT EXCELLENCE BY ABEKING & RASMUSSEN LAUNCHED LAST YEAR. FEATURING GLASS PANELS ALL AROUND, GYM, SPA AND LIMOUSINE TENDER, HER SPACESHIP-LIKE SILHOUETTE IS UNLIKE ANYTHING THAT HAS EVER COME BEFORE.

EYE-CATCHING, HEAD-TURNING, WHAT ELSE?

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he yard is always willing to take a step further in terms of audacity to stand its ground in unknown territory. "To get to know new worlds without losing sight of the old values, means that we discover new possibilities in new challenges and thereby develop new qualities". Abeking & Rasmussen places a lot of emphasis on this motto, determined to live up to it with every construction that they deliver.

Value, safety and fascination are also key principles embedded into Abeking and Rasmussen’s vessels. Founded in 1907 in Lemwerder, the German shipyard has gathered more than a century of expertise in building luxury, high-quality boats.

That, combined with a visionary approach brings about spectacular and unique models, such as Excellence, the one we are now presenting, that brings forward a new era of superyacht design.

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Excellence has been developed by Abeking and Rasmussen in collaboration with UK-based design studio Winch Design, whose team, headed by famous designer Andrew Winch, managed to confer to her such a distinctive layout that smashes the mould and promises to turn as many heads in 20 years’ time as she does today and earned her the title of masterpiece of modern yacht design. This is how Andrew Winch commented on the boat: "Excellence represents a huge milestone. A completely unique superstructure, she signifies an innovative and exciting new genre for Winch Design".

to the creation of an unforgettable experience. The interiors, curated as well by Winch Design are no less breath-taking with an array of sophisticated and thoughtful details and cutting-edge amenities, such us a tiered cinema, a spa and a well-equipped gym.

The owner is not new in the world of superyachts, in fact he already possessed a 60-metre vessel that he thought couldn’t be bettered, until he saw a rendering of Excellence at the 2015 Fort Lauderdale show and “fell in love”, as he states.

When the owner laid his eyes on the futuristic boat, work had already begun and some of her main features where already in place, but some others where changed and adjusted to the owner’s likings, making Excellence a fully customized yacht.

Following her launch in May 2019 and successful sea trials along the river Weser, on whose shores the yard is based, and in the North Sea, the 80-metre superyacht was delivered to her owner and put on display for her international debut at the Monaco Yacht Show 2019.

The already mentioned mirror glass panels are the most eye-catching peculiarity of the clean exterior design, but they nonetheless represented a challenge for the Abeking & Rasmussen in-house engineering team, who had to fix these 1.3-tonne panels and make them perfectly rigid, so as to not disturb the mirror-finish and provide excellent insulation to spare the yacht’s air conditioning. This accomplishment marks an exciting and impressive first time for the German yard, as never before have glass panels been installed in these dimensions on one of their superyachts.

Excellence features steel hull, aluminum superstructure, 14.45-meter beam and a draft of 3.5 meters. Among her out-standing traits we find her angular reverse bow, spaceship-like silhouette made of sleek and harsh lines, water-level limousine tender and floor-to-ceiling mirrored glass windows, skillfully positioned along the bridge and owner’s decks, that ensure a perfect outlook and contribute 35

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THE UNUSUAL LINES ALSO REPEATEDLY PRESENTED MAJOR CHALLENGES. HANS SCHAEDLA, CEO OF ABEKING & RASMUSSEN, COMMENTED: "WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY YACHT AND OUR EXCEPTIONAL WORKFORCE, WHO MASTERED ALL REQUIREMENTS BRAVELY".

jet-ski are stored. On this deck the spa and treatment room is to be found. This is a very cozy place designed with neutral wooden colors that convey a very relaxing aspect to the area where people can indulge in invigorating and restoring treatments after a day in the sun. Contact with the outdoor space is never let out of sight, not even here, thanks to large windows. The main deck also features a nine-seats cinema.

On the main deck aft there is a swimming pool and platform with a small, relaxing bar attached to it that enables guest to dip into the water o sip a drink while taking in the surrounding landscape. Here sliding doors lead to the sprawling beach club with sea terrace, and to the tender garage, where a range of water accessories such as sea bobs, sail boats and

Excellence owner was adamant about creating an ambience connected to the outside world, and that is best expressed in the triple-height atrium. This space is flooded with light thanks to the use of glasses that enclose the space from the main deck all the way up to the owner’s deck.

Above, the bridge deck hosts another chilled bar and plenty of comfortable sits, together with a 14-sits outdoor table that provides the perfect opportunity for small gatherings with all the guests on board.

Excellence, the sixth largest vessel of Abeking & Rasmussen, offers more than the expected. The yacht truly lives up to her name in every sense, and especially with all the extras: she provides the perfect opportunity for indulgent relaxation as well as for entertaining and socializing thanks to her spacious layout that allows a lot of facilities to be accommodated on board.

The owner’s deck, that has been designed to ensure privacy and comfort, offers yet another place for relaxation with a jacuzzi and sun-bathing area. Moreover, the sun deck is home to another jacuzzi and is furnished with multiple lounge areas.

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WITH REGARD TO THE INTERIORS, THE COMMON THREAD IS LUXURY CARS, AN HOMAGE PAYED TO THE OWNER’S CAREER IN CAR DEALERSHIPS. AS A MATTER OF FACT, CAR DETAILING IS TO BE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE BOAT, RANGING FROM THE BLACK-AND-WHITE CONCENTRIC CIRCLES ON THE SALOON FLOOR AND CEILING THAT RECALLS THE TYRES OF A CLASSIC CAR, TO THE DOUBLE-STITCHED LEATHER DETAILING IN THE CABINS.

well as in the cabins to further enhance the luxury feeling of the indoor spaces.

Clever use of mirrors throughout the interior serves to extend sight lines and broaden perspectives. In the main saloon, for example, mirrors behind the louvres make the casing around the ventilation shafts disappear. There are also thin mirrored strips all the way around the top of walls in the cabins, which fool the eye into seeing more space. It has meant being equally cunning with the use of indirect lighting.

Excellence can host up to 14 guests (with 20 crew members) divided in six guest cabins, that the owner requested to be of 25 square metres and of very similar comfort, to avoid any competition for “the big cabin”. Every cabin though has a unique character and its own feature headboard and color scheme. On top of that, the master cabin also features wool carpets with crocodile pattern by Oliver Treutlein and woven silver wire that makes the window mullions look like precious carbon fiber. It is also partially encased in the glass panels to provide 180-degree views over the surroundings.

The ventilation louvers in the cabin are designed to look like the grill of a bonnet, and there are tyre-track patterns curved into the wooden paneling of a day head.

The innovative, unconventional exterior layout is perfectly balanced with the modern approach adopted for the inside, where bright coffee tones set the mood for a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. Premium-quality materials, such as noble woods, fine Italian leather and rarefied marbles have been chosen for Excellence and placed in common areas as

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Many spaces designed for conviviality await inside too. The filled-with-light roomy saloon on the main deck features another large dining table, positioned at the back of the room behind a comfortable lounge area at the center of which there is a coffee table surrounded by cream-colored sofas.

The soft but bright neutral colors of the furnishing and the luminosity that shines through the massive glass panels that enclose the space characterize this saloon. On the other side, the lounge on the upper deck is more sporty-looking ad carinspired. White is the predominant nuance here, interrupted by maroon and golden-brown accents.

Any imperfection would be highly visible in mirror-effect windows like the ones used on board Excellence. In order to achieve the effect, the entire engineering and building process was re-developed. The clean minimalistic appearance of the inclined superstructure prevented the use of any standard exterior doors as the hinges would be visible on the outside.

All exterior doors in the inclined superstructure therefore have been custom designed and produced. The vessels exterior design with the conical shaped glass at the end provided further challenges for the interior. To cover all conically curved 3D angled trapeze shaped windows with blinds, intense research and development was done to solve this. The window sides and top and bottom are simply not parallel. The impact and reduction of interior space by the blinds was kept to be as minimal as possible. The two open unsupported beams and the open space in the atrium staircase were only possibly by enlightening the structure and the use of open unexposed highly tensile steel beams which were to be integrated into the aluminum structure, requiring detailed analysis due to its complexity and location in the vessel".

Excellence is equipped with zero speed stabilizers that reduce rolling motion when anchored. She cruises at 14 knots, with a maximum speed of 17 knots.

ABEKING & RASMUSSEN TELLS SYD MORE ABOUT THE MAIN CHALLANGES BEHIND THIS UNIQUE BUILD

"The design of Excellence is outside the standards. The unforgiving mirror effect of the outer glazing required extreme building accuracy and meeting minimum tolerances.

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AMELS 60 © DAMEN YACHTING

by Julia Zaltzman

AMELS

DESIGN RICH BUILDS

DUTCH SHIPYARD AMELS’ NEW WAVE OF LIMITED EDITIONS YACHTS OFFER TODAY’S YACHT CLIENTS THE HOLY GRAIL OF OWNERSHIP – FAST DELIVERY, PROVEN ENGINEERING, CUSTOMISATION, AND, OF COURSE, DESIGN PERSONALITY.

A

mels is a shipyard on a mission. From its Vlissingen facilities in Holland, it manages an almost relentless output in its climate-controlled halls and vast covered dry docks. Announcing a steady stream of new yacht launches as though they’re going out of fashion, its partnership with high profile superyacht designers has done much to boost the awareness and popularity of its latest offerings. Prolific at the very least, Amels, which has been part of Damen Shipyards since 1991, is dominating the industry.

But don’t just take my word for it. The proof is in the pudding. The Amels 60 – the yard’s brand new 60-metre Limited Editions yacht – launched at the 2019 Monaco Yacht Show, and has so far already sold two models; the first in November 2019, and the second in February 2020. Both are currently under construction for delivery to their owners in 2022. It’s easy to understand why this latest design is proving so popular, too.

In addition to hybrid power and propulsion technology, the yacht’s key features include a large sun deck, swim platform and folding owner’s suite balcony. A nine-metre luxury tender stowed on the foredeck is also a welcome addition.

When coupled with a generous interior volume of 830GT and Amels’ signature large main deck windows, the result is a boat that can be tailored to suit the owner’s lifestyle and preferences, but delivers on the latest design trends within the yachting industry.

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AMELS 60 © DAMEN YACHTING

"The AMELS 60 has a future-proof hybrid package that our clients can rely on", explains Rose Damen, Managing Director of Yachting for Amels and Damen. "No full displacement superyacht of this size can match the AMELS 60’s comfort, quality and efficiency in such a cost-effective design. We developed pragmatic technology that works invisibly in the background to deliver maximum efficiency, minimum impact on our environment, with the widest operating flexibility".

interiors and exterior styling, but it is the first time Øino has designed a "yacht up front".

"When first approaching the design of the Amels 60, my aim was to try and do something that would endure the test of time", explains Øino. "I believe that a timeless design will appeal to the highest percentile in a community of potential yacht owners, but will do the same in 10 years’ time, as well. In my opinion, simplicity is the key to achieving that, therefore creating a design that isn’t necessarily perceived as being typical of a certain era".

Amels naval architects, in collaboration with parent company Damen Shipyards’ in-house Research Laboratory, developed the all-new hull form, which provides the optimum combination of full displacement comfort with fuel efficiency. The owner benefits from very low noise and vibrations, lower fuel and maintenance costs, while also reducing harmful emissions. However, equally as significant is the exterior penmanship from renowned designer Espen Øino. Each Limited Editions yacht is recognised for fast delivery, a proven and reliable technical platform, custom

"But, alongside simplicity, boats, as opposed to buildings, are dynamic moving objects", adds the Norwegian-born designer, "so you need to bring in some dynamic elements to the design. And that's the trick – trying to make it simple, yet dynamic".

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speaks for itself", says Caminada. "Since the introduction of the concept in 2005, we have sold more than 40 Limited Editions yachts. They have proven successful and popular for both private and charter use, and across the range fast delivery combined with high quality remain the key characteristics. These are the features that our clients value, many of whom are repeat clients who have chosen to step up from 55-metre Limited Editions to one of the larger designs in the range".

Examples of this design philosophy include the sheer line transition from the upper deck to the bridge deck and down to the main deck, as well as the paired back design of the bulwarks and overhangs. Also, the top deck arch is "a fairly plain design and yet similarly quite distinctive", explains the designer, while the bow is neither vertical nor classic. "It's a modern interpretation of something you would have seen perhaps 70 or 80 years ago, so there's a hint of retro there, without it being a retro design", he says.

The AMELS 60 is the builder’s second collaboration with Øino, following the 78m AMELS Full Custom that is now under construction for delivery in 2021. Launched in December 2019, it is the builder’s first fully custom built yacht since introducing its AMELS Limited Editions range.

The yacht touched water for the first time at the end of last year after the hull’s successful launch at Damen Shipyard’s hull-building facility on the Danube. Following transport to Amels’ outfitting yard in Vlissingen in early 2020, the

Since 2007, AMELS has built more than 40 Limited Editions yachts in its hugely successful premium semicustom range – from 55 to 83 metres in length. According to Amels’ marketing manager, Victor Caminada, it’s the yard’s continuous innovation and commitment to absolute top quality that has proven the Limited Editions’ enduring appeal to modern superyacht owners.

"The overwhelming success of the Limited Editions ranges

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AMELS 60 © DAMEN YACHTING

explains Rose Damen. "During these busy periods we have up to 1,500 men and women working at our yards, including our own personnel and our co-maker companies,” she comments. “Everything is running like clockwork!".

2,850GT yacht is the yard’s largest yacht to date, in terms of volume. Here Comes The Sun launched in 2017 remains the longest at 83m.

Speaking at the launch, owner’s representative Andrew Tree of Superyacht Technical Services, commented: "This truly custom yacht, with stunning design both inside and out, could only be achieved with the greatest collaboration, having the very best of European design and the highest quality of construction and management. It has been a pleasure to represent the owner throughout this prestigious build process and we look forward to her completion and delivery in 2021".

In November 2019, the productive builder also announced the sale of a 60m AMELS 200 from its Limited Editions Range. Sharing the same naval architecture, high volume and hybrid electrical power technology as its predecessor the AMELS 188, as well as a four-deck elevator and airconditioned gym on the sun deck, the elongated AMELS 200 features larger aft decks and swim platform, as well as fullheight windows in the owner’s suite. Exterior designed by Rockstar designer Tim Heywood, the unique interior is by London-based studio Reymond Langton, while the client was represented by Burgess in the sale. Impressively, the next available AMELS 200 is already in build for fast delivery.

In total 13 yachts are currently under construction at the Vlissingen hub. The 78m AMELS Full Custom joins four Limited Editions yachts, two DAMEN SeaXplorers and five refits. Completing all these projects requires expert project management and craftsmanship from everyone involved,

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AMELS 60 © DAMEN YACHTING

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67M M/Y NENINKA (ex AURORA BOREALIS) – © Breedmedia for Fraser Yachts

Aurora Borealis’ fully custom interior hails from the design boards of British studio Winch Design. Taking inspiration from nature and the surrounding skies, Winch Design opted for naturally beautiful materials to embellish her indulgent interior and create a fresh, soft, light and spacious design, explains Jim Dixon, Winch Design’s Director of Yachts and Aviation: "A harmonious, refined and Scandinavian influenced design is bought to life with intricate detailing to create an impressively luxurious and fully custom interior.

The extended transom beach club features a full-service bar and relaxing lounge space. Spa facilities include a changing room, shower, ice-drop and large steam room decorated with a hand-made pietra dura mosaic artwork and a fibreoptic starlight ceiling".

This last point can be something of a deal clincher, particularly when it came to 68m Aurora Borealis. Another Heywood design, and one which sold to a new owner in February 2020, the 68m yacht came into play when the owner was looking for a yard who could build his boat within three years. Launched in 2019, Amels was able to make the short time period thanks to its proven engineering platform, despite the changes made to the design, including additional length, says Antoine Larricq of Fraser Yachts, who represented the owner during the build.

"There were a number of customisations, including extended decks, a large beach club and swim platform, to be made with a relatively short delivery time of less than three years", he explains. "That obviously always adds challenges but thanks to the naval architecture and engineering already being in place, we were able to get started with the steel-cutting straight away".

The result, much like its peers, is otherworldly.

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67M M/Y NENINKA (ex AURORA BOREALIS) – © Breedmedia for Fraser Yachts

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67M M/Y NENINKA (ex AURORA BOREALIS) – © Breedmedia for Fraser Yachts

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VICTOR CAMINADA EXPLAINS MORE ABOUT AMELS LIMITED EDITIONS

SYD: "Amels has now built more than 40 Limited Editions yachts, what sets the AMELS 60 apart?"

VC: "The AMELS 60 is the new generation of our superyachts. She features new innovative naval architecture, her future-proof hybrid technology has been built with the environment in mind and her huge sun deck, nine-metre luxury tender and generous interior volume of 830GT are aimed at today’s yachting needs. She is the result of three years of comprehensive research and development, founded on the success of the generation that came before her. The more obvious difference is of course the introduction of a different designer for the AMELS 60 - Espen Øino".

SYD: "How have the AMELS Limited Editions yachts evolved over time to meet the changing needs of today's yacht owners?"

VC: "We are continuously innovating and evolving our product range to meet not only the changing needs of today’s yacht owners but also the changing requirements of our industry and responsibility to our environment. The AMELS 60 is a great example of how we have regenerated the proven and successful Limited Editions concept to create a new design perfectly suited to modern yachting needs.

SYD: "What specific requirements did the owner of Aurora Borealis have in mind during the design and build stage?"

VC: "The owner was looking for a yard who could build his boat within three years. To achieve the specific requirements that he had within the relatively short delivery time, the AMELS Limited Editions design and engineering platform quickly became the ideal starting point. He could draw on a proven engineering pedigree and existing AMELS design (namely the AMELS 212), and customise this to suit his own yachting needs. The result was a longer and larger yacht, now known as the AMELS 220 design.

The very concept of AMELS Limited Editions embraces evolution be it in design features, length or technology. Each design within each of the Limited Editions range has evolved over time based on the valuable feedback we gain from our clients and captains enabling us to fine tune the ranges to meet current and future needs whilst still guaranteeing the fast delivery and high quality AMELS is renowned for. There is also a strong internal drive to innovate and incorporate the latest technology so as to anticipate changing needs. The AMELS 188 Limited Editions VOLPINI 2 is a great example of this. She was the world’s first Tier III compliant new build yacht when she was delivered in July 2018, well ahead of the introduction of this new industry standard, and the first with AMELS Hybrid Power. Furthermore, the Limited Editions AMELS 188 design has since evolved further to become the AMELS 200 with an extended swim platform and full-height windows on the main deck - a design evolution geared towards owners’ needs".

To meet the owner’s specific requirements there were a number of customisations made to the original design.

These included extended decks, a large beach club and swim platform. The transom has also been opened up to give a greater feeling of space, which has been helped by pushing the passerelle outboard, plus we have removed the ears on the aft extremities of the swim platform to create a smooth curved transom. These customisations were important in order to make the space child friendly as the owner has young children".

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By Gemma Fottles

CELEBRATING CRN

EXPLORING HALF A CENTURY OF MADE IN ITALY WITH CRN WHEN IT COMES TO YACHTING, FEW NATIONS IN THE WORLD RIVAL THE SHIPBUILDING POWER AND DESIGN PROWESS OF ITALY. AT THE HEART OF THE LUXURY BOAT BUSINESS SINCE DAY ONE AND ENJOYING NEAR-CONSTANT DEMAND FOR BIGGER AND BETTER ITALIAN BOATS, THE ITALIAN BOATBUILDING BUSINESS IS DRIVEN BY IMPASSIONED SHIPYARDS, DESIGNERS AND YACHTING PROFESSIONALS THAT THRIVE ON THE SPIRIT OF YACHTING, A JOY OF THE BEAUTIFUL AND A LOVE FOR THE IMPECCABLE. M/Y J’ADE, 2012 - © CRN YACHTS

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O

the end of the 1960s, CRN boasted an order book full of 15 to 20-metre luxury yachts with a distinctly Italian style.

pening its doors in 1963, the CRN shipyard is one yard that has undoubtedly contributed to the ongoing evolution of the Italian industry and its reputation as a world-leader in luxury yacht building. With 75 custom superyachts over 25 metres in length having emerged from CRN's sheds on the Adriatic Coast, the yard has grown with the demand of its exacting clients, working with the best designers to secure its place as one of the preeminent builders of luxury yachts in not just Italy, but the world.

With growing international demand, in the 1970s, CRN launched the yard's first range of 23-metre yachts. The SuperConero was not only a milestone for the yard as their largest yacht but a clear indication of the changing times. As boat designs and construction practices developed, so did the appetite for larger and more advanced yachts than ever before. Over the next 20 years, the yard would reach higher and higher, delivering advanced custom superyachts up to 68 metres and working with a range of esteemed interior and exterior designers from Italy and the world.

With a new 79-metre delivery that made waves in Monaco along with sheds full of exciting new projects, here we take a closer look at the Italian yard, from humble beginnings in Ancona to its latest launch at the Monaco Yacht Show and exciting future projects in build.

The next two decades saw CRN go from strength to strength, with several major shifts propelling the yard into the future of large custom yacht building. In 1999, CRN joined the Ferretti Group, a market leader in the design and construction of yachts and megayacht, with a unique portfolio of some of the nautical world’s most exclusive, prestigious brands, from Ferretti Yachts, Riva and Itama to Mochi, Pershing and Custom Line.

BACK TO THE BEGINNING

In January 2012, the Ferretti Group was acquired by Chinese conglomerate SHIG-Weichai. Like the Group's other brands, CRN retained its identity, with Weichai deciding to develop its shipbuilding arm as a strategic priority. This financial solidity enabled CRN to forge ahead with Ferretti Group's long-term growth plans, and the following year, the 80-metre Chopi Chopi marked the largest CRN yacht ever delivered.

Founded by Sanzio Nicolini in Ancona as Costruzioni e Riparazioni Navali, from the very beginning the CRN yard differentiated itself from the ever-growing luxury yacht market. Recruiting only the finest shipbuilding experts and choosing only to build yachts of steel and aluminium was a seemingly unusual decision at the time. Nevertheless, success came hard and quick over the first few years in business. By

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M/Y CHOPI CHOPI, 2013 Š CRN YACHTS 70

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BECOMING CRN / FIRST EXPLORER M/Y F100 - 32.9M, 1983

In 1983, CRN delivered the F100, a 32.8-metre yacht designed by the yacht designer Gerhard Gilgenast for Gianni Agnelli, head of the famous Italian car-making dynasty. It was an adventure that defined CRN's future and gave the company a considerable impetus. The F100 was the most advanced vessel that the yard had yet built; she foreshadowed a type of yacht that would be all the rage twenty years later. Her unmistakable svelte lines by the yacht designer Gerhard Gilgenast helped to launch the "minimalist" movement in contemporary yacht design. She was an extremely robust, comfortable craft well-suited to long cruises in all weathers, the first yacht with floating rubber supports for a delightfully quiet ride.

This was also the first explorer yacht from CRN, and her utilitarian design would prove inspirational, paving the way for many others to follow.

FULLY CUSTOM INNOVATION M/Y CHOPI CHOPI - 80M, 2013

The 80-metre Chopi Chopi, delivered in 2013, is the largest custom yacht built at CRN. Chopi Chopi is a symbol of Italian excellence in the yachting world featuring all CRN distinctive features with a dedicated owner's deck.

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CRN'S MOST SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES Like all others, this vessel is the expression of all the shipyard's main strengths, offering the owner's vision and ways of enjoying the sea to the fullest: balconies, open terraces in the guest cabins, the beach club, and extensive glazing. Moreover, solutions that were so far unprecedented in the CRN fleet have been applied on Chopi Chopi to meet the owner and captain's specific needs: a cutting-edge circular pilot house and an entirely dedicated deck for the owner between the upper deck and sun deck. Studio Zuccon International Project developed the vessel's exterior lines and interior layout.

The interior concept and all furnishings are designed by interior designer Laura Sessa.

FIRST 50+M YACHT M/Y WIND OF FORTUNE

Delivered as AWAL in 1980 and measuring 52.4 metres, Wind of Fortune was the first yacht over 50 metres in length built by the CRN yard, marking an important step into the new era of large yacht construction. She features an exterior design by Kevin Calhoun and CRN and an interior by Merritt Knowles Design Group. Wind of Fortune has enjoyed several owners over the past 40 years and has also been known as Rio Frio, Matahari, Taipan, Taipan III, Pearl Star and North Star. She underwent her latest refit in 2020, leaving her in fantastic condition and chartering in the Mediterranean.

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THIS PAGE: 61M M/Y SARAMOUR, 2014 - © CRN YACHTS

PG. 72: 32,9M F100, 1983

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PG. 74 M/Y YALLA, 2014

THIS PAGE M/Y ATLANTE, 2015 - © CRN YACHTS

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THEN TO NOW: CRN 135 MIMTEE Delivered in 2019 and measuring 79 metres, the CRN 135 Mimtee is the latest CRN yacht to join the global fleet. First presented at Monaco Yacht Show 2019, Mimtee is a fantastic example of CRN's signature Made in Italy style that has lasted throughout over half a century of Italian boat building.

Stefano de Vivo, Ferretti Group CCO and CRN Executive Board Member explains: "The 79-metre CRN 135 is the product of another brilliant collaboration between CRN and the architects Zuccon International Project, who took care of the external lines, and Laura Sessa, who designed the interiors. She is the full expression of CRN's passion for excellence, the fruit of the masterly work of an accomplished team of almost 200 consummate professionals who put their vast experience into making this a truly unique creation. We are immensely proud of this project, and it was fantastic to be able to showcase her to our guests in Monaco last year".

throughout to the owner's vision awaited. Working to a brief that specified conviviality as an essential factor in each design detail, the upper aft deck perhaps best characterises the vibe onboard. A large alfresco dining area offers a fantastic space for large gatherings of family and friends, with the semicircular stern windows opening up to create a unique open air space that perfectly connects indoor and out. Creating a comfortable and welcoming ambience, Mimtee's interior features a soothing palette of white and blue, utilising white oak as well as salt white marble throughout.

PG. 76: 50M M/Y LATONA, 2018

Since her world debut at the world's most glamorous yachting event, interior design details and images have been kept closely hidden, but to the lucky few invited onboard, a sumptuous marine chalet entirely personalised and built

THIS PAGE: 79M M/Y MIMTEE, 2019 Š CRN YACHTS

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Q&A STEFANO DE VIVO TELLS SYD MORE ABOUT THE YARD'S LATEST DELIVERY AND WHAT LIES IN THE FUTURE OF THE ICONIC ITALIAN BOAT BUILDER SYD: "What was the owner's brief for Mimtee?"

SDV: "The CRN 135 is designed for the private use of the owner's family. The brief for the new 79-metre was for a convivial layout characterised by large exterior spaces and outstanding lifestyle features. The conviviality on board finds its maximum expression in the skyline salon of the upper deck. Thanks to the sliding glass panels, the owner can create a real alfresco dining area for everyone to enjoy. The cinema room on the owner's deck is also a space that brings people together".

SYD: "What defines 'Made in Italy' when it comes to custom superyachts?"

SDV: "Made in Italy is an unmistakable aesthetic of fine Italian style and craftsmanship. When CRN founder, Sanzio Nicolini, met Carlo Riva in the 1970s, a prolific partnership began that would define Made in Italy in many ways. The result of their partnership was eight

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boats built by CRN for Riva: six Marco Polos, inspired by the SuperConero, and two Vespuccis, one of which became Carlo Riva's personal yacht. The collaboration between the two great innovators, Nicolini and Riva, was a pivotal moment for the Italian pleasure-boat industry as a whole.

The CRN craft of the time had an unmistakable quality about them that would last to the present day, in short, Made in Italy.

The CRN 135 perfectly defines Made in Italy: she is a powerful witness of superb craftsmanship built from years of Italian expertise. She is the fruit of the masterly work of the all-Italian design team in collaboration with the yard's technical Italian team: almost 200 project managers, project architects, engineers, technical designers and specialists who have poured their dedication into this endeavour.

SYD: "What are some of Mimtee's most defining characteristics?

SDV: "Mimtee has a striking character and seagoing spirit that shines through the sophisticated bespoke sartorial design. With five decks, 79 metres in length and a 13.50-metre beam, the CRN 135's defining characteristic is supreme comfort. She accommodates up to 12 guests onboard across the owner's suite and five guest cabins, as well as 15 cabins for the 29 crew and another five for members of staff".

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SYD: "How do you maintain the yard's DNA in each custom project?"

PG. 78: 74M M/Y CLOUD 9, 2018

SDV: "Each CRN yacht is a unique artwork as the shipyard works exclusively on fully custom projects created according to the owners' vision. Mimtee responds to specific demanding requests by the owner's family to have a marine chalet, which offers total comfort and an excellent daily experience for living on board, with large volumes and direct contact with the sea. This is just one of the unique features that come with custom superyachts.

As well as unique features, Mimtee and the whole CRN fleet complement all the best features that have characterised the CRN yachts since 2005. Some examples are the direct contact with the sea through the beach club, the use of terraces, balconies and large windows, and generous indoor spaces and outdoor living areas that bring out the pleasure of every moment on board.

THIS PAGE: 79M M/Y MIMTEE, 2019

SYD: "Environmental issues are at the heart of every industry right now. How is CRN responding to ecoconscious concerns?"

SDV: "This year CRN achieved the IMO TIER III certification for the CRN M/Y 137, a fully custom steel and aluminium 62-metre megayacht launched last November. It is a significant result which attests to the reduced environmental impact of the engines. IMO Tier III is the International Maritime Organisation standard

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Š CRN YACHTS

that enshrines the maritime industry's commitment to safeguarding the environment – and CRN has attained that certification right from its first pleasure vessel to be delivered in early 2020. This critical certification also meets the demand from owners who are increasingly sensitive to environmental protection issues".

SYD: "It's been a busy couple of years for the CRN yard. What is currently in build in Italy?"

SDV: "We are currently building four fully custom yachts: hulls 137 and 138, both 62 metres; the 72-metre hull 139; and hull 141, a 60-metre craft. Every CRN yacht is the fruit of a carefully planned design and construction process led by the experts in our Interiors & Design and Technical Office teams to create a beautiful bespoke layout and cutting edge solutions together with the yacht designers. We're looking forward to seeing these latest projects come to life!"

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by Pamela Paci

NEW MISSION

FINCANTIERI YACHTS PRESENTS 70M BLANCHE FINCANTIERI YACHTS, THE FINCANTIERI GROUP BUSINESS UNIT DEVOTED SPECIFICALLY TO MEGAYACHTS, PRESENTED BLANCHE, A NEW-GENERATION CONCEPT. CREATED BY ITALIAN DESIGNER GABRIELE TERUZZI, BLANCHE HAS A NEW FRESH, MODERN AND YOUNG TOUCH. 81

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fter VIS, the revolutionary 80m project presented at the Monaco Yacht Show last year, with a design developed in collaboration with Francesco Paszkowski and inspired by modern military ships, Fincantieri Yachts, the business unit of Fincantieri created in 2005 dedicated to the superyacht segment, introduces Blanche. All the projects presented so far are the expression of a well-balanced fusion of the best in-house resources and external Italian shipbuilding talent.

Fincantieri Yachts has a particular specialism in high-quality superyachts over 70 metre long, and there is no limit to the size or volume of yachts they can produce. Fincantieri established itself on the market as a top player in the designing and building of 100m+ full custom yachts.

Since 2005, when the company came to the business, Fincantieri Yachts has delivered 134m Serene (2011) and 140m Ocean Victory (2014), which are the clear evidence that the top quality is the target and a fundamental value of the product independently from the size of the ships.

Counting on Fincantieri’s 230-years experience in shipbuilding, the company’s yacht unit offers unparalleled levels of design, style, reliability and quality in building 70m vessels. Every year at the Monaco Yacht Show Fincantieri Yachts presents a new project. This 2020 characterized by the cancellation of all events globally, due to the covid-19 pandemic, has led most presentations find their main stage inside international magazines. Fincantieri Yachts is back on the scene of yacht design with a project called Blanche, and Superyacht Digest has not missed the opportunity of a deep dive into this amazing creation.

The concept has been developed by Fincantieri Yachts in partnership with the Italian designer Gabriele Teruzzi’s studio from Trieste, the Italian city where the shipyard has its headquarters (while construction is carried out in Muggiano, La Spezia, wher Fincantieri Yachts has a high tech shipyard specialising in the build of complex vessels, including megayachts, naval surface vessels and submarines.

It was the Muggiano yard that built the Blue Riband winner, the Destriero).

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Gabriele Teruzzi is a real new entry in the superyacht industry, although he collaborated with other design studios in these latest years for the development of important projects. Blanche is a 70-meter yacht expressing a timeless beauty with a strong Italian imprint, in which luxury, design and function gracefully coexhist.

Studio Gabriele Teruzzi was established in 2006.

From its design portfolio, the message is clear: his mission is a path towards aesthetic excellence and innovative yacht design. The studio continues to live up to its founding principles. Uncompromising in quality, defined by a meticulous execution, and driven by a highly personalized creative journey.

Supported by a carefully curated selection of the finest Italian materials, every project testifies to a perfect articulation of any client’s wishes.

The aim of the project was to dismiss any unnecessary complexity and visual obstructions, to maximize space on board, in order to build a scenographic backdrop facilitating serenity and well-being of passengers. The result is masterful exercise in balance and harmony, an unprecedented immersive experience. The combination of the experience of the historic shipbuilder and the inspiration of the young designer allowed to shape a new philosophy of travel, reshaping the lines of the exterior profile, as well as the classic interior spacing. Both the master suite and terrace total 190 square meters, surrounded by fullheight windows and sliding glazed enclosures. The wellness area also covers a significant area of 126 square meters, increasing surface area up to 187 square meters considering the external areas directly connected.

“AS MANY WITNESS THE SPLENDOR OF THE CITY’S ASTONISHING SUNSET, ONLY FEW DARE TO DREAM OF NAVIGATING ITS HORIZON. IT TAKES COURAGE TO CONQUER IT. MY AMBITION? TO DEFINE IT. THAT IS WHAT YACHT DESIGN IS ABOUT”.

Gabriele Teruzzi

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MP: "I met Gabriele for the first time when he came to visit us at the yard. At that time, it was some months that I was thinking to develop a new concept, especially with a young Italian designer. He is a very educated guy, determined, with a strong sentiment for design. Blanche, is the combination of all those aspects that emerged from our meeting and from our cooperation, which followed and lasted some months. Blanche is the result of our pleasant interactive work".

Blanche is a 70m project with a beam of 12m. With 7 cabins in total, Blanche can accomodate up to 14 guests, owners included, taken care of by a crew of 17. Blanche is engineered for a 5,000-nautical-mile range, with a volume of about 1,535 gross tons.

________________________________________________ FINCANTIERI YACHTS TELLS SYD MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT AND CLARIFIES ITS MARKET POSITION

SYD: "You are present in the market as a yacht builder focused on full-custom ranges and as you confirmed in a previous interview you are not planning to change your perspective because it is the natural demand by the clients of this kind of product. Do you think that after Covid-19 pandemic, the market needs could be different? What do you expect?"

Q&A with Mauro Parodi, Senior Vice President Fincantieri Yachts SYD: "For this new project you choose to cooperate with a young designer, almost new to the superyacht world.

Can you tell more about your relationship with his studio?

Where did you meet the first time and how did the idea of Project Blanche come up?"

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MP: "I think that the clients' needs will remain unchanged.

This new situation we have faced so far, and will continue to face, unfortunatly, implies a strongly reduced number of occasions to meet people. And this will not change for some time to come, I’m afraid".

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SYD: "What kind of strategies are you going to implement this year in order not to lose the contact with the market?

Three of the main international boat shows where you were used to present new projects have been cancelled or are still pending (Monaco Yacht Show, Fort Lauderdale and the Dubai Boat Show postponed in 2021). How does this lack of events impact on your relationships with clients?

MP: "Those clients who want to develop new projects will do anyway, apart from yachting events; we are all equipped with digital tools, our team and our clients. Virtual meetings will help us carry out any design activities with the new smartworking formula. Video conferences will be organized on regular basis. In Fincantieri Yachts, even though we had to stay at home for 2 months, we continued to work without losing any work day".

SYD: "The coronavirus pandemic has a lot of dark sides.

Despite the uncertainty that it has caused globally, could you see any opportunity in this new 'world order'?

MP: "We can optimize our time, spending more time working and less time travelling".

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Luca Dini © Giovanni Malgarini

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LUCA DINI DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE TELLS US ABOUT A NEW ARCHITECTURAL PROJECT IN SAUDI ARABIA AND A TRUSTFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH SUPERYACHT CLIENTS THAT KNOWS NO CRISIS.

By Pamela Paci

LUCA DINI DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE

THE INTENSIVE ACTIVITY OF THE FLORENCE-BASED STUDIO AND THE ARRIVAL OF AN UNEXPECTED GUEST

Saudi Arabia’s Upcoming Tech-Centric Mega City NEOM © Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030

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economy and positioning the country to play a leading role in global development. NEOM is envisioned as a "smart city" rising on 10,000 square miles of desert with a separate governance structure and ambitious energy, tech, and sustainability goals. NEOM is part of the larger Saudi Vision 2030 plan intended to help move the country away from its dependence on oil revenue, a pioneering example of excellence in different sectors, aiming to become one of the future economic and technology capitals/hubs of the world.

The Government and the Royal House want to bring to life an area as big as Belgium, in an inland non-desertic area, were foreign investments for the development of business area, tourist attractions and residential areas, can flow. More precisely NEOM is being built on the Red Sea in northwest Saudi Arabia.

e visited Luca Dini Design & Architecture Studio in Florence recently. The studio was founded over 30 years ago and has grown up in the heart of the city of Florence, a place instilled with traditional artisan techniques and refined excellence since the Renaissance. Luca Dini Design & Architecture Studio's philosophy and approach to design is mainly driven by new ways of thinking, a long-term vision and shared knowledge among all the staff members and clients.

The conversation with Luca Dini opens on an unexpected topic both for us and for the Studio itself when 3 years ago it was called to take part in a new project called NEOM. "Almost all design and naval architecture studios happen to work on a residential project for the Owner, we did it several times, but this project is really unique", tells us Luca Dini. "I can even say that what is happening is something incredible, an extraordinary event for us. Together with Saudi Arabia, we are working on the NEOM project, one of the three mega projects falling within Saudi Vision 2030. We can not unveil a lot at the moment, there is a website that presents the mission and the philosophy of the project but we can not show the architecture we are designing yet".

NEOM is a centrepiece of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision plan born with the idea of growing and diversifying the Saudi

"From a landscape point of view, the country offers a lot: very pleasant climate, mountains for skiing, crystal clear sea for those who love tropical atmosphere and colours, and what is even more interesting, is that the area will open up in front of the Mount Sinai, where Moses opened up the waters", adds Luca Dini.

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NEOM will include towns and cities, ports and enterprise zones, research centres, sports and entertainment venues, and tourist destinations. It will be the home and workplace for more than a million citizens from around the world.

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They appreciated our tailored and custom projects, our ability to process any client’s wish turning it into a design.

The Studio had never worked for big groups, we don’t share the idea behind serial products, what we do has to meet the taste of one single client and not that of the mass. We are specialized on one-off units, always on private client direct commission. The background we have built allows us to experiment a lot. Since our clients already own everything and can potentially buy anything, they want us to create unique pieces, tailor made for them, objects that no one has or can have. Our tradition and origin help us a lot with our tailored work. As Florentines we are still bound to the artisans and to the local excellence as we work a lot with them. What our clients mostly appreciate, is our projection towards the future together with the ability of handcrafting and tailoring objects, sewn by hand in artisan workshops, for example".

© ADMIRAL (MARIOTTI) YACHTS 53,8m M/Y Sea Force One, 2008 With her extraordinary design and decor, she is considered a new milestone in the yachting world.

Designed (exterios and interiors) by LUCA DINI Design & Architecture, in 2018 Sea Force One found a new Asian owner.

INTERVIEW WITH LUCA DINI SYD: "Can you explain how did this project come to the attention of your Studio?"

LD: "In a very natural way, which makes it even more surprising. A member of an important Saudi family was on board a superyacht designed by our studio a few years ago; he was so impressed with the yacht that decided to contact us.

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SYD: "How is the Studio organized?"

LD: "The Studio is made up of 2 areas, physically separated, 92

SYD: "Leaving aside these latest hectic 3 years, can you make a balance of the 25 years in the yachting business?"

with two offices but in the same building: the architecture department involves 15 people, the same goes for the nautical department; some of them work at the yards. The Studio is conceived as a think tank, where we design and share opinions on the different solutions; then we collaborate with engineering studios in Rome and Florence for the more technical and operational part".

LD: "It has been a pretty traditional path, I started by working 10 years at Spadolini Studio, to whom I am very grateful for teaching me everything. Then it was time to plunge and start my own studio. I started from scratch. The motivation I had back then is the same I still have today. I am very humble but very curious, I want to learn more and more. I like to make research and face new challenges. I do not want to be a know-it-all, if I don’t know something, I study and I learn about it. My experience is real, made of sacrifice and initiative. Our clients appreciate this genuine approach. If you have a long-lasting, genuine relationship with them, the clientele is happy to come back.

SYD: "We have not heard from the Studio for a few years, would you please explain us the reason behind this?"

LD: "Yes, you are right, we can say very little for privacy reasons, but we worked a lot. Unfortunately, we could not present Sarastar at the shows because of some disagreements between the Owner and the shipyard; moreover the 58M Benetti Vector's Owner did not want to release any picture or communication, and finally the 43M Isa Yacht Agora III, the largest private yacht in Japan today, which immediately left after her delivery. We also worked significantly in the refit sector, there are some projects we are working on - important projects - but we can not talk about them in detail".

Lastly, I have to say that throughout all my career I have never put my job before myself, I always tried to cut out some time for me and my family. This helps to keep the mind clear and fresh, which helps creativity".

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© MONDOMARINE 60m M/Y Sarastar, 2017

Sarastar, the 60 metre Mondomarine flagship, was delivered to her Owner in 2017. Designed by LUCA DINI Design & Architecture (exteriors and interiors), she is one of the world’s largest all-aluminum superyachts and boasts equally dramatic and elegant lines creating a head-turning façade.

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SYD: "Do you think there is a field in which the Studio has not expressed itself yet?"

I had my 50-metre yachts under construction. Mine was a small work in comparison. The Studio also designed chairs in the past and on that note, in the furniture field I can unveil that we have just started a collaboration with Franchi Umberto Marmi, a leading Carrara-based company in the stone industry, engaged in exporting Carrara's culture and its marble around the world. We have designed a lightweight marble outdoor collection for them. The idea is that this collection could also be used on yachts, were weight is crucial. This is not our core business, of course, but all the staff participates with great interest to all these small different projects: they keep our brains active and we have a good time, after all".

LD: "Absolutely, there is always the need for setting new goals that take us forward. I am very curious and I like to face new challenges. If that was not the case, I would have never accepted collaborating on an architecture project in Saudi Arabia. I have always tried to broaden our scope of action as much as possible, because it helps to open the mind and stimulates creativity. Among the different activities, we are also working on the renovation of the Florence stadium.

Years ago, we happened to develop a titanium prosthesis for a group of orthopaedists. The project was a prototype and a leading pharmaceutical enterprise bought it.

SYD: "Florence is a city rich in art and culture, with a unique beauty and architecture. How does this charm intertwine with your work?"

In the past the Studio also collaborated with a bag company: they asked us to study the showroom lighting so that the product could better stand out in the window. Back to the naval world, I would really like to work in the cruise boats sector, just to see how it works. I have always found cruise ships very intersting, I used to see them at the yards where

LD: "If you walk on the streets looking down - or worst at your mobile - and you are not interested in everything around you, this city will teach you nothing".

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SYD: "What about the new projects under construction?"

Š ISA YACHTS 43m M/Y Agorà III, 2019

LD: "This year two 50-metre units, for which the Studio designed both the interiors and the exteriors, will hit the water, more precisely at Rossinavi and Columbus Yachts.

Then, we will see a 45-metre ISA Yachts for which we designed the interior design, as well as a second ISA Yachts ready for next year. In 2021 we will reveal our very first collaboration with Heesen Yachts, a 55-metre yacht with our interior design. These projects are all different from one another, but this is how we work, we carry out projects based on our clients' requests. What do these yachts have in common? They share a new kind of exterior architecture with less structure and more and more glass and wider and wider windows. "Amazing!", you may say, but do you know how challenging they are in terms of interiors? There is not as much storage space! The philosophy of modern design is inspired by being in touch with the exterior, with the sea. The problem is that the Owners live a 7-star life, which means having glasses and plates for different occasions; because of that a space to store everything is essential. And if you put

The first semi-displacement unit of the aluminium line by the ISA YACHTS brand. Interiors and exteriors have been skilfully designed by LUCA DINI Design & Architecture.

"But if you look at all its architecture with curiosity and interest every day, its geometry, symmetry, balance in shapes, are all examples that you constantly have in front of you, you breathe them, you have been growing in them. When you go back to your work, your designs, as for proportions and symmetries, it will be easy to transfer the pictures you have grown up with and always have in your mind into your designs. We live surrounded by masterpieces. We breath perfection. Our approach could not be that far from it".

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glass and windows everywhere, you need to sacrifice interior furnishings. Another common trait is the cabins number.

Today the trend is to prefer comfort over numbers. In this way the private space for each couple is bigger, everyone is more comfortable. Having less cabins, means less guests onboard and more crew member for you. As to performance, yachts seem to go back to quietness, speed is no longer a necessity. On the design part, the yachts under construction today are all modern. I do not like minimalism, personally, I prefer interiors with decorative elements and ornaments, always in respect of the Owner's taste. These yachts are not drawn towards an excess neatness, but we can not define them as bold. It is no longer the time of the Sea Force One!" SYD: "Can we say as a provocation that this contemporary, timeless design, with subtle and clean colours, is a bit boring, less enjoyable for a designer?"

LD: "If by boring and not as enjoyable you mean that today very few clients are daring, then yes! To create a bold, vibrant and daring design, the owners should support you in the 97

project, I mean you can not suggest daring solutions if they are not their style. Today, requests are very far from 10 or 15 year ago. Moreover, many owners understood that a boat is no longer a lifelong object, the trend is to build it, sell it after few years and build a new one. In order to have a market and to keep up with the price, the boat must be designed so that everyone could possibly like it. It is not only about the market, the crisis lowered the design bar, there is no longer courageous impulse like the Capitan Magic's one. The current entrepreneur is more discreet, the design reflects familiar tones and atmosphere rather than mundanity, both for the crisis and the change in lifestyle. Eccentricity is a matter of fashion after all. I do not think we will go back to those type of constructions. On one hand it is a pity we can not fully experiment with design, but on the other hand, design has found its right balance. Everyone would want to go back to 2006 when, for example, our Studio had 17 yachts under construction. Today we are dealing with few units, but perhaps these are the most truthful figures. Some years ago leasing had alterated the market, today you can buy a yacht only if you can really afford it!".

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© PALUMBO SUPERYACHTS COLUMBUS SPORT 50 (currently in build) Sold in April 2018, the new 50m yacht under the brand Columbus was commissioned by a repeat client and features interior and exterior design by LUCA DINI Design & Architecture.

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Š ISA YACHTS ISA GT 45 (2 units sold and currently in build) Exteriors by TEAM for DESIGN, interiors by LUCA DINI Design & Architecture

SYD: "The uncertainty on the market is the only certainty of this industry. It is a niche market in which only a very small percentage of billionaires buys a yacht. How do you juggle on the commercial side?"

SYD: "Speaking about Mondomarine, you have designed a new yachts line for the yard, supporting it during its rebirth phase. How do you design for the revival of a brand?"

LD: "On this topic I want to be very clear. I do not visit boat shows seeking for clients or visibility. And I do not let my team work on on-spec projects, I do not want to sell off our work or gift it to yards. We only work on requested projects by the yards or by direct clientele. We do not love to nurture relationships with brokers either. Our advertisement lies in what we do, our boats speak for us. We are in need for communication, rather than sales, which is much more important today than it was 10 years ago. Unfortunately, since we do not work on serial products but on few tailormade units is hard to describe our work in detail. And lately, the end of Cantieri di Pisa and Mondomarine. These situations did not help us. Fortunatly, Mondomarine has refound its path under the new ownership".

LD: "It is very hard. The yard has now an excellent entrepreneur, a financially strong ownership and a real project ready to be launched. Unfortunately, everything is now still because in Italy authorities do not help you. And in our case, they do not let the activity restart. The yard is located in a strategical site for all the Liguria region and would be a great benefit for the entire industrial network.

As for design, we started from where we left, we wanted to carry on with the history of the brand so for the launch of the new line we took Sarastar, the latest built, and we tried to decline it in different dimensions updating it to 2020. Today Sarastar, is one of the most beautiful yachts on the market.

Many clients are still attached to the Mondomarine brand and we hope we will be soon able to actively work on it".

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ISA CONTINENTAL 80 © ISA YACHTS

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By Pamela Paci

ISA YACHTS

THE NEW ISA YACHTS' LINES DESIGNED BY TEAM FOR DESIGN ENRICO GOBBI ISA YACHTS PRESENTS THE FRESH CONTRIBUTION TO THE NEW BRAND'S AWARENEWSS BY ENRICO GOBBI, WHOSE PORTFOLIO BOASTS A STRONG FLEET WITH AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FLAIR.

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enice-based studio Team For Design, founded and led by Enrico Gobbi has signed important yachts in these recent years. To the studio's portfolio, we now find the important contribution given to the brand ISA YACHTS. Enrico Gobbi and his Team made an incredible, superb work for the brand of the Palumbo Superyachts, designing several of the new ISA Yachts’ lines, such as the latest Continental and ISA GT 45M GRAND TURISMO and ISA CLASSIC. What in particular characterizes Enrico Gobbi's approach to yacht design is the way he likes to explore other spheres, from car and architecture and taking from these two worlds the power and energy stylistic language that helps him create his own style. Speaking about archictural elements, huge windows, which are now the new trend in yacht design, are not excluded from his research, but on the contrary are incorporated in his design as part of a new space offering innovative living solutions.

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ISA Yachts with the new ownership of Palumbo Superyachts has entered in a new era but its DNA remains unforgettable and part of the superyacht design history. ISA Yachts iconic style has always been identifiable by architectural elements characterized by a bulging longitudinal profile combined to rounded surfaces and connecting arches. A kind of architectural behaviour that remains firmly embedded in every new-generation projects of the brand. As remarks Giuseppe Palumbo, CEO of Palumbo Superyachts, “without a doubt it is a year full of satisfaction and this rewards us for the great investment made in terms of new models, infrastructures and management”. The new ownership invested much in the revitaization of ISA Yachts and this year, after a 2019, when they delivered 5 superyachts, including the new flagship Columbus Classic 80 meters M/Y Dragon, they bring home a great result. They are now building 8 new boats between 26 and 67 metres: “for me, this is synonymous of professionalism, expertise, quality and respect of deadlines. The challenges are still many but the evidence demonstrates what we are capable of designing and building”, concludes Giuseppe Palumbo.

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ISA CONTINENTAL 80 © ISA YACHTS

ISA CONTINENTAL 80

When closed, the transom door is characterized by a black trapezoid that represents a distinctive feature of the CONTINENTAL line and that, in addition to the name of the boat, houses the windows for natural interior lighting.

CONTINENTAL 80 and 65 meters introduce the new CONTINENTAL range designed by Arch. Enrico Gobbi, Team for Design, for ISA Yachts. CONTINANTAL 80 is a steel and aluminium yacht with very architectural, well-balanced volumes and flowing lines.

Moving to the forward Sky-lounge, we find the panoramic jacuzzi with the large sun-pads deliberately raised to ensure a splendid view.

Its external design is highlighted by squared and rigorous side-bands of windows that provide incredible panoramic views to all the main internal areas. A distinctive detail is given by the terraces in the mid-section of the boat; in particular the one on the Upper Deck looks like a real balcony that contributes to flooding the salon with light.

Just as bathed in natural light are also other strategic indoor areas such as the gym in the Sky lounge and the Upper and Main Deck salons.

The Upper Deck can be considered a true owner-deck with a living room and day areas at the stern and the owner’s suite at the bow. Equipped also with touch-&-go helipad, it allows landing passengers to directly access the ship-owner’s quarters in maximum privacy.

The exterior design is completed by two imposing stylized chimneys - which in addition to their primary function also serve to balance the proportions of the yacht - and a vast use of stainless steel that adds a modern touch as well as highlighting the windows and terraces.

Another emblematic feature of this yacht is the aft infinity pool. Rectangular in shape, it develops across the width of the yacht and is distinguished by its aft containment wall formed by 2 glass plates with water flowing between them.

So arranged, the pool leaves ample space for large sunloungers and convivial activities, transforming this area of the Main Deck into an extension of the beach club below.

Provided with 7 cabins to accommodate up to 12 passengers assisted by 19 crew members housed in 10 cabins, the yacht is equipped with two MTU 16V4000M63L engines reaching a maximum speed of 17 knots and a cruising speed of 12 knots with a range of 6200 nautical miles.

The beach club platform on the Lower Deck is fitted with a large bar and a mega wall-mounted TV screen which, when the transom door is open, confers a very scenic effect to the whole stern.

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ISA GT 45M GRAN TURISMO Š ISA YACHTS

ISA GT 45M GRAN TURISMO: 2 UNITS SOLD

mention the aft swimming pool, the largest ever seen on a yacht this length, as well as the beach club/ gym with glass doors at sea level.

As at June 2020, ISA Yachts sold two units of the 45-meter superyacht of the GT - GRAN TURISMO series. Both were sold to European clients and will be delivered next year. This model, with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, combines style, sportiness and dynamism.

The naval architecture is by the technical office of Palumbo Superyachts, while the exterior design is by Team for Design - Enrico Gobbi. The interiors of both units are designed by Luca Dini Design & Architecture.

ISA GT 45 has a crew of up to 7 and a range of 3,500 nautical miles at a speed of 12 knots.

ISA CLASSIC 65 METRES

The construction of the new 65 metre ISA Classic, underway at the Palumbo Superyachts shipyard in Ancona, has resumed following the lifting of the lockdown, and its launch is expected to take place in 2021. For this elegant 65m yacht, Team For Design designed the interiors and exteriors.

Enrico Gobbi revisited the exterior traits that make ISA Yachts so unmistakable: he re-studied the large external arches connecting the hull to the superstructure, and enriched the profile with distinctive details such as the elaborate air intakes, evoking the sports cars. The silhouette is slender, with sharp and flowing lines. The volume of the superstructure has been deliberately pushed aft to recall the proportions of a true big sports coupe.

The new ISA Classic is a 65 metre of over 1400 GT, characterized by a classic profile and built using the most modern construction technologies

Behind the transom, hides a series of considerably significant technical solutions. First of all, the 3.9 x 4 metre stern door folds down to sea level, becoming a beach area.

Simultaneously, the corresponding portion of the aft swim platform tilts and aligns itself with the opened stern door, essentially creating a same-floor tailgate at water level.

When all the three doors are opened, the whole area turns into an amazing 180 square metre beach club.

Despite her streamlined look, ISA GT 45 hides large interior volumes able to accommodate 8 guests in 4 spacious cabins in addition to the luxurious full-beam master cabin, with a balcony and a private access directly onto the bow sunbathing area. The large windows chase each other along the profile, ensuring breathtaking views from the master cabin and the main salon.

Among her most outstanding features is definitely worth a

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ISA CLASSIC 65 Š ISA YACHTS

includes a lane of LED ceiling lights that runs symmetrical with respect to the central hatch, accompanying the view up to the back wall. The latter is made up of sinuous waves of teak and LED lights which are then reflected on the two stainless steel and glass sheets on the ceiling. And in fact this glass is the floor of the swimming pool on the Main Deck.

This solution allows shimmering light from the pool to filter through the water and create a dappled light effect and an enchanting atmosphere both day and night.

The gangway opening mechanism too is literally one of a kind. Designed to be installed sideways on the port side of the transom – rather than lengthwise - it is divided into two sections and provided with a pantograph retracting system (that, once the gangway is extended, shuts its lower part for aesthetic reasons). This system has been specifically engineered to allow for a 2.10 metre ceiling height throughout the whole beach club.

Versatility and lighting effects are the key elements of this portion of the Lower Deck, consisting of: lounge area, bar, showers, fully equipped gym, sauna, massage room and even a welcome area for guest boarding/ disembarking.

As a final touch, modern clean line furniture has been selected to interact with the outdoor in perfect harmony.

The ISA Classic 65 has six cabins (plus a seventh convertible) including a full-beam owner's suite located forward on the main deck.

Access to the Beach Club is provided in three separate ways: an external staircase, an internal staircase to the right of the massage room, and lastly a transparent glass corridor which, crossing the engine room, directly connects the beach club to the Lower Deck lobby and the guest cabins.

Two swimming pools (one with a countercurrent swimming system), gym, massage room with sea view, Turkish bath, outdoor cinema room, 2 jetskis and 2 tenders, are just a few of the chosen amenities on board this jewel of the sea.

The beach club colour scheme is made up of different shades of cobalt blue, used on metallic and lacquered surfaces, and on the external decks this colour scheme is combined with natural materials such as teak.

Another element which turns out to be lively and of great effect, thanks to the perfect indirect integration of light and the skilful use of blue, is the frosted and knurled Murano glass panel decorating the front of the bar counter.

The lighting system also has been studied in detail, and

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OPTIMA DESIGN From left MICHELE ZIGNEGO, ANTONIO LUXARDO SUPERYACHT DIGEST | July 2020

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by Pamela Paci

YACHT DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE | OPTIMA DESIGN

WHAT IS BEHIND A PERFECT PROJECT: ON BOARD WITH OPTIMA DESIGN

THE LA SPEZIA-BASED NAUTICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN STUDIO HAS LED US TO THE DISCOVERY OF THEIR NEW PROJECTS CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPED FOR DIRECT CUSTOMERS. THEY ALSO REVEALED US THEIR UP-COMING GOALS.

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e met Arch. Antonio Luxardo and Michele Zignego of Optima Design at the yard in Pisa, where they are following the construction of two new 45-metre units designed by their studio for two direct clients from Asia. The first unit is now for sale with Burgess since the client, once delivered, will build a new concept by Optima Design.

Luxardo, who boasts a very long career with the Chinese yachting market, being one of the first Italian architects in the yachting field to have developed relations with the Asian continent. "The two new 45-metre units we are currently building are the result of a long period of negotiation with the client: "It took us approximately 12 months, between the negotiation, the proposals to the client, the changes, the revaluations and the start of construction". Works officially began in January 2019 after the keel laying. In the first unit, the aluminium superstructure will soon join the steel hull, while the work on the second unit is currently suspended due to some changes in the internal design requested by the client. The delivery of both units is scheduled for 2021 and the first unit is expected to be displayed at the September boat shows next year".

Our conversation starts talking about the Asian clients and focuses on how hard it is to deal with potential yacht owners from that region. "In this field, the relationship with the client is always delicate, but when clients come from countries with little nautical culture and tradition, is even more difficult. And not because they do not know what they want: in fact they know their needs very well and how to express their requests within a nautical project. What makes the dialogue during the work and the negotiation with these clients a real challenge, is the fact that they are well accustomed to supervise any operation. China - and Asia in general - represent a real power. Sitting down at the negotiation table is their job", explains Arch. Antonio

The two boats are very different from one another, since they are inspired from two different kinds of lifestyle: the first one is designed for a familiar, tidier and sea-connected lifestyle, while the second one is aimed at a lifestyle based on entertainment with friends, parties and other friendly activities.

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Š OPTIMA DESIGN, Arch. Antonio Luxardo The project of the two 45m yachts under construction (delivery: 2021)

"These new 45-metre boats should not be considered oneoff units, but the first projects of a series that we have developed and that we offer up to 70 metre", explains Luxardo. "The two projects were initially meant to be 42-metre large; after the model test, the client wanted to make some changes that led the yacht to grow up to 45 metres".

Today Optima Design is a studio of 15 people, including architects, designers and engineers. Founded by Michele Zignego in 2006 to persue design and engineering activities (not only in the nautical field), the company has grown together with the Architect Luxardo, becoming a reference point for many major Italian shipyards, which rely on the studio for an intense consulting and design activity.

Optima design is currently working on the design of a 52-metre, a 58-metre and a 70-metre. These boats are somewhere between a traditional yacht and an explorer yacht. "The family feeling will be exactly the same of these first two 45m-units, but a stronger touch of modernity will be added. As a matter of fact, these first two units show a very classic style, because the client requested so. The lines that we initially suggested were modified with him, according to the spaces he needed. But we would like to give the other units an appeal definitely more contemporary".

THE STUDIO WORKS ON 360-DEGREE PROJECTS, FROM THE NAVAL ARCHITECTURE TO THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR DESIGN, AND ALSO TO THE ENTIRE ENGINEERING PLAN.

Over the last year, Optima Design has better defined also its role as a yacht design studio, while working on the creation of very interesting projects, that we will explain hereafter.

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Besides this first range of boats, Optima Design has developed a second line called Sport Adventure, which features a 45-metre, a 52-metre and a 70-metre.

"We have already received multiple interests for these projects, both from direct clients and from brokers; we are proceeding with the request of quotation to different yards. We believe that these models, which are not concepts, but projects ready to be built, have an added value for the client, resulting in the best experience onboard we could offer him.

We tried to make the best of the spaces, focusing on different layout solutions and on the design, in order to enhance the liveability onboard".

"ON THIS BOAT RANGE, WE GAVE PRIORITY TO THE BEACH CLUB AREA, WHERE THE CLIENT USUALLY SPENDS MOST OF HIS TIME IN CONTACT WITH THE SEA. WE HAVE ALSO PROPOSED A DIFFERENT USE OF THE MAIN DECK: HERE WE HAVE PLACED THE CABINS, WHILE THE MAIN SALON IS LOCATED ON THE UPPER DECK. THE LOWER DECK IS HOME TO THE CREW AREA. THESE SHIFTS ALLOWED US TO ACHIEVE TWO MAIN RESULTS: A LARGER LATERAL SIDE DECK AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, CABINS WITH WIDER WINDOWS, INSTEAD OF SMALL PORTHOLES.

"We adopted a similiar approach with the 80-metre Explorer project, and also the 45-metre units in construction share the same layout".

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Š Thomas Pagani

Š OPTIMA DESIGN, Arch. Antonio Luxardo (Sport Adventure 70m)

WHAT CHANGES FOR THE OWNER AND HIS GUESTS?

A TRIMARAN FOR THE CHARTER MARKET Optima Design is working on another very interesting project, an all-alluminium trimaran. "We have developed it especially for the charter market, after receiving some requests".

When coming aboard, they can go to the upper deck if they want to access a common area like the main salon; if they want to head to their cabins, they can simply proceed on the main deck instead

"The trimaran - even if we don't usually consider it as a solution - offers several advantages compared to the singlehull, and it is also fuel-efficient since it consumes less. In the charter market, we deal with a specific clientele: families and friends, who rent a boat to spend some time together for a week or only few days".

On one hand, this access might seem less fluid, but on the other hand it will allow to enjoy the sea and the view from any cabin, thanks to an amazing overlooking enhanced also by small terraces. That means that guests are no longer forced into a space illuminated by small portholes. On the upper deck, along with the main salon, we can also find the wheelhouse.

"The trimaran we have designed is 45-metre long and its aft area hosts a very large beach area, a central zone with huge spaces (the beam measures 12,7 metre), salons and dining areas. The cabins are placed in the bow area instead".

This arrangement is best suited to a yacht at least 50m-long, but we can get an optimum result with the two 45m-units as well.

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"Since in the charter world there is no specific need to give priority to the owner area over the guest ones, cabins can all have the same size and options, so that privileges and disadvantages can be avoided".

"In chartering it's also very useful to have more convivial spaces, instead of just one living area, and that's why the upper deck houses a second living space. In fact, it's hard to imagine all the 12 guests in the same salon at the same time. It is therefore much better to have an area where guests can be together, along with other spaces where it's possibile to enjoy the sea experience alone".

"In terms of comfort and stability, the trimaran compared to single-hull and catamaran - is affected very little by roll and pitch. We know that, in the charter market, who rents a boat is usually someone not used to the movement of the sea, and maybe someone who wants to enyoy his few vacation days to the fullest. We presented this project in the United States, and the it was very much appreciated, although it is a more Asian trend, than a Western one. In China, where people enjoy living in very wide spaces, triman is indeed highly appreciated. Our project is offered in two different versions: one with a hybrid engine and another with a traditional powering". ______________________________

As said, in the studio work 15 people today, but as explained by Luxardo, "it's time to make a decision.

In contrast to what we have always thought - that is, to remain a studio with few members and a balanced amount of work - we decided to expand. We have to increase the staff by at least ten people by the end of the year. We started working for new shipyards, dealing also with the interior design and the furniture. We've been also asked to join projects as project managers, which means that we will be able to follow a project beyond the design phase, up to the construction phase".

Š OPTIMA DESIGN, Arch. Antonio Luxardo The project of the 45m trimaran

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Š ANTONINI NAVI - Design by Fulvio De Simoni

"The choice of increasing the number of staff derives from the need to satisfy as many clients and yards as possible, but also from the aim of growing our own human resources without relying on occasional collaborators.

With an extended staff we'll be also able to guarantee a full coverage of the project, which will bring much more benefit to the project itself: every single aspect will be optimized in terms of time and costs and in the production phase we will work way better. The work we are doing on the two 45-metre is a good example: the boat is fully designed in every single aspect before the construction begins. Every piece, even the smallest one, has already been defined, so as to avoid last minute changes and the unexpected, except slight changes by the will of the client. This is the main advantage of managing the whole design process: even in case of modifications, we don't need to deal with other experts to verify the feasability. We can handle everything, while foreseeing every little difficulty in the process, because we know everything about that project".

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"Such care in the preliminary design phase, grants Optima Design the ability to better manage the situations in which clients require sudden changes. "Today shipyards no longer have this capacity to handle projects in their entirety, so they tend to outsource the design phases to external entities. What they concentrate on is just the business management".

"Taking this concept to the extreme, we could say that yards have just become centres for the collection of orders.

From that point on, everything (design and construction) is entrusted to external companies, that are often unaware of the project in its entirety. This happens because one firm, for example, just takes care of the superstructure, another one of the hull, a third one of the installations, a fourth one of the furnishings... It's a fragmented design process!"

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Optima Design has just started a new collaboration with Antonini Navi, the new brand in the superyacht world recently introduced to the market with a planned investment worth over 10 million euros. The project can count on the entrepreneurial strength of the solid Gruppo Antonini, which was founded just after the last war and is still run by the Antonini family. The ambitious project will also embrace the creation of a line of yachts from 30 to 50m in length, designed by award-winning architect and designer Fulvio De Simoni. During an interview, published online, Aldo Manna, Antonini Navi partner and sales manager, revealed to SYD that the group will start construction of the first 40m yacht next September. The engineering plan was created by Optima Design and can be used to generate 3 different kinds of boat, totally different from one another: an elegant and modern Motoryacht, a streamlined and essential Crossover (here in this page) and, lastly, a multi-purpose Sport Explorer.

______________________________

Optima Design offers a complete, three-dimensional vision, that allows to manage the entire process of creation, design and construction. "When drawing, we are also considering the cost that construction may have in the future. The key aspects are, of course, the style, the endurance, the functionality, the compliance with the regulations; but it's also important for the project to cost a reasonable price".

"A BEAUTIFUL BOAT THAT COSTS TOO MUCH DOESN'T WORK. WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN DRAWING JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CREATING SOMETHING THAT IS NOT IN LINE WITH THE MARKET; OUR LONG-STANDING EXPERIENCE LEADS US TOWARDS PRAGMATISM AND AWAY FROM STYLE EXERCISES".

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by Alessandra Ferraiolo

NEW ICONS

RIVA SUPERYACHTS DIVISION PRESENTS RIVA 50 METRI THE MOST ICONIC BRAND IN THE NAUTICAL INDUSTRY ENTERS A NEW DIMENSION WITH ITS FIRST STEEL AND ALUMINIUM FLAGSHIP. BUILT IN ANCONA AT THE RIVA SUPERYACHTS DIVISION, THE NEW RIVA 50 METRI, CHRISTENED M/Y RACE, WAS PRESENTED LAST YEAR AT THE MONACO YACHT SHOW. PHOTOS: © RIVA YACHTS 115

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The yacht owner played an active role in the design process, since he completely customised the interior layout and décor.

he first 50-metre superyacht of the Riva Superyachts Division in Ancona fully hits the mark of combining an ultra-contemporary vision of yacht-building with a legend that boasts 178 years of history.

The Riva 50 Metri was christened M/Y Race by its owner and on board we can find the treasure trove of Ferrari memorabilia and a very unusual automotive-inspired bridge.

The name Race - emblazoned on her transom – most vividly evokes the sexy runabouts that made the brand famous in the '60s and '70s. In fact, the Riva 50 Metri is reminiscent of celebrated Carlo Riva motor yachts of the Caravelle and Atlantic series, the grand yachts made of steel from the 1960s and 70s. The new flagship is a worthy heir with its unrivalled standards of aesthetics, style and innovation.

At 49.9 metres, Riva 50 Metri is the largest-ever Riva yacht and also the first to emerge from the Riva Superyachts Division, which was established in 2014 at the Ferretti Group Superyacht Yard in Ancona. Proudly previewed in June 2019 at the historic Venice’s Arsenal, during an exclusive client event, the flagship of the Riva range made her public debut at the Monaco Yacht Show in 2019.

The Riva 50 Metri’s exterior and interior were both exclusively penned by Officina Italiana Design in collaboration with Riva’s in-house team. “Race takes inspiration from the Caravelle, which was a true masterpiece conceived by Carlo Riva", explains Sergio Beretta of Officina Italiana Design, founder of the design studio with chief designer Mauro Micheli. "The challenge was to innovate without forgetting the DNA of the Riva brand".

"Not only [does the Riva Superyachts Division] represent an extraordinary leap forward for Riva and the world of yachting, but also Riva will once more be able to meet the refined and sophisticated taste of its very demanding owners", commented Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi at the presentation. He added: "This yacht and her unique magnificence, amplified by her impressive size, also represents a remarkable achievement for the Riva Superyachts Division, which has built the biggest Riva ever made while meeting and enhancing the brand’s signature stylistic excellence".

The Riva Superyachts Division offers its Owners two different lines, using the same naval platforms. These new giants of the sea - outstanding masterpieces boasting unrivalled technology, the utmost care for details, and a strong brand identity - will differ in terms of style and design. As explained

by Mauro Micheli, the first line clearly draws inspiration from the yachts created by Carlo Riva in the early 1970s, "the second will feature an unusual design, with stylistic features that will clearly convey Riva’s unmistakable style, together with a strong, distinctive character".

With a steel displacement hull and aluminium superstructure, and a maximum beam of 9 metres, the Riva 50 Metri can accommodate up to 10 guests and 9 crew members. The yacht was created by the Riva Superyachts Division engineering team in Ancona in collaboration with the Ferretti Group’s Strategic Product Committee.

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BEACH AREA

PROJECT PHILOSOPHY The concept behind the design of the Riva 50 Metri is an allencompassing experience of the sea and open spaces. All the design choices are a perfect combination of practicality and aesthetics, ensuring the comfort of the on-board exterior areas and offering a continuous view of the coast and horizon.

Exquisite large rugs alternate with floors in white Apuano marble. The Statuarietto type marble characterises the surfaces of the coffee tables embellished with polished steel details. The bathroom walls feature darker veining that enhances the shades of the light grey lacquering of the ceilings and the mahogany panelling. The combination of the slatted mahogany ceiling and the lacquered perimeter parts is also highly distinctive, with steel frames and finishes that give additional depth to the heights.

Riva 50 Metri respects and enhances the aesthetic value and unmistakable features of the brand through a meticulous attention to detail and an unmatched nautical art, enabling the owner to have a sailing experience with the highest standards of comfort and safety. There are many particulars that evoke the Riva tradition. Starting from the exterior, mahogany is the dominant wood that characterises the gunwale and covers all the rails and the lifelines of the outside decks, creating continuity with the interiors.

The echo of Riva heritage can also be appreciated in the aquamarine waterline, and the fife rails are enriched with steel elements. Continuing in the indoor environments, the timeless elegance of the Riva brand can be admired in the the precision of the finishes, the skilful use of polished steel components, the balanced mix of grey tones with the mahogany, and the meticulous details.

The owner chose mostly freestanding furniture in order to modulate the outdoor environments according to need. To optimise the weight, all the furniture and ceilings are made with a construction process that uses the innovative material NomexÂŽ, which is employed in the aerospace industry due to its extremely light weight and its exceptional resistance to temperature changes and wear and tear.

Despite her gross tonnage below 500 GRT, Riva 50 Metri offers the comfort and liveability of larger superyachts.

The spaces on the five decks were designed to be perfectly optimised: they give the owner the maximum privacy and dedicated pathways, while at the same time ensuring that the crew can move freely on-board to perform everyday operations.

Another unique touch is given by the clean intersections between the mirror and steel elements, as well as the masterful use of leather on the walls and covering the headboard and edges of the bed, combined with the steel borders with millimetric precision. Also unique is the full custom lighting system, with a sequence of recessed lights in stainless steel bodies and LED spotlights that make it possible to adjust the brightness and alternate the lighting scenarios thanks to the sophisticated Lutron on-board home automation system.

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MAIN DECK

BEACH AREA AND MAIN DECK

To starboard, another mirrored door leads into the lobby, served by a large day head, and into the owner’s suite. This is an area of more than 70 square metres that the owner wanted to customise, dividing it into three distinct zones: a study at the entrance, a private lounge with media room to port, and the large sleeping area forward. The private lounge is separated by a glass wall that can be obscured when necessary by a curtain that runs inside it. Furnished with comfortable sofas and cushions and a walk-in closet, it also has a bathroom with separate head and shower. The sleeping area is furnished with a double bed, vanity, and another walk-in closet and another bathroom, both very spacious.Thanks to a precise analysis of the vibrations and the noise reduction levels, the sound level recorded in the owner’s cabin at cruising speed is below 40 decibels, ensuring maximum silence.

The beach area and engine room are situated in the cockpit, and they can be accessed by both guests and crew, with separate pathways. The beach club is spacious and outfitted with stylish furnishings that ensure complete relaxation. It is also equipped with two hatches that can be fully opened, one at stern and one on the starboard side, and used as balconies over the water. The beach area hosts two comfortable boarding ladders in carbon, one on the stern transom and one on the starboard hatch. Thanks to its generous size, the beach area can also serve as a garage for a Williams Dieseljet 625 tender with starboard launching and towing.

Back up in the main deck cockpit, in addition to the freestanding furniture, there is a custom buffet with a shoe rack and an icemaker, and a 55” TV descends from the ceiling with a retractable mechanism. The access door to the lounge was designed to have a constant view of the sea: it fully opens up, serving as an entry point to a large open space.

In terms of décor, minimalism dominates the entire owner’s suite: the grey tones alternate with the mahogany, and the steel trims are elegantly combined with the leather and with the marble in the bathrooms. Each material is matched to the others with artistry and discernment, allowing the essential beauty of every detail to emerge.

The very high fixed windows, in addition to two other side doors at the dining area, sliding and completely openable, enables to reduce the visual and spatial limits towards the outside to a minimum, creating complete harmony between inside and outside. In the lounge, on the port side, guests are welcomed by a large 8-seater leather sofa with facing TV. Continuing on, an elegant central cabinet unit divides this area from the dining area, which hosts a glass and steel table that can comfortably seat up to ten. Moving towards the bow, on the port side, a door with mirror surface opens electrically to give access to the service pantry.

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SUNDECK

UPPER DECK | SUNDECK

LOWER DECK

Situated aft on the upper deck cockpit is a huge area furnished with full custom armchairs and sofas.

Amidships on the lower deck are situated the four guest suites, three double and one twin. Each cabin hosts a private bathroom and shower and features iconic details of Riva elegance such as the custom door handles and the leather in the wardrobes and along the edges of the beds, artfully combined with steel borders that give a threedimensional feel to the spaces and enhance the contrast with the dark tones of the TVs camouflaged in mirrored panels lacquered on the back.The forward area of the lower deck hosts the four double cabins for the crew, all ensuite.

Forward, there is a large Corian table seating fourteen that feels like part of the Riva family of all the large yachts; between the two spaces there is a concealed TV with an upand-down and swivel system that enables viewing from both sides.

The dining area is entirely covered above but open to the outside through two electric side windscreens with downward sliding glass panels. In the interior part of the deck, there is a living area with custom sofa and armchairs and a buffet unit that also contains a small wine cellar. To the sides of the bridge, innovative bridge wings with comfortable side seats have been installed by the request of the owner, who enjoys observing the mooring manoeuvres in comfort.

The first unit of the Riva 50 Metri is powered by twin MTU 8V 4000 M63 engines with 1000 kW output at 1800 rpm, with propeller propulsion, enabling a top speed of up to 15.5 knots and cruising speed of 14 knots.

The unattainable superiority of Made in Italy products is clear not only in terms of nautical beauty and elegance, but also for high safety standards and performance.

The aft cockpit is directly connected to the forward lounge by a wide walkway on the port side. The bow features a large sunpad, which is also the openable hatch that covers a second garage for the rescue boat and water toys. Then, at the foredeck, a jet ski is available to guarantee the maximum fun, with a convenient launch system using a davit concealed in the forward garage. On the port side, a service stairway leads up to the sundeck, a fantastic area of 120 m², of which at least 90 m² are covered by the hard top, complete with all the comforts.

Although Riva 50 Metri is a vessel below 500 GRT, it is classified in first class on the Lloyd’s Register by the MCA and is further certified as second class by RINA.

It also holds the RINA Green Plus and Comfort Class certifications, which attest to the excellence of the vessel in terms of seaworthiness, on-board comfort, technological and sailing performance, and respect for the environment.

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by Pamela Paci

SUPERYACHT TRAVEL GUIDE

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR FIRST-TIME CHARTERERS

M/Y DA VINCI, available for charter with Northrop & Johnson. Courtesy of Northrop & Johnson

HOW HAS CHANGED THE DEMAND OF LUXURY TRAVELS AFTER COVID-19 BETWEEN RESTRICTIONS AND CONSUMER BEHAVIORS? WE INTERVIEWED NORTHROP & JOHNSON PRESIDENT & CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, DANIEL ZIRIAKUS, TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE WORLD OF CHARTER AND THE IMPACT ON THIS SEGMENT OF THE SUPERYACHT INDUSTRY.

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to far-flung destinations like Europe and Asia. However, with a global pandemic unfolding, those experiences might look a little different this year. Coronavirus outbreaks continue to limit our lifestyle and international travels. Escaping to seas for an isolation charter can be a good and safe solution!

s more and more travelers seek out luxury vacation options that ensure exclusivity, security and peace of mind, many are opting for a luxury yacht charter. With its ultra-hygienic and selfsustaining environment, a luxury yacht charter is a safe sanctuary and affords guests a worry-free vacation.

As such, Northrop & Johnson has seen an influx of inquiries from first-time charterers looking for new and cautious ways to travel. Their charter brokers have a wealth of expertise and wide variety of skills to assist first-time charterers every step of the way. Knowing that first-timers will have many questions, Northrop & Johnson’s charter brokers have compiled a guide to help you gain a better understanding of the yacht charter process. This guide covers some of the most important things you need to know about yacht charter and can help you prepare for a conversation with your charter broker.

For those looking to avoid commercial transit and crowds, private aviation is an ideal option for getting to your charter destination. Northrop & Johnson’s partner NetJets is the global leader in private aviation for more than 55 years and can get you to your yacht in a safe, hygienic and comfortable way.

Whether you are looking for a family vacation in the Caribbean, an island-hopping adventure, or a safe and secure environment to celebrate with friends, a superyacht charter means doing things your way – your own timetable, bespoke itinerary, and favorite past-times in absolute luxury. The height of escapism, on board a superyacht charter you will experience a level of service and comfort that is unsurpassed, in settings beyond the reach of most.

Summer travel usually means family vacations, sun-drenched beach getaways, meandering road trips, and extended jaunts 125

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M/Y SOLO, available for charter with Northrop & Johnson. Courtesy of Northrop & Johnson

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SEASONS There are two main seasons in yachting – summer and winter.

The summer season runs from May through October, with the peak summer season (and peak rates) in July and August. The winter season runs from November to April, primarily over the holidays and into New Year.

DESTINATIONS

The most popular yachting destinations vary by season.

During the summer, in the northern hemisphere, the most popular destination is the Mediterranean; locations such as the French Riviera, Balearic Islands, Corsica and Sardinia, Greece and Croatia are favorites. During the winter months, The Bahamas and Caribbean are the top charter spots.

ACTIVITIES

If you are looking primarily to relax and unwind, then a yacht with a spa and an onboard masseuse would be ideal.

Alternatively, if your group is a family needing plenty of activities, then a yacht with plenty of water toys, onboard games and perhaps a dedicated movie room would be great for you.

RANGE

Yachts can range in size from 80 feet to 300-plus feet and larger. Charter yachts can carry up to 12 guests maximum Think about the type of yacht that would best suit the size and character of your charter party. For example, a modern motor yacht is ideal for a family charter having plenty of space, while a sailing yacht would be a fantastic choice for a real yachting enthusiast.

DURATION

Most charter durations range between seven and 14 days, with rates quoted by the week. During the peak seasons of July and August and Christmas and New Year, rates are usually higher, while most yachts also have low season rates in effect for the balance of the year. Prices differ from yacht to yacht and reflect a variety of factors such as size, year built and amenities onboard.

COSTS

Depending on the type of contract used (MYBA or AYCA), the charter rate generally only covers the hire of the yacht and the crew and the Owner’s insurance. Everything else is extra, including provisions and fuel. An Advance Provisioning Allowance (APA) is collected upfront to cover expenses and forwarded to the Captain who is strictly accountable for expenditures. The Captain will present a detailed summary of expenditures at the end of your charter and any unspent APA funds are refunded to you. Depending on the destination, other expenses might include taxes, VAT and delivery/redelivery fees.

BOOKING

Brokers recommend at least 3 to 6 months, and 6 to 10 months if booking for Christmas/New Year or peak Mediterranean season (July/August). As availability can change quickly, it’s important to contact your broker early on to ensure a broad selection of suitable yachts from which to choose. Popular charter yachts book as much as a year in advance.

Northrop & Johnson’s charter brokers are among the most professional and knowledgeable in the industry. They utilize industry-leading tools, assets and resources that allow them to assist clients with creating the holiday of a lifetime.

Furthermore, they have access to Northrop & Johnson’s range of luxury partners, including NetJets, allowing them to

enhance charters for guests. All charter yachts that Northrop & Johnson handles are crewed. Bare-boat charters, as charters without crew are called, are available, however, they are only available on smaller yachts and Northrop & Johnson charter brokers do not handle these types of charters.

The yacht’s chef and stewardess team will purchase all provisions for the yacht. They use the charter preference sheet (guests’ likes and dislikes) provided by the charter guests prior to the trip to advise on what to buy, and also will purchase any additional items needed for meals. The food is purchased with funds from the Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA), an advance payment that will cover things like food, beverages, fuel, dockage, etc.

Depending on the size of the yacht, the crew are always available to guests throughout the charter, from preparing midnight snacks, to whipping up your favorite cocktail and more. The crew can be as present or as removed (for privacy) as you would like. They work in shifts, so different crew will be available at different times of the day and night.

PETS

Don't forget your four-legged friends at home! Some yachts allow pets on board. If this is an important point for you, your charter broker can help you identify yachts that will accept all members of your family.

WI FI

Almost all yachts offer WiFi, but this is something to discuss with your charter broker and confirm with the yacht’s captain.

As for mobile phone service, your service provider will need to confirm if they cover the cruising destination.

WHERE TO GO

If you change your minds about the itinerary once you’re on the yacht, you can skip a place or stay longer in another place.

As a matter of fact, this situation happens fairly regularly aboard a yacht, and is subject to the captain’s discretion as well as the availability of dockage in the region.

KIDS

There is no minimum age for charter guests. Yachts are an excellent option for vacationing with children as they offer many different activities and water toys to enjoy and are extremely safe and comfortable. Some yachts are better suited for children than others.

DISINFECTION

Each yacht has its own protocols for cleaning, disinfecting and hygiene, but as a general rule, yachts are exceptionally clean and held to a rigorous standard. Once you’ve narrowed down your selections, your charter broker and the yacht’s captain will be able to share more information on the exact protocol aboard the yacht.

FIRST AID

The crew are trained in first aid and CPR, with the Captain having advanced medical training. Yachts carry a vast array of lifesaving equipment and many have telemedicine contracts that connect them to doctors ashore.

TIP

If you enjoy the service provided by your crew, you may wish to offer them a gratuity. While the level is completely at your discretion, it is customary to leave a tip of 10 - 15% of the base charter fee.

M/Y DA VINCI, available for charter with Northrop & Johnson.

Courtesy of Northrop & Johnson

DANIEL ZIRIAKUS

Q&A WITH NORTHROP & JOHNSON PRESIDENT & CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, DANIEL ZIRIAKUS

very optimistic attitude among clients and brokers about the outlook of the market.

As far as the brokerage market goes, despite the lockdown, Northrop & Johnson has sold 11 yachts since March 2020.

Our clients are keen to buy because purchasing a yacht gives them the freedom to travel while still maintaining social distancing. Yachts are still coming onto the market, and the level of activity we’re seeing has both buyers and sellers optimistic that this trend will continue. While the charter market slowed a bit amid the onset of COVID-19, the sales market continued steadily, while perhaps not at its usual pace, it did not halt as much as the charter market.

SYD: "How was the market affected by this pandemic and how is it reacting now? Is there any difference between the sale and the charter market?"

DZ: "In terms of charter, COVID-19 slowed down the market because of the delay of the 2020 summer season. That being said, any charters booked through N&J for the beginning of summer (May, June, etc.) were rescheduled for later in the year or for 2021. Clients and owners alike were all willing to work together to shift schedules and dates to ensure charters were not canceled.

SYD: "How are you encouraging your clients to continue to charter this summer?"

DZ: "The first step to encouraging charter this summer and beyond is helping to educate clients on everything from the level of safety, hygiene and cleanliness aboard yachts, to informing them of the countries that are open and where yachts are currently cruising. Northrop & Johnson has developed a best practice guide for the yachts in our fleet concerning safety, hygiene and cleanliness and charter brokers are actively sharing this with clients. Additionally, Northrop & Johnson created a Superyacht Travel Guide 2020 that is updated daily to provide information on country openings and other relevant information".

Now, as countries begin reopening, we see a steady uptick in inquiries. Clients are ready to leave the confinement of their homes and are looking to travel once again. We also are experiencing a surge in first-time charter inquiries. UHNWIs are seeking travel options that provide a safe sanctuary and worry-free vacation. A luxury yacht offers the height of safety, cleanliness and distance away from the public.

Because of the increase in first-time charter inquiries, Northrop & Johnson has created a first-time charter guide that effectively holds the hand of a new client and creates a transparent and smooth entry into the world of yachting.

SYD: "With autumn's yacht shows still wrapped in uncertainty, what kind of alternative are you able to offer to push your offer to the market?"

The number of inquiries for late-summer (July, August, September) charters as well as charter requests for the winter months and during the holidays is strong. There is a

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M/Y DA VINCI, available for charter with Northrop & Johnson.

Courtesy of Northrop & Johnson

M/Y KING BABY, available for charter with Northrop & Johnson. Courtesy of Northrop & Johnson

DZ: "Many yacht brokers are still showing yachts to interested parties. Seeing a yacht in person remains one of the most effective aspects to a sale. Brokers and crew are doing all they can to use best practices regarding personal protective equipment (PPE), social distancing, etc. Furthermore, Northrop & Johnson is offering a variety of tech tools, such as video conferencing with brokers while aboard the yacht and virtual walkthroughs with brokers, captains, that provide clients with the ability to view the yacht from afar. If we can’t get people to the yacht, we will take the yacht to the people. Since 2015 we have invested heavily into technology, providing ample tools for our team members to ensure connectivity with clients and yacht owners and crew".

showcasing the yacht. For charter, virtual experiences are a valuable asset if a guest cannot visit the yacht in person before the charter. On the brokerage side of the business, nothing can replace an in-person visit, but a virtual tour is beneficial to ruling in or out yachts on a shortlist".

SYD: "What kind of considerations could you make in these latest months? In case of a second wave of global lockdown (coronavirus or for other reasons), would you be ready with a more appropriate response for your clients, in order not to let any chance go?"

DZ: "Despite the world coming to a veritable halt between March and May, there is quite a bit of optimism within the brokerage and charter teams at Northrop & Johnson. Our brokers worked tirelessly to continue to support our clients during the lockdown and their dedication has resulted in numerous sales despite a global pandemic. On the charter side, our charter retail and charter management teams have worked diligently to ensure clients were able to reschedule charters that were postponed and to assist clients with booking charters for when restrictions are lifted. Our teams continue to keep an open line of communication with clients to ensure they are informed and aware of situations as they unfold. This level of communication and open dialog has been integral to our successes in these uncertain times. In the event of a second wave of global lockdown, Northrop & Johnson would be very prepared to respond with this same level of communication and to implement the same practices that allowed us to weather the last couple of months as well as we did".

SYD: "Do you think yacht shows are fundamental for the market? Or can we expect that something will change in this respect?"

DZ: "Yacht shows have always been an important part of the brokerage and charter businesses and will most likely continue to be. Showing yachts to clients, facilitating meetings is much easier in person, no matter how good the technology is. Having that said, the format of what a successful superyacht show looks like will have to change.

Clients are looking for an evolution of the traditional yacht show experience and are looking for more refinement and sophistication – basically for a better and more modern experience in general".

SYD: "Do you think that virtual experiences can help to keep your clients interested in yachting?"

DZ: "Virtual experiences definitely can assist with 133

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by Pamela Paci

Photos © AZIMUT YACHTS

AZIMUT VERVE 47

Yachts’ DNA, this yacht is absolutely unique and looks set to establish a new standard in the world of outboards.

THE ULTIMATE BOATING MACHINE

The bow design is based on offshore competition boats but retains the signature personality expressed by all Azimut Yachts, while the glazed surfaces in the hull reach up past and are integrated into the gunwale in order to establish a real bond with the sea.

“We took the typically American love of a sports-oriented lifestyle at sea as our starting point and then developed our own take on the concept based on Italian design criteria”, said exterior and interior designer Francesco Struglia, who has always been attracted to the shapes created by dynamics and physics.

EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE (A TOP SPEED OF 50 KNOTS), REMARKABLE HANDLING AND THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE HELM STATION MAKE THE NEW MODEL FROM AZIMUT YACHTS THE PERFECT BOAT TO GO ISLAND HOPPING AND ENJOY A 360 DEGREES MARINE EXPERIENCE.

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icknamed “the ultimate boating machine”, Azimut Verve 47 is designed for an extremely modern owner attracted by the prospect of reaching his favourite hotspots quickly in an exciting, high-performance craft. Remarkable livability, unprecedented on a boat this size, adds the worlwide appreciated Italian touch over to life on board the Verve 47. Combining top of the markets of centre console’s developments with the sophistication imprinted in Azimut

The young Italian designer’s work on the Verve 47 takes the intensely exciting ride typical of centre consoles to the next level: the helm station has been enhanced with a side window that creates a remarkable sense of continuity with the outside world. Indeed, the driver enjoys a special bond with the water, particularly at high speed, when the wake that is clearly visible on either side of the boat seems to become part of the yacht’s structure.

This authentic, exciting and unprecedented bonding between the driver and the outside world, a typical feature of Struglia’s work, is in a certain sense reminiscent of famous car designs like the Lamborghini Marzal designed by Marcello Gandini (1967), the Maserati Boomerang by Giorgetto Giugiaro (1971) or, more recently, the Vision GT line by Lamborghini, all featuring a driving experience that seems to connect the driver and the road through a play of forms and reflections.

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The flow line defined by the windows sets the tone for the deck’s development in a circular play of contrasts and light. At high speed, the wake can clearly be seen forming on either side of the glazed surfaces and merging into the seascape.

The design of the windows also facilitates communication between the driver and the yacht’s interior, which is designed to form part of an ensemble with the exterior, in such a way as to create a product in which a sporty personality and ultimate comfort live together in perfect harmony.

Turning to the materials, the new-concept laminates chosen for the interiors offer the handfeel of wood in a very hi-tech setting, while the “shockwave” pattern of the synthetic teak aims to exploit the full potential of a choice that is both ecological and practical.

Azimut Yachts has worked to obtain the maximum from the interior and exterior spaces. The roomy cockpit, with its fully recessed high-low table and a swing-down side wall equipped for entering the water, can be used for different purposes at different times of day: a dining area, somewhere to relax and sunbathe or, alternatively, as a completely unencumbered, sea-facing ‘party’ space that is perfectly aligned with the design philosophy. The relaxation area in the bow has an asymmetrical layout that can accommodate additional comfortable seating and a big sun pad.

The refrigerators and the outdoor and indoor storage compartments are all generously sized to cater for longer stays on board.

The spacious and welcoming outdoor area in the stern has everything needed to relax and enjoy the open air life, including a multipurpose unit fitted with a wet bar, fridge, ice maker, barbecue, hob and sink. The setup is completed by a TV that can be raised and lowered.

The helm station features a plug and play layout and a glass cockpit dashboard with an extremely clean hi-tech design accentuated by scenic LED lighting. The helm seat can be adjusted electrically and is flanked on the right and left by two more seats. All three have an ergonomic design that tips its hat to the automotive industry.

The full-beam dinette-galley amidships is designed to offer even more relaxation, with an L-shaped sofa seating three, a table with a fixed stainless steel base and, on request, a wine cooler.

Two night cabins: the owner’s double cabin in the bow and a second cabin in the stern with twin beds. The bathroom has a separate shower stall.

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The storage area in the stern can accommodate two seabobs and an inflatable paddle board, with easy-to-reach stowage space for the fenders next to the console.

The hull has a deep V and a central stern tunnel, based on the famous Stepped ‘V’ Ventilated Tunnel (SVVT) developed and patented by the outstandingly talented US designer Michael Peters.

The classic deep V with two steps and a central stern tunnel improves the boat’s longitudinal stability when turning at high speed.

Peters has been a prolific designer since the early 1970s and is regarded as the leading authority on fast hulls. Verve 47 not only boasts a hull designed by him, but is also the largest boat on the market with this type of hull.

Designed to reduce water resistance significantly and deliver excellent performance without affecting the size and proportions of the hull, it guarantees extraordinary directional stability even when turning.

High precision rudder response ensures that any obstacles in the boat’s path can be avoided, even at very high speeds.

The yacht is also extremely easy to handle and in particular to moor, not least because of the latest generation joystick.

One major innovation is the first extensive application in a marine setting of virtual prototyping and immersive reality techniques, which were used to develop the dashboard, as well as for the visibility study and the ergonomic assessment of the wetbar and the interiors using the Oculustype virtual headset. The introduction of these techniques has significantly reduced the effort needed for spatial and movement control, which previously required much more work.

Months of design work were dedicated to specific technical aspects, from storage analysis to the functions assigned to each space, with the aim of anticipating and satisfying all the needs of future owners.

Verve 47 has four Mercury Verado V8 four-stroke outboard engines rated 450 hp each, driving the boat to a top speed of 50 knots and a cruising speed of 37 knots.

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FRANCESCO STRUGLIA After training as an industrial designer, he immediately became involved in the world of boat design while writing his thesis under the supervision of Giovanni Zuccon, who a week later invited him to his offices. It marked the start of a fouryear period during which he developed an approach to design that combines freehand drawing with advanced threedimensional mathematics.

In 2011, he moved to the Netherlands to work with Frank Laupman and his highlyreputed Omega Architects firm.

On his return to Italy, he joined AzimutBenetti group and became the company’s main point of liaison with designer Stefano Righini, who has been an important influence on him right from the outset. In 2017, he opened his own design studio.

MICHAEL PETERS In the early 1970s, Micael Peters began designing high speed hulls for small planing boats developed specifically for the choppy waters off the coast of Southern California. In 1976, he designed and patented his first “stepped hull” and pioneered the adaptation of this particular type of hull. During his subsequent career designing competition boats, ‘his’ catamarans won 20 World Championships.

In a career spanning over 45 years, his hulls have won numerous speed records, including the first offshore boat to exceed 200 mph. Today Michael Peters Yacht Design is the world’s leading designer of high performance powerboats with stepped hulls.

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by Pamela Paci

SANLORENZO YACHTS

THREE NEW MODELS MAKE THEIR SEAGOING DEBUT THIS SUMMER

SANLORENZO SX 112

BRINGING NEW CONCEPTS OF LIVABILITY ON BOARD: SANLORENZO YACHTS ARE FIRST OF ALL PLACES TO EXPERIENCE, THRILLING AND UNIQUE, AND BUILT AROUND THE NEEDS OF THEIR INHABITANTS. THIS SUMMER 2020 WILL SEE THE NEW SX112, 44ALLOY AND 62STEEL SHINING ON THE HORIZON.

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pioneer by definition, visionary and determined, Sanlorenzo once again looks to the horizon and beyond, shaping a new imaginary to give rise to original habitat solutions. This is the approach behind the company’s new creations for 2020, making their seagoing this summer: the SX112 crossover yacht, presented in the first version with interior design by Piero Lissoni, and the 44Alloy and 62Steel superyachts.

Three new models, different from each other but sharing the same focus on livability of indoor and outdoor spaces, and their relationship with the sea, taken to new heights through cutting-edge solutions capable of foreshadowing the requests of the market, thanks to ongoing research conducted by Sanlorenzo to always offer the highest quality of life on board.

The shipyard expands the SX line with a new 34-meter flagship. The challenge continues, developing new contents and habitat scenarios, with external lines by Zuccon International Project and interiors by Piero Lissoni. A pioneer by definition, visionary and determined, Sanlorenzo once again looks to the horizon and beyond, shaping a new imaginary to give rise to original habitat solutions.

Hence the new SX112, the flagship of the innovative SX crossover line, the first in the world of yachting, launched in 2017 by Sanlorenzo through the initiative of Massimo Perotti, Executive Chairman of the company, who thanks to his courage and ability to defy conventions has brought a new type of yacht to the market.

A blend of the classic motor yacht with flying bridge, for which Sanlorenzo has been and continues to be one of the worldwide leaders, and the Explorer type, the SX range is an “intelligent” proposal where style, flexibility and functional quality come together in a shared language.

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In line with the concept developed for the other models, the main deck has been organized as an open space, an innovative solution introduced by Sanlorenzo for the first time on the SX88, to maximize the relationship with outdoor spaces. Thanks to the wheelhouse placed on the flying bridge, freeing up the bow zone of the living area on the main deck, a single continuous space has been created for the living and dining areas.

SX112 represents the consolidation of a path that began with the SX88, first, and then the SX76, a challenge that continues and is enhanced by new contents, proposing a new way of living on the sea: the barriers on board are eliminated, and the boat opens to the outside, in a close relationship with the marine context.

The orchestration has again been assigned to the creativity of two designers who have been working with Sanlorenzo since the launch of the first crossover model: Bernardo Zuccon of Studio Zuccon International Project, for the external lines, and Piero Lissoni, art director of the company since 2018, for the interiors.

Staircases return as a fundamental characteristic of Lissoni’s design. The internal helical staircase extends through three levels to connect the decks, and at the height of the main deck it is enclosed in a transparent oval volume like a precious coffer, enhancing the staircase while making it seem to be suspended in the air. The external staircases have an essential, clean look, in keeping with the principles of racing yachts.

The focal point of the project is the new stern zone which undoubtedly represents the yacht’s most iconic area, a choice that brings new possibilities of design and use by the Architect Luca Santella, who also conceived the innovative SX crossover line. A refinement of the SX88 project, the new model here propose a spacious internal beach area that is directly connected to the outside, allowing the yacht owner to enjoy these spaces in a novel way, also thanks to the retractable terraces, maximizing the indoor-outdoor connection.

Details and materials are the leitmotif shared by all the internal spaces, selected with care in a combination of Japanese purity and Italian elegance.

With the new SX112 crossover yacht, Sanlorenzo again puts the concept of livability at the center, through solutions that permit total freedom of use of all the spaces. A project that is possible thanks that unique combination of creativity, research, industrial perfection and craftsmanship that has made Sanlorenzo an example of excellence on a worldwide level.

While Zuccon has concentrated on reinforcing the “family feeling” of the range, bringing out certain linguistic choices such as the balance of the volumes and the fluid forms that seem to reference large marine mammals, Lissoni has focused on the subdivision of the internal spaces, in constant dialogue with their outdoor counterparts.

SANLORENZO SX 112

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Image above and below: SANLORENZO 44 ALLOY

The new Sanlorenzo 44Alloy superyacht, a 44,5 meters long fast displacement model, entirely in aluminium, which thanks to its unprecedented layout and maximum indooroutdoor eurythmy takes the concept of livability to new heights. In total, as at today, Sanlorenzo already sold 5 boats of this model, all under construction. With the first unit launched a few days from the total reopening of its facilities in May 2020, Sanlorenzo will officially present this new model at the end of this summer. The yacht, a highly capable fast cruiser able to reach a maximum speed of 22 knots, is characterised by clean, sporty lines with distinctive cut-outs in the bulwarks to provide unlimited sea views from the main deck and a sky lounge on the upper deck.

The model conserves the elegant, balanced style and fluid that have always set the brand apart, while offering surprising spaces for the owner as well as guests, such as the large beach club that opens on three sides, providing direct connection to the sea, while the foredeck, with its open area, offers multiple possibilities of use.

The 44Alloy is the result of the conceptual and design prowess of the Sanlorenzo team and Bernardo Zuccon, making it possible to envision, design and produce a yacht with four decks with GRT of 470, in a streamlined model that is capable of offering the solutions of a large superyacht at the same time. These features include the owner’s cabin, the conceptual fulcrum of the design, conceived as a private apartment of 145 square meters, organized on three levels with indoor and outdoor areas, in a solution never seen before on a yacht of this size.

The interior design of the first unit has been created by Zuccon International Project, with the refined taste and delicate choices of Martina Zuccon. The second yacht has interiors by the Florence-based architect Michele Bonan, while the third unit will bear the signature of the French architecture firm Liaigre, reflecting the flexibility, eclecticism and internationalism of the Sanlorenzo shipyard.

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SANLORENZO 62 STEEL - © SANLORENZO YACHTS

Know-how, a focus on quality and technical prowess represent a unique combination that permits Sanlorenzo to look forward to the future, every single day, making unstoppable progress in a constant drive towards innovation, to respond to the desires of its clients. A design culture that narrates a precise creative identity and has allowed the company to invent the new 62Steel superyacht, whose first unit has just been launched at the impressive shipyard in La Spezia.

With an overall length of 61.5 meters, maximum beam of 11.9, gross tonnage of 1200 and five decks, the new Sanlorenzo 62Steel offers surprising solutions that set new standards in the metal superyacht sector.

The yacht has an elegant, timeless design of poised, harmonious lines, which thanks to the large volumes, innovative layout and advanced technologies guarantees exceptional on-board comfort and livability, as never seen before on models of this size.

A unique concept that translates into the incredible spaces of the vast, sumptuous owner’s cabin, for which the entire upper deck has been set aside, of the large main living area and the majestic beach club on the lower deck. Among the exceptional aspects of the 62Steel project, the owner’s cabin has an area of 210 m2, of which 97 m2 for the interiors divided into bedroom, study, two spacious bathrooms and a walk-in dressing room, and 123 m2 outdoors at the bow of the upper deck, known as the owner’s deck.

The 62Steel has been designed by the in-house technical and styling divisions of Sanlorenzo, which have developed a streamlined superyacht, followed by the contribution of the architects Francesco Paszkowski and Margherita Casprini, who have created the interiors of this first unit.

Three units are already under construction, the first has just been launched, while the second is scheduled for delivery in April 2021 and the third at the start of 2023.

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by Julia Zaltzman

CCN - CERRI CANTIERI NAVALI

VANADIS, 3 IN 1: ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY, EFFICIENCY AND CLASSIC ELEGANCE WHEN AN OWNER TAKES A YACHT DESIGN TO THEIR SHIPYARD OF CHOICE AND INCLUDES REQUESTS THAT HAVE NEVER BEFORE BEEN ACHIEVED, IT TAKES A ROBUST AND FORWARD-THINKING BUILDER TO PULL IT OFF. ENTER CCN.

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The award-winning motoryacht Vanadis is the latest incarnation in this range. The yacht won at the World Yachts Trophies 2019 in the "Green Yachts" category and at the International Design and Innovation Awards (2020) in the “Eco Award” category. The fourth model in the Fuoriserie collection, Vanadis was born from a client’s vision. Pencilled

by Guido de Groot, the owner’s designer of choice, the 31m fully custom yacht made a name for itself from the moment it was launched for being the first Italian-built yacht to obtain the Lloyd’s Register’s Hybrid Power certification. She has since been celebrated for possessing two opposing elements – on the one hand technologically advanced achieving environmental friendliness and efficiency, and on the other a timeless design flaunting classic elegance.

igh-performing yachts built in steel and aluminium are CCN’s area of expertise. Together with Baglietto and Bertram, the Italian yard forms part of the heritage-rich Gavio Group, and bears the renowned Made in Italy stamp of approval.

Last March, Gavio Group has announced that its intention to merge its Italian shipyards under the Baglietto brand. The plan is also to open a European branch of the Tampa-based Bertram brand. Baglietto has confirmed the merger will take place, hopefully, before the end of the year.

Specialising in yacht builds between 24 and 50 metres in length, CCN fiberglass ‘Flyingsport’ line was recently joined by the ‘Firma’ collection of crafts, while its line of designerled models include the 30m and 35m yachts pencilled by Tommaso Spadolini, and the DOM123, currently under construction and designed by Stefano Vafiadis. Most notable of all, however, is its Fuoriserie line – a series of diverse and fully-custom vessels available in different materials.

Completely tailored to the owner’s needs and requirements, both the interior and exterior benefit from highly functional and comfortable layouts with a sophisticated aesthetic to match. Glazed surfaces allow for natural light to rebound around the interior making for a bright and airy ambience, supported by a light colour palette. Commenting on the win, CCN’s CEO Diego Michele Deprati, says: "This award makes us doubly proud. Winning is always an honour, because it is an acknowledgement of the good work accomplished by the company and by all the people who devote their passion and commitment to it on a daily basis; but the motivation for this specific award is even more significant and rewards our shipyard’s great efforts in research and development, aimed at creating technologically advanced products that are also environmentally-friendly – an aspect that means a lot to us.

This, however, would never have been possible without the support of a brave owner, who offered us the opportunity to work along these lines, giving us his unconditional trust and the right stimuli, without which we would never have been able to achieve such outstanding results".

PHOTOS © Nico Fulciniti JOBDV

In keeping with the customised approach, Vanadis features no less than seven different configurations and propulsion modes depending on the operational or cruising needs.

Diesel mode is suitable for hitting top speed, while dieselshaft generation should be used for long voyages and energy saving. Diesel-electric mode uses two variable speed gensets to produce the necessary electrical power for propulsion, onboard services and hotel loads. When there is an excess of energy, this is conveyed to recharge the Lithium-ion batteries pack.

Full electric mode means all propulsion and essential services are powered by the Lithium-ion battery pack (175 kWh) allowing to cruise at limited speed for up to 180 minutes.

This configuration is best suited to day boat trips, short range transfers and cruising in comfort with zero emissions.

Alternatively, night mode allows the boat to anchor at zero emissions for up to 15 consecutive hours.

DP mode is used when the Dynamic Positioning System is required, while quayside mode relies on a shore power and frequency converter to provide the power supply of essential services and hotel loads.

Forming an integral part of the hybrid propulsion solution, the Lithium-ion batteries also ensure other functions, such as Peak Shaving (managing power load peaks and preventing the activation of diesel generators) and Strategic Control (to limit the use of diesel generators in low-load conditions while also increasing the load of operating gensets, thereby maximising efficiency). But fine-tuning propulsion is futile if it is not paired with great manoeuvrability, stability and comfort.

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of high energy-density AKASOL lithium-ion batteries (175 kWh) which supply most of onboard utilities, Vanadis can remain at anchor at zero emissions for up to 17 consecutive hours and can cruise freely at limited speed for up to 180 minutes, depending on the power load.

In addition to the two SCHOTTEL Azimuth PODs combined with the technology of the XENTA Integrated Steering System, Vanadis also relies on gyroscope units and fin antirolling stabilizing systems. These increase stability both while cruising and when at anchor, the former being Gyro well known for their comfort at anchor.

Another technical first was combining the XENTA Integrated Steering System with SCHOTTEL’s Azimuth PODs for the first time, which are capable of rotating 360-degrees on their vertical axis. Thanks to this manoeuvring system, both the PODs and the bow thrusters are controlled by a single processor. Equipped with a software specifically customised for this application, the manoeuvring system efficiently modulates the thrust and direction of each propulsion system in real time, allowing the captain to control Vanadis with just a joystick. In addition, the Dynamic Positioning function, which is fitted with the latest-generation GPS, enables the captain to anchor the boat electronically, keeping her steady and maintaining the bow fixed in the same direction by simply pressing a button.

Despite Vanadis’ fast delivery schedule, the owner had the project in the design stage for almost ten years previous to her delivery, which allowed time to explore all aspects of the design. From whichever angle Vanadis is approached, the vessel’s excellent technological solutions are in no doubt.

Coupled with a contemporary and inviting design that draws in the warmth and light of the elements, it’s clear to see that Vanadis is a shining example of CCN’s capabilities, and a beacon of what is to come from the Italian shipyard.

It’s fair to say that the technical achievements showcased by Vanadis’ hybrid propulsion are far reaching. Two CAT C9.3 B engines achieve a maximum speed of 12.5 knots, which drops to 8 knots when cruising in electric mode. Fitted with a set

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"Vanadis opens up a new era for our shipyard", says Deprati, "which is fully committed to promoting a cultural revolution that we deem essential to truly respect our planet".

Selected for her cutting-edge technological solutions and her strong focus on environmental sustainability and energy efficiency, the judges commented: "Motoryacht Vanadis has the most comprehensive diesel-electric power system yet on a yacht of modest (31m) length and has the first Hybrid Power certification by Lloyd’s Register for an Italian-built yacht. Key to the success of the project was analysis of efficient power sources and distribution for all navigation and hotel loads based on the owner’s request for both fin and gyro stabilisation and great manoeuvring, including Dynamic Positioning".

"Vanadis’ general style can be described as a modern interpretation of ‘Jugendstile’ – a Germanic style related to Art Nouveau,” explains designer Guido de Groot. "The main woods are bleached ash combined with walnut accents for a light and airy ambience, punctuated with specially commissioned and highly colourful works of modern art.

Loose furniture selected by the owner are supplied by designer brands such as Wittmann, Poltrona Frau, Giorgetti, Knoll and JAB".

The master stateroom is accompanied by two guest cabins, while outside on the main deck, two comfy lounge areas can be found both astern and at the bow. Particular care and attention has been paid towards onboard safety (one of the owner’s highlighted requests), and manifests by way of inbuilt handles in the interior structures and furniture.

These can be found in the hall and master suite, appearing as slender, discreet slits cut into the walls.

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However, one of the more challenging aspects of the design during the construction stage came to life in the layout of the engine room. The configuration of the hybrid engine proved problematic for the yacht’s 31m length and slender bow. As another of the owner’s specific requirements, the inclusion of hybrid was non-negotiable, so a fitting solution was required.

The result – to install the main engine compartment at the stern, and the genset compartment at the bow – has led to Vanadis being crowned as the first hybrid yacht ever built by CCN (and indeed, any Italian shipyard).

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DIEGO MICHELE DEPRATI, CEO OF CCN

for a ‘green’ approach. That’s why we decided to create the E-Prop Line – the CCN line of vessels characterised by hybrid solutions – and to replicate Vanadis’ hybrid system onboard our DOM133, currently under construction with delivery scheduled for 2021".

SYD: "Vanadis is a hybrid yacht, are you receiving more demand from owners for green initiatives in new builds?"

DMD: "During the Cannes and Monaco boat shows we were approached by many clients, brokers or those just ‘curious’ for information regarding hybrid propulsion. The hybrid solution is a topic still unknown to many and surrounded at times by scepticism. In fact, only a few years ago the technology itself didn’t allow for a highly-efficient, costeffective hybrid propulsion system. Today, thanks to the huge leap made by technology in this sector, it is possible to develop solutions that bring real benefits to navigation (in terms of reduction of consumption, limited environmental impact, increased onboard comfort, etc.).

SYD: "What new developments are in the pipeline for CCN?"

DMD: "We are almost ready to launch Project DOM123, sold in partnership with Campers & Nicholson. This 37m superyacht, with exterior and interior design by Stefano Vafiadis, represents another strategic milestone as the first model in our Firma (Signature) line of semi-custom projects based on common technical platforms and designed in collaboration with leading designers and naval architects.

Construction of the fifth hull in our full-custom Fuoriserie series, 40m Panam, is also proceeding on schedule and marks a new and prestigious collaboration between CCN and Francesco Paszkowski, one of the world’s top yacht

At CCN we firmly believe (and market trends confirm this) that in the near future there will be an increasing demand

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designers, together with Margherita Casprini for the interior design. Together, Project DOM123 and Panam confirm our strong positioning in the market for medium-size yachts with a well-defined personality and style.

With both these yachts due to launch in 2020 and a DOM133 in build, it looks like the next 12 months will be equally exciting and busy for CCN as we push ahead with the process of research and renewal so successfully undertaken by the yard in recent months".

GUIDO DE GROOT, DESIGNER

SYD:"What are the key design features of Vanadis?"

GDG: "Both the interior layout and interior styling have been fully customised to the specific needs and wishes of the owner, resulting in a highly functional, comfortable, discreet and tasteful design. The owner was looking for a refined, classical exterior style, which was achieved with well-balanced proportions and a long and elegantly curved sheer line.

The dining table on the main deck provides a prime example of how the design was customised to suit the owner’s wishes.

The initial design proposed a round table in ash with walnut Canaletto accents, but the client requested something more organic and dynamic. In the final solution, a round table from Knoll provides the perfect complement for a fluid-shaped storage cabinet on one side and a gently curved bulkhead on the other."

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PHOTOS © CRANCHI YACHTS

by Pamela Paci

CRANCHI SETTANTOTTO

CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF HISTORY CRANCHI SETTANTOTTO WAS OFFICIALLY UNVEILED AT THE BOOT D� SSELDORF LAST JANUARY. THIS WAS NOT JUST A GLOBAL DEBUT FOR THIS NEW MODEL DESIGNED BY CHRISTIAN GRANDE, BUT AN HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE SHIPYARD THAT, ON THIS SAME OCCASION, CELEBRATED ITS 150 YEARS OF HISTORY.

A

n opportunity not to be passed up for dealers and clients who took part to the event with a strong sense of participation, as Paola Cranchi highlights during our meeting at the German boat show. "This model was meant to bring forward something new to the market, it’s not just a vessel offering new solutions, it is also very meaningful to us since we are venturing an unexplored segment for us with this 25-meter (23,26 m in length and 25-m LOA)".

In terms of power, Cranchi Settantotto is provided with the innovative IPS propulsion system by Volvo Penta, in triple installation. A novelty already known to the public, this technology has become the best in terms of efficiency and performance. The top-of-the-range construction features class A homologation and 18 people capacity. With 3000 HP power, it cuts through the water at a maximum speed of 32 knots and cruises at 21/22 knots.

As Paola Cranchi tells, "Cranchi Settantotto results from the collaboration between the Research Center of our yard and the world-renowned designer Christian Grande, who has long been partnering with us and of whom we are very proud, while the hull has been penned by Aldo Cranchi. The boat is in fact a 78 feet but projected towards an 82 feet; she has been designed with four cabins with separated toilet equipped with shower, and crew area with a stand-alone captain cabin. Between this one and the owner’s cabin we have positioned a utility room that hosts laundry and ironing area. This vessel comes in four different versions, the one we presented in Düsseldorf is the Venezia / Venice version, featuring a very peculiar, stylish and lively design.

Venice is the city of colors: think about her Carnival and the cheerful masquerade parties, for example. She features intense, bright, joyful colors. The marbles were picked in the strongest shades, such as orange, together with lighter accents, while floors, walls and some furniture details show darker nuances".

A unit boasting freestanding furniture, that is an interior design with furniture separated from the walls and architectural works, is being presented by Cranchi for the first time. "We have studied this style specifically with Christian Grande, and we succeeded in giving the boat a strong personality".

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Cranchi Settantotto’s design calls attention to the creations of several relaxation areas: "The vessel was envisioned for spending time in the sea, time that will be dedicated to relaxation, quiet, peace, contemplating the surroundings an unwinding". Three are the areas designed for some alonetime: a bow corner featuring sofas, sunbeds and a shaded area, a spot on the fly deck where, near the control panel, we find a dining area with a big architectural structure serving as kitchen, and a third space aft where a large, comfortable sofa is placed. The aft area also plays house to a storage space where a dinghy, tender, jet skis and other toys are kept.

twin beds, all placed accordingly to the direction of travel, that is to say longitudinally to the hull. The upper deck houses the control station, saloon and kitchen. The latter working both as the place where dishes are prepared by the crew, and as a moment to be shared with the other families, whose culture values lunchtime as a convivial event to be spent in harmony while enjoying food. The kitchen therefore bares a symbolic meaning aboard Cranchi Settantotto: her versatility conveys the meaning that the Italian shipyard wants to spread, that is offering the finest of the Italian know-how, the excellence of the Made in Italy, adjusted to the needs, cultures and life-styles of its clients. As Paola Cranchi explains: "For Mediterranean, Latin cultures like ours, food means family. In these cases, we provide the chance to

With regards to the interiors, Cranchi Settantotto offers three double cabins with king-size beds, and a cabin with

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have a kitchen overlooking the dining room and saloon. To other cultures food is instead just a dietary requirement and not a joyful moment. For this reason, the kitchen can be enclosed and used by the crew alone, like in the version we have here on display in DĂźsseldorf. A sliding door can be installed onboard other variations, giving the chance to join or separate the kitchen and dining areas, according to the moment of the day. The same degree of versatility is applied to the cockpit, which can be separated or connected to the saloon, if wished".

amounts to 25-30% and it gradually increases as we shift from the upper to the lower areas, from the hull to the fly, the latter being entirely made of carbon. This choice was determined by our desire of giving to the structure a lighter feeling and sailing with less weight. This all comes down to less consumption and better weight management in the barycenter".

Cranchi synergically worked with Volvo Penta but also with Humphrey who catered for the stabilizing fins. "If the stabilizing fins are positioned in the right way with respect to the engine, they can even substitute the gyrostabilizer, the stabilizer trim, that everyone is already using", says Paola Cranchi.

The shipyard focused on the dĂŠcor and on materials, "we have a significant implementation of carbon in the hull, deck and fly areas. The percentage of carbon used in the hull

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SETTANTOTTO AND FLEXFORM

Technologically speaking, the boat represents a step forward also for the implementation of home automation, for which Cranchi has worked together with Garmin. "We have developed systems that work well with engines and home automation for interiors and with the Humphrey’s fins, yielding excellent results we are very enthusiasts about".

On the occasion of its debut at Boot DĂźsseldorf 2020, the Cranchi Settantotto received a triumphant welcome, exciting the enthusiasm of the public, the media and operators in the sector. Those who saw the yacht live expressed an appreciation for the lines of the new flagship, for its technical solutions and for the design choices. Particular interest has also aroused the suggestive setting capable of giving the Settantotto a decisive and refined character. The material and chromatic choices proposed by Cranchi in agreement with the designer Christian Grande reveal a refined taste and

Cranchi has 200 employees, less than in the pre-crisis era, but just like Paola Cranchi explains: "The crisis taught us important things. It gave us the chance to reorganize in a more efficient way. We are now hiring and training the workforce we had to say farewell to".

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contemporary style at the same time.

In perfect harmony with the choices of art direction, the Settantotto is furnished with elements of the Flexform collections, an historic and dynamic Made in Italy furniture brand. To furnish the living room, Christian Grande chose a corner composition of the Adda seating system combined with Fly tables, both signed by Antonio Citterio.

Around the table were placed Feel Good armchairs also designed by Antonio Citterio and covered in fine leather in a surprising orange nuance.

In the stern space, an outdoor lounge dedicated to relaxation has been created with the addition of Alison Outdoor armchairs designed by Carlo Colombo alongside Fly tables, accordingly, a lounge area with a cocoon effect comes to life. Alternatively, this space can be set up as a veranda with a table that is both practical and attractive.

Among the countless customisation options that Cranchi Yachts can offer thanks to the Cranchi Atelier customisation program, the owners of the Settantotto will be able to choose the elements and furnishing accessories inspired by the collections selected with Christian Grande and being able to rely on the advice of the Shipyard designers.

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Today Cranchi offers models ranging from 26 to 80 feet and as Paola Cranchi tells us, "the shipyard is independent and boasts two facilities that only deal with building".

Expectations were high for this boat, with the market and dealers patiently waiting for it and "everyone has been very surprised with the result, we went far beyond expectations and of that we are very pleased. These days at the show are going very well, we are getting good feedbacks, for this model is something peculiar that filled a void on the market.

This line that offers a very Italian style is always a success. I am personally a huge believer of the power of the Made in Italy, and I am sure that this creation will do justice to our country. We Italians are very creative and meticulous at the same time, we always keep an eye on quality and excellence, so we can but be proud of everything that we create".

"We have different production systems, our shipyard resembles a car plant, with construction processes specifically designed for every model so to not run into mistakes or slowdowns. What does it mean? That the factory must function well, we cannot improvise. Every stop in fact causes a huge loss of time and money and that must be avoided".

The workers are the strength of every company, it was not easy for the shipyard to do without some of its employees.

Today the shipyard is going back to how it was before the crisis, Paola Cranchi states with a sincere smile, new personnel, more solid will, strong push towards growth and ready to go. "We are aware that the market is asking for more today and we are prepared for that. The market grows and changes. Cranchi evolves too, not only in length, since today we have a 78-feet flagship, but also in terms of offer: we are the only shipyard offering such a wide range, going from 26 to 78 feet. I don’t think we will go bigger than that, but we will definitely keep developing and investing in this segment".

Paola Cranchi recalls the years of the crisis during our conversation, a period of time that deeply affected plenty of shipyards due to the lack of orders, many other vanished, they shut down. "But many other shipyards, who were nonetheless hit by the crisis managed to resist like we did, even learning a lesson from it. Even if it took away a lot from us, the crisis made us aware that if we were to resist, later in time the market would have payed us back. We must never let go of our desire of being Italians and our edgy style".

This new model Settantotto will be presented in water next September at Cannes (if the boat show is confirmed). It takes 5 months for the shipyard to go from the order to the delivery.

The saloon in Düsseldorf has therefore been strategic for the shipyard who could gather the orders and process them right in time for the summer season. "We believe in this show precisely for this reason. Not only because the city is in the center of Europe and easy to reach for everybody, but also because our clients come to see us very willingly and appreciate German efficiency. Everything works and they value that".

"The market will always respond well. I am convinced that being Italian is a great value, ours is a very strong identity.

Speaking of which, I cannot but mention the event we held to celebrate our 150 years of history, where we presented to our sales network the new Settantotto. Despite not being on the Italian territory – the event took place in Germany – we received a warm welcome. Everyone participated with great pleasure, people love this brand and this family".

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S/Y CANOVA © BALTIC YACHTS

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by Ilaria Sabbioni

BALTIC YACHTS

DEVELOPING HIGHPERFORMANCE AND MULTI-ROLE SUPERYACHTS LIGHTER, STIFFER AND FASTER, THAT IS WHAT BALTIC YACHTS BEARS IN MIND WHEN DESIGNING AND BUILDING ITS YACHTS. THIS MOTTO HAS BEEN EMBEDDED IN WHAT THE SHIPYARD DOES SINCE ITS FOUNDATION IN 1973, AND STILL IS THE DRIVING FORCE OF ITS ACTIVITY.

T

he Finnish yard is always at the forefront when it comes to state-of-the-art technologies and has made innovation its flagship during the years, both in terms of design and engineering. Groundbreaking yachts like Baltic 147 Visione, built in 2002 but still a force to be reckoned within the racecourse today, Baltic 112 Nilaya and more recently Baltic 108 WinWin, Baltic 130 My Song and Baltic 175 Pink Gin have all dominated regatta results and award ceremonies. Innovation is what brings all these unique models together. Ranging from lifting keels and Baltic’s Retractable Propulsion System, to finger light steering through the company’s Force Feedback Steering System and the use of sustainable building materials such as flax, Baltic never fails to enrich its creations with innovative features. Confirmation of that comes with one of the most significant launches of 2019 for the yard: Baltic 142 Canova.

_____________ CANOVA _____________

With this model Baltic has undoubtedly once again raised the bar with regards to technology: the 9-meter Dynamic Stability System foil she has been equipped with is probably one of her most characteristic details. The DSS, an athwartship sliding board set just below the waterline, that ensures comfort and enhances speed under sail, has not been installed by Baltic Yachts without difficulty. The biggest challenge that the team was presented with, was building the mechanism into the hull beneath her luxury accommodation. In fact, the foil runs directly beneath the owner’s cabin where its installation was made more challenging because the bunk itself can be adjusted to counteract heel angle. Controlled by a pulley system driven by an electric captive winch, the foil, running on high-load titanium bearings is deployed to leeward to create lift, much like an aircraft wing, to reduce heel, dampen pitching and increase speed. The loads imposed by the foil can be as much as 140 tonnes which not only required complex engineering of the hull but also an appreciation of the effects of greater stability on the rig and sailplan.

"I am very pleased to see that heel angle has already been reduced by 8 degrees in trials and there is plenty more fine tuning to come when we understand more about how to trim the yacht in conjunction with the foil", said Canova’s owner. "The reduction in pitching motion is amazing. Expected performance increases in terms of speed will be a bonus".

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S/Y LIARA © BALTIC YACHTS

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The design, engineering and construction of the DSS foil involved a large team coordinated by Baltic Yachts. Hugh Welbourn and Gordon Kay of Infiniti Yachts developed the foil, Ben Ainslie’s America’s Cup engineers BAR Technologies worked on the bearings and naval architects Farr Yachts Design collaborated with Gurit on the detail design and engineering. While the building of the foil was entrusted to French composites experts ISOTOP. Canova also keeps an eye on the environment. With the goal of reducing her environmental impact, she has been fitted with an electrically powered drivetrain, a hydro-generation system charging a large Lithium ion battery bank and the means to run the yacht in ‘silent’ mode with all hotel systems running for up to nine hours. Daily charging without hydro-generation can be reduced to just six hours.

Purely built for bluewater cruising, the most technologically advanced Baltic’s project to date features both exterior and interior design by Italian designer Lucio Micheletti. A key feature of the exteriors is the long hardtop bimini, which stretches out from the deck saloon aft over the large guest cockpit. An engineering feat in itself, featuring a set of new technologies it is the focal point of the living area. Here we can find touch button drop down side windows, slinging doors, dimmable glass and the ability to take 24-tonne load of the mainsheet track.

The dimmable windows by Vision System features a silver mesh that enables different colors to be selected and provides visual, thermal and acoustic comfort and almost total UV block.

Aboard this 43-meter superyacht a minimal, yet elegant and modern approach has been adopted. Up to four guests can be hosted in two luxurious en-suite cabins. The owner’s 65-square meters full beam suit is located almost amidships where there is the least motion.

Accommodation for eight crew members is provided aft too.

_____________ LIARA _____________

Baltic 112 Liara is the second superyacht that the yard managed to deliver last year. Built for an experienced yacht owner, she is a fast, easy to handle, long distance family cruising yacht with potential to perform well on the racecourse.

After her launch in Finland and sea trials in the Mediterranean, her owner took her across the Atlantic with the intention of taking part in the RORC Caribbean 600 and the St Barth’s Bucket 2020. From there she should have crossed the Panama Canal and sail toward New Zealand for the America’s Cup in 2021.

At first, the owner’s intent was to build a family cruising yacht, but that soon changed as it was decided that Liara was also going to compete in racings. "The goal posts moved when it was decided she was also going to go racing and that we needed to focus further on weight saving", naval architect Malcom McKeon form Malcom McKeon Yacht Design explained. Liara’s final light ship displacement was measured at 88 tons, but it was not easy for Baltic’s Yachts in house project manager Tommy Johansson and his team to stay on schedule and find ways to further reduce weight. Additional weight saving was achieved thanks to her all-carbon structure.

The yacht’s performance and potential to end up on the podium were boosted thanks to the installation of a Retractable Propulsion System (RPS), "It was clear that the yacht would accelerate and power up much more quickly than expected with her propeller retracted", said Malcolm.

A major engineering challenge for Baltic Yachts and the project team was posed by the juxtaposition of the hull aperture for the RPS and the telescopic keel. "It took us eight months to plan and engineer this, but we remained on schedule", said Tommy Johansson.

The original machinery configuration was for a single engine and twin generators, but it was decided to fit a shaft generator so that one of the conventional generators could be discarded, saving space and weight.

The main engine is offset and drives the RPS via a 90-degree bevel gear box. With a large lithium ion battery bank Liara can run in ‘silent’ mode for up to eight hours with all ‘hotel’ services running.

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BALTIC 117 CUSTOM © BALTIC YACHTS

wife wanted the interior design to capture the atmosphere of the islands. Adam Lay Studio was asked to design an interior with a natural aesthetic augmented by bright colours in the soft furnishings inspired by the incredible colours of the island environment".

MMYD worked carefully on the shape and positioning of hull appendages to reduce wetted surface and drag. Work was also done to streamline the ‘steps’ created by the telescopic keel fin to make the section more hydro-dynamically efficient.

Through-hull fittings were reduced to a minimum to further reduce drag and for the same reason it was decided to opt for a single rudder, which also reduced weight.

“Malcolm McKeon Yacht Design gave us an absolute gift – Adam continues – in terms of the structure and space planning for the saloon which, in terms of its feeling of openness, is incomparable with any vessel of Liara’s size. I would argue this area of the yacht boasts a game-changing design – albeit a challenge for the shipyard to accommodate the necessary ducting and pipework from the mid-ship section to the aft cockpit area.” The filled-with-light saloon showing bright wooden nuances, remains in fact connected to the cockpit making both space work together in harmony and conveying and open feel to them. Here, and throughout the yacht as well, the owner’s pride for his homeland is witnessed by Guernsey artist Valerie Travers’ paintings, which beautifully complement the soft, light-coloured furniture of the spaces.

"The other great advantage of a telescopic keel is that, unlike a conventional lifting keel, it doesn’t encroach into the accommodation so when we were working with Adam Lay on the interior, we had an immediate advantage in the deck saloon", said Malcolm McKeon.

With her powerful sailplan, RPS, which also rotates to act as a stern thruster, telescopic keel, high pressure hydraulics system for faster line speeds and high voltage electrical specification, Liara displays the latest thinking for a multirole superyacht.

An added benefit of both the hydraulic and electrical systems is that they require considerably smaller diameter pipework and lighter electrical cabling which saves weight and space.

The weight saving programme is supported by titanium being used in everything from stanchions and deck fittings to the hydraulic oil reservoir.

"The dining table and coffee table surface finishes are designed to mimic ripples in calm water. The hanging locker doors are also designed to reflect the appearance of water or tree bark – the intention always being to use stylised elements and not a literal facsimile to create an atmosphere.

The textures on some of the fabrics chosen continue this feel and the lighting is carefully positioned to pick up and highlight these elements", the designer added.

Liara’s natural and relaxing interiors were styled by UK based Adam Lay studio. Form the beginning it was made clear that she was going to be a practical and functional sailing yacht with smart stowage solutions. The owner also wanted her to reflect the natural environment of his home islands, the Channel Islands located between England and France, as Adam Lay commented: "An immensely practical man with an intense interest in engineering, the owner, together with his

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Liara features one VIP cabin and two twin guests cabins aft, and a spacious owner’s cabin in the bow area, providing hospitality for up to eight guests taken care of by a crew of five, which will benefit of a galley, laundry and two en-suite twin cabins.

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FUTURE DELIVERIES

design will be curated by German-based studio Judel/Vrolijk & Co which opted for advanced composites for this yacht, using epoxy SPRINT and pre-preg carbon. Designed with an owners’ double cabin and three double guest cabins in the mid and forward areas, she will accommodate seven crew members in four cabins in the aft quarters.

As for future deliveries, Baltic now has two new builds under construction. The first is Baltic 117 Custom, a 39.6 meters Custom Classic sloop commissioned by Dutch designers Dykstra Naval Architects that will feature distinctive pilot cutter-style details, including a straight stem, bowsprit, counter stern and deep bulwarks, as well as a very modern approach to emissions and the environment. Scheduled to be delivered in 2021 to an experienced owner, this vessel will make efficiency her strong suit: smart features such as selfregulating cabins that will minimise power consumption when unoccupied and the possibility to recycled waste air conditioning to heat water are going to be implemented.

On top of that, an electric propulsion system powered by a lithium ion battery bank will enable this global cruising yacht to sail in silent mode for long periods. Housing onboard this yacht will be found in an owner’s suite forward and three double guest cabins. Crew accommodation for six will be arranged aft.

With a lifting keel reducing draft to just 3.4m the yacht is designed with twin rudders. The deck area features a solid bimini extending from the large deck saloon and another separate bimini over the twin steering positions. Other features include a tender well on the foredeck, a fold-over anchor system, a large stern lazarette, captive winches and a 550hp main engine driving a forward-facing pull propeller which can be rotated to avoid the need for a stern thruster.

Naval architect Rolf Vrolijk commented: "This is a great opportunity to further develop the high performance, multirole superyacht for which our design studio and Baltic Yachts have become renowned".

Sebastian Allebrodt from A2B Maritime Consultant will work on this project on behalf of the owner.

Timeless elegance is what best describes the character of the yacht according to Dykstra Naval Architects, while for the interiors deVosdeVries design is going to adopt a light and contemporary approach, choosing stained oak, dark bog oak trims and ‘industrial chic hardware’.

Another Baltic’s yacht awaited for delivery in 2021 is a custom 44.6m lifting keel sloop envisioned for worldwide bluewater cruising (Baltic 146). Naval architect and interior BALTIC 146 CUSTOM © BALTIC YACHTS

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