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Today’s semi-custom shipyards deliver high-quality motor yachts that take just months to build from lay-up to launch.
by Louisa Beckett
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03/01/2007
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When it comes to selecting a semi-custom motor yacht from the
many series available, the most important concern an owner has to ponder is what
he plans to do with it. These yachts tend to fall into distinct categories
defined by their end use. Form follows function in the semi-custom world: Open
yachts, designed for high performance, are missile-shaped with minimalist
interiors. Flybridge yachts move the helm station up a story into the air, where
the owner can feel more connected with the sea, sun and sky. Broad-shouldered
motor yachts offer the most generous accommodations, providing luxury cruising
comfort for a large party of family and guests.Within each yacht category there are a number of top-quality builders to choose from. What follows is a look at some of the new
developments in today’s rapidly expanding international semi-custom yacht
industry.
 Photograph by Dana Jinkins. (Click image to enlarge)
These sleek greyhounds are the darlings of the Mediterranean, but their popularity also has increased in ports around the world, where they serve as ambassadors of "Euro-style."Azimut’s
S-series open yachts, which range up to 26 meters in length, have helped to set
the standard in this class. Exterior stylist Stefano Righini and interior
designer Carlo Galeazzi are particularly noted for their use of large window
panels in the S-class yachts’ hull sides, bringing water-level views into the
owner’s suite—an innovation that has been widely adopted throughout the
industry. This hull configuration is a prominent feature of the most recent
addition to the line, the Azimut 62S.
Azimut 62S. "Open" is a bit of a misnomer today, since most yachts in this category have
enclosed wheelhouses that permit running in wet weather. (Click
images to enlarge)
The Rodriguez Group is another leading builder of swift and stylish opens under its Léopard
and Mangusta brand names. The Mangusta line, constructed at the Overmarine
Shipyard in Viareggio, Italy, offers what it claims is the largest open yacht in production today. Measuring an impressive 39.5 meters, the Mangusta 130 tops
out at 36 knots with twin 16V4000 M90 MTUs mated to KaMeWa 71SII waterjet
drives.
 Mangusta 108. (Click image to enlarge)
One of the most attractive new open models comes from
Ferretti
Group division Pershing, an Italian brand whose
yachts’
aggressive looks are matched only by their blistering top-end speeds.
The latest missile launched from this arsenal is the Pershing 90.
Powered by
twin 2,400-hp 16V2000 MTU engines paired to Arneson
surface-piercing drives,
this 27.4-meter yacht flies at speeds of up to
44 knots. Inside her aerodynamic
hull, designer Fulvio De Simoni
collaborated with Pershing’s design and
engineering team to create
striking contemporary interior accommodations. An
alternate layout
featuring a media room is available for the entertainment-mad
U.S.
market.
 Pershing 90. (Click image to enlarge)
Another Ferretti Group shipyard that is better known for its
beautiful
runabouts is Riva, which launched its new 63 Vertigo last September at
the Cannes boat show. A slightly smaller version of Riva’s larger,
aptly named
68 Ego, the 19.6-meter Vertigo has a spacious layout for a
performance yacht of
her size. Lower-deck accommodations for six guests
include a master, VIP and
twin-berth stateroom, along with a large,
inviting lounge area.
 Riva 63 Vertigo. (Click image to enlarge)
Rodriquez Yachts, headquartered in
Sarzana, Italy, is building a sexy new 36.6-meter open project called the 800
Sport, due to launch in mid-2007. Rodriquez’ designers have moved the dining
salon down to the lower deck, opening up the main deck to serve as an elegant
entertaining area. Top speed, with twin 2,000-hp engines mated to surface
drives, is projected at 45 knots, with a cruise speed of 38 knots.
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