Project: Albemarle 53 Spencer Edition

Albemarle and Spencer announce a newly formed partnership between the two companies and their plan to build a semi-custom 53 foot Carolina boat. In the time since, design work has been completed, the Edenton facility has been made ready, the hull mould has been received and prepared, and the additional tooling is in process. Today that construction of the first 53 Spencer Edition has begun at Albemarle’s Edenton, North Carolina facility.  The first 53 will be a flybridge design that will combine the classic Spencer styling with Albemarle quality and innovations. The hull design will provide high cruise speeds with the seakeeping ability that both Albemarle and Spencer have long been known for. Her interior will boast an open salon layout, three staterooms, and two heads. An island helm arrangement, forward facing lounge, and bench seating will offer abundant seating and excellent visibility from the bridge. The massive aft cockpit deck will feature a transom fish box, transom door, and a mezzanine design with engine room access and moulded boxes that can be customized to accommodate a variety of storage and refrigeration.  No engine or performance data is yet given but considering that Spencer is involved I am expecting a minimum of forty knots.

www.albemarleboats.com

Zirri Reef Partially Sinks Sunseeker

The Zirri reef in the South East of Palmarola hits again on the evening of tenth August partially sinking a twenty meter Sunseeker Predator sport yacht.  The details of the accident are unknown, with this picture being copy pasted from a viral video shown on social media. The Zirri reefs are famous for always taking someone out every Summer, possibly due for being visually unmarked, and located about a quarter of a nautical mile away from the mainland of Palmarola.  From this picture looks like the running gear, which is in most cases the deepest part of most motor boats was hit, and created a hole.  Information says that the Predator 68 was salvaged and is in a yard in Ponza.

The Sunseeker in this accident is a Predator 68 as designed by Don Shead and produced from 2001 to 2005.  The Sunseeker Predator 68 has similar high performance low profile exterior looks to the Predator 75 which launched in 1999.  The Predator 68 was a replacement to the Predator 63 and was replaced by the 62.

New Model: VanDutch 48

VanDutch presents its new 48, a slightly smaller model to its current 55 flagship model.  The new VanDutch 48 offers similar exterior spaces to the larger flagship, with an exterior cockpit deck which maximises lounging and sun bathing.  Down below the 48 offers two options; Lounge which is the standard layout sleeping three, while the optional Sleep version offers four berths in a double island berth forward and a midships cabin with twin inline berths.  The VanDutch 48 is standard powered by twin Volvo 625hp and or optional 725hp, both with line shaft propulsion.   

Technical Data:

LOA - 14.61 m (47.6ft)

Beam - 4 m

Draft - 1.1 m

Displacement - 15 t

Fuel Capacity - 1630 l

Water Capacity - 400 l

Accommodation - three berths, four berths in optional Cabin version

Engines - 2 x Volvo D11 625hp, D11 725hp

Propulsion - line shaft

Construction - vacuum infusion with Vinilester resin 

www.vandutch.com

Classic Italian Sportfish Boat Ends Aground Near Trapani

A classic seven meter Italian sportfish boat ended on top of a reef, near Torre Ligny, Trapani, to the West of Sicily on the late afternoon of Saturday seventh August.  The boat was reported to be making its way back to harbour, when for an unknown reason it collided with a reef.  With the collision the boat damaged and penetrated its hull and stuck on the reef.  The Guard Costiera assisted the boaters, rescuing the boaters first, and then started an operation to remove the boat from the reef and tow it to a boat yard.

The boat in this reef collision is an Ars Mare RS 24 as produced from 1979 up to 1989 in over one hundred units.  The RS 24 was Ars Mare first model, with other larger models up to 52 foot eventually following.

Posillipo Motor Yacht Burns in Capri

A fifteen meter Posillipo Technema motor yacht went up in flames in Capri, between Massa and Punta Tiberio on the North East part of the island on the early afternoon of seven August.  The six guest onboard the Posillipo motor yacht where saved, with the Capri Coast Guard and the Naples maritime police directing the operation.  The coast guard also succeeded in turning off the fire and avoid the yacht from sinking, avoiding further pollution.  Unfortunately the Posillipo motor yacht was totalled with only its hull remaining afloat.  Causes of the fire are yet unknown.

The Posillipo yacht in this fire is a Technema 51, as designed by Zuccon and produced from 1989 till 1996.  The Technema 51 was a replacement and evolution of the 48 with the addition of an extended bathing platform and redesigned stern.

Project: Monte Carlo MCY 105 Skylounge

In 2020 Monte Carlo Yachts launched its first Skylounge model, a cutting-edge concept designed and manufactured by an Italian shipyard for the first time, intended to offer a new way of experiencing life on board. Today the company is ready to take the next leap creating a Skylounge version of its outstanding flagship, the MCY 105. With MCY 105 Skylounge, the shipyard introduces a ground-breaking product, never seen before in this segment: a 32-meter yacht which embodies the concept of enclosed flybridge interpreted by an Italian firm and characterized by an Italian design and style. Indeed, the new model will surprise owners worldwide for the impressive volumes, comparable with the ones of much larger units. Defining MCY 105 Skylounge, as conventionally done, by the length overall means to underestimate it, since this model introduces a totally new concept of liveable and customizable volumes able to amplify the space available on board. Offering unlimited options in terms of intended uses, distribution of the space and personalization of the different areas, MCY 105 Skylounge guarantees unprecedented levels of freedom allowing unexplored solutions. Wide areas are offered both on the upper and on the main deck which features the spacious owner cabin, while other generous accommodations are located in the lower deck. With this innovative yacht, Monte Carlo Yachts confirms the customer-oriented attitude that has distinguished the shipyard since the beginnings. For years, the company has been collaborating closely with owners from all over the world, remaining true to its promise of always keeping the customer at the centre. For the 105 Skylounge Monte Carlo Yachts is collaborating with its long lasting partners, Carlo Nuvolari and Dan Lenard, who boast an extensive expertise in designing mega yachts. MCY 105 Skylounge features MCY Collection’s iconic design elements and naval allure such as a perfect balance between hull and superstructure, a painstaking attention to details and proportions, and an attentive distribution of light in the interiors. Moreover, the model offers a variety of interior and exterior areas with overall volumes of a much larger yacht. The first MCY 105 Skylounge was commissioned by an Asian owner who chose the Italian shipyard for its capability to meet expectations in terms of customization and delivery time. The need was to have a super yacht that could be enjoyed not only in extreme climates, but everywhere, thanks to the numerous spacious exterior areas it displays. The new MCY 105 Skylounge will be delivered to its owner at the beginning of summer 2022, when we will see it cruising around the Mediterranean Sea in all its grandeur.

www.montecarloyachts.it

New Model: Princess Y78

Princess present the new Y78, featuring the latest in exterior design and interior materials and finishes. Her flexible deck layout features a walkthrough foredeck with U-shaped seating and sunbathing area, whilst her flybridge aft has space for free standing furniture or can accommodate a crane and a tender. Natural light flows in to her main deck through extended window lines and a unique full-height window on the port side to make the free standing dining area a spectacular place to entertain. Forward on the lower deck, all three guest cabins are en suite whilst a dedicated staircase leads to the owner’s stateroom amidships via a private lobby area. The Princess Y78 is powered by twin Man 1800hp with top speeds up to 36 knots.

Technical Data:

LOA - 24.67 m (80.9ft)

Length - 24.2 m

Beam - 5.76 m

Draft - 1.72 m

Displacement - 54085 kg medium load

Fuel Capacity - 6000 l

Water Capacity - 1350 l

Accommodation - eight berths in four cabins, three crew in two cabins

Engines - 2 x Man V12 1800hp

Propulsion - line shaft

Speed - 36 knots max

www.princessyachts.com

Project: Franchini Mia 63 SportFly

After launching the first unit of the Mia 63 in 2020 Franchini adds another version to the platform with the new SportFly version.  With this new Franchini Mia 63 variant this model is now offered in four versions, all catering to different type of owners.  The Mia 63 SportFly as the title says offers a sport bridge with a second helm station up top, this makes it the most different in all the line up.  The sport flybridge of the Mia 63 SportFly offers a helm station to starboard, a wet bar to port side, and a sun-pad aft. Once inside Mia 63 Sportfly continues Franchini philosophy of choice with options for two main deck options; galley up or down layouts, and three lower deck options for two or three cabins.  The Franchini Mia 63 SportFly is powered by standard Volvo 800hp or optional 900hp engines, giving 30 and 32 knots top speeds respectively. 

www.franchiniyachts.com

Sportfish Cruiser Sinks in White Marlin Open 2021

A ten meter Sportfish Cruiser with six men onboard sank during day one of the White Marlin Open 2021 on second August.  The sportfish cruiser sank while fighting a blue marlin, and in backing down had an exhaust fail which resulted in the boat taking water and sinking.  Lucky for them motor yacht Fishbone a sportfish yacht of nineteen meters in length heard the MayDay and went immediately for the rescue with all the 3100hp available, rescuing the six fisherman who at this stage where already to safety on the life-raft, and the Pursuit sportfish nearly all sank behind them.  

The 2021 48th edition of the White Marlin Open is located in Ocean City, Maryland being held from second to the sixth August, and is considered one of the largest Billfish Tournaments.  The 2021 edition had 444 boats entered and a prize money of just over nine million US$.

The sank sportfish cruiser is a Pursuit 3400 Express produced from 1997 till 2002.  The 3400 Express was one of the few Pursuit's with inboard powered, equipped by twin Cummins or Volvo 370hp diesels with shafts.  

The sportfish yacht which performed the rescue is m/y Fishbone an Island Boat Works 65ft Custom.  Island Boat Works is custom boat builder from Wanchese, North Carolina founded in the eighties who thus far have built twenty boats and yachts from 30 to 65 feet.

Azimut Crashes Into Northerly Island Shore Wall

An eighteen meter Azimut sport yacht called Red Baron crashed into the Northerly Island, Eastern shore wall in Chicago on the night of 31 July at around 2300 hours.  The Chicago Police Marine Unit rescued the six passengers onboard Red Baron, with two of them being injured and taken for additional treatment to the Northwestern Memorial Hospital.  The causes of the accident are unknown but reports are calling for a human error, with the Northerly Island harbour entrance being difficult to get right in some nights more to others.  Due to wind and high waves the Azimut salvage was delayed till August third, though it might still be a total loss for the owner.  Northerly Island is a Chicago marina located at the South West of Lake Michigan in the East centre part of the USA.

Red Baron is an Azimut 62S as designed by Stefano Righini and produced from 2005 till 2013 in over 150 units.  In its last year the Azimut 62S was released as the Italia model with larger engines.  The Azimut S series debuted with the 68S in 2003 and changed how sport yachts are designed; thanks to minimal interior styles, patio door main deck, and a separate galley layout.  These design choices while common today where unseen before the S series arrived, and they prized Azimut first S model the 68S fast, selling two years of forty plus units production just few months after the first private appearance.