Alfamarine New Web Site

Alfamarine from Fiumicino the West sea side of the Italian capital city Rome presents its new World wide web showroom.  Alfamarine and Fazioli make a great part of the Italian story of pleasure boating from the mid seventies onward with some record breaking models in the making.  Alfamarine started its course in 1955 when Marcello Fazioli enters boat racing not only as a racer but also by building outboard powered speed boats for himself and on commission.  But the story of Alfamarine as a boat builder starts in 1975 when the yard in Fiumicino is founded and Marcello Fazioli launches the 40 Bronte model designed by Renato Sonny Levi and Franco Harrauer, two of the most innovative naval architects of the time specialized in fast deep Vee bottoms, who the lessons and innovations they introduced are still very much valid then as today.  Build of fiberglass the Alfamarine 40 Bronte is a huge success becoming the yard all time best seller with 146 units sold over its production run, and offered with two propulsion choices; Levi's Step surface drive and the standard line shaft, and available in three versions S for the open, Motoryacht for the flybridge, and the Fisherman with a lowered stern.  Alfamarine moves forward and after the success of the first model launches the bigger Alfamarine 60 Delta, and then the 16,50 Motoryacht.  A 35 is presented in 1985 the fourth and smallest ever produced model by Alfamarine, what is a chopped smaller 40 Bronte sport cruiser designed again by Franco Harrauer.  In the eighties Alfamarine competes with neighboring central and South Italian builders for making fast seaworthy large yachts; and Harrauer again designs the company first super yacht, the 83 Cronos a deep 25 degrees Vee deadrise hulled with a wide body upper structure design which will sell in six units.  The Cronos will reach 32 knots speeds with standard twin 1400hp engines, and will also be offered as the 83 Super Cronos with triple engines totalling 5000hp and Arneson surface drives project who in theory should have arrived up to fifty knots but unfortunately no unit sold with this power.  An Alfamarine 90 is later launched in 1993, what is an extended 83 Cronos with a totally re-invented more traditional not wide body upper structure.  After the 83 Cronos, Harrauer will design the Alfamarine 65 launched in 1991 and based on the 55 hull but with a triple Man 1000hp set up reaching speeds of sixty knots, 61.5 to be exact as recorded during its sea trials.  Always precise and technical in the details Alfamarine will launch other models over the years, the 55 in 1990 sees the yard go into a more conservative style and will sell in ten units.  Launched first as the 47 in 1991 and in 1995 becoming the 50 this model sees Alfamarine go into more modern nineties styling featuring a sloop stern design and later 1995 and newer versions also featuring an integrated windshield radar arch design and extended bathing platform.  The Alftamarine 50 will also embrace the Italian aft cabin sport cruiser yacht which was so popular in the eighty and nineties by many sport cruiser and yacht biulders of the shoe shaped peninsula.  The 50 is followed by the similar styled and smaller Alfamarine 43 designed by Fabio Buzzi and launched in 1994 and becoming the 47 in 1997, what is a model just as the 50 still offered in the production catalogue.  The Alfamarine 60 is launched in 1998 and is followed in 2002 with the 58, a modern version of the 1990 launched 55.  In 2003 Alfamarine launched the custom full displacement, steel construction and its largest build to date 140 triple deck to a design of Andrea Bacigalupo, who is then again used in the much admired 78 launched in 2004 and its smaller 72 sister in 2007.   Alfarmaine has won various prizes over the years with the most important being the Golden Keel awarded in 1985 for the 83 Cronos, and 2005 European Prize for the 78.  Today Alfamarine is managed by founder Marcello Fazioli and his son Andrea, and together apart offering a full refit service in Fiumicino offer seven build to order semi custom sport cruiser and yachts which start with the 47, and go up to the one off build 140.  Alfamarine latest model is the the hard-top updated 60 presented in 2009.  Alfamarine new website takes you around with the following buttons; Our Story, Building Site, Services, Achievements, and Contacts. Alfamarine is also on social media with button links to its Facebook and Youtube pages at the right top corner of the page.

www.alfamarine.it

Production History;

40 Bronte Fly 1975-90 (146) *includes S

40 Bronte S 1978-90 (146) includes Fly

60 Delta 1978 (1)

16.50 1981-90

83 Cronos 1982-92 (6)

35 1985-90

55 1990-93 (5)

47 1991-94

65 1991 (1)

90 1993 (1)

43 1994-96

50 1995-

47 1997-

60 1998-

58 2002-

47 m 2003 (1)

78 2004-15 (10)

72 2007-12 (6)

60 HT 2009-

Boat Review: Alfamarine 58

Presentation

Presented in the 2002 season, the Alfamarine 58 is an eighteen metre classic styled fully open sports yacht much loved by the Central and South Italian customer. But not only as classic open yachts are lately getting higher market rating. Classic in lines and design, the Alfamarine 58 is an evolution of the 55 launched in 1990 with a completely renewed stern and deck, and changed radar arch windscreen design. Performing to the limits for a sport yacht, the Alfamarine 58 is full of modern design solutions, based on one of the best deep Vee hulls in its size.

Accommodation

The exterior of this yacht speaks for the inside, as we have what is a classic interior layout with three cabins all with there own separate head. Master cabin is forward and two identical guest cabins feature mid ships with twin in line parallel berths each. Interior dining area is a comfortable C-shaped settee to starboard. Galley is to port and is hidden by clean wooden top, becoming invisible when the cooking is over. A crew cabin with shower head is located aft.

Outside cockpit space is one of the winners for the 58, featuring a C-shaped settee to starboard, one of the most spacious in this size dimensions. An exterior wet bar and galley is located to port, just behind the comfortable dark blue finished helm station. A four person sunbed is located aft. While another sunbed is located forward on deck. Tender stowage is on the bathing platform.

Performance

The Alfamarine hull and 58 in particular is designed around the highly rated Renato Sonny Levi and Franco Harrauer deep V-design. If you want head turning performance I suggest you take the optional surface drive and big 1360hp engine option, which allow for a 48 knots max speed.  But the standard Caterpillar 1000hp engines and shafts set up still give a nice 36 knots of top speed with thirty knots cruising. Sea keeping in both versions is excellent with shaft drives handling big heads seas easier thanks to the lower starting planning speed these deliver. Still the Arneson surface drives would handle most solutions in the best of manners and also provide for better fuel economy at fast cruise which equals to an extended range.

Positive

superb performing hull

cockpit space and comfort

Negative

railing as optional

Competition

Competition in the open sport yacht seventeen to eighteen meter segment is ever increasing, but when you want something looking timeless and classic the result comes down to a few builders.  Criteria here is for open style no hard sport yacht, and three cabins.  

Baia 54 Aqua - similar layout but more modern, flush deck, only with surface drives

Dalla Pieta DP 58 - modern design, only shaft drives, spacious crew or 4th guest cabin aft

Gianetti 55 Sport - extra 4th double cabin aft, very comfortable inside

Italcraft X 54 - 3rd cabin aft, nice cockpit layout, good hull and performance

Itama 55 FiftyFive - real classic yacht, similar layout with spacious galley

Sarnico 58 - aft third cabin, spacious interior saloon

Uniesse 57 Open - American sportfish style with Italian flair, comfortable cockpit

WILD CARD: Magnum 60 Furio - two cabins + crew, surface drives performance

Conclusion

The Alfamarine is a classic sports yacht for those who don't like to have a fashion boat, but something which is timeless and always good looking without forgetting modern design solutions as adapted in most of today's boats in this size dimension. If this is what you want I suggest you have a good look at the Alfamarine 58.

Technical Data

LOA. 18.46 meters (60.5ft)

Beam. 4.60 metres

Displacement. 22.000 kg dry

Fuel Capacity. 3200 litres

Water Capacity. 800 litres

Berths. six berths in three cabins, one crew cabin berth

Engines. 2 x Cat C18 1000hp, 2 x MAN V12 1360hp

Propulsion. Shaft Line, Arneson Surface Drives ASD 12, ASD 12L

Speed. 36 knots max 36 cruise Cats 1000hp, 48 knots max 40 knots with surface drives MAN 1360hp
Hull Shape.  Mono hedron deep Vee
Certification. CE A RINA

www.alfamarine.it

Picture Copyright Alfamarine. Data Alfamarine.

Classic Alfamarine Bronte Sinks in Ravenna Beach

A twelve meter Alfamarine sport cruiser with five persons onboard semi-sank in the early hours of Sunday eighteen June in Lido di Dante, Ravenna.  The sport cruiser is reported to have hit one of the artificial man made reefs created for protecting the beach and sand from rough seas and storms.  The five passengers onboard the sport cruiser used the life raft to drop off the sport cruiser and go on the beach for safety. On Sunday morning the fire fighting diving squad inspected the sport cruiser for fuel or any pollution leaks, with none being reported.  An operation to remove and salvage the Sport Cruiser was being organized.

The Alfamarine in this sinking is the 40 Bronte S model designed by Franco Harrauer and Renato Sonny Levi and produced from 1976 to 88.  Alfamarine first model was also offered in two other versions; Motoryacht with flybridge, and Fisherman with a lowered stern, and two propulsion choices of Levi surface drives and line shafts.  The Alfamarine 40 Bronte will sell in 146 units in an eleven year production run, with a shorter hulled 35 released in 1985.  Alfamarine will take six years to replace the Bronte, when in 1994 it releases the Fabio Buzzi designed 43 model.

New Model: Alfamarine 60 Hard Top

Basing itself on the long standing Alfamarine 60 hull lines which was presented in 1997, the Fazioli family Fiumicino builder launched the Hard Top version for the same model. Announced as a project in the beginning of this year, the new 60 Hard Top is designed by renowned marine architect Andrea Bacigalupo. Alframarine in its fifty year history has a list of whose who on the designers list for there boats starting with the first cooperation with Renato Sonny Levi, to Franco Harrauer, and going on to Fabio Buzzi. The Alfamarine 60 Hard Top does not only add a new Bacigalupo design integrated all weather enclosure to the upper structure of this Sport Yacht, but will also have a new cockpit layout which is now more spacious, as well as a redesigned interior plan. The interior keeps the 60 three cabins with three en-suite shower heads plan, with designer Michela Reverberi changing the furniture and colors now in modern minimal light colored fittings with dark wood accents. The aft mid double guest cabins have also been modified now offering two single berths each and to the length of the boat, instead of the previous which where to the beam. Tender garage aft has also been made more spacious with the ability to accommodate a jet powered tender. Speed always part of the heritage of Alfamarine is a max of 45 knots, with twin MAN 1360hp engines with surface drives propulsion.

Technical Data:

LOA - 18.96 m (62.2ft)

Beam - 4.60 m

Draft - 1.40 m

Displacement - 28 t

Fuel Capacity - 3500 l

Water Capacity - 1000 l

Accommodation - 6 berths in 3 cabins. 1 crew cabin

Engines - 2 x MAN 1360hp

Propulsion - surface drives

Speed - 45 knots max

Design - Andrea Bacigalupo exterior. Michela Reverberi interior

www.alfamarine.it

Project: Alfamarine 60 HT

Italian builder Alfamarine presents the project for the 60 HT. Already under construction this new model is expected to be presented in the fall of this year. The new 60 HT is a modernization of the 60 Alfamarine launched in 1997, and before this version flagship of the open range. With this new interpretation the 60 gets the addition of a hardtop, a new cockpit layout, modified stern, and wide view port hole windows. For this new improved version Alfamarine Fazioli family used designers Andrea and Maria Bacigalupo exterior, and Michela Riverberi who retouched the 3 cabin interior to a modern flavour with echoes of ancient Rome. For the propulsion the 60 HT stays true to its hull shape, with twin MAN 1360hp engines propelled with surface drives giving a 45 knots top speed.

www.alfamarine.it

New Model: Alfamarine 72

Presented as a project two years ago, the new Alfamarine 72 is the smaller sister for the successful 78, which won Best Boat between eighteen and 24 meters in the 2005 World Yachts Trophies in Cannes. Architect Andrea Bacigalupo projected this boat as an easy to use fast Sport Yacht with minimum crew needs. Interior layout calls for an innovative and functional approach for this type of yacht, for this reason the galley, in a separate area with connected dinette lunch area is situated below deck at mid-ship. Main saloon is at the main deck level and can be completely closed off with the stern door. The guest and master cabin are adjacent to the dinette while the VIP guest cabin, in order to assure privacy has a a separate entrance directly from the main saloon. Crew quarters entrance is from the external cockpit or from the engine room and a second berth is available on request. Power is from twin 1550hp Man with Arneson Surface Drives which allows a maximum speed of 43 knots. In the meantime other versions are being studied with KaMeWa water jets and more powerful engines for speeds up to 50 knots, keeping the renowned Alfamarine name for high performance yachts.
Technical Data:

Length - 22.30 m (73.1 ft)
Beam - 5.44 m
Draft - 1.20 m
Displacement - 31.946 kg dry
Fuel Capacity - 4.790 l
Water Capacity - 1.000 l
Engines - 2 x Man 1550hp
Propulsion - Arneson Surface Drives ASD14

Speed - max 42 knots, cruise 34 knots
Project - Arch. Andrea Bacigalupo, interiors Consuelo Izzo
Certifcation - CE A

www.alfamarine.it

Sport Yacht Aground Near Porto Rotondo in Sardinia

A seventeen meter Alfamarine sport yacht ended aground in Cala Sabina to the South of Porto Rotondo on the late morning of eleven August.  The Alfamarine yacht departed Porto Rotondo and hit the reef to port side during its entry to Cala Sabina.  The sport yacht was later assisted by a private yacht yard, and towed for repairs. The damage to the yacht was not reported extensive, with water intrusion coming from a slipped damaged shaft entry.

The Alfamarine in this grounding is the 55, released in 1990 to a design of Franco Harrauer, offering a three cabins plus crew cabin layout and line shafts or forty knots surface drive propulsion.  Stopped in production in 1994 only five Alfamarine 55 were made, with the model evolving into the 58 with a redesigned stern and radar arch in 2002 and still offered as build to order today.  The hull of the 55 was also used for the tri-engines record breaking fast 65, and the still produced 60 introduced in 1998.

Monthly News - May 2008

-pic of the month- Baia in Capri Sailing Week

Alfamarine No Problem Vacation

“Vacation No Problem Alfamarine" is the service activated by Alfamarine Shipyard of Fiumicino to the owners of the yachts of the 30 year old Roman shipyard of Marcello and Andrea Fazioli. This new initiative will be operational from 1st July, and provides a technical assistance from the builder to its yachts when trouble shooting arises. Thanks to an agreement with Aquaairline Spa, Alfamarine technicians will be able to reach the trouble yachts in all the Mediterranean onboard the hydroplanes of the company, specialized in this sea area. Like this the troubled boat will be able to resolve its problem and continuing its sea trip in perfect harmony, with the only detail requested from the owner to the Operational centre would be the age of the yacht and the parts needed. The total cost of the operation will be the part and aerial transfer.


Baia at Rolex Capri Sailing Week

The partnership between Baia Yachts and Capri Yacht Club for Rolex Capri Sailing Week go on successfully. In order to follow one of the most prestigious regatta in the international sailing races’ outline , Cantieri di Baia gave as supporting boats an Aqva 54’, fast and easy to handle during sailing races, and a One 43’ , the fast day cruiser with more than 20 m2 cockpit, that allows to work easily in it.

Baia Competing in Viareggio Monte Carlo Viareggio Raid

After the great success achieved in the last edition by Roy Capasso and Alessandro Conti with “Aris”, an Azzurra 63, Baia Yachts will take part again in the nautical rally raid Viareggio – Montecarlo - Viareggio, with three teams in the starting lane. In this 5th edition, from May the 30th to June the 1st, Alessandro Conti and Mario Borselli compete with an Azzurra 63, Stefano Marianelli and Paolo Mataloni with an Aqva 54 and Christian Power, Steve Packham and Susanna Monacci with a B80 USA. The first lap of the 5th raid Viareggio – Montecarlo - Viareggio will start on May the 31st at 10.30 a.m. and is going to finish with the competitors arrival in Monaco. The winners of the first lap, during the gala night in the Yacht Club de Monaco, will be awarded with the 3rd Memorial Stefano Casiraghi, a trophy in memory of the former Offshore World Champion. The second and final lap, starting on June the 1st at 10 o’clock a.m. will be on the same track in opposite direction, and the awarding will take place at Yacht Club Versilia in Viareggio Harbor. The winner team will be awarded with “FIM Trophy” in memory of Angelo Moratti, who was FIM Chairman in the past.


Bruno Abbate Primatist 18th year Special Edition

18 years ago Bruno Abbate had the brilliant idea to organize a gathering race with his boats to be held in full summer season in the most beautiful Italian marinas where owners and personalities from the show biz and sports world (Alberto Tomba and Jerry Cala the most famous) joined hands for a navigation competition with a fun experience. Time showed that the idea was a winning one and it is not the case that the Primatist Trophy is now in its 18th series. This year’s edition will be named “Ogliastra Cup” and will be held in Sardegna, where Bruno Abbate has invested a lot for the future development of the brand. From 27th July to 1st August, from Portisco to Arbatax touching the suggestive Oriental Sardegna coast, navigating trough natural beauties from Mortorio to Tavolara, between pure speed racing and classic ruling. The main theme of the competition will be the glamour, joining with the peaceful relaxing of a years work being a common denominator for those that go at sea in the summer period. Other news for this year’s edition there will also be a new star: the new Bruno Abbate Primatist G 53 Pininfarina that will be officially presented in the days preceding the event and has already received various positive reviews from the professionals. Another plus of the Primatist Trophy is the huge media impact this event has on a national and international level, with 5 hours a day being followed by TV crew, including a helicopter filming that will be distributed to the most famous news sections, as are the photographs distributed in real time and media communication with placing and charts all distributed. Famous Italian Sport newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport will also dedicate a 5 page special on the Trophy, along with the inhouse magazine Primatist People.

Bruno Abbate Primatist Partners World Rally Championship in Sardegna

A lucky collaboration had to be repeated. For the second year in a row Bruno Abbate Primatist was a partner sponsor for the World Rally Championship, Sardegna stage held from 15 to the 18th May. Bruno Abbate confirmed the speed vocation and tradition, is not a case as are the sponsors in Moto GP with Loris Capirossi and F1 Inshore with Guido Cappellini. Apart the Primatist stand, in the pit area there was also the possibility to admire the G41 Offshore Line , located in the assistance parking of the Rally and a G 41.2 Aero Top Evolution being moored in the waters at Cala di Volpe.


Cabo Yachts Lays off 49 Employees

Cabo Yachts laid off 49 employees last week, according to a story in the Victorville Daily Press. The Brunswick division said that about 300 workers are still with the company in Victorville Industrial park. Cabo Yachts said that international sales are going well, but that US business is hit hard. Cabo has increased investment in new boat models and engineering in the last year, waiting for the improving in US economy.


Couach Teams with Nautor to Build Superyacht Service Yard

Finnish sailboat brand Nautor's Swan has teamed with French superyacht builder and member of the Couach group, International Marine Service (IMS) to open a superyacht service yard on the south coast of France. Nautor and Couach/IMS have formed the company Yachting Service Excellence Center (YSEC), which will open the service yard at an ex-military base in Saint-Mandrier at the end of 2009 or beginning of 2010. The total to be invested in the project amounts to €22m, which includes funding from regional authority Toulon Provence Méditerranée. Three lots will be in operation at the site: a YSEC lot, which will include a painting area and two boatlifts capable of living boats of up to 50m (164ft); a Couach lot, comprising two sheds and a surface area of 27,000sq m; and a Nautor's Swan lot. Director General of IMS Eric Robert-Peillard says that the association with Nautor came from both companies response to the offer of the site at Saint-Mandrier. He also says that the yard will operate in addition to IMS's current activities. IMS is already based in Saint-Mandrier, while Nautor's Swan has yards in Finland and offices in Italy.


Fashion Yachts inaugurates new Shipyard

Italian yacht brand Fashion Yachts inaugurated its Pisa yard on Italy's Mediterranean coast on May 10. The 30,000 sq m site will be used to produce Fashion yachts ranging from 55ft-197ft (17m-60m). The brand currently has 11 models on offer. Models on display at the inauguration included the Fashion 55 and the Fashion 68, which features a gold leaf floor. Visitors were also able to see the new Fashion 88 in production.Tuscan company Fashion Yachts Group was established in 2002 and offers yacht building, charter and brokerage services.


Feadship Named Frisian Company of the Year

De Vries Makkum Shipyard, one of two De Vries yards in Royal Dutch Shipyards group Feadship, has been named Frisian Company of the Year following a public vote in the Dutch province of Friesland. A jury of experts from local government and industry praised the yard's professionalism and innovation.De Vries Makkum is primarily responsible for building the new Feadship XL range and for refits of Feadships. Feadship brand is the cooperation between Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw, Royal Van Lent and De Voogt, and produces custom-built motor yachts.


Hatteras Yachts makes Key Appointment

Hatteras Yachts, a unit of the Brunswick Boat Group in the US, has appointed Luca Brancaleon as director of sales and business development for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Reporting to George Armendariz, VP and general manager of Brunswick Marine in EMEA and vice president of sales for Hatteras Yachts, Brancaleon will be responsible for overseeing and supporting the Collection's current EMEA dealers, while working to grow the dealer network. He will also establish new relationships in evolving markets. Brancaleon will take up his new position on July 1, 2008. He currently serves as sales manager of Sessa Marine's international dealer network.


Riva and Bentley Spiders Enchant Geneve

Riva and Bentley got together from May 21st to 23rd 2008 to present at once their main models in Genève. The Swiss distributors of the two brands, Cantieri Poroli and André Chevalley SA, organized in fact a three-day event open to public inside the Bentley showroom, where visitors had the chance to admire, beside two cabriolet models of GTC and Azure, also an example of Aquariva Super, the spider of the sea. The 33 footer, evolution of the Aquariva model, whose engines have been improved to 380 hp each in this version, was presented in the elegant Chocolate Brown color, immediately achieving a huge success among visitors. On the evening of Thursday May 22nd, moreover, a private cocktail was organized for Riva and Bentley’s guests inside the showroom, during which the Aquariva Super was put at disposal also for visits onboard.

Riva and Mille Miglia Two Italian Myths Become Partners

The histories rich in tradition of Riva and Mille Miglia, the most famous historic cars’ race in the world, meets up in 2008 to create a new project merging the values that have made the two myths unforgettable. The partnership foresees the production of an Aquariva Mille Miglia model, studied by Mauro Micheli and Officina Italiana Design, the team that creates all the Riva Yachts, and inspired by the 80th anniversary of Alfa Romeo’s first victory, won by Giuseppe Campari and Giulio Ramponi in a 6C 1500 SS Spider Zagato in 1928. The one-off example of the Aquariva Mille Miglia model will be sold at the auction to be held by the organizing committee of the race during 2009 edition, while a maximum of ten more units could be produced and sold to the two myths lovers. The project was presented at the Mille Miglia 2008, held from 14th to 18th May, when Riva displayed the drawing of the model that will be realized next year in an elegant stand inside the paddock where the participants’ cars were parked. Beside the blow-up of the Aquariva Mille Miglia, participants, among which there was the Chairman Norberto Ferretti, and the public come to see from closer the classic cars had the chance to admire an example of Aquarama, an Aquariva Cento and a Seppietta. This last one, a racer dated 1935, part of Mr. Ferretti’s private collection and normally preserved in the shipyard’s Gallery, was exposed to public for the very first time, immediately achieving great curiosity among visitors. 166 years after its birth, with this project Riva has therefore come back to the racing world that had seen her as a protagonist of the first nautical competitions in the early ‘30s. Serafino Riva, nephew of the founder Pietro, was in fact the first to equip with piston engines some boats whose aerodynamic lines had been studied expressly to participate to nautical competitions and to reach, with one of them, the speed of 24 Km/h in 1912. Twenty years later, in the ‘50s, his son Carlo transformed the Riva name, which had become famous thanks to speed, in a true legend by starting producing more elegant and comfortable yachts dedicated to pleasure boating. These yachts maintained the pureness and aerodynamics lines that had made the fortune of his father’s boats; characteristics maintained unchanged even in the Riva yachts produced nowadays.

Riva and Credit Suisse Partners Once Again

Once again Riva confirmed its partnership with Credit Suisse, putting this time its brand and its famous yachts at disposal of the Private Banking Society’s guests. On the occasion of the “Giro del Veneto Classic” first edition, an historic cars’ race organized every year by Credit Suisse, in fact, Riva offered the two couples winner of the competition a tour of the lagoon onboard an Aquariva Cento and an Aquarama.


Riviera Wins Best of the Best Award

Australia’s most awarded luxury boat builder, Riviera, has added another major trophy to its collection, winning the Australian Boat of The Year at the marine industry national awards ceremony last night. This is the second consecutive Boat of The Year award for Riviera. The Riviera 4400 Sport Yacht, with revolutionary Volvo Penta IPS propulsion, took the award against strong competition across the entire Australian boating industry. Phil Candler, Riviera’s General Manager New Product Development, said the entire staff at the company’s headquarters on Queensland’s Gold Coast was delighted with the win. The win come on the heels of the Riviera 47 Enclosed Flybridge winning the Modern Boating Cruiser of the Year award announced just four weeks ago. Last year, Riviera won Boat of The Year with its 4700 Sport Yacht. Every model in the Riviera Sport Yacht range has won awards. The first, the 3600 Sport Yacht took Modern Boating Cruiser of the Year in 2006 and went on to win the Christofle Asia Motor Yacht Under 40 ft in 2007. The 4700 Sport first won the Modern Boating Cruiser of the Year in 2007 and went on to win AMIF Boat of the Year. The company yesterday announced the next model in the range, the four-cabin 5800 Sport Yacht with triple Volvo Penta IPS propulsion. The boat will be launched early next year. The Riviera 4400 Sport Yacht, launched at the Sydney International Boat Show in August last year, is a two-cabin/two bathroom model that continues the al fresco lifestyle design concepts first introduced on the award winning Riviera 3600 Sport Yacht in 2005.

Riviera Trimming Down

After weathering the storm for several choppy years, Australia's biggest boatbuilder has finally caught a cold. Responding to a cooling market, Riviera announced 136 redundancies of its full-time workforce effective immediately this week.The reason for the cuts is that demand for its award-winning flybridge cruisers, sport yachts and sports cruisers is down on previous years. The Gold Coast boatbuilder says it usually has about 85 orders placed each quarter. But in the first three months of this year there were 71 and it expects sales to fall further. Consequently, Riviera is projecting a 14 per cent downturn in revenue for 2008-2009. Following the restructure, the company's workforce will total 950 at the Coomera site. Redundancies would come from across the company's entire operation and several external contracts were brought back in-house. Riviera has been hit by the languid American economy. The yard exports roughly half of the 300-odd boats it builds each year. At the same time, it's expecting the European market to soften further. But going against the trend, riding on the back of strong oil prices, are emerging Middle East markets. Meanwhile, business confidence has plummeted in Australia this year, sending shockwaves through the boating industry. Demand for its smaller boats has also been hit by the strong Aussie dollar. Increasingly, imported craft are stealing market share, especially in the competitive arena of sportscruisers. Sales of Rivieras under AU$500,000 are slow and, tellingly, the price of its best-selling boat, the 47 Open Flybridge, is more than AU$1 million these days.Of course, rising interest rates and high petrol prices have contributed to declining boat sales. And an unusually wet summer was cited as a reason for fewer people going boating on the East Coast of Australia. Yet Riviera is on track for its scheduled new boat releases this year. These include a new 70 footer costing from AUS$4.75 million. There were four confirmed forward orders for the flagship at the time of writing.

Sessa Marine Opens Research Centre

After having announced the launch of a 65 feet model for 2009, Sessa Marine is today one of the first European shipyards to open an internal research centre dedicated to new product development, a way for this fast growing company to equip itself with the best tools for its debut on the yacht market. The structure represents a 4 M€ investment spread over two years and covers an area of 1500 m2. It contains a 30 work station research department (including 12 CAD 3D work stations) and a building devoted to producing new moulds. The Sessa R&D centre is equipped with an automatic cutting machine ordered by CAD CAM technology for the manufacture of large dimension moulds. 1:1 scale prototypes of the new projects will be manufactured, from which the moulds will be produced at the R&D centre. Stratification, polishing and finishing work on the moulds; critical phases for ensuring the perfect quality of the finished product, will continue to be handled by the shipyard. The first model to be released from Sessa’s R&D centre will be the C65, closely followed by two Flybridge models and the new Open, which will complete the Sessa Marine YACHT LINE range. To create a modern, calm and luminous work atmosphere, conducive to creativity, the brand’s designer Christian Grande has been entrusted with the layout of the centre. Of particular note is his arrangement of the superb furniture line signed by the French architect Jean Nouvel.


Sunseeker Yacht Scoops Top AV Award

The audio-visual installation onboard a Sunseeker 37 Metre Tri-Deck Yacht has received national recognition at the recent CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) Awards. Bournemouth-based Dawsons AV Marine, won the Best Marine category at the awards ceremony, the first time such a category has been entered to recognise excellence within the custom installation industry. The AV installation onboard the Sunseeker 37 Metre Tri-Deck was recognized as best installation on a superyacht. Judges evaluated entries on the quality of design and installation, technical and design innovation as well as project objectives and overall results. Established to recognize and reward high quality system design, installation and integration, the CEDIA Awards help to set the standard for CEDIA Electronic Systems Professional Members. Using the most technologically advanced products available within the audio-visual industry, the Sunseeker 37 Metre Tri-Deck was the first Sunseeker superyacht ever to have a Bang & Olufsen/Crestron AV interface. Most Sunseeker motoryachts can be customised with a factory-approved Bang & Olufsen system, planned and fitted by Dawsons AV Marine specialists, which can link across every saloon, deck space and cabin – using just one remote control.

Need for Speed Is Back

In the eighties a challenge started out between a few yacht builders to make big and ultra fast yachts in the market.  Italcraft launched it's challenge with the M78, a 21 meters flybridge motor yacht presented in 1985 which reached 58 knots.  Alfamarine responded some years later with the two meters smaller one-off made 65 flybridge model from 1991, which with triple 1000hp engines and surface drives reached a top speed of 64 knots during a light test run, four knots more over it's declared top speed of sixty knots.  

Interestingly while both these yachts received a lot off attention at the time, the success was not big, with Italcraft selling only two units of the M78, and then revising the platform for the slower and similar looking C70 and then reused for the 70 Drago in the noughties. While Alfamarine made only one unit of the 65, with the hull of that one coming from the 55 as designed by Franco Harrauer, and then used also for the 58 and 60 models.  For a time the speed in sport yachts settled and even the fast offerings from successful sport yacht builders like AB Yachts, Baia, Magnum, Otam, or Pershing stopped in around the fifty knots mark.    

Thirty years later the need for speed is back with new arrival Bolide Yachts and its first 80 model, setting new high unimaginable numbers for a 24 meter super sport yacht.  The Bolide 80 not only goes beyond sixty knots, but reaches a top speed of 73 knots, equivalent to 84 mph.  These are speeds a super fast thirteen meter centre console weighing in at about ten tons with six Mercury racing outboards reaches. Incredible speeds for this project by Brunello Acampora, and even more outstanding when you think that the closest production yacht above 24 meters, the AB Yachts 100 with the Superfast option is thirteen knots behind.  

Is the need for speed back?  Are we heading into a new super sport yacht speed race?  Just as much as I would like it, this is difficult to happen, and like those Italcraft and Alfamarine models from the eighties found out, the hyper fast is and will remain a niche. It is a small niche which has its crowd, and many admire it, but when it comes to signing the dotted line it remains something for the few.  For now, well done to Brunello Acampora, it will be interesting to see if Bolide Yachts will have a challenger worth of note in the future.

Asymmetry and Semi-Wide-Body and Wide-Body

The search and competition for more space in super yachts in the 24 to forty meters in size has seen the last five to seven years for ways to use more of what is available, height and beam.  Enters at first the semi-wide-body, which is followed with Asymmetric by one super yacht builder.  

When Amer launced the Cento in 2013 designed by Massimo Verme it changed how super yachts in this 24 to thirty meters should be, with its integrated semi-wide body giving new spaces to the owners stateroom forward.  

Ferretti and Azimut took note of this and in 2017 presented the semi-wide-body 920 by the first, and the Grande 27 Metri for the second, changing the design language, of how super yachts in this size should be.  The use of the semi-wide-body forward changed all what came before it.  Other builders took note with Princess presenting the X95 in 2020 and Sunseeker presenting the new 100 Yacht this 2022 year.  Sanlorenzo answered with its own method of Asymmetric layout with one side of the yacht becoming a full wide body. 

Hatteras was the first to start semi-wide-body and full wide-body solutions on its motor yachts in 1976 with its 48 LRC, followed in other bigger models like the 58 Motor Yacht and Cockpit MY.  Other builders took note and in 1986 Italian builder Alfamarine presented the 83 Cronos with a wide body design.  Alfamarine and designer Franco Harrauer was an important change factor as it introduced sleekness to the design, which was followed in the smaller sizes by Conam in 1989 with the 48 Chorum. 

At some point wide-body was abandoned in yacht design language but in 1996 Gulf Craft Majesty came with its first 86 super yacht, designed by Italian firm Yankee Delta and the wide body entered again in super yacht language.  Semi wide-body came at the forefront with Benetti's succesful 115 Classic which from 1998 up to 2006 sold in 27 units.

Definitely both styles are here to stay now.

Renato Sonny Levi 1926 - 2016

Certainly one of the pioneering boat designers ever to exist Renato "Sonny" Levi has died on Saturday 12 November 2016 at his home in the Isle of Wight.  Born in 1926 in Karachi, India, it is hard to find the right way to describe Renato Sonny Levi: designer, brilliant mind, certainly the father of modern fast boats. During the course of his long and prolific career, he has developed a wide range of innovations for the world of nautical engineering and naval architecture.  Among the most important are his planning deep Vee hulls, the "Delta" variable Vee hulls, surface drive propulsion, and tunnel for the propellers.  From the point of view of design, his boats are recognised as a functional elegance, innovation and sophistication. Levi is in this sense a figure able to manage the project as a whole, from its engineering aspects to the stylistic and aesthetic.  After more than sixty years since his early work, his contribution is a reference point from which all the boating industry continually draws inspiration for innovation and design. Important is also the publication of his two books; Dhows To Deltas and Milestones In My Design, and through numerous articles that have appeared in the most important industry publications.  The University of Genoa had recently awarded Renato Sonny Levi the Honorary Degree in Yacht Design Class LM34.  His known works are still as at today considered as a reference points in nautical design for comfort and rough sea conditions handling at high speeds. Among his production boats is the Italcraft where he developed a lot of his most extreme innovations in production and semi-production as the Drago series, Riva and the 2000 model which is possibly the most innovative model every made by the Sarnico boat builder where he developed the propulsion, the Alfamarine 40 Bronte what is a co-development with his friend Franco Harrauer, and a lot of the models for the boat builders of Fiumicino in Rome; Delta, and Canav.  His latest work is the Levi Boat 30'6 Corsair Classic, for the newly founded company of his son Martin Levi and Antonello Villa.  Obviously there is a long list of competing winning boats in Renato Levi's career and also some special custom projects for special clients as the Count of Agusta, Giovanni Agnelli, Roberto Olivetti, and last but not least the Virgin Atlantic Challenger for Richard Branson. 

Franco Harrauer 1927 - 2016

Franco Harrauer born Milan in 1927 has left the World to a better place on 9 July 2016.  Franco was a character from another time, one of those that leave you a sign, a smile. Even just thinking of him as a man, cartoonist, aerodynamics expert and an endless passion for the sea applying his expertise for hydrodynamic design into motor pleasure craft, and sailing.  An expert all arounded, architect and eclectic narrator, has delighted over the years his attentive readers with lots of stories and even fictional anecdotes of the onslaught in the First and Second World War.  Interesting are the materials applications used for his hulls, special care for trawler catamarans, the meeting with his friend and designer Renato "Sonny" Levi has led to some unique achievements in hull design. These include a unique and exciting World first sailing boat with planing hull: Exocetus Volants. Franco Harrauer holds numerous awards such as the Gold Keel and also patents that even today are a reference point.  His most known collaboration with a still an existent shipyard was with Alfamarine where he designed among other models its still to date best seller 40 Bronte launched in 1975 and in collaboration with Renato Sonny Levi, and then all alone the one off 83 launched in 1986 and then 90 model launched in 1990.  Both of which where flagships for the Fiumicino, Rome boat builder at the time of launch.  Franco Harrauer has in recent years published some interesting articles on the classic motor boat specialist blog Altromareblu of which I suggest anyone with interest in hull design and boat projects to read. 

Fabio Buzzi 1943 - 2019

Fabio Buzzi tragically left for the better World on September seventeenth 2019 at around 2100 hours in a Montecarlo Venice record breaking attempt which ended in tragedy in the final moments.  Records which Fabio Buzzi made so many times his in the years all over the World.  Fabio was a firm believer of application of his design theories with the real test being that of competition, which he was very much involved since 1960.  A unique trait of the genius that was Fabio Buzzi was not only involved in hull design but also in his expertise in diesel engines which he revolutionized in the eighties with Seatek, and also in that of propulsion with the Trimax surface-drives.  Buzzi was born in Lecco, Italy in 28 January 1943 to a family tied for centuries in building and design.  Buzzi started his involvement in powerboat racing in 1960, in 1971 he graduated from the Polytechnic of Turin in mechanical engineering with a thesis of self construct vessel, and in the same year FB Design is founded.  In 1974 he build his first powerboat a three pointed hydroplane called Mostro, first ever build boat with Kevlar 49 and with it will set at the time a World speed record for the S4 class at 95.39 knots. FB Design first specialization is high performance vessels, and later over the years enters the area of building specialized fast patrol craft for military and maritime control.  In 1986 with Carlo Bonomi, Fabio Buzzi founds SeaTek, specialized in high performance diesel engines.  Fabio Buzzi will collaborate over the years with many yards in designing hulls, most of which coming from his native country Italy.  His most known and famous boat building collaboration was with Milan fast sport cruiser and yacht builder Cigala and Bertinetti in the eighties, off which with them he will produce various legendary models most of which the famous Nitro 50, which was baptized as Cesa 1882 in the Class One offshore, and recently reborn as FPT red.  Cesa 1882 won two World Championships in 1988 and 89, and was unstoppable in racing when the sea got choppy and rough and the design over the years evolved into the Kerakoll, and then in the Metamarine/Tommy One, both taking top honors in the Enrdurance Powerboat World champions.  Other builders which saw Buzzi collaborate where Off Course, Tecnomar in the eighties, Novamarine for the high performance rib cruisers and yachts line, Alfamarine with the 43 and 50 models, and Otam which has the 80 HT and 2019 launched 85 GTS model based on his 2001 FB Design 80 Record hull.  That 80 Record which did the Montecarlo to London record.  Buzzi also collaborated with Sunseeker twice selling to the British company the design of the XS 2000 and the 2019 launched 38 Superhawk, this later being his recent 38 Stab with more refined finishes.  Fabio Buzzi has over the years conquered over 26 titles and records.  His designs have captured 52 World Offshore titles, 22 European Offshore titles, 27 Italian Championships, forty World speed records, and won seven Harmsworth Trophies.

Becoming Too Exclusive

It is a pity to see in recent years Magnum Marine being mostly a service yard in Florida.  What used to be the most exclusive name in the Nautical World is now renowned mostly as a legend.  Yes Magnum still builds a boat a year, and the company has also launched the Sport 27 model a couple months ago.  But this is far away from the successes of the past, where with the 53 model the company sold over fifty units and till the end of the nineties was among the most sold sport yacht above fifteen meters.

So what went wrong with Magnum in the last decade or shall we say two decades.  I think one of the biggest mistakes is that Magnum has become to difficult in selling boats and has outpriced itself out of the market.  Yes a high end boat like Magnum cannot be cheap, and it is fair for it to be priced at the top end of the price range.  It is also normal for it to be a very exclusive product for the few.  But sometimes in all these things one has to strike a balance.  

We can look at the rise of custom high end sports fisherman in the last two decades; Bayliss, Jarrett Bay, Spencer, all with nice order books of three to five boats a year.  Are they priced competitive? Yes, compared to themselves but still more expensive to that of a production sportfish yacht.  A mirror  success is that of Italian builder Otam.  Otam strikes directly at Magnum as it is a direct competitive product, which has been doing very well. Consider that Otam has sold six of its 80 model, including the custom 85 GTS off shot from the same hull.  Magnum has sold only two, of its 80 with the first delivered in 2000 and the second in 2008.  I think the preparation of the Italian yard in actually serving the client for his custom yacht is one of the reason of the success.  Also Otam is not afraid to search in other market segments as for example they did with the SD35 in 2016.  Of the performance orientated yard only Alfamarine did something similar in 2003 when they delivered the fully custom 140.  

To be fair Magnum was not afraid to offer different products in the past and the 35, 38, and 40 used to be offered in flybridge and sportfish versions, and the 53 was also delivered in a couple custom flybridge units as well.  

Magnum is trying to relaunch itself in recent months, a dealer overhaul has just happened and the company has finally launched the long announced Sport 27 model.  A second unit with outboard power is reported under construction, and a plan for an electric power zero emissions version are in advanced stages.  The company has also showed plans for a fully outboard powered 44 Banzai model.  With the 27 Magnum seems to be more looking at its early Don Aronow past, rather the Theodoli one of high end offshore sport cruisers and yachts.  Question comes automatic if this is the direction Magnum should really take.

Journey Into The Past

With the success of the new 2018 launched Maritimo X series aft cabin sport yacht, it is time to go down memory lane and tell the story about what I like to call the Italian aft cabin sport cruiser and yachts, which had so much success in Italy onward from the eighties.

It is fair to start that the Italians where not the first to put an aft cabin in a sport cruiser.  A British firm Fairey Huntsman had so much success in the advent period of power boat racing in the sixties, presented what might have been the inspiration to the Italians with the 31 Aft Cabin in 1968.  The Fairey Hunstman 31 Aft Cabin cruiser was also available in the Aft Cockpit version, of which six where sold, in a total of 32 builds.  

With Magnum Marine dominating the large open Italian sport cruiser and yacht market with its 45 and 53 models in the seventies and early eighties, Mochi Craft tries to reinvent the wheel and present the new 42 Tuxedo, which creates a revolution of space in the Italian sport cruiser market, which at the time had a production standing still sub fifty feet.  Just like the Fairey Hunstman 31, the Mochi Tuxedo was offered without an aft cabin choice, though these versions are very rare and few where made of what it is a production run of around seventy units.  The Mochi Tuxedo sets a revolution of space and comfort and by mid late eighties over half of new Italian sport cruiser and yacht models at upwards of thirteen to sixteen meters in size are with an aft cabin.  The aft cabin gives a second large en-suite cabin aft something which the Magnum 45 and or Baia B40 did not have, as both of these where single cabin sports cruisers. 

Worth to mention in this period is also the Pershing 45 launched in 1985 the first model of what at the time was known as Cantieri Navali dell Adriatico Pershing, and will eventually become a status symbol sport yacht builder for its unique combination of performance and space.  The 45 was also one of Fulvio de Simoni first designs and in a size of just under fifteen meters offered three cabins three bathrooms, and the largest exterior area in its class.   The first Pershing 45 was a success selling 47 units in a production which lasted seven years till 1992.  The 45 will be the brands best seller till the 1995 presented 54, which will sell above fifty in a similar eight year production run, and continues the aft cabin theme, but with the surface drive high performance option which in later models becomes standard.  The 54 was Pershing and Fulvio de Simomi most important design to date, and still considered a head turning classic nowadays.  If you can call the Pershing 54 a classic, cause looking at one it does still look modern.

The Pershing 54 came in the golden era of the aft cabin sport yacht with tough competition all of which came from Italy, with its closest rivals being the Sarnico 55 which was later revamped as 58, and the Rizzardi 50 and 53 Topline, this last also being a top seller with some seventy units sold for the smaller unit.  Other interesting aft cabin sport yachts where the classic timeless looking Itama 54 and 56, Alfamarine 50 and 60 models, and the Italcraft X54 Ipanema.
And the British who started the style with the Fairey Huntsman what happened to them?  Sunseeker did have a shot at the aft cabin sport cruiser in 1987 with the Travado 40, and in 1990 with the 46 Camargue, the later one more successful then the first.  But it did really stop there!

Project: Canados Gladiator 631

Canados Gladiator 631 project was initiated late 2019 with the idea to create the most reliable performance yacht ever with the lowest consumption to Nautical Mile ratio. Canados partnered with Naval Architect Simone Cesati, an expert in high-tech composite construction, and race boat builder. The concept of this sport yacht was focused on creating a model that would reach fifty knots, and offer day boat space with a two or three cabins interior.  The numbers so far put forward by Canados are impressive with a consumption of only 5.5 liters per nautical at 35 knots cruise, coming from twin Volvo 1000hp engines with JDM surface drives.  Canados headlines do not stop here as the Italian marquee is currently building a 431 Gladiator with triple Nanni 1150hp and a top speed of seventy knots.  Canados has thrown the gauntlet, and it feels like the eighties when Italcraft and Alfamarine used to make spades in breaking boating records in performance. 

www.canados.com