May 21, 2022

Classic Aft Cabin Cruiser Partly Sinks in Marsascala Malta

An unattended classic aft cabin cruiser of ten meters in length started sinking in Marsascala, to the South East of the Island of Malta at around 21:00 of Friday twentieth May.  The classic aft cabin cruiser was moored to a swing mooring, in the bay of Marsascala.  By about 23:00 local time about eight persons are seen on the spot trying to save the cruiser from sinking, with a pump also being used.  Ultimately the boat was seen partly sank and secured to numerous ropes.  According to local news outlet Lovin Malta which covered the sinking, the incident was not Police reported.  
The aft cabin cruiser in this sinking is a first generation Moonraker 36 with the flybridge option.  The Moonraker 36 was replaced by the 350 in the end seventies.  Moonraker was founded by Colin Chapman a British car designer famous for founding sports car maker Lotus in 1952, and then involved in Formula One from 1958 to 1994.

7 People 1 Dog Saved from Classic Hatteras Boat Fire off Gulfport

Seven people and one dog were saved as a classic thirteen meter Hatteras sportfish cruiser went on fire near Gulfport, Missisippi on 09:30 morning time of 21 May.  Ship Island Excursions motor vessel Capt. Pete arrived to the scene first after hearing the Mayday call on channel sixteen, finding the boaters and dog in the water as the tourist ship was near the ablaze classic boat.  At the same time, the US Coast Guard arrived to pluck the victims out of a life raft dropped from a C130 aircraft circling above the burning vessel.  All seven people were reported in stable condition with the cause of the fire not being reported.
The Hatteras in this fire is a 45 Convertible Series II as designed by Jack Hargrave and produced from 1984 to 1992.  The 45 Convertible Series II came out as a replacement to the 46 Convertible Series II and was replaced by the 46 Convertible Series III.

May 20, 2022

Project: Princess F65

The last fall might have been a quiet one to the usual standards from Princess, but for Spring 2022 the new model announcements by the British builder seems to be making up for it, with three still secretive projects plus an evolution of a current model being announced.  The most secretive of these three new project is the new F65, which is the next evolution of Princess bread and butter F for flybridge range.  So far little information if any is known of this nineteen meter motor yacht, which is to replace the F62 and fill the void left by the F70 which was replaced by the Y72 in 2021.  Design is trusted to Pininfarina for exterior looks with naval architecture to the since the eighties standing Olesinski.  The above rendering shows the Italian design firm using similar looks and curves as seen in the F45 and the Y72.  Lower deck layout is said to be a four double cabins, with a forward VIP, owners room at midships, and two twin berth cabins in between. 

May 19, 2022

New Model: Pardo GT52

Presented in a special preview in St.Tropez on the 22 April, the Pardo GT52 is the third act of this Italian builder rise to a prominent name in sport cruiser and yachts, and explorer yachts.  A rise which started in 2017 with the 43 and since then has been unstoppable, and in the last two years is going beyond the range of the center console models, first with the Endurance 60 flagship presented in mid 2021, and now with this new GT52.  Coming from a design by Nauta the GT52 has the same hull as the P50 but coming looking as a completely different model with its innovative and unusual forward looking hard-top which strikes the difference to the open model, but also make her a comfortable cruising machine.  With this the Pardo GT52 goes beyond its beautiful clean minimal design and offers substance, with a three cabin lower deck layout; master cabin forward and third single berth cabin, with a choice to have a galley up or down, which in both options is replaced by a settee sofa.  The Pardo GT52 is propelled by IPS pod and standard powered by the smallish for 25 tons Volvo 480hp, with optional 550hp and or 600hp and more important the 7.7 liter D8 block for the Swedish engine maker.  
Technical Data:
LOA - 16.58 m (54.3ft)
Waterline Length - 14.9 m
Beam - 4.96 m
Displacement - 25 t
Fuel Capacity - 2000 l
Water Capacity - 600 l
Accommodation - five or six berths in three cabins
Engines - 2 x Volvo D6 480hp, D8 550hp, D8 600hp
Propulsion - Volvo forward looking dual propeller IPS pod drives
Project - Nauta exterior, Zuccheri naval architect
Certification - CE B

May 17, 2022

Two People Escape Boat Fire Near Moreton Island

A fourteen meter Riviera flybridge cruiser with two persons onboard went ablaze ten miles to the South of Moreton Island, off Brisbane on 0700 hours the morning of seventeen May.  The flybridge cruiser was under way and ten nautical miles from Moreton island when it took fire, with the two crew; a 62 year-old man and 57 year-old woman forced to jump into the sea.  The two crew where dispatched by another craft, which had been called by a cargo ship alerted by the fire.  The crew where first taken to the Brisbane Water Police, and later to Mater Hospital for smoke treatment.
The Riviera in this fire is a 45 Open Flybridge as produced from 2007 till 2021 in 77 units.  The Riviera 45 Open Flybridge was a replacement to the 43 Open Flybridge and was replaced by the 46 Sports Motor Yacht.

Project: Ferretti 580

Ferretti present the project for a new 580 model.  A flybridge motor yacht with fluid lines designed by Filippo Salvetti, who with this latest addition is on his sixth Ferretti flybridge motor yacht design. With the 580 Salvetti brings similar lines to those shown in the 500 model launched in the fall of 2020, and in the same time presents an evolution of the 2015 presented Zuccon designed 550, which has been a success for Ferretti.  The Ferretti 580 will be offered in two lower deck layout choices, for a three cabins two heads, this offering the midships master stateroom with vanity, and or an optional three bathroom layout. In the optional three bathroom layout the vanity in the master is replaced by a third en-suite.  The main deck of the Ferretti 580 will offer a standard layout of an astern galley, while the flybridge motor yacht will offer two finishing choices called Classic offering warmer finishes, and Contemporary which offers a more modern minimalist style.  The Ferretti 580 is to be powered by twin Volvo 900hp or optional 1000hp engines.  The first unit is set to launch in the fall of 2022 with World wide launch scheduled for the Dusseldorf boat show 2023.

May 15, 2022

Codecasa New Web Site

Codecasa from Italy presents its new World wide web showroom.  Codecasa was founded in 1825 by master craftsman Giovanni Batista Codecasa.  Since then five other Codecasa take the helm of the company; from Antonio, Giovan Battista 1902, Ugo and Sandro 1946, and last Fulvio in 1976.  Today Codecasa operates three facilities in Viareggio, and one in Pisa all in the Tuscany area, with a production capacity which builds super yachts from 24 up to ninety meters in size. Codecasa Ugo and Tre have a capacity to build super yachts from forty to ninety meters in length, Codecasa Due can build yachts up to 35 meters, Codecasa DR11 can build alloy super yachts up to forty meters, and Navicelli which is the latest expansion located in Pisa. Currently Codecasa has four custom super yachts in construction; 24 m Gentleman's Yacht, F77 43m, C127 58m, and C124 43 m, and seven on spec projects on offer from 24 to 72 meters.  Codecasa new website is available in Italian and English language and takes you around with the following buttons; Codecasa, Yachts, Media, Service, and Contacts.  As is standard today Codecasa is also on social media with lower page buttons taking you to its Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram pages.     
Production History; (semi-production only)
27m 1976-77 (2)
C25 1982-84 (3)
33 1987-94 (6)
48m 1996-97 (2)
50 1998-2004 (6)
35S 2005-06 (2)
C51 2005-06 (2)
41S 2007-09 (2)
F51 2008-12 (2)
43m Vintage 2011- (6

May 13, 2022

Super Yacht Burns and Sinks Near Santa Maria di Leuca

A super yacht titled m/y Naseem of 26 meter in length burned down and eventually sank on the early morning of Saturday thirteenth May in the South Adriatic sea.  The super yacht with three crew was leaving Santa Maria di Leuca in the early hours of the morning direction to Montenegro when a fire started out in the engine room five nautical miles in the trip and away from the coast.  The female captain immediately called the  MayDay and reported the fire to the Italian Coast Guard deploying two fire fighting boats one from Lecce, and another from Taranto to save the crew and control the fire.  With the three crew saved, the fire fighting crew tried to extinguish the fire, with no success and the yacht sinking at about 0400 hours in the South Adriatic sea. 
M/y Naseem is a 2009 Dominator 860 as designed by Nuvolari Lenard and produced from 2004 to 2009 in seven units.  The Dominator 860 was an evolution of the Mochi Craft 25 Mega produced in the late nineties.  Dominator was born from the remains of the 1960 founded Mochi Craft which closed down to bankruptcy in 1999.

Project: Vanquish VQ115 Veloce

Ordered by and developed in tandem with a repeat client, the first VQ115 Veloce will roar along at a blistering fifty plus knots and break records in the process.  Having had huge fun on his current Vanquish, the client was fully aware of Vanquish  capacity for customization. He also loves sparring with Vanquish founder Tom Steentjes, who is famed for his no-nonsense, non-traditional approach.  This first hull for the VQ115 Veloce line is therefore the result of some serious brainstorming sessions about a super sport yacht  that will allow large groups of people to be entertained, enjoy extended stays onboard and tap into a wide range of watersports. While the initial discussions were based on design concepts for a VQ90, the talks soon evolved as the owner added an extra cabin, a dedicated dining area on the lower deck and two garages. The resulting 35-metre super sport yacht has more of everything that makes Vanquish unique in the market while staying totally in tune with the brand DNA.  That also means no compromises in terms of speed, with the installation of the largest engines possible, triple  MTU 2650hp, surface drives propulsion, which will power theVQ115 Veloce to an exceptional speed of fifty plus knots.  She will also quite possibly be the fastest aluminums yacht over thirty meters with normal diesel engines, i.e. non-turbine-driven–built to date.  While all VQs are famously fast, this combination of length and knots posed a challenge that the entire design trajectory revolved around this issue.  Studio Delta in the Netherlands was called in for the naval architecture of a hull that features deflectors in the bottom shell to direct the spray aft. The result is optimal comfort and performance levels and a significant efficiency increase at top speeds.  Exterior designer Guido de Groot and his team had a relatively narrow hull on which to base their design. The engines will be placed in a trapezium shape with the middle engine forward.  Two gyro stabilizers will enable the retention of another typical Vanquish characteristic, genuine comfort at all speeds on this smart synthesis of a race boat and luxury yacht. An impressive range of up to 600 nm will be possible when running on one or two engines, with an extra fuel tank available for cruising at lower speed.  Despite the phenomenal propulsion package, lots of space remains aft for a large tender bay that will house a VQ16. This mighty craft will be launched by a dedicated tender system, while a multifunctional hydraulic platform will ensure easy access to and from the water via a passerelle and swimming ladder. Another tender in the form of a VQ11 water scooter will be housed in a second garage on the starboard side. This area will double as a leisure playground with a live bait tank, paddleboards, sea bobs and other toys. A hydraulic ladder will make diving a breeze.  Outdoor entertainment is a major factor in all areas of the yacht; while this is the norm on every Vanquish, the theme is being literally and figuratively taken to new lengths on the VQ115. The expansive foredeck, for instance, has a large seating area for lounging and dining, plus the option to lift up the sun beds and create a salt water jacuzzi. There is a wealth of relaxation options on the aft deck too while the fly-sport-bridge has a dedicated sunbathing area as well as its own helm station.  The flybridge has been superbly integrated with in a distinctive exterior profile, part of a pure design with clean lines and that sexy, elegant, instantly recognizable Vanquish look. Those sharing space on the water with this powerhouse will certainly be glad of the advance visual notice as the negative bowheads their way.  The interior features a futuristic style to match the exterior design, with a casual groove, emblematic Vanquish details and 45-degree treatments. A smart layout makes optimum use of the enlargeds pace available. The main deck saloon will be fully tailored to the owner’s wishes with movable furniture to allow flexibility of occasion and time of day. Office space is included for when work calls, there is a neat pantry with its own cocktail bar, plus a day-head to keep the lower deck private. Stairs rise to the sport-flybridge above while the aft door opens fully to create a unified space with th eaft deck: matching floors will ensure continuity between the outdoor and indoor spaces.  The lower deck features a more extensive galley and a U-shaped seating/dining area in a country kitchen style. Accommodations include a full-beam master suite, a VIP and a guest cabin, all with their own bathrooms. A dedicated media room includes a large television, a high-end sound system plu stwo Pullmans that bring the potential sleeping capacity to eight. There are also berths for four crew members.  The Vanquish VQ115 Veloce is scheduled for delivery in the fall of 2022 direction the Hamptons.

May 11, 2022

Abandoned and Sunk in Rosslyn Bay

Some stories are beyond understanding and this is one of them for this 23 meter Azimut motor yacht titled M/Y Hey Mon under Jamaican flag which sank in Rosslyn Bay Marina, East of Rockhampton, in Queensland Australia on the eleven of May after hitting its bottom.  Hey Mon was anchored for over a week in Rosslyn bay, but the Azimut motor yacht lost its anchor hold with winds on the day reaching thirty knots and beaching the yacht at Lammermoor Beach.  Mostly because in all photos the main deck was always above the water.  A few days later the yacht ended beached, with parts from the yacht and it's toys, ended up scattered on the beach.
Hey Mon has had a colourful history in recent times, first being kicked out of a marina and ending up blocked on the Sundale bridge and damaging the radar arch in the process, then ending up beached in Bums Bay boat ramp.  Unfortunately this last event at Rosslyn Bay might be this yacht final nail in the coffin, with the yacht gutted in several pieces for removal on the 24th May.  
M/y Hey Man is a 1995 Azimut 78 Ultra as designed by Stefano Righini and produced from 1993 till 2000. Tthe 78 Ultra was Stefano Righini first design for Azimut, a relationship which will last till 2017 and the Italian designer retirement from his duties.  For being Righini's first the 78 Ultra is an important milestone in Azimut history and success.  The Azimut 78 Ultra was a replacement to the AZ76, and was replaced by the 85 Ultimate.