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ISA’s second launch affirms that the shipyard has truly arrived.
by Justin Ratcliffe
photography by Jerôme Kelagopian
08/01/2005
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| ISA 156 |  |
Ellix Too makes a striking first impression – her vibrant red steel hull contrasting with a soft cream aluminum
superstructure. Less obvious, but no less significant, is what she represents
for her young builder, International Shipyards Ancona (ISA). Last year’s launch
of April Fool, the first in the yard’s 470 series, was met with
controlled enthusiasm as everyone waited to see if the concept would take
off. Ellix Too is the second 47-meter hull and with four more sisterships
lined up behind her, she is confirmation that in little more than three years,
ISA has shown it can compete with shipyards that have been around for decades
longer. This is due in part to the support of its parent company, the Rodriguez
Group, but also to a young, ambitious workforce and bold owners ready to take
risks.
 "Two years ago when we signed the contract for Ellix
Too, the yard wasn’t what it is today," commented Marcello Maggi, ISA marketing director, on the night of her launch last year. "The owner took a
leap of faith and tonight we’ve seen that her trust has been amply
rewarded." (Click image to enlarge)
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With exterior and interior styling by Walter Franchini,
Ellix Too took 120 workers only 17 months to complete. Her Venezuelan
owner specifically requested the red hull and chose the final shade from a
selection of samples mixed by Awlgrip. "I wasn’t convinced at first, because red
is one of the hardest colors to apply to a yacht," says Maggi. "But the owner is
experienced with excellent taste and knew exactly what she wanted. I have to
admit, the final result is very effective."
The upper deck houses the ensuite owner’s
quarters. (Click images to enlarge)
By the same token, it was the owner who decided to devote the upper deck to her own exclusive use – a brave decision on a 47-meter
motor yacht where the upper deck normally would encompass a skylounge. But the
choice works. It allows the owner use of the upper aft deck as a personal
balcony. Privacy is further enhanced by glass panels that can prevent access
from the two sweeping stairways that lead from the main deck to the flybridge.
An oval-shaped dressing room on the same deck level serves as a foyer to the
stateroom. The adjacent bathroom features honey onyx
surfaces that are illuminated from underneath to give off a warm glow at night.
 Stairs to the upper deck have hemp mat
treads for better traction. The main-deck corridor, right, utilizes warm
stained oak and travatino marble. Photograph by Justin Ratcliffe. (Click image to enlarge)
The hospitality heart of Ellix Too is the salon and
dining area on the main deck. The two spaces are divided by a glass exhibit case
that houses the owner’s collection of pre-Columbian pottery. Using LCD
technology, the glass panel can be darkened at the flick of a switch to further
separate the areas. The Persian travatino marble for the dining table was cut
across the grain from a single piece of stone to create rosette swirls instead
of stripes.
 Ellix Too displays an ethnic flair,
accessorized with many handcrafted South American ornaments chosen by her
Venezuelan owner. Photograph by Justin Ratcliffe. (Click image to enlarge)
The interior décor of the lounge area sets the tone for the
rest of the yacht, where uncomplicated minimalist environments combine with warm
tones and natural essences. But, according to Franchini, the concept behind this
effect is anything but straightforward. "In truth, nothing about this is yacht
is simple. From the various shades of oak to the wengé furniture, everything has
been selected to create alternating textures and patches of light and dark."
Top: The main salon features chairs of faux
cowhide and a display of pre-Columbian pottery surrounding the pop-up plasma
television. Bottom: Ellix Too’s unique curved outdoor stairs on both
port and starboard reach from the swim platform to the top deck. (Click images to enlarge)
The VIP suite in the forward section of the main deck is
preceded by a cinema and conference room that provide a graphic example of
Franchini’s desired effect. Teak wall tiles have been tinted and bleached to
pick out the wood fibers and then juxtaposed so that the vein of each tile runs
in a different direction. The immediate impulse is to reach out and touch them
to see what they feel like. Ethnic details abound, such as the bone wardrobe
handles in the dressing room, the hand-beaten metal drawer handles in the VIP
stateroom and the feather lampshades in the owner’s cabin. Another VIP cabin and
three twin cabins on the lower deck complete the guest accommodation.
 Here an awning attaches to the radar mast to provide shade for
diners. Photograph by Justin Ratcliffe. (Click image to enlarge)
Although Ellix Too is a full-displacement tri-deck, her
layout maintains the feeling of being in close contact with the sea. The
salon’s five- by five-foot windows and low bulwarks give guests panoramic sea
views even when seated. And in the absence of a skylounge, the flybridge serves
as an open-air terrace with plenty of shade provided by the dramatic sweep
of the radar arch.
"We realized we were new players on the market and had to come up with
something new," concludes Maggi. "As part of the Rodriguez Group, we knew from
the start that part of our client base would be open owners. So we wanted to
give them the livability of a full-displacement vessel, but maintain the sort of
contact with the sea that only an open can give. I don’t know if we were
being courageous or presumptuous, but I believe we’ve come up with something that wasn’t there before."
Contact ISA at 39 071 50 21 91. www.isayachts.com
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