BENETTI – NEW 58 METERS “ILLUSION I” WORLD PREMIER AT THE 2014 MONACO YACHT SHOW

The M/Y Illusion I, the latest jewel from the Benetti family, will be one of the stars at the 2014 Monaco Yacht Show. The 58 meter four decked steel and aluminium M/Y, built at the Benetti Livorno shipyard, was designed by Green & Mingarelli for a European Owner.

The upcoming Monaco yacht Show will be the perfect showcase for Illusion I, the new 58 meters M/Y that consolidates Benetti’s leadership in the over 40 meter displacement hull market. Illusion I, whose external design is the beautiful result of the Benetti design team with considerable input from the Owner and his design staff, has four decks plus a sun-deck. Designed for commercial charter use, the Owner will also use her privately, thanks to a layout that includes one Vip and four guest cabins, in addition to the owners cabin, giving her a total capacity of 12 + 1 passengers.
The Lower deck is given over to the guests. Aft, we have a beach area with an ample bar zone and a stylish finish: here the Owner wanted to have the same level of decor as found in the guest areas. The beach area is distinctly separate from the garage, which opens laterally for launching and recovering the tender and the two jet skis. There is also generous room in the garage for wetsuits and diving gear. Moving forward, beyond the engine rooms, we enter the Vip cabin. Located amidships, the cabin takes full advantage of almost eleven meters of beam. The spectacular bathroom is placed parallel to the vessels side, offering a priceless view. Then we have the other guest cabins, each obviously with a private bathroom: three twins (one with a third pullman bunk) and one double. On the same deck, but completely separate, we have the crew quarters, with four single crew cabins and a double for the chief engineer, each with its own bathroom. There is separate access to all decks from the crew quarters, guaranteeing maximum privacy for the guests and increasing the crews efficiency in service.
The Main Deck cockpit, the first area to be found when coming aboard, is very spacious. A large c-shaped sofa with twin coffee table and comfortable lounge chairs has its own complete corner bar. The main salon is dominated by the Owners refreshing choice of locating the dinner table for ten next to the entryway: it is entirely dedicated to entertainment. And thanks to the aft location of the air vents, the area is very spacious and bright – the walls are fully in glass
and fill the room with a splendid natural light. And for even more light, on deck the gunwales in front of the windows have been lowered to view the sea from inside and literally inundate the salon with light. Main salon is furnished with three large sofas, supplied by the Owner, along with a low table and a retractable wide screen TV. From forward, the bar overlooks it all.
The owners interior designer, in collaboration with the Benetti design office, personally chose the style of furnishings and décor, with a dominant theme in pink, while the choice and combination of the materials used is quite special. Travertine, wood, and several kinds of marble alternate with other more unusual materials: ray-skin, coco or slivers of mother of pearl. In the guest area all the walls are covered with black walnut panels, with a special design: to augment contrast and movement, the walnut panels are alternated with parchment
covered panels. The parchment is very difficult to work with, but the yards artisans managed to completely satisfy the owners needs and the grain evident in the chosen materials creates a very suggestive contrast. The Lalique crystal insets add yet another touch of elegance, and reflect the natural lighting. The ivory leather ceilings complete the effect of space and light.
Passing from the salon to the main foyer, with its majestic stairway connecting the three decks and the crew area, then enter the modern galley. Its granite finishings, along with a custom made refrigerator, two large ovens, burners, deep fryer, and two wok burners, put it on a level with the best five star kitchens. A dumbwaiter connects the main deck pantry with the upper deck pantry.
After the foyer, we enter into the Owners suite. The cabin, proceeded by a relax area, is full beam with large lateral windows and a beautiful sofa to one side. The owners bathroom, just like the Vip bathroom, is entirely finished with an onyx décor, with both sinks in carved marble.

Extremely spacious, with two entryways and his and her dressing rooms, it includes an enormous central shower, a bathtub and twin toilets. With the many details that make this yacht so special, also note the custom finished Rose Gold faucets in all the bathrooms. Another characteristic of this area is its complete silence. Noise and vibration reduction throughout the yacht was a specific request made by the Owner, and the Benetti technicians, together with a Danish company specialized in noise reduction, succeeded admirably. This is why everything is double sealed and there is carpet in the crew area.
Informal evenings are hosted on the open Upper deck, where we find the 14 place dinner table and mobile bar; while inside there is another small salon with sofas, entertainment area, and a corner bar. Fun and relaxation are the central themes that determine the upper deck layout, where we also find a small movie theater (which if needs be, can be converted into an extra cabin), a wine cellar and a cold-box for cigars. Moving forward we find the entryway into the crews quarters, with a cabin for the chief stewardess, the captains cabin, and the radio room with direct access to the bridge. Here we have yet a further example of high technology, with five large touchscreens that integrate all the command, management and monitoring functions of the ships systems.
From the stern, we now come to the Sun deck and all its features. A marvelous mosaic Jacuzzi is surrounded by sunbathing recliners, mobile bar, barbecue grill and dinette. The whole area can be sheltered from the wind thanks to a double sliding-doored veranda, but the six window skylight always leaves a view of the starry heavens. All the external furnishings are in dark painted teak while the marble is rustic travertine.
Whether inside or outside, all lighting aboard is furnished by a highly customized LED illumination system, with the possibility to individually control each fixture and create infinitely refined lighting scenarios.
And in following the Benetti tradition, the Under lower deck is devoted exclusively to the yachts systems. Including the engine room, the deck also has a large cold room with refrigerators, icebox, an area reserved exclusively for all the infotainment systems aboard, and an ample laundry room. There is also a service elevator connecting this deck to the main deck.
Performance wise, Illusion I is very kind in a seaway, and has a 15 knot fast cruising speed. At the 12 knot normal cruising speed, the Illusion has a 5,000 nautical mile range. Propulsion is provided by twin CAT 3512C motors, developing 1,380 kw each. Generators are twin CAT C9 Gensets for 200 kw each, plus a third CAT C4.4 generator for 82 kw.
Illusion I is a very refined yacht with a very original décor, designed to furnish maximum possible comfort at sea, with record low levels of noise and vibration, and proudly maintains Benetti’s high class reputation worldwide.
Illusion I will be available to charter in the Caribbean and Bahamas through Camper & Nicholsons International, at a weekly rate starting from $350,000. For more information on chartering Illusion I, please go to Camper & Nicholsons International – Illusion I.

HSH Prince Albert II awards m/y Ocean Paradise with the RINA GREEN PLUS prize

Saturday September 28th, closing date of the Monaco Boat Show 2013, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco awarded the megayacht Benetti FB263 m/y Ocean Paradise with the RINA Green Plus prize for the solutions studied and adopted in the field of environment protection.

Ocean Paradise is one of the latest creation of the Tuscan shipyard and has been one of the queens of the Monaco Yacht Show 2013.

The prestigious acknowledgement by RINA further highlights the commitment of Azimut|Benetti Group in regard of the environment, being the only shipyard worldwide certified as to quality, safety and environment.

Porto Montenegro announce two big news for Cannes and MYS 2013

Porto Montenegro – the Mediterranean’s leading luxury yacht homeport and marina village – is delighted to announce the release of its seventh development, the Ksenija Residences, due for completion in summer 2015. Ksenija will offer some of the most prestigious waterfront addresses in the Adriatic, with one- to three-bedroom apartments providing panoramic sea and mountain views. Conceived by ReardonSmith Architects of London and MHZ interiors of Paris, Ksenija has been designed to maximise space, staying true to the local building traditions whilst maintaining high levels of privacy.

 

 Tailor-made berth leases. Porto Montenegro is the first luxury marina in the Mediterranean to offer long term berths with variable leasing periods between 10 and 30 years. Oliver Corlette, Porto Montenegro’s Managing Director, explains the benefits of this new approach to berth leasing; “At Porto Montenegro we focus on solving our customer’s berthing needs first. We wanted to provide our clients with more flexibility when making a long term berth investment by tailoring the lease period to suit their needs.”

RMK MARINE AT MONACO YACHT SHOW 2013

Also this year RMK Marine, the Turkish superyacht builder, will be attending the Monaco Yacht Show, scheduled between September 25-28, 2013. On this prestigious occasion the concept and a scalemodel of the new 50-metre RMK 5000 Explorer will be unveiled to the press, while the 45-metre Karia, one of the latest builds of the yard, will be available for visits aboard together with a debut: the Oyster 125 S/Y Twilight and Oyster 100 S/Y Penelope, built at the Tuzla facilities of the yard. The stand of RMK Marine can be found next to the Quai Chicane 3 entrance.

Karia

In collaboration with Hot Lab Yacht&Design, RMK Marine conceived two versions of the 5000 Explorer: the True Luxury Explorer and the Leisure version, both of which boast modern lines, soft curves and have a great deal of flexibility to suit the individual client requirements and the tastes of the current market.

The full displacements under 500 GT hulls on both designs provide longer-than-usual range cruising thanks to the optional diesel/electric propulsion package. Both projects accommodate up to 10 guests plus owner and 8 crew plus the Captain. On the True Luxury Explorer concept there is a vast aft deck specially designed to accommodate a tender of up to 10.2m, while the area beneath is dedicated to underwater and on-water excursion toys including quadski, diving room, hovpods and jet-skis. This area can also be converted into a “touch and go” helicopter deck which will give the owner and his guests the freedom of exploring even the most secluded areas, while on the Leisure concept the helipad is replaced by a 6 meter wide swimming pool and sunbeds creating an environment of peace and quiet whilst enjoying the ultimate cruising experience.

5000 Explorer

The two layouts designed by Hot Lab have both four (4) large cabins in the central part of lower deck with en suite bathroom, perfect for the actual charter market, while the crew has four (4) double cabins designed for MCA’s Large Yacht Code 3. The layout of the upper deck interiors is identical for the two versions. In both versions – on the back of the wheelhouse – Captain’s cabin is situated. The sundeck is more formal on the True Luxury Explorer version with a big rounded dining table placed in an inside/out area. The Leisure version has a sundeck conceived for full relax with a jacuzzi in the forward part, comfortable loose furnitures in the middle and sunbeds on the back.

The hull can be designed to “ice class standards” to overcome the harshest marine environments. The propulsion, hull design and interior layout have been arranged and conceived to give to owner and guests the best possible cruising range and sea-keeping capabilities. In order to give the best range, RMK Marine will provide for two propulsion packages: a diesel/electric option or a diesel only system with no interruption on longer voyages such as transatlantic or transpacific crossings.

The RMK 4500 KARIA will be on display at the Monaco Yacht Show for the second year at Quai de l’ Hirondelle – N11. Multi-nominated and honoured with the Judges Special Commendation prize at the World Superyacht Awards last year, Karia is a 45-metre yacht designed by Ron Holland, more than an authority a living legend indeed in the yacht design field. Designed for the experiencedyacht owner for long distance voyaging, Karia has been built to high quality specifications with long term low maintenance as priority requirements. Particular attention has been given to ensure an efficient and sea kindly hull design an exceptional interior volume for a 45m yacht. Her features and facilities provide the guests with a wonderful experience on board.

The general arrangement of Karia, conceived by Design Unlimited, has been designed to address a variety of cabin use possibilities, considering clients with children through to large groups for family and business use. With capacity for 12 guests and 11 crew, this yacht also caters for the high-end charter market.

Designed by Ed Dubois and Oyster, S/Y Twilight is the first 125 model produced by Oyster Yachts. Dubois Naval Architects and Oyster teamed up in 2007 to design the 100 and 125 Oyster Superyachts, choosing RMK Marine shortly afterwards as builder of these sailing giants. The design brief was for a concept that could carry superyacht luxury and style but be capable of being built as a production yacht, with greater efficiency and speed. One of the most interesting features of S/Y Twilight is the flybridge, which is a relatively new concept on sailing yachts. This flybridge uses the same superstructure as the raised saloon, but also offers an upper flybridge with twin helms, lounge, wet bar and sunbathing area. At approx 200 tonnes lightship displacement, the Oyster 125 by Dubois is a very substantial superyacht, offering a stunning performance in absolute comfort.

S/Y Twilight features exceptional interiors and, thanks to RMK Marine, demonstrates world class workmanship with the highest classification. 

S/Y Twilight will be displayed at Quai Des Etat Unis – E16 and S/Y Penelope will be displayed at Quai Chicane – C04 at Monaco Yacht Show.

Benetti unveils the images of M/Y “OCEAN PARADISE” – FB 263. World debut 25th September at Monaco Yacht Show 2013 (25-28 September)

The Benetti m/y Ocean Paradise (FB 263) was recently launched at the Benetti Livorno yard. The yacht will debut with its world avant-premiere at the next Monaco Yacht Show 2013 (25-28 September) Built in aluminum and steel, this 55 meter vessel is based on a consolidated and tested Benetti platform, yet rich with innovative contents, especially with regards to partitioning, interior design, decor and fitting out.

With Ocean Paradise, Benetti gives further proof of their second to none capability in interpreting and adapting to Owner’s requests. Many elements make this yacht an example of custom avantguard solutions: from the furnishings to the highly elaborate illumination plan, with the use of novel architectural solutions and the combination of both transparent and opaque materials that emphasize the traditional relationship with the sea, or a more contemporary look and feel, as required.

All this is coordinated and managed by BEST (Benetti Exclusive Sea Technology), the proven domotic system adopted by the yard aboard several vessels and very much appreciated by Owners and crew.

Many of these innovations aboard Ocean Paradise have been specifically developed by the yard’s technicians and designers, based on specific requests by the Owner – a dynamic young businessman from Singapore – who was always closely involved in the phases of design and construction.

The Benetti Ocean Paradise was also conceived to fulfill the specific need of the charter activities,but despite this is characterized by several notable one of a kind elements, such as the designer’s research for solutions that guarantee communication between adjacent environments and especially with the sea, even while relaxing in the main saloon or lunch area. This was obtained by the intense study and development of the height of the opaque elements, and the adoption of plexiglass and crystal materials, with the absence of bulwarks in the floor to ceiling windows in the salon.

Minimalist, but never cold, and always connected with the sea: these were some of the guidelines given by the Owner for the development of this project. The Benetti team of interior and exterior designers interpreted the desires of the Owner, bringing it to an ideal fruition from both the technical and esthetic/functional points of view.

There are four guest cabins, all located on the lower deck, with access from a central hall connected to the main deck foyer. Each cabin has its own spacious bath, and a view of the sea is guaranteed by ample portholes. The Owner’s suite is located on the forward portion of the main deck, and stretches the full width of the yacht. This environment, both in size and position, is also unique for aspects such as expansive bathroom suite and a side terrace (balcony). Here, like in the rest of the vessel, an intense study by the lighting design team has created just the right atmosphere. This results from the use of LED and LED RGB, skillfully hidden in the cladding and managed by sophisticated, yet simple to use systems managed by exclusive Benetti BEST System. Light is of primary importance throughout the entire Ocean Paradise project, both natural light, filtered through ample openings in the yacht’s structure, in addition to transparent solutions such as the crystal skylight, and artificial light, with temperature controlled color to match the natural light.

Special attention has been paid to the passageways used by the Owner, guests and crew, skillfully separated but always able to ensure rapid service by the personnel to all shared living and private areas.

There are numerous solutions adopted to exploit the spaces and volumes designed to guarantee comfort and contact with the sea aboard the Ocean Paradise: one is the aft beach area with adjacent relax zone and sheltered service areas, complete with a large platform created by lowering the transom door.

To create an open air area, yet hidden and independent from the tender and toy launching area, the Benetti designers have developed a system of lateral openings, complete with a mooring platform for jet-skis or the custom made 6.2 meter tender which is stowed inside the garage while under way.

The rescue boat is house in it’s own forward garage so hidden from the view of the guests and protected from the seas. The jet-skis are mounted on the foredeck in a separate area, but offering a tantalizing view from the circuit used by the Owner and his guests.

The Owner, who also has interests in interior design, was a very active participant in the design of the secondary ambient too, with the objective of creating a natural and relaxing atmosphere, where encased Zen gardens appear, with the successful intent of infusing perceptive serenity. In bringing the natural greenery of plants aboard using transparent surfaces that double as display cases and natural light openings for the interior, the Ocean Paradise gains a particularly eclectic atmosphere.

For his yacht the Owner has commissioned details such as the wardrobe door handles (designed by the winner of a design competition), light switches, light fixtures, automatic hatch and panel latches, chromatic contrasting leather stitching, completely clad leather interiors for lockers, and the many “hidden” storage areas perfectly integrated among the various environments.

The design motive of every area, even the smallest and least visible, has been customized by the Owner to ensure coherency with the entire project’s inspiration. This is also true on above decks, where we find an oversize swimming pool with waterfalls on the sun deck, and furnishings that suggest natural environments and facilitate the view of the sea. There is also a gym on the sun deck which dominates the ocean, and a mini bar with DJ console.

Technically, Benetti Ocean Paradise – FB263 keeps to a classic configuration: steel displacement hull, with a displacement of 651 tons and 710 gross tonnage; two CAT 3512C (1765 kW) motors with 2,367 horsepower, which always guarantee the best yacht’s performance and navigation efficiency at every speed. Cruising range is 4,000 nautical miles at an economical cruising speed of 12 knots, with an easily reachable top speed of 17 knots and a fast cruising speed of 15.5 knots using 85% of the available propulsion power.

The bridge is fully equipped with the “Integrated Bridge” Benetti technology, enabling the crew to quickly and easily monitor all onboard systems, guaranteeing safety and easy repair access when necessary. Using touch-screens, the system displays the state of all onboard systems, managing both alarms and function monitoring. From the bridge the crew has complete control of the vessel and is immediately informed of any malfunctions, even from remote areas of the vessel. This advanced system, adapted by Benetti, also allows monitoring of the AC systems to rationalize the system’s energy consumption while underway in varying atmospheric conditions.

The bridge also has modern design elements, as well as some classic in the form of the stitching in the leather work to complement the advanced technology. Completely clad in leather with contrasting stitching and several different illumination settings, the walk-around instrument console and separate chart table, make the Bridge seems a unique design piece itself. The exterior of the wheel house allows undisrupted access from the wing station from where the Captain has excellent visibility for docking operations, and severs as an exterior crew lounge as well.

BENETTI DESIGN INNOVATION – Imagine Benetti’s tomorrow

Benetti – part of Azimut Benetti Group – opened the Monaco Yacht Show 2012 introducing the project Design Innovation. On September, 19th at Fairmont Hotel over 200 guests – journalists, brokers, captains and yacht designers together with Benetti Management Team – shared the future of Benetti’s design.

The most reputed international yacht designers has been asked to develop new design concepts for Benetti Custom yachts ranging from 50mt up to 90mt plus. The outcome is a fascinating journey to new frontiers of style, new ideas and new directions. Vincenzo Poerio – CEO Megayachts Business Unit – commented “Evolving the design, the style and the family-feeling imprinted on Benetti yachts by 140 years of history is as an ambitious task. But as tireless devotees of novelty, evolution and challenge, we had no alternative. Then again, looking ahead and anticipating the market has always been encoded in Benetti’s DNA. This is why we have decided to assign this challenge to the world’s most reputed yacht designers. Almost twenty firms of architects worked on dozens of designs concepts for new yachts in the 50 to 90+ meter range, offering possible new directions and interpretations for the future design of our mega-yachts. Excellence breeds excellence”.

Designers based their work on existing Benetti’s design platforms:
􀀀 50 x tbd < 500 GT
􀀀 55 x 9,6 (9,2 moulded beam) about 700 GT
􀀀 60 x 11,0 (10,6 moulded beam) about 1100 GT
􀀀 65 x 11,6 (11,2 moulded beam) about 1350 GT
􀀀 70 x 12,5 (12,1 moulded beam) about 1750 GT
􀀀 80 x 14,0 (13,2 moulded beam) about 2200 GT
􀀀 90 x 15,0 ( 14,2 moulded beam) < 3000 GT

At present, 16 yacht designers’ Firms are on board. However the project is open to qualified newcomers:
1. Axis – Horacio Bozzo Design
2. Bannenberg & Rowell
3. Marco Casali
4. Cor D Rover
5. Luiz De Bast
6. Luca Dini
7. Eidsgaard Design
8. Cristiano Gatto
9. Evan K Marshall
10. Studio Massari
11. Nauta Design
12. Neo Design
13. Prima Design
14. PS+A Palomba Serafini
15. Quarto Stile
16. Design Studio Spadolini

Hodgdon Yachts on CNBC TV Europe BOAT SHOW tv show

Amazing TV interview of Tim Hodgdon on CNBC TV Europe.

Have a look here!