When this gleaming, 56-meter motor yacht slid down the ways in Livorno, Italy, she was christened Galaxy by Valentina Tei, daughter of Roberto Tei, the longest-serving worker of the former Orlando Shipyard, now Benetti’s new custom yacht complex. While Galaxy’s Australian owner was not at the party, more than 500 guests were. The first launch at the new facility was a time for Benetti to pay homage to Livorno’s shipbuilding traditions while celebrating its present success and defining its future. Needless to say, the event was one for the builder’s history books.

Galaxy is a Lloyds-classed, MCA-certified full-displacement design with deep, full bilges and a bulbous bow on her steel hull, which was designed in house. Powered by twin 1,850-hp Caterpillars, she has 5,000-nm range cruising at 12 knots.

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The racy styling of the aluminum superstructure as well as the interior layout is by Stefano Natucci. Designed primarily for private use, she accommodates up to 14 passengers in six cabins, including a split-level owner’s suite and a VIP cabin on the bridge decks. There are also eight cabins for up to16 crew. The interior decor is by the owner’s personal designer, who also worked on his homes in Melbourne and Los Angeles. An eclectic mix of woods, including eucalyptus, oak, European plane wood, ash, pear, sycamore and Burma teak parquet, are sprinkled throughout the interior and complemented by boldly colorful stonework.

Galaxy makes spectacular use of curved, tempered glass to provide unexpected panoramic views at both ends of the vessel plus a glass elevator that rises all the way to the glass-enclosed gym on the top deck. The owner’s suite, for example, begins on the main deck level with an office, stateroom his and hers baths and dressing areas. Forward and raised half a deck is the owner’s salon. This semicircular room has nine windows delivering 180-degree views. Aft on the bridge deck above, the superstructure ends with a circular dining room with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and sliding doors. Other special features include a helipad on the sun deck, a self-leveling hydraulic guest-boarding ladder on starboard adjacent to the main foyer, a dumbwaiter and a dedicated lift for temperature-controlled food carts to facilitate meal service on every deck and a 77-inch retractable movie screen in the skylounge.

Benetti at 39 0584 3821. www.benettiyachts.it