Umbrellas were the order of the day in Ancona, Italy, where CRN launched Xs of London, the second hull in its 128-foot series, the largest composite motor yacht in its Custom Line. The autumnal showers seemed to make her Scottish owner feel at home; they certainly didn’t dampen the elation felt by CRN chief Lamberto Tacoli, as he and the owner watched the dark blue hull slip into the Adriatic. Tacoli is—justly—proud of this collaboration between CRN’s technical team and Zuccon International Project. The first yacht of the Custom Line 128, Ariela, won a ShowBoats Award in 2004 as Best New Semi-Production Series.

Among the features for which the series had been recognized with a ShowBoats Award were its innovative, port and starboard tender bay doors, and its launching system, a first for a semi-custom vessel. Xs of London has these, but they have been enhanced by significant and impressive refinements. On both hulls, the tender bay doors open downward, creating large platforms that come to rest a foot above waterline.

On the earlier Ariela, natural light is blocked by belt-driven devices that control door movement, working space within the garage is reduced by a cumbersome crane for the tender, and a hydraulic trolley is needed to slide it outboard to the crane’s lifting point.

Top: The full-beam owner’s cabin, where the fuchsia Fendi bedspread and periwinkle blue detailing represent the elements of fire and water. Bottom: The aft deck’s dining area is completely covered by the upper deck. (Click images to enlarge)

On Xs of London, the streamlining of this system is nothing short of remarkable. Now, controls are touch-screen activated. Doors operate by two Besenzoni inline oleodynamic levers, served by an electro-hydraulic system that powers the Motomar crane, the stern gangway, the swim ladder on the stern platform and the ski jet crane on the flybridge deck. CRN’s technicians worked with Besenzoni to design space-saving stainless steel-and-bronze levers. The Motomar crane is made of light alloy to reduce weight. Its single lifting hook is positioned over the center of gravity of the 18-foot Novurania water jet tender (the tender is launched and retrieved from the port side). "By optimizing the crane, and eliminating the tender trolley, we’ve managed to save space—and about one-and-a-half tons," concludes naval architect and marine engineer Daniele Pascutti.

The flagship of the Custom Line fleet is laid out on three decks. Xs of London accommodates 12 guests and seven crew. An evolution of the Custom Line 94- and 112-foot series, the 128 uses the same molds, but with modular extensions. "A question of responsible recycling and streamlining production," explains Pascutti. The Custom Line 94 series’ molds were used for the hull with the addition of a central keel section to increase the width from 23 feet to 25 feet. The superstructure molds, on the other hand, were made from scratch.

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The main salon with stairs leading to the skylounge on the upper deck; ruby red leather sofas and a maple briar coffee table are casually elegant in the skylounge. (Click image to enlarge)

Having previously owned a Custom Line 112, the owner’s wife had clear ideas for the inside. She worked with the firm’s interior designers to devise for Xs of London a fresh, bold décor. "The owners’ previous yacht had been a used model—they had no say in its interior," explained Barbara Castiglia, head of CRN’s interior design department. "This time, they were keen to make changes." However, not every request was equally easy to satisfy; for instance, they specified the same mattresses as they have at home, which had to be ordered from Britain. "Because British mattress sizes differ from those in Italy, the bed had to be adjusted," said Castiglia. "Just sorting out the beds took a month."The young couple’s contemporary tastes are evident in their personal spaces, where bright colors and cherry and briar veneers give a new slant to a traditional interior. Vibrant red and sky blue dominate the owner’s suite; black and gold marble, the bath. On the other hand, a grey leather sofa and a library that would not look out-of-place in a gentleman’s club—subdue the atrium-cum-study area.

The rest of the yacht echoes these tones. The two twin guest cabins have sand-hued fabrics with safari motifs, and black marble baths. The two VIP cabins have diagonally placed beds, and follow distinct color schemes with different grey- and honey-colored marble in the baths. Most of the upholstery fabrics are by Fendi—not easy to come by, even in Italy. Leather furniture, such as a studded sofa in the owner’s suite, is by Italy’s Pelle Frau, which specializes in leather interiors for Ferrari, BMW, Mercedes and Pininfarina. (Click image to enlarge)

With plenty of room on the flybridge deck, the two PWCs and their crane do not intrude on outdoor living areas. Those include a fixed table under the radar arch, a large Jacuzzi, a bar and a full-size, teak dining table. High-quality construction, handsome lines—and respectable performance—make the Custom Line 128 even more worthy of its ShowBoats Award today, than it was a year ago.