Heesen Sell Project Azuro

Heesen Yachts have announced that project Azuro (YN 16650) has been sold, in close collaboration with Burgess, who introduced the client.

Azuro's exterior lines were designed by Frank Laupman of Omega Architects to give her its iconic reverse sheer "pelican beak" bow. Continuous sheets of laminated triple glazing have been thermo-bonded to the superstructure creating a seamless wall of windows resulting in a fast sporty look.

Guests will enjoy on Azuro in four distinct deck areas that provide a perfect space for every occasion. The 70 sqm sun deck is probably the largest on a yacht of this size, and for privacy in port, there is a lounging area hidden away on the foredeck. The shaded dining area on the upper deck and the main deck terrace combines with the saloon to create 25 sqm of entertaining space.

Azuro has the largest volume of any yacht of her length. Italian designer Francesco Paszkowski created her interior design using just three materials for all interior surfaces: teak, limestone and leather.

Twelve guests will be accommodated in six cabins. The master suite is located traditionally forward on the main deck. Both the bedroom and bathroom are full beam with windows running along their entire length. The other guest cabins are found on the lower deck and include a full beam VIP, two double and two twin cabins.

She will be powered by the latest MTU engines 16V 4000 M73L, which will power her to a top speed of 23kts and a range of over 3,100nm. She will be launched in March and then make her way to the North Sea where she will go through her sea trials before being delivered to her owners at the end of May 2014.

Royal Huisman Launch 48m "Wisp"

The renowned Dutch shipyard Royal Huisman have just announced the launch of project no. 393, now know as "Wisp". She is a beautiful built (as are all of the Royal Huisman superyachts) classic sloop that measures 48m (156ft) in length and is a fine example of revival naval architecture by Hoek Design.

The owner's brief was for a boat that would perform well without excessive heel, hence her relatively beamy hull and spoon bow for a more gentle ride. Her stained oak and wenge interior is by Rhoades Young of which takes full advantage of the beamy hull to create magnificently large salons, a spacious full beam master suite and accommodation for both guests and crew. Wisp fulfils all her owner's criteria for a comfortable cruising yacht that may also engage in a little "gentleman's racing".

"Wisp is a shining example of how a modern sailing yacht can still impart a sense of Corinthian spirit," says Alice Huisman. "Her quality design and construction provides ocean going capability, comfort and performance".

"It has been a challenge to meet the owner's high expectations, but the successful result is thanks to hard work by all concerned," says Nigel Ingram of MCM, acting as the owner's representative, of their first collaboration with Royal Huisman. "The working relationship with the yard has been enjoyable and the quality of the yacht speaks for itself. We look forward to further developing the relationship with Royal Huisman over future projects".

Wisp's sea trails and crew training will take place in the next couple of weeks prior to delivery to her owner later this spring.

Benetti Launch 3rd Classic Supreme 132

The third Benetti Classic Supreme 132 (BS003) has been launched. Following the customary preliminaries, the megayacht was launched in a ceremony witnessed by everyone who had participated in its outfitting and construction during recent months, including Benetti technicians, workers, and staff.

Arcon Yachts also collaborated on the production of this 40m (132ft) megayacht, which will be delivered in April 2014. It is the third Benetti Classic Supreme 132 that has been launched in less than two years. BS003 is part of the Benetti "Class Range", a line of composite displacement megayachts from 93 to 145 feet.

She has all the classic line's and typical features of a Benetti but with added unique touches like the "classic-modern" interior and the stunning two-toned gray hull and white superstructure. Her exteriors are designed by Stefano Righini, with interiors by Francois Zuretti.

She measures 40.20m (132ft) in length and has a beam of 8.18m (27ft). Ten guests will be accommodated in 5 cabins, plus room for the crew. She is equipped with two MTU 12V2000 M72 (1080 kW)@2.250 rpm motors enabling her to reach maximum speed of 15.5kts.

S/Y P2 Is To Have A Sister

The Perini Navi Group has closed the contract on the second yacht in their 38m (125ft) Racing Line, a performance line that captures comfort, speed and racing ability. The sloop C.2130 is under construction at the Perini Navi Group's Picchiotti shipyard in La Spezia and will be delivered in the 2015.

Compared with her sister ship P2, hull C.2130 has been designed according to a brief for fast and easy sail handling through three semiautomatic electric captive winches. This sloop will have laminated sails and will have a carbon fibre furling boom for performance and safety in all conditions. The hull and superstructure will be built in Sealium, a light weight aluminium alloy that is highly resistant against corrosion. Her displacement is 160 tons while its GT is 171 tons. She will be able to compete at the highest level of competition with limited crew due to her deck hardware and layout.

For the first time a Perini Navi superyacht will feature a "Silent Night" system. This innovative system lets all on board systems run on batteries while the generators are off. When she is running in "Silent Night" mode guests can enjoy a full eight hours of complete silence.

She has a different interior layout compared with P2. The interiors are designed by the Perini Navi design department and have a sporty layout.

The Perini Navi Group has several other yachts under construction at their shipyards. The second yacht in their 60m (197ft) line, sloop C.2218, is due for delivery in 2014 and the first yacht in their 70m (230ft) line is due for delivery in 2015. The third yacht in their 60m (197ft) line can be ready for delivery within two years.

M5 (ex.Mirabella V) Powers Up

The newly refurbished superyacht M5 (ex.Mirabella V) was put through her paces off Falmouth in the UK as her new carbon rig was tested during sea trials. Her super light weight rigging was designed and manufactured by Carbo-Link with OYS making the fittings, the 34 new carbon fibre stays and titanium fittings with built-in dynamic fibre optics have decreased the weight of the rig by a massive 18 tonnes. During several hours of sea trials with challenging sea conditions M5 reached 17.7kts in 18-23kts of wind.

During the refit Pendennis completed extensive engineering works which included replacing the main engines, generators, switchboards and sewage treatment plant along with an upgrade of the air conditioning system, electrics and entertainment system, and a 10 year DNV survey. The interiors have been redesigned by Redman Whiteley Dixon.

The project was a collaboration between Pendennis and the original designer Ron Holland, to achieve the owners idea of extending the stern by 3m which has created a new sleeker profile providing an impressive aft deck area. Access to the yacht has been improved with the installation of side boarding platform. M5 is currently undergoing her final fit out and systems testing before her scheduled departure from Falmouth later this month.

The Next Bond Project "Skyfall"

Sunrise Yachts in Antalya, Turkey will deliver John and Jeanette Staluppi's nineteenth and largest project to date in 2017. Project "Skyfall" will measure 68m (223ft) in length, is designed by Vallicelli & Co., an interior design by Focus Yacht Design and naval architecture by Mulder Design and OYD. From looking at the Staluppi's previous megayachts, we can only expect a stylish exterior design and a glamorous and luxurious interior.

The confirmation of project "Skyfall", was the outcome of months of development between the clients, the designers, the brokers and the builder's teams. This confirmation represents a considerable achievement and milestone for Sunrise Yachts.

Guillaume Roche, Sunrise Yachts CEO, states: "It means a lot to us to be chosen to build such an ambitious project, especially for one of the world’s most experienced yacht owners. It is both an acknowledgement of our achievements in the six short years of our shipyard's operation, and a motivation to further pursue excellence in our standards. We are looking forward with great anticipation to this unique opportunity that is creating a floating work of art with creative and competent people."

Worth Avenue Yachts, who have been advising the clients, will be following up on the project's construction until delivery in 2017. "There are some yachts that become game changers, that alter the desires and aspirations of future designs simply becoming the way of the future, this is one of those yachts." stated Peter Thompson.

She is a fast displacement megayacht with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. She has been designed to meet the owner's particular requirements in terms of exterior design, comfort and in true Staluppi style the all important "speed" element. The Staluppi's spirit of innovation has produced many groundbreaking megayachts over the years and Skyfall will be no exeption featuring a host of technologies never combined in a megayacht project before. One is the Voith Linear Jet propulsion system that offers performance, reliability, silence and the MME micro turbines which could be the power generating solution of the future.
 

Andrea Vallicelli of Vallicelli & Co. explains: "The originality of the style, playing with harmonious contrasts between soft and rigid formal elements, is clearly noticeable in the sheer line. Moreover, the low angle of the transom slope, reminiscent of a racing sailing yacht, and the long forward overhang help Project "Skyfall" to be a very slender yacht, although she has no less than five decks."

A press conference with the owners and the full project team in attendance will be held during the Palm Beach International Boat Show, March 20-23, 2014.

New Darwin 96' Sold

Cantiere delle Marche announced on the 29th of January the sale of another Explorer Vessel of the Darwin Class line. The yard are selling its expedition yachts at an average of one every three months from the start of its sales activities. Now that's pretty impressive.

This new contract that has been signed is for the construction of a Darwin Class 96' (29m) designed by Sergio Cutolo, which it is going to be delivered in 2015 to a very knowledgeable and expert South American owner. The sale comes off the activities carried out during the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show in 2013. CdM has now 6 expedition yachts in its pipeline to be delivered in 2014 and 2015.

The Darwin Class 96' can be considered a sistership of the well known M/Y Stella di Mare, which has been also nominated at the 2014 Motor Boat of the Year award. She will have large windows both on the main and the upper deck saloons. The main difference from the sistership is the choice of Caterpillar engines instead of the MTU engines chosen by the owner of Stella di Mare. They will push her to a speed of 13kts with a 4,500nm range at 10kts.

Not much detail can be given at the moment about the interior and exterior design which are going to be worked on by the owners personal interior designer. What can be mentioned is that the owner and the project managers are working on the lazzarette, that will be equipped with a diving station with a nitrox compressor and the transom will show an Opacmare Transformer platform. The interior lay out will have 5 cabins (one master, two VIP and two guests) with the possibility to accommodate 6 crew on the main deck.

Vasco Buonpensiere  the Sales and Marketing Director of CdM commented: "It is incredible how, once again, the decision and sale process has been fast, smooth and enjoyable on both sides. In only twelve weeks from the first meeting with the client in Fort Lauderdale we have completed this deal, customizing the technical specifications matching the client's needs, negotiating the contract giving to the client all the comfort and securities needed, and drawing a preliminary General Arrangement following a very precise initial brief. This has been possible also because of the experience and the yachting knowledge of the client, who, by the way already has had vessels built in the best northern european shipyards".

Ennio Cecchini the CEO of CdM commented: "I would like to personally thank our client who is giving us the privilege to build for him and his family one of our vessels. Knowing his history as a yacht owner, this sale is another confirmation of the fact that CdM has very quickly become a key reference point for whoever is looking for high quality, reliable and superbly finished explorer yacht to cruise safely and in luxurious comfort the oceans. A special thank goes to Alex G. Clarke of Denison Yacht Sales who has introduced the client to the shipyard and has professionally backed up my team during the whole process".

Delta's Latest Project "ONIKA"

Delta have unveiled there latest project, a 40m (132ft) megayacht with a new high efficiency hull design. ONIKA is been built for repeat Delta owners, she has classic exterior lines and the warmth of a true Gentleman's yacht. The Delta design group has constructed the entire design and engineering package, that began with the challenge to design a hull for shallow draft cruising with the same capabilities as a full displacement design. Delta's Chief Naval Architect, Jay Miner comments:

"The new Delta hull design combines the best in long range passage making capability and fuel efficiency along with moderate draft to allow the owner access to the shallower water destinations that otherwise might not be accessible. In profile, the bow has a long overhang, with enough flare to keep the decks dry and present an overall classic look. Below the waterline the hull form has round bilges with a bulbous bow and long easy run to enhance comfort and reduce fuel consumption. Much attention was paid to the flow line patterns along the hull surface to ensure that all appendages were precisely aligned. The propeller tunnels are well blended into the hull, with a gentle transition resulting from studies conducted both by computational flow dynamics (CFD) as well as a traditional battery of physical model tests in a tow tank facility. The final result is a handsome design with the ability to cross oceans efficiently, in comfort and in style."

The interior on the main deck consists of cream colored marble floors with diamond shaped blue sodalite that contrast with Khaya mahogany wall panels. The owner has also added some of his antique furniture that's added an Edwardian feel.

The sun deck is a complete outdoor living space, that includes forward facing seats, a dining table for eight, a bar, a TV, as well as room for chaise lounges with an outdoor shower to cool down. A pair of tenders, 18' & 12', are stowed on the aft bridge deck, with the ability to launch from either side.

She will be able to reach a maximum speed of 16kts and will have a range of 4,000nm at 12kts. Watch this space for more images and information when she is launched during the spring.

Heesen Launch 40m "Galatea"

Heesen Yachts has announced the launch of its first 40m (132ft) "sportster", christened Galatea.

On January 17th, during a private ceremony at the shipyard facility in Oss, YN 15640, the first 40m Heesen "sportster", was launched and christened M/Y Galatea. She has advanced aluminium hull technology, powerful performance and beautiful interior design. Galatea has the perfect balance of comfort and power, she may have marble bathrooms but she's still capable of an astonishing speed of 27.5 kts.

She has been built for private use, with a requirement that the sun deck had maximum space for relaxing and dining. Her open flybridge layout gives a huge 85sqm of deck space that includes a helm station and a shaded dining area that is protected even underway by glass side panels. Bespoke teak furniture, including a built in teppanyaki grill, completes the upper deck. Inside, the 10m long saloon includes a large square lounge and a dining area aft adjacent to full height glazed doors. With the doors open, guests can dine inside while enjoying fresh air and panoramic views. Ten guests can sleep in five cabins that include a full beam main deck master, two full beam VIP doubles and two twin cabins on the lower deck, all of which have marble ensuite bathrooms.

Frank Laupman of Omega Architects has created an interior design that has a distinctive personality. Contrasting woods, simple clean lines, marquetry and glass detailing create an atmosphere of calm, contemporary elegance.

Galatea will be put through sea trials in the North Sea and be delivered to her owners at the end of March 2014.