Numarine 78 Fly
The first thing I noticed as I approached the dock at the top of the Miami River was the Numarine 78 Fly’s low, sleek, swept-back profile. She looked balanced and proportional, including the forward main-deck brow, bridge, afterdeck overhang and big wide windows to either side and forward: something that would shed much light on what goes on inside this impressive yacht.
Numarine takes pride in the ability to customize its yachts, and this particular 78 is a good example. Although she was designed for work in private charter, she still functions well as a family-oriented yacht. The dining table on the afterdeck, shaded by the bridge overhang, easily seats six to eight guests for alfresco meals. To either side, it’s a few steps down to the hydraulically operated swim platform, where there is also a door leading to the crew quarters and engine room. Both areas are finished to yacht standards. The engine room provides all the space a hands-on skipper or owner-operator could want to help him keep things humming along. All vital engine-maintenance areas, including every pump, valve, switch and system necessary for peace of mind while under way, is readily accessible.
Equally well planned are the foredeck and bridge deck. At the bow, I found a large and quite comfortable seating and lounging area with accompanying table and a pair of sun pads. On this 78, there was also an optional cabana-style cover that easily deploys while the yacht is at the dock or on the hook, and it stows just as quickly.
_Click here to see a full photo gallery of the Numarine 78 Fly._
The bridge deck is a superbly laid-out space with its stylish hardtop, portside steering station and lounge opposite. Just abaft the skipper’s bench seat is a bar with a dining table to starboard. Considering her future in charter duty, the owner decided to mount a Jacuzzi tub up here instead of the usual dinghy or tender cradle.
While her exterior is exciting and appealing, the interior spaces of the 78 Fly truly dazzled me. Entering the salon from the afterdeck sliding-glass doors, this area features C-shape seating to port, facing an entertainment console to starboard. The motif on this boat is light colors: white and beige with pale wood for a very open and airy feel. Indeed, with those big windows all around, the ambient light floods the spaces. Because the yacht will charter, the galley to port is enclosed. (An open galley is available.) Across from here is the dining table for seamless serving. Forward of the galley is the lower control station, and the stairway to the living accommodations on the lower deck is set on centerline.
The Numarine 78 Fly offers room for a sizable cruising family and then some, with four staterooms and four heads. All living areas feature a contemporary decor, clever use of space and enough stowage for extended cruises. These staterooms have large windows, which provide an airy feel.
She presents very well on the style and amenities side, with obvious attention to detail and top-notch fit and finish, but this yacht also delivers serious performance. A pair of 1,150-metric-horsepower Caterpillar C18 diesels powered my test 78, and she easily jumped onto plane when the engines hit 1,600 rpm — a little more than 17 knots at 48 gph.
When I settled her Cats in at 2,000 rpm, I noted a 24-knot average cruise speed and a fuel burn of 82 gph. Biscayne Bay was flat-calm on test day, so all I had to do was sit back and enjoy the ride of this easy-handling boat. And that’s exactly what I did for the rest of my time aboard.
As we cruised, I had the chance to learn both about the man behind the 78 and what’s, literally, under this yacht’s skin.
“I grew up with boats on the west coast of Sweden but started my working life with cars. And through all of it, I held onto my boy’s dream of building boats,” Numarine CEO Patrik Von Sydow says.
Once he had his fill of the automobile industry, Von Sydow put in his time with several high-profile boatbuilders prior to joining Numarine in 2010. “I’m a product person, fascinated with design, and realize that in order to be successful in this business, you have to be ready to be different and present something that stands out.”
What makes Numarine different starts with its manufacturing facility, one that began with a major investment in infrastructure in both the size of the physical plant and how it builds its boats. “We started big. Our Istanbul-based factory covers some 35,000 square meters — 376,740 square feet — is climate-controlled, and is capable of producing up to 50 boats ranging in size from 55 up to 105 feet in length.”
The builder uses the latest in automated milling machines, resin-infuses the carbon and utilizes aramid-reinforced, vinylester sandwich construction of PVC foam, unidirectional and multiaxial E-glass and lightweight materials. This company is always ready to make the most of the latest technology.
“In our building process, we have reached the 60/40 glass-to-resin ratio; this is for a lighter, stronger vessel with good fuel economy,” Von Sydow tells me, adding, “In addition, we post-cure all of our boats to ensure full structural strength.”
The responsibility for the striking contemporary styling and design of Numarine’s yachts, including this 78, falls upon a trio of marine architects.
“With our design philosophy, we always strive to avoid the ‘sea of sameness,’” Von Sydow comments. And in this particular vessel, Can Yalman, Tommaso Spadolini and Umberto Tagliavini, along with the Turkish craftsmen and artisans employed by Numarine, have achieved their purpose.
“In this market, with these economic conditions, you can’t be greedy anymore. You must deliver a quality product that is also a fair deal. Numarine is in a position to do so,” Von Sydow remarks as we wrap up our time together.
Given the company’s focus on design, naval architecture and engineering, and its ability to deliver exactly what any owner wants, Numarine’s 78 Fly may soon find herself on many boat-buying voyagers’ short lists.
LOA: 78’6″
LWL: 71’1″
Beam: 19’0″
Draft: 5’3″
Displ.: 99,208 lb. (full load)
Fuel: 1,100 gal.
Water: 194 gal.
Engines: 2 x 1,150 mhp Caterpillar C18 diesels
Base Price: Upon request
Test Conditions: The sea trial was conducted on Biscayne Bay, Miami, in 16 feet of water with calm seas, 66 percent fuel, full water and four persons aboard. Fuel consumption was measured by Caterpillar’s electronic engine-monitoring system, speed measured by GPS. Sound levels were measured at the helm.
Numarine, +90 533 385 49 88; numarine.com