A & R 147′: As a near sister to last year’s Bravado, Abeking & Rasmussen completed a 147-foot custom motoryacht earlier this year. Designed by Reymond Langton, she has a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. The as-yet-unnamed yacht, awaiting an owner, has four guest cabins below deck, an on-deck master suite and an upper deck VIP stateroom. Abeking & Rasmussen, (011) 49 421 6733531; www.abeking.com.
ALLOY YACHTS 130′ Janice of Wyoming: Built for an American owner, Janice of Wyoming is the 22nd sailing yacht built by Alloy Yachts of New Zealand, and is the 11th Alloy yacht from the Dubois design studio. While known for its low-profile style, Dubois has gone even further with Janice of Wyoming to achieve an aesthetic that is thoroughly modern and emphasizes the importance placed on sailing performance. “In this particular instance, we believe that Janice of Wyoming has reached new levels of development and has gone more than just one click along the evolution process,” commented Ed Dubois.
The 130-foot yacht is intended primarily for family cruising, so the owner opted to limit the guest accommodations to just three staterooms, all aft. The owner’s suite spans the full beam and features a private companionway to the cockpit. The starboard guest stateroom has a queen berth while the port carries twin berths and a Pullman.
The saloon is split into two areas, the upper with informal dining and entertainment facilities to port and a navigation center to starboard. The lower area is more formal, with a lounge to starboard and dining area to port. The highly sloped windshield above creates the effect of an atrium with skylighting. Alloy Yachts, (011) 64 9 838 7350; www.alloyyachts.com.
BENETTI 148′ Idyllwild, 184′ Galaxy: The continuing success of Benetti’s composite series of semi-custom yachts, built in Viareggio, Italy, was highlighted this year by the delivery of Idyllwild, the latest of the builder’s 148-foot Vision model. Styled by Stefano Righini, Idyllwild has a cherry interior that designer Francois Zuretti describes as linear without being minimalist. Guest accommodations include four staterooms below deck with an on-deck master suite.
Benetti’s first launch from its new Livorno yard is the 184-foot steel and aluminum motoryacht Galaxy. Built for an Australian client, Galaxy was designed by Benetti’s in-house team, with exterior styling and interior arrangement by Stefano Natucci. Interior dÈcor is by the owner’s private specialist, who also designed his homes in Melbourne and Los Angeles. The yacht will be used primarily for family cruising, but was also conceived with selective chartering in mind. She can accommodate up to 14 guests in six staterooms, two with queen berths and two twin cabins with Pullmans below deck, a VIP stateroom on the upper deck, and the master stateroom on the main deck. Galaxy’s interior is a veritable catalog of wood species, including eucalyptus, European plane tree, maple burl, sycamore, oak, harewood and Burma teak. Marble and honey onyx are incorporated as well. The multiple decks are served by both a glass elevator and a dumbwaiter. Benetti, (011) 39 0584 3821; www.benettiyachts.it.
BLOEMSMA & VAN BREEMEN 157′ Flying Eagle: Working in conjunction with Jim Wallace of Camper & Nicholsons International, Bloemsma & Van Breemen has delivered the largest yacht yet to leave its Makkum, Holland, yard. Built for an American owner, Flying Eagle has a 158-foot steel displacement hull and an aluminum superstructure, with naval architecture by Vripack and design by Reymond Langton. The yacht is powered by Caterpillar 3512 engines, producing 1,300 hp each at just 1200 rpm for exceptionally smooth operation. Top speed is 15.5 knots, with a range of over 4,000 nautical miles at 12 knots.
While the interior styling is predominantly contemporary, lead designer Pascal Reymond has injected a few classic and Art Deco elements to add interest. The wood joinery is complemented by leather upholstered walls in many areas. Cashmere and silk furnishings complete the atmosphere of grace and sophistication.
Four guest staterooms house eight guests below deck. Three of the cabins have queen berths, while the fourth has twins. The full-beam master suite is forward on the main deck, and includes a head with a spa bath, shower and steam room. Huge hanging lockers flank the head to port and starboard. While the main deck carries a spacious saloon and private dining room, it is the two upper decks that will support the majority of the entertainment. The large, full-beam skylounge includes not only a sitting area for all ten guests, but also a game table and an inside/outside bar that opens onto an aft deck that is protected by the extended bridge deck above. In addition to carrying the tenders, the bridge deck has a snack bar/grill area, a whirlpool spa, sunpads and sun lounges, and three settee/dinette areas. Bloemsma & Van Breemen, (011) 31 515 231785; www.bloemsma-vanbreemen.nl.
CODECASA 167′ Iliki VIII: Iliki VIII is the first in a new 51-meter series from Codecasa that is a successor to its highly successful 50-meter yachts. The extra length has been used to further streamline the hull and to provide extra space in the transom garage. Iliki VIII was built for an Albanian entrepreneur who previously has taken delivery of three Codecasa yachts. The main and bridge decks are finished in tanganich, rose and briar woods, while the lower deck has a mix of rose and birch woods. Black inserts carry throughout in a design completed by Codecasa’s in-house designers Franco and Anna Dellarole. The 167-foot yacht is built of steel and aluminum and is fitted with Caterpillar 3516 engines for a top speed of 17.5 knots. Codecasa, (011) 39 0584 383221; www.codecasayachts.com.
CRN CUSTOM LINE 128′ XS of London, 151′ Saramour: The Ferretti Group’s CRN Shipyard in Ancona, Italy, enjoyed multiple launches this year, including the 128-foot composite Custom Line yacht XS of London and the custom 151-foot motoryacht Saramour. Both were the second hulls of their respective series. XS of London sports a blue hull and achieves a top speed of 26 knots with a pair of MTU 12V4000 diesels. She can carry 12 guests and seven crew.
Saramour, a design collaboration between CRN and Nuvolari & Lenard, utilizes an interior by architects Carmen Aiello and Leonardo Ferraro to display the owner’s extensive art collection, including early 20th-century paintings, numerous sculptures, Oriental carpets and various other collectors’ pieces-even tiles created by Salvador Dali. Saramour is powered by Caterpillar 3512 engines to a top speed of 16 knots. CRN, Custom Line, (011) 39 071 501 1111; www.crn-yacht.com, www.customline-yacht.com.
FEADSHIP 182′ Twizzle, 198′ Blue Moon, 203′ Rasselas: The De Vries and Royal Van Lent yards of the Feadship group combined to launch a veritable fleet of new superyachts this year. Twizzle, a 182-foot De Vries build, is a traditional De Voogt design that has an interior sculpted by Redman Whitely Dixon, Todhunter Earle Group, and Sally Storey. There was also considerable input from the yacht’s owners, who will use her for family cruising. The joinery is predominately walnut, with cream fabrics and teak softening the look to more that of a beach house than of a formal yacht. Twizzle, like all their prior yachts, is named in honor of the owners’ daughter, whose childhood nickname came from a TV character with long arms and legs.
Blue Moon is a 198-foot motoryacht from Royal Van Lent, with naval architecture by De Voogt and interior design by Donald Starkey. She has five staterooms and a gymnasium on the lower deck for guests, and an owner’s suite on the main deck that includes an office and another gymnasium. Built with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, she is powered by Caterpillar 3516 engines driving Wartsila five-blade propellers.
Rasselas, a 203-foot motoryacht for a repeat client, is, like Twizzle, De Vries built. Her interior was designed by Pannagan Designs of San Francisco. The yacht’s spacious saloon and formal dining room are separated by a fireplace and sliding doors. Her master suite, forward on the main deck, has a king berth, two dressing rooms and a head with whirlpool tub and shower. Four guest staterooms are configured to accommodate up to 12 guests, in addition to the owner, through an unusual combination of double, single and Pullman berths. Feadship, (011) 31 23 524 7000; www.feadship.nl.
ISA 156′ Lady Dahlia: This year saw yet another launch of the 47.5-meter series from International Shipyards Ancona with the christening of Lady Dahlia. The 156-foot motoryacht, designed by Walter Franchini and Cristiano Gatto, was built of steel and aluminum to the requirements of Lloyd’s Register and MCA. She is fitted with twin MTU 12V4000 engines and achieves a top speed of 17 knots. International Shipyards Ancona, (011) 39 071 502 191; www.isayachts.com.
LÌRSSEN 295′ Air, 207′ Northern Star: A major builder with impressive double deliveries this year was Lürssen. In rapid succession came the 295-foot Air, a motoryacht christened in honor of the extraordinary measures taken to minimize her impact on the environment, and the 207-foot Northern Star, a motoryacht with a hint of expedition styling that was built for extensive cruising in the extreme high latitudes both north and south.
Following the tradition of previous Lürssen yachts Carinthia and Limitless, Air’s length was a solution to the problem of retaining a sleek profile while providing generous interior volume. She features a swimming pool on the main deck aft that utilizes a waterfall to create a current for swimming in place.
Northern Star’s owner is an experienced yachtsman with many years as an ocean racing and cruising sailor. He wanted to cruise with few limits, with few stops, and in as much comfort as possible. In collaboration with Lürssen, Espen Oeino gave the yacht a traditional appearance, and Pauline Nunns worked with the owner’s wife to create the interior. The owner’s suite has a separate entrance onto a private forward deck, and the open aft deck is fitted with a heater for alfresco dining even in colder climates. Northern Star is built of steel and aluminum and is fitted with Caterpillar 3512 engines. She carries 12 guests and 15 crew. Lürssen Werft, (011) 49 421 6604 166; www.lurssen.com.
MONDOMARINE 131′ Fabri’s: Mondomarine delivered its 46th yacht this year. The sleek, modern styled Fabri’s is built of aluminum, and sports a dark hull and white superstructure, carrying five guest staterooms. She is powered by MTU diesels of 2,285 hp each, and achieves a 19-knot top speed riding on a semi-displacement hull. Fabri’s was engineered by Sydac, with a Luca Dini interior and Cor D. Rover exterior. Following the launch of Fabri’s, Mondomarine has five additional motoryachts under construction ranging from a planing 131-footer to a 164-foot expedition yacht. Mondomarine, (011) 39 0198 28516; www.mondomarine.it.
NORTHERN 150′ Lia Fail: As a follow-up to its 130-foot Magic, Northern Marine delivered another Ward Setzer design, the 150-foot Lia Fail, this year. Originally named Opus, Lia Fail was built of resin-infused fiberglass to deliver lighter weight and structural soundness. She has four guest staterooms below deck, along with a laundry room and a guest lounge with desk and sofa. The master stateroom spans the full beam forward on the main deck. Lia Fail is equipped with Caterpillar 3512 diesels. Northern Marine, (360) 299-8400; www.northernmarine.com.
NWBS 201′ White Rabbit: White Rabbit, at 201 feet, was perhaps the year’s most unusual new delivery. Based on a 40-knot ferry design built earlier by North West Bay Ships, the 20-knot motoryacht rides atop a trimaran hull that provides exceptional stability with minimal rolling. She carries 12 guests in four guest staterooms, a VIP suite and a master suite. The all-aluminum yacht is classed by Det Norske Veritas, and is propelled by Caterpillar 3512 engines driving Bruntons custom five-blade propellers through ZF gears at 4.1:1 reduction. North West Bay Ships, (011) 61 36267 0101; www.yachts.nwbs.com.au.
OCEANCO 217′ Dilbar, 203′ Lady Christina: On the heels of last year’s Alfa Four, Oceanco delivered the 217-foot Dilbar and the 203-foot Lady Christina this year. Dilbar was designed by Oceanco and has an Alberto Pinto interior. There are four guest staterooms, plus a convertible master suite that has two king berths, which can be divided into a master stateroom and VIP stateroom when extra guests are aboard.
About four months after Dilbar’s delivery, Lady Christina was launched in time for a summer cruise of the Mediterranean. Also designed by Oceanco, she has an interior designed by Francois Zuretti. Lady Christina carries 10 in four staterooms below deck and a master suite on the main deck. The master suite is a panoramic area with two levels, including a private saloon and dining area. Oceanco, (011) 377 93 100281; www.oceancoyacht.com.
PERINI NAVI 177′ Parsifal III: While work continues on the magnificent and innovative Maltese Falcon, Perini Navi did not ignore other clients, completing a number of sailing yachts, including the 177-foot Parsifal III. The ketch has a high-performance bulb-keel aluminum hull designed by Perini; Ron Holland collaborated on the sail plan. Parsifal III is fitted with carbon fiber masts and furling booms. Her interior was designed by Perini and Parisian designer Remi Tessier, and is finished in ebony, wenge and sycamore woods. Perini Navi, (011) 39 0584 4241; www.perininavi.it.
RODRIQUEZ 125′ Light Blue: Constructed entirely of aluminum and riding on a deep-V hull, the 125-foot motoryacht Light Blue was named in association with the innovative lighting found on her interior. Raised-pilothouse yachts enjoy low profiles by definition, but designer Francesco Paszkowski has given Light Blue a look that is sleeker than most. Interior volume is maximized, thanks to the lack of traditional sidedecks and the yacht’s 25-foot beam that carries well toward the stern. The yacht is the first of a new Rodriquez series of wide-body models, a concept which moves the sidedecks from the main deck to the flying bridge level. Rodriquez Yachts, (011) 39 0187 617556; www.rodriquez.it.
ROYAL HUISMAN 131′ Antares: The huge schooner Athena may have departed last year, but the building sheds at Royal Huisman Shipyard were not left empty. A recent launch was Antares, a modern 131-foot ketch designed by Bill Dixon. The yacht features upper and lower saloons, with multiple dining and sitting areas provided in each. There are two guest cabins and a master stateroom aft, all with en suite heads. Forward, adjacent to the lower saloon, is a den that quickly converts to an additional guest cabin when needed. Designed for a repeat client, Antares is Dixon’s largest yacht to date. She has a finely balanced rudder with mechanical steering, and achieves a speed of 14 knots under moderate conditions. Royal Huisman, (011) 31 527 243131; www.royal-huisman.com.
SENSATION 147′ Maratani X: Built to an Evan Marshall/Tim Curran design, Maratani X is distinguished by her high sweeping profile and enclosed top deck, which combine to give her a great deal of interior volume within her 147-foot length. Cored, resin-infused composite construction is utilized to keep weight to a minimum, allowing Maratani X a 24-knot top speed with her 3,000 hp Caterpiller 3516 engines.
The yacht accommodates 12 guests. Two double cabins and two twin cabins are situated below deck, while a VIP stateroom occupies the forward end of the main deck. The master suite spans the yacht’s full beam on the upper deck, just abaft the pilothouse and captain’s cabin, where it opens to a private aft deck. The interior is finished in cherry, burl and marble, with brass accents throughout. Sensation, (011) 64 9 837 2210; www.sensation.co.nz.
TRINITY 161′ Zoom Zoom Zoom, 180′ Mia Elise: This was a banner year for Trinity Yachts, highlighted by the launches of several significant motoryachts, including the 161-foot Zoom Zoom Zoom and the 180-foot Mia Elise. The aptly named Zoom Zoom Zoom has styling and performance to match. The yacht is fitted with the first pair of a new high-displacement engine model from Caterpillar, the 3516B HD, which produces 3,384 hp each. The resulting speed of 24 knots on trial, according to the builder, makes her one of the fastest conventionally powered yachts of her size and displacement ever built in the U.S. Zoom Zoom Zoom’s interior was designed by Evan Marshall; special features include luxurious mahogany and marble bathrooms. Four guest staterooms, three with king berths and one with twins, are located below deck, while the master suite, with over nine feet of headroom, is in a split-level space forward. The master head includes both a whirlpool tub and large marble shower.
Built for a repeat Trinity client, Mia Elise, at 180 feet, is one of the largest steel displacement yachts built in the U.S. since the Depression years. She has five guest staterooms below deck, including three with king berths, one with twins, and a full-beam VIP suite with his-and-hers bathrooms. The master suite is forward on the main deck and includes an owner’s office. Accommodations for Mia Elise’s crew of 12 to 14 include five cabins forward, an engineer’s cabin aft adjacent to the engine room and a captain’s cabin abaft the pilothouse. An elevator serves the guest decks. Mia Elise is also capable of serving a helicopter in the touch-and-go mode. Trinity Yachts, (877) 450-9867, (504) 283-4050 or (704) 905-4640; www.trinityyachts.com; or www.trinityyachtsusa.com. (Note: Several contacts are given because of continuing disruptions in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.)
VITTERS 180′ Adele: Adele is an exquisite 180-foot sailing yacht from the board of Andre Hoek. Her profile, deck layout and interior design are those of a classic ketch, but her all-aluminum construction, her carbon fiber masts and booms, modern rigging and sleek underbody assure superior performance. Adele has two guest staterooms forward of the lower saloon and dining area, as well as two aft. Nearer the stern is the master suite, laid out in an innovative arrangement that wraps around the base of the mizzen mast. The suite has a small library with settee and table, and a centerline companionway leads aft to a private cockpit. Vitters Shipyard, (011) 31 38 3867145; www.vitters.com.
