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Codecasa’s fast new 41S series yacht is a lightweight luxury rocketship.
by Justin Ratcliffe
photography by Alessandro Braida
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11/01/2007
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| Codecasa 41S |  |
When Fulvio Codecasa,
CEO of the eponymous Italian
shipyard in Viareggio, decided to series-produce the company’s first open model,
he kept the first hull for himself and named it after his wife. As it turned
out, he did not own the 35-meter Maria Carla for very long. She was
snapped up by an admiring client shortly after her launch.
Classic mahogany is the dominant motif in the main salon (top),
and the dining room (bottom). The interiors contrast with the contemporary exterior. (Click images to enlarge)
History has a habit of repeating itself, and two years later
Codecasa’s intention of holding onto the first of the new 41S semi-custom series launched in May proved to be similarly short-lived. This time, however, the yacht changed hands not once, but twice before the hull hit the water. The first
owner came on board early in the build process and christened Hull No. F.69
Bellissima C. The current owner renamed the yacht Family Day (he
has since ordered a 65-meter Codecasa) and took possession in July, just in time
for the Mediterranean yachting season.
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While such a scenario is by no means uncommon in the
boatbuilding industry, it is relevant in that the current owner took
delivery of a yacht that was fait accompli in almost every aspect. In the case
of Bellissima C, this meant inheriting a traditional, high-gloss mahogany
and satin teak interior that is curiously at odds with the yacht’s raked profile
and racy image (the model’s "S" suffix stands for Sport to distinguish the fast
planing hull from Codecasa’s displacement yachts). The advantage for the owner,
of course, was that he didn’t have to wait more than two years for delivery.
With naval architecture and exterior/interior
design by Codecasa’s long-standing collaborators Andre Bacigalupo and Franco and
Anna Della Role, the 41S is clearly an evolution of the 35. Like her smaller
cousin, the 41S has an aluminum alloy hull and superstructure and is powered by
MTU drive units with Rolls-Royce KaMeWa waterjets. But while the 35 carries two
engines, the 41S features a third central MTU to power a 56-inch KaMeWa booster
in addition to the two 71-inch jets for an official top speed of over 34
knots. Close attention to weight control meant that during sea trials the yacht
improved on speed predictions by half a knot or more.
"With a full-load displacement of 175 tons, we were able to
make a saving of around 2,000 kilograms," says project manager Roberto Della
Mura, "which is a lot of dead weight in a planing hull."
 Flame mahogany joinery dominates the master
suite. (Click image to enlarge)
This weight reduction is all the more remarkable because the
decision to build to MCA compliance came after construction began. Della Mura immediately put fireproofing measures on hold as alternative, lighter insulation
materials were researched and weight predictions recalculated. Fire doors and
bulkheads are lined with alumino-ceramic fiber that provides excellent fire
resistance in line with MCA stipulations combined with light weight. This
solution alone led to a weight saving of about 3,750 pounds over more
conventional fire insulation materials. Mounting the marble and onyx countertops
on aluminum honeycomb meant a further 35 percent weight reduction. Where
appropriate, the marine plywood for interior furnishings was also slimmed down
from 22 millimeters to 18. Shaving off weight here and there can often impinge
on robustness, but Della Mura is at pains to point out Codecasa’s established
reputation for due diligence, stressing that such decisions are made only after
carefully considering the mechanical properties of each material.
As mentioned, the first 41S has a very classic interior that was requested by
the original owner. But only by having our expectations confounded do we realize
how conventional those expectations were in the first place. In this context,
the wealth of joinery and rich fabrics on the inside provide a novel contrast
with the go-faster styling and metallic paintwork on the outside. Although the
current owner effectively took on a finished product, he immediately exchanged
the family-size dining table for a much larger one to seat a full complement of guests. The original feathered mahogany table was
relocated to the main aft deck where it replaces a modern metal table (although
care will have to be taken with the indoor polyurethane varnish). Under the aft
sun bed is a Jacuzzi pool, complete with stowage space for the aluminum cover
panels. The automatic sliding glass doors into the salon can be programmed to
open to three different entrance diameters to prevent air-conditioned air from
escaping.
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