When not used in the context of temperature, the term "cool" suggests something or someone that is hip, fashionable or sophisticated. Be cool, launched last fall by Italy’s Admiral Mariotti Yachts (AMY) fits all those descriptions and more. From her creative amenities package to the adventurous artistic sensibilities of her owner and designers, this aluminum-hulled go-fast beauty transcends cool and firmly enters the realm of hot.

Although the first wooden Admiral was launched more than 40 years ago, it was not until 1982 that a light alloy version appeared. Ever since, Cantieri Navali Lavagna (CNL) has specialized in the construction of light alloy planing hulls, with eight models in the Admiral range in production or under development. At the turn of the millennium, the company entered an intensive development period by restyling existing models and creating new ones. Today, the Admiral range stands out in the luxury yacht sector as one of the most complete and competitive fleets on the market. (Click image to enlarge)

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Just 10 months after the launch of the one-off 32-meter Alila, it was the turn of 35-meter (115-foot) Be Cool last July. During that time CNL boosted production capability at its two plants near Genoa and joined forces with the T. Mariotti shipyard, creating AMY to build steel displacement hulls up to 65 meters. The result has been nine boats from 25 to 54 meters sold in less than a year. "That’s an impressive number," enthuses Sales and Marketing Director Maurizio Magri. "Especially when you consider [that] these are aluminum or steel-and-aluminum yachts that are not in series production."

The interior features century-old oak flooring and a dining room resides on the main deck. (Click images to enlarge)

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By the same token, there is more flexibility in terms of accommodations, and two main solutions are envisioned for the interior layout of the Admiral 35. One version has a forward master suite on the main deck with three guest cabins and galley adjacent to the crew quarters belowdecks. The Italian owner of Be Cool, on the other hand, requested a dedicated dining room and separate galley on the main deck and shifted his own cabin to the lower deck. "It makes life easier for the crew," says Captain Luigi Cortese, "because we have direct access from the galley to the dining room. It also creates a more intimate atmosphere because, like at home, social life on board often revolves around the kitchen." Although it means the guest accommodations are slightly smaller, the solution also avoids space-consuming dumbwaiters.

The beds and tables appear to float on air. (Click image to enlarge)

Cortese stands over six feet tall but has headroom to spare in the engine room. His technical requests included an Alfa Laval diesel purifier centrifuge and bilge water separator to remove oily residues, plus Hamann black-water treatment to comply with U.S. Coast Guard directives. With the engine room bulkhead just abaft the owner’s bathroom, close attention was paid to acoustic insulation. In addition to the floating walls, floors and ceilings, melamine open-cell foam was used as an insulation material. Apart from being fire-resistant, melamine foam is also lighter than traditional materials and particularly efficient at absorbing the low-frequency noise produced by the aluminum hull.The exterior styling by Luca Dini is characterized by the uninterrupted flow of the main-deck windows and the raked forms of the wheelhouse and flybridge windshields. These strikingly fluid lines were enhanced by inverting the customary dark hull and light superstructure paintwork, so that Be Cool sports an oyster-white hull and metallic gray upper half. The flydeck functions primarily as a solarium with two large facing sofas, orange and grey "Wave" recliners by Paola Lenti and a huge aft sun bed. A bimini top extends forward from the roll bar to provide shade for all but the most committed sun worshippers. Although there is a grill unit with sink, refrigerator and ice-maker, the owner decided not to have a fixed dining table as on the main aft deck. Instead, a folding teak table and chairs can be stowed away out of sight when not in use.

Another notable feature is the decking of century-old solid oak that has matured to a mellow honey hue. Used throughout the interior except in the galley, the close grain of the untreated wood makes it resistant to liquid stains and creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere more in line with a loft apartment than a planing yacht. This impression is completed by the eclectic, freestanding furniture that includes a Baxter capitonné sofa and white leather chaise lounge and De Padova divan. A floor-to-ceiling mirror at the entrance to the salon adds volume to the room and disguises two plasma screens behind that project themed video installations. Against the titanium bulkhead separating the living and dining rooms is a low, louvred cabinet that was painted zinc gray and then sanded by hand for a stressed look. The brass fixtures and two portholes add an appropriate maritime theme to the unit, which hides the pop-up television.

The lower-deck accommodations consist of the master suite aft, plus two twin singles and a forward VIP cabin. All the beds and side cabinets are mounted on hidden pedestals with ambient lighting underneath to give the appearance of floating unsupported. Although the titanium and white lacquer finish is a constant feature, the leather bed frames have been treated gold, silver or bronze to create an individual ambiance for each cabin. The flat-screen TVs in the master and VIP cabins fold down from the soffit panels, but deliberately have been left on display. The white marble countertops in the bathrooms are complemented by travertine mosaic wall tiles, while the shower stall in the master bathroom doubles as a steam room and is also fitted with chromotherapy lights for the ultimate experience in onboard relaxation.

The VIP cabin is perhaps more impressive than the master, thanks to a reproduction of the classic image of Che Guevara that has been outlined in LEDs set into the curved bulkhead behind the headboard. To create the portrait, the aluminum wall panels were drilled by computer-controlled lasers, painted and then hand-sanded to give a tactile finish. It is just one more novel feature aboard a yacht that challenges our preconceptions of what the interior of a boat should look like.