|
At the 2005
Cannes Boat and Yacht Show in France, Benetti announced plans to produce
a new 24-meter line in composite at its Fano, Italy, facility under the name
Legend. The decision raised some eyebrows at the time. By lopping six meters off
its smallest model, the 30-meter Tradition, it looked as though Benetti was
going head-to-head with the likes of Ferretti and its 881 flagship. However,
rather than simply making life difficult for the competition—although they might
relish the opportunity—the members of Benetti’s marketing team were
responding to a niche in the market and the all-important 24-meter rule.
Benetti’s research showed that there was a demand for smaller,
traditional yachts with displacement speed, long range and all the comforts and
luxury of its larger models. The 24-meter rule provides a number of interesting
options to yacht owners, which are worth exploring further. The Benetti Legend
has an overall length of nearly 26 meters (85 feet), but a load line length of
23.98 meters, thus allowing the vessel to be registered either above or below
the 24-meter mark, the point at which international regulations governing
charter (i.e. commercial) yachts become more stringent. Registering a yacht for
private use below 24 meters means the owner can sail it himself—a plus for U.S.
owners who tend to be more hands-on than their European counterparts. On the
other hand, the vessel can be registered for charter, giving an owner favorable
leasing terms plus VAT exemption on the purchase of the yacht, on fuel and on
maintenance and running costs. By registering the yacht above 24 meters, the
owner additionally can benefit from a commercial tax exemption on crew
salaries.
The Legend series concept allows owners to
personalize the décor to suite their tastes. The first hull was fitted out in a
contemporary style with light tulipwood joinery. It exhibits plentiful space and
light. (Click images to enlarge)
Two years later, almost to the day, the first hull in the
Legend series was presented at the Cannes International Boat and Yacht Show
during an enchanting evening event at La Baie Dorée at Cap d’Antibes. Paolo
Vitelli, president of the Azimut-Benetti Group, and Vincenzo Poerio, CEO of
Benetti, welcomed owners and invited guests to the party that featured a
rare live performance by the Italian singer-songwriter Gino Paoli and a
spectacular fireworks display that lit up the new semi-custom yacht anchored in
the bay.
With in-house naval architecture and exterior styling by
Stefano Righini, the Benetti branding is evident in the family resemblance to
its larger composite cousins. But softer, more organic lines provide for a
contemporary profile, and if you isolate the superstructure, it resembles the
streamlined head, fins and tail of a dolphin. Modern design details include the
shallow indents cut into the bulwarks to allow better sea views and more light
into the salon and forward owner’s suite.
 Interior design is by François Zuretti. By providing a classic
and more modern design template, the Legend series concept allows owners to
personalize the décor to suit their tastes. The first hull in the series was
fitted out in contemporary style with light tulipwood (yellow poplar) joinery.
The first impression is one of plentiful space and light, thanks to the studied
layout and large windows. There is also more than adequate stowage space,
starting with the side cabinet that forms the first few steps of the stairway to
the open top deck and extending to the generous wardrobes in the guest cabins.
Two full-size pantographic doors to port and starboard provide exterior access
for the crew from the galley and for guests from the lobby. The galley itself is
spacious and well-appointed, but to my mind could benefit from an optional
serving hatch to the dining and lounge area. (Click image to enlarge)
With the owner/captain in mind, the master suite is located on
the main deck for quick and easy access to the bridge. The bathroom, complete
with tub, is on a slightly lower forward level and easily could have appeared
dark and poky. Instead, four large overhead skylights turn the room into a
sunlight-filled space.
"We were at pains to maximize the beam in relation to the
24-meter length overall," explains Giovanna Rivetti, director of the Benetti
yard in Fano.
|
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
Email This
Printer Friendly Version
Reprints & Permissions
Most Popular Searches
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();){kind=link}
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();){kind=link}