Justin Ratcliffe
12/01/2006
At 60 meters (197
feet), GiVi is the largest motor yacht to be built by CRN in the last
six years. Launched in July in Ancona during a ceremony attended by more
than a thousand guests, she is also one of the most strikingly beautiful of the
120 hulls to come out of the yard to date. "The owner is a mature gentleman of
refined taste, and [he] asked for lines that were as essential and simple as
possible," says Zuccon International Project’s Giovanni Zuccon, author of
GiVi’s exterior styling and interior layout. The result is a light gray
hull with graceful sheer lines that blend easily with the white superstructure
for a profile that manages to be both modern and timeless.
Top: The owner’s cabin is entered through a study with
a flamed-mahogany writing desk. Bottom: The main salon has elegantly
simple mahogany paneling and quilted leather sofas. (Click images to enlarge) ; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
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The formal rigor of the steel hull and aluminum superstructure
is complemented by a practical interior layout that emphasizes not only the
comfort of its 16 guests, but also that of the 20 crewmembers (the large crew is
due to the fact that GiVi cruises in the company of a 52-foot Riva Rivale
tender with the same gray-and-white livery as the mothership). Unusually, the
main deck is dedicated to the guest and owner accommodations, whereas the entire
lower deck houses the crew quarters and service areas. In addition to seven crew
cabins, there is a large dinette with a separate bathroom, plus a professionally
appointed galley.
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A lover of fine food and wine, the owner turned to kitchen specialist Ernestomeda, based in Pesaro, Italy, for the galley’s design. The manufacturing company came up with a workspace based around a central island that would not be out of place in a full-size restaurant. In addition to the Gaggenau electric appliances, there is a Rational self-cooking center that automatically detects the quantity of different foods to be cooked, then individually calculates the cooking times and temperatures needed to achieve perfect results.
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A steel fire door gives the crew direct access to the control and engine rooms, where the twin Caterpillar 3516B DITA-SWAC engines and gensets are distributed on a split-level. The garage houses a customized Riva Shuttle, the first in a new series from the Sarnico boatyard. As the reader may have gathered, the owner is something of a Riva enthusiast, but in this case the tender’s console had to be lowered and the hull shortened from 10 to 9.5 meters to fit into its cradle across the beam of the yacht. The launch mechanism also required some nifty engineering on the part of CRN’s technical staff.
"The tender is at the limit of the crane’s 4,500-kilogram loading capacity, and when the telescopic arms are fully extended, the yacht heels by three degrees," says Daniele Pascutti, head of CRN’s engineering division, with a gleam in his technician’s eye. Even the crane arms flex under the weight, and Pascutti has photos he took during sea trials to prove it.
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But the most interesting feature on the lower deck is the modern gymnasium that opens onto the aft deck and transom platform. It is a larger version of the concept introduced aboard 54-meter Ability and features a massage room and steam room with a one-way glass wall, so that its occupants can look out but not be seen from the exercise area. The gym is equipped with Kinesis exercise gear by Technogym, which uses an innovative pulley system that rotates through 360 degrees, allowing a fluid motion on three planes with minimal interference. Besides improving balance, flexibility and strength, it also reduces the risk of injury and gives a fresh look to what is normally a very utilitarian space. To ensure a completely water- and air-tight seal, the sliding glass doors onto the aft deck are fitted with a rubber flange that inflates with air when the doors are » closed. Although built to withstand five tons of pressure per square meter, during rough crossings the doors can also be covered with storm shutters.
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The classic mahogany décor of the rest of the yacht is in surprising contrast to the bright colors and crisp contours of the lower deck and open-air areas. However, this again was a specific request by the owner. "He was very clear in wanting a traditional interior based on the lifestyle that he and his guests are accustomed to," explains Zuccon. The dark mahogany paneling and capitonnée (quilted) leather sofas may be sober by contemporary standards, but the furnishings designed by Zuccon in conjunction with the CRN staff are elegantly simple. The exquisite texture of the Thai silk (heavier than Chinese or Indian silk) supplied in muted tones by Jim Thompson for the wall panels and cabin headboards is further evidence of the owner’s formal yet refined taste.
The four double guest cabins amidships are virtually identical, although the silk fabrics vary in color, adding a note of individuality. The VIP suite is similar in size to the other cabins but features a marble bathtub in addition to the shower stall. All the bathrooms throughout the yacht have wet surfaces and tiled flooring in various kinds of stone or marble that have been treated for a distressed, matte finish. The full-beam owner’s cabin is entered through a study-library with a flamed-mahogany writing desk. A handsome shower stall lined with green and white onyx divides the double bathroom. Fixtures and fittings such as the shell-shaped Murano lampshades and the classic Devon&Devon bathroom taps maintain the traditional theme. Sound levels in the master suite are a very quiet 42 decibels at 16 knots with the air conditioning running, and less than 55 decibels throughout the rest of the interior. Vibration levels of .3 millimeters per second are also below the contractual specifications.
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A feature of all the cabins—indeed, of the whole of the main deck—is large windows. In the case of the owner’s suite, which is forward in a potential impact zone, the windows are of 30-millimeter-thick stratified glass with an intermediate polycarbonate layer in compliance with MCA safety standards. An independent staircase in the accommodations corridor leads down to the lower deck and two extra portside cabins, reserved for use by the owner’s personal staff or as extra guest cabins. A guest lounge and an open aft-deck conversation area take up the rest of the main deck.
The upper deck is reserved for more formal use, with a panoramic, conservatory-look lounge furnished with colonial-style rattan chairs and sofas by Smania. Forward of the foyer and main staircase (the owner decided against installing an elevator) is a full-size bar and dining room with a mahogany table inlaid with marble in the form of a compass rose. With its own bathroom and direct access to the wheelhouse and captain’s cabin, the dining room can be closed off from the bar area to serve as a conference room. On the open aft deck there are three circular hardwood tables that can be raised or lowered on their stainless steel plinths to create dining tables with freestanding chairs; alternately, their central sections can be raised while their outer rims provide surrounding bench seating.
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The
gym, features a massage room
and a steam room. (Click image to enlarge)Zuccon and CRN carefully studied the circulation patterns of the crew to come up with a layout that offers independent access to every deck level using a system of well-disguised service stairs. Moreover, the dry- and cold-store rooms, linen store and laundry are literally in the bowels of the ship on the bilge deck. A watertight door set into the starboard hull at water level allows the crew to offload stores directly from the quay or tender without having to walk through the yacht. Each deck level, including the sun deck, has its own pantry served by a dumbwaiter from the galley.
The huge sun deck occupies three-quarters of the overall length of the yacht and is one of the most novel areas on board. The main staircase opens onto a central lobby with a window set into the stairwell to provide natural light and a view aft across the helipad. A bathroom with shower stall allows guests to freshen up after sunbathing or using the massage pool, which is fitted with chromotherapy (color therapy) underwater lights. Alternative medicine chromotherapists claim a scientific basis to their practice and maintain that colored lights can bring about positive emotional reactions in people. Aboard GiVi, chromotherapy is combined with hydrotherapy to heighten this healing effect. The main feature, however, is a multifunctional room with a panoramic view over the forward sun deck. Fitted with windows that can be electrically lowered into the coaming, it is furnished with three game tables, two of which can be joined to create a larger table for dining or meetings. Originally conceived as an open-air area, it was decided to close off the room from the pool area and fit electric windows instead. For plein air dining there is another circular, hardwood table protected by the coach roof overhang.
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GiVi has a number of technical features that will be fitted as standard on future builds. For instance, she is the first CRN project to have Vosper ZeroSpeed stabilizers after sistership Saramour was retrofitted. The bilge pumps can be operated from both the control room and the bridge, and her 2,200-hp engines are designed for continuous duty at 1,600 revolutions per minute. The captain also requested wing control stations and X- and S-band radar (the advantage of the latter is that its three-gigahertz frequency and 10-centimeter wavelength is not easily attenuated, which provides for better vessel detection in rough seas and heavy rain). The helipad is designed to carry a 1,500-kilogram helicopter for private use, with mooring points to secure it while under way. Most important, GiVi is equipped with Van der Velden rudder flaps instead of a stern thruster. These flaps function like the ailerons on an airplane’s wings and create a more powerful rudder angle that magnifies the turning moment. Without increasing the size of the rudder, the addition of flaps doubles the existing rudder’s effectiveness by taking a second "bite" at the passing water. In this way, GiVi can turn in her own length and even move sideways with help from the bow thruster. The system also feels the water more effectively and gives the autopilot a better tool to hold course, which means less wear and tear and improved fuel consumption.
During sea trails, GiVi recorded an average speed of 16.5 knots, but can make 17 knots at half load in calm conditions. She has a range of 4,000 miles at a cruising speed of 15 knots, but this is virtually doubled at an economical 12 knots—sufficient for an annual season’s cruising without refueling.
The acid test for any new build is whether it meets the owner’s expectations, but CRN has no doubt that GiVi makes the grade. "The best compliment came when I approached the owner after the launch ceremony and asked him what he thought of the yacht in the water," says CRN Director Alberto Tacoli. "It’s exactly what I wanted" was the unequivocal answer.
| Yacht Name: | GiVi |
| Yacht Year: | 2006 |
| Yacht Type: | Motor Yacht |
| Builder: | CRN |
| Interior Design: | Zuccon International Project |
| Draft: | 10' 6" (3.20m) |
| LOA (Actual length): | 197' 0" (60.05m) |
| Displacement: | 950 tons |
| Max Speed: | 16.5 (half load) kts |
| Cruise Speed: | 15 kts |
| Range: | 4,000 nm |
| Beam: | 36' 8" (11.18m) |
| Hull Material: | Steel |
| Superstructure Material: | Aluminum |
| Exterior Design: | Zuccon International Project |
| Fuel Capacity: | 47,551g (180,000.12L) |
| Water Capacity: | 9,246g (34,999.92L) |
| Classification: | Lloyd's |
| Engines: | 2x Caterpillar 3516B DITA-SWAC, 2,200 hp @ 1,600 rpm |
| Air conditioning: | Gesco Demont, 1x 770,000 Btu per hour, 1x 350,000 Btu per hour |
| Shore power: | ASEA AC225-3/3 |
| Watermarker: | 2x Idromar IDM9 Duplex, 2,642 U.S. gal (10,000 L) per day |
| Bow thruster: | 1x HRP 2001 TT |
| Stabilizers: | Naiad Marine 820 At Anchor |
| Paint: | Awlgrip |
| Tenders: | 9.5 m (31'2") Riva Shuttle |
