Sanlorenzo 46 Steel

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When we think of Italian-built yachts, we tend to think of boats that exude style at every turn. The aft edges of the superstructure overhangs receive as much attention as the book-matched wood paneling, meticulously laid marble and smartly stitched leather seating.

As much as the new flagship of Sanlorenzo, the 46 Steel, follows suit, one of her biggest selling points actually has nothing to do with what you see. In fact, it has everything to do with what most buyers won’t see. Beneath the lower deck, there’s an area Sanlorenzo calls the “under lower deck.” It’s a tunnel that runs the entire length of the yacht, starting at the engine room and continuing beneath the guest accommodations and the crew’s quarters, straight to the bow. Besides yielding access to cold-storage rooms and an extra freezer, it’s home to the laundry area and machinery spaces for the stabilizers, bow thrusters and similar equipment.

It’s quite an accomplishment for a yacht that’s just shy of 151 feet overall length. Most yachts in this size range simply don’t have a dedicated machinery/service deck. Instead, crew members walk up one set of stairs, cross out to the side decks or through the salon, then head back down below using a separate set of stairs. Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with this — it’s been done for decades, after all. But Sanlorenzo saw an opportunity and designed the under lower deck with enough space for crew to walk through unimpeded.