Custom Line is in safe waters with Custom Line Navetta 33 that projects the Navetta line towards new horizons
by Maria Roberta Morso – photo by Alberto Cocchi and Maurizio Paradisi
As the English say, you can’t just buy class, and the luxury yacht sector doesn’t escape this rule. The Custom Line brand focuses on class and called upon Gianni Zuccon and his team to carry out the project.
The partnership between the Ferretti Group and Zuccon International Project goes back to 1990 and for the past two decades, starting with the first Custom Line-branded 27-metre Navetta, launched in 2000, the line has evolved in a way that I would say is revolutionary in terms of its uncompromising elegance and its refusal to bend to the fashion of the moment.
«Every project has its roots in the blend between the sensitivity of the designer and the requests of the client», says Bernardo Zuccon, who together with his sister Martina represents the continuity of the design studio founded by their parents. «In this case there was a strong desire to consolidate the design path which began with the Navetta 37 opening up the way to the new generation of the line, keeping its style and language».
Good sales results didn’t take long in arriving in the case of the Custom Line Navetta 33 too: eight of them have been sold, and – in addition to the first which was presented last summer – a further four boats are currently being built at the Ancona yard.
External lines. The yacht has three decks, plus a sun deck. The clean-cut curve of the prow, the slightly tilted transom and the high freeboard all come together to make an imposing but very balanced profile, which is suitable for a vessel which is designed to house ten guests and crew members in large areas, with significant ceiling clearance.
We have tried to pick some of the many aspects of the Custom Line Navetta 33 design, which together make a harmonious and elegant whole:
- the tinted windows which range from the stern to bow on the main deck with a graceful style and, even though it is on different levels, gives a dynamism and slimness to the outline, concealing the widebody configuration of the main deck amidships going forward.
- The large upper deck superstructure, which is located at the midpoint of the yacht, contributes to balance the way that the volumes are distributed;
- on the bulwark of the upper deck, topped by a steel handrail, there is a slight countersinking which elegantly stretches to the prow, and holds the external rigging emplacements;
- finally, there are the two large hull openings which ensure natural light for the guest cabins on the lower deck, which have by now become a style which perfectly combines functionality and aesthetics.
«In terms of volume, the ratios between height, hull and superstructure have been turned around», says Bernardo Zuccon. «With the old Navettas it was the superstructure which metaphorically dominated the hull, by keeping the traditional walkaround deck, while here it is the hull which is the strong point, and this also comes from the introduction of the full-beam owner cabin, which has become indispensable on a yacht of this size».
Hull, construction, fittings The hull of the Custom Line Navetta 33 is completely new: it has been built using numerical or computational fluid dynamics analysis (CFD) and features a bow bulb, which improves its performance and cushions pitching, increasing comfort when under way.
The hull is built using an infusion process. The floating floors and the use of sound absorbing material in the compartment breaks drastically reduce the transmission of sound and vibration. Elastic Vulkan Couplings also absorb the vibrations from the axis and engine exhausts are fitted with silencers.
The Custom Line Navetta 33 is stabilised not just by its naval architecture, which makes it more efficient, but also stabiliser fins, which in the case of the Number 1 boat are helped by two Seakeeper gyroscopes.
The description, which follows refers to the vessel which we visited during the Cannes Yachting Festival. Many of the fittings and materials reflect the owner’s individual choices, because the yard offers a significant margin of customisation.
Layout, furnishing. The design project for the interiors was developed by the Product Strategy Committee and by the architects and designers of the engineering department of the Ferretti Group. The design of the interiors and the style chosen for the furnishings, with their extreme linearity, give life to the sophisticated areas.
Natural light is used as a primary element, so as to produce fresh, welcoming environments. Huge glass surfaces, both on the main deck and on the upper one, also give the sea and the sun a role in the décor.
Franco Michienzi, Barche’s Editor in Chief
A saloon area which is filled with light from the full-height windows is reached from the cockpit furnished with a large sofa and four Portofino armchairs designed by Paola Lenti. To starboard, going through the sliding doors, you reach a hinged balcony which increases the space and very skilfully joins the saloon to the sea. In the dining area the Eileen table by B&B in dove grey lacquer is surrounded by Ipanema chairs by Poliform.
The wood used in the saloon, and in practically all the onboard areas, is natural Canaletto walnut, combined with bleached wood parquet. As we said earlier, the main bridge has a partially widebody configuration and so the central service area, galley, pantry and guest bathroom benefit from the larger width, as does the owner’s apartment.
The study is the first room one comes across once you enter the private owner’s area. Here too, the relationship with the external area is direct, thanks to the window which completely opens. The owner cabin is large and very luminous, and is fitted out with the same materials as the communal areas.
A Marlon armchair by Poliform in red velvet adds a touch of colour to the sobriety of the dominant nuances which range from brown to the cream of wood, leather and materials. Guests have four large and very luminous suites below deck, including three double rooms and a twin room with a third fold-out bed. In all three double rooms, the bed is full beam.
Going up two levels onboard the Custom Line Navetta 33 from the guest night area, you get to the small lounge area on the upper deck, which opens up completely to the stern terrace, and houses the outside dining area, where a beautiful custom-made, rectangular teak and steel table seats ten in Dean chairs by Dedon.
You can reach the upper deck both from the interior and from the cockpit on the main deck. The stern terrace is furnished with L-shaped sofas by Paola Lenti. Inside, to starboard in front of the comfortable sofa from B&B’s series your eye is drawn to a sophisticated vintage chest by Louis Vuitton, which is used as a table. The large side windows slide open to let the sea breeze in.
The captain’s cabin is next to the steering area, as in a large yacht. The integrated display panel, which is fitted with five monitors – two of them touch screen – was developed by Team Italia. Between the helm and the forward rigging area, a pleasant guest area fitted with seats and sun loungers has been created, which is shaded when needed by an awning held by carbon fibre poles.
Going further up, the sun deck gives more space for outside use. Refined sofas and sun loungers, as well as a Teuco hydro-massage tub, invite you to relax here. There is a mobile bar fitted with grill, washbasin, ice maker and fridge that make it easy to organise an outside meal without relying on the main galley.
Engines and performance. The Custom Line provides a wide choice of engines. The boat that we tried in Spanish island of Ibiza was fitted with two V12 1400hp engines, Man but there are also “livelier” versions available, with two Man V12 1650s developing an outlet mechanical power of 1213 kW or Caterpillar Cat C32s.
The Custom Line Navetta 33 is a very well balanced yacht, with good performance and high levels of efficiency and comfort. The data taken from the number 1 show excellent consumption levels/range at a cruising speed of around 12 knots. At that speed (11.6 knots at 1600 rpm) the yacht has a range of 1220 nautical miles, using 186 litres per hour overall.
At around ten k nots the range goes up to nearly 2000 nautical miles, while consumption figures fall off drastically to 88 litres per hour, with the engines working at a revolution speed of 1200/min. Top speed comes in between 15.5 and 16.4 knots. The hull behaves well in the waves and the boat turns very easily.
We did a 360-degree turn in just 54 seconds with a diameter of around 60 metres, with the engines running at 2000 rpm. The stabilisation system cuts out the roll exceptionally, and – even at top speed – the boat cuts through the waves in a decisive way without much pitching.
CUSTOM LINE
Via Ansaldo, 7
I – 47120 Forlì (FC)
T. +39 0543 787511
www.customline-yacht.com
Custom Line Navetta 33
PROJECT: Zuccon International Project and Ferretti Group – Product Strategy Committee
HULL: Length 33.00m • Beam 7.68m • Draft 2.18m • Full mass displacement 183 t • Fuel tank volume 20,000 l • Water tank volume 3,100 l • Grey water tank volume 1,200 l • Waste water tank volume 1,200 l • Made of fibreglass
MAIN PROPULSION: 2 x Man V12 LE466 1400 (std) developing an outlet mechanical power of 1029kW at a rotational speed of 2100/min; 2 x Man V12 LE456 1650 (opt) developing an outlet mechanical power of 1213kW at 2300/min: 2 x Cat C32 1622 (opt) developing an outlet mechanical power of 1.193kW at 2300/min
PRICE: from 10,200,000 € (Exclusive Vat)
(Custom Line Navetta 33, innate class – Barchemagazine.com – February 2018)
