This 40-metre Benetti is an oasis of wellbeing where everything has been designed to make the onboard experience very special
by Mariateresa Campolongo
VISITORS’ FIRST IMPRESSION OF THE OASIS 40M IS ONE OF “NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT”: on this latest model by Benetti we are a long way from the constant repetition of shapes and styles from the past. As its name suggests, the Oasis 40M aims to provide an all-round experience in close contact with the sea, as if guests were in a pleasant and relaxing place surrounded by beautiful water. That is why in the stern the sides fold out to create a large area where you can enjoy the surrounding nature while lying on sofas or sunbeds, or immersed in the infinity pool with water that feels as if it naturally blends with the sea and the sky.
In the cockpit there is an interesting layout that has the sofa looking aft to scan the horizon while completely immersed in the magic of the sunset, perhaps holding a drink taken from the handy mobile bar alongside. The symbiosis with the surrounding area is clear inside as well, thanks to the full-height windows which make full use of the natural light, and the large white lacquer surfaces enhance this effect.
On the main deck, two curved sofas face each other, and welcome and entice people as they come on board. At the far end, a beautiful bar cabinet resembles a secret treasure trove, with detailing made of precious materials revealed when it is opened.
Enrico Bonetti and Dominic Kozerski, in their architectural firm’s first nautical project, have added a lot of creativity to the interiors, with a series of fluid, open spaces that use the same materials as the exterior – such as teak flooring – leading to perfect continuity. You can see by looking at the general plans that the rooms follow one another in a precise, harmonious and orderly – but never predictable – way; this is the work of a designer who is used to working from the small to the large scale, with the same attention to tiny details in furnishing as to the overall rhythm of the areas, volumes, and materials.
The full-beam master cabin has a very original layout with the bed against the port side and turned to face aft. Running parallel, a lounge area has been designed with a balcony overlooking the sea.
The architect Enrico Bonetti explained this new experience to us: «In general we enjoy tackling environments that we have never done before. The yard asked us to bring a different approach to a boat interior. Giovanna Vitelli, Vice-President of Azimut Benetti Group, gave us a precise brief which was a great help in quickly identifying the direction we had to take. The idea was to create a boat that was designed for a client who is interested in wellbeing, fitness, and being in close contact with nature. We have seen a lot of boats and have thought that some things could be done differently, not necessarily in a better way, but what we felt was a different way. For example, in other yachts, you get a different impression of the exterior and the interior design, or you get one experience outside but when you go inside everything changes. And sometimes you find yourself in a darker atmosphere which is more filled with furniture. We feel that this discontinuity makes it harder to live on a boat, whereas it is more relaxing to have a fluid environment which is closely linked».
The sides in the stern fold out to create a single large area where you can enjoy the surrounding nature while comfortably relaxing on sofas and sunbeds, or bathing in the infinity pool.
Fortunately, a more harmonious approach to boat design is increasingly imposing itself. Often, when designers from other sectors are first invited to work in the yachting world, the nature of the boat becomes distorted because they impose their style. Whereas it is immediately clear that the interiors on the Oasis 40M are the work of designers who have reached a deep understanding of nautical identity, and have a strong respect for it.
«The last thing that we wanted to do», continues Bonetti, «was to make a floating apartment. We don’t think one should find a house inside a boat, because it continues to be a means of transport».
The rooms on the Oasis 40M show real flow. Identical materials and colors have been used inside and out to highlight continuity and give a feeling of apparent informality to what is an extremely elegant and sophisticated yacht.
On the main deck, the full-beam master cabin has a very original layout, with the bed located on the port side and turned aft; parallel to the cabin, there is a lounge for the owner with a balcony that brings it in close contact with the sea. Going forward, as a buffer area between the other cabins and the owner’s bathroom, there is a sizeable his-and-hers walk-in cupboard.
The dashboard
The steering area is multi-functional and completely untried. It isn’t just a place to work with very high-level technology, but truly a lounge from where owners and guests can enjoy the trip from a privileged viewpoint.
But on the upper deck, there is one of the new developments on the Oasis 40M: the helm area. This may often be seen as a mere technical area, and one which consequently doesn’t change a great deal from yacht to yacht, but here the wheelhouse is something that has never been seen before, and it marks another step forward in rethinking the technology deployed on board. Rather than being on a superyacht, you get the feeling that you are at the control panel of a spaceship where even owners and their guests can enjoy helming from a privileged position. The screens are all set high up, which frees up space and increases the panoramic view outwards. The one element that one finds in every single wheelhouse – the wheel itself – is essentially missing, as it has been so much reduced in size as to fit in a single hand. Whereas the console, which is entirely made of carbon fiber, is certainly not something you would expect. The control panel thus becomes another place where you can experience the boat in an unusual and multi-functional way.
«The brief was to create a boat for a client who is interested in wellbeing and who loves being in contact with the sea. We looked at how that could be achieved with the Benetti team and the RWD design studio, and we worked in synergy with them». Enrico Bonetti, Bonetti/Kozerski Architecture
In the sky lounge, as in the other areas of the yacht, the amount of natural light is increased by the large white lacquered surfaces. The area is a direct continuation of the exterior thanks to the full-height windows and the use of identical colors and materials.
Going aft on the upper deck, the sky lounge has an incredible view over the sea, with a table that is set longitudinally, and which accentuates the yacht’s informal character. The Benetti yard has always been known for the elegant, timeless lines of its boats, but with this project, it has gone further still.
«We do residential projects with quality details, and the Benetti yard is used to very high standards, so naturally, we got on very well together». Enrico Bonetti, Bonetti/Kozerski Architecture
The younger target market which the Oasis 40M is aimed at has led to an exterior design – by the English firm RWD – that is always elegant, while still being decidedly contemporary in feel. The main features of the profile are the vertical bow and a small number of essential lines that interact extremely well with the natural simplicity of the interior. Eleven guests can spend the night on board, housed in the four cabins on the lower deck (one with a pullman bed), and in the master cabin on the main deck. In terms of performance, this superyacht (which is entirely in fiberglass) has a top speed of 18.1 knots and can cross the Atlantic in complete autonomy at eleven knots, with fuel consumption of less than 100 liters per hour. The Oasis 40M is a yacht that breaks the mold in terms of tradition and which, with its looks and performance, is certainly going to be a point of reference in yachting in the future.
The large spaces, the hydrotherapy pool, and easy access to the sea mean that guests on the Oasis 40M can enjoy a dynamic, informal, and relaxing lifestyle while on board.
The equipment onboard the Oasis 40M includes a 6.25 metre tender, and two jet skis.
Oasis 40M can cross the Atlantic in complete autonomy, at eleven knots, with fuel consumption of less than 100 liters per hour.
AZIMUT BENETTI SpA
Livorno – Italy
[email protected]
www.benettiyachts.it
BUILDER: Benetti Shipyard
EXTERIOR DESIGNER: RWD
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Bonetti/Kozerski Architecture
HULL: Length overall 135 ft • Beam max 27.1 ft • Draft max 6,9 ft • Hull and Superstructure Vetroresina / GRP • Full load displacement 310 t • Fuel tank volume 11,890 US gals • Fresh water volume 2,114 US gals • Owner & guest cabins 5 cabins for 10 people (+ 1 pullman bed) • Crew cabins 5 cabins for 9 people
MAIN ENGINES: MAN V12-1400
GENERATORS: 2 x 100 kW
(Benetti Oasis 40M, Wellbeing – Barchemagazine.com – February 2021)
