The Sanlorenzo SX76 is a boat that retains traditional styles but brings them up to date, thanks to a great design team: Luca Santella for the concept, Zuccon International Project for the exterior, interiors by Pietro Lissoni and hull by Lou Codega
by Luca Sordelli – photo by Thomas Pagani
Last year, Sanlorenzo launched a completely new and bold design object: the SX88. The market took to it immediately, with thirteen boats sold in twelve months. And it was even more popular in the worlds of design and publishing, winning an endless stream of awards and appearing on countless magazine covers. Now the same thing is happening with the new SX76, a boat which is around three metres shorter and less than one metre narrower.
The crossover yacht philosophy for which Sanlorenzo’s SX models are known remains intact. The man behind the whole range is Luca Santella, who once again was able to count on the beautiful waterlines of Lou Codega, one of the great masters in his field. The exteriors were designed by Zuccon International Project but, as Bernardo Zuccon confirms, the philosophy behind the design did not change: «our job involved making the most of the space available and, given its reduced dimensions, ensuring it retained its formal balance without impinging on functionality. The challenge with the SX76was obtaining the same functions as the larger SX88without altering its stylistic balance. It epitomises the fabled and cliched relationship between form and function».
Continuity was assured through the choice of the interior designer Piero Lissoni, who reaffirmed his idea of a ‘social’ boat, focused on a convivial atmosphere.
But let’s take things one step at a time, and look at the stylistic features that set the SXs apart. The first thing is the awe they inspire. This stems immediately from the shifting of the helmsman’s station, no mean feat both in practical terms, given the design and construction issues that had to be resolved, and also philosophically: the “driver”, the captain, is no longer where he should be, where he has always been.
The dashboard on the main deck is no more – there’s only one, and it’s on the flybridge. Instead the boat presents a entirely new vision, where the entire main deck is a single, large open space, perfectly integrated in turn with the entire stern area, with the cockpit that slopes gradually towards the sea, and the 18 m2beach club, which sits just a couple of inches above the water.
«As I see it», Bernardo Zuccon continues,«the SX76is a wonderful interpretation of the relationship between people and the sea. Travelling by boat accentuates this relationship, and so for a boat to be successful it has to be designed for living in close contact with the sea. The SX range pushes this relationship to its limits».
Handing over the entire main deck to Lissoni’s creativity has produced a layout that is entirely unique for a boat of this size. While the area towards the stern features a classic saloon, the natural continuation of the deck’s outside area, at the bow there is an open galley with a long Boffi worktop, opposite a circular dining table. The view over the sea is not only spectacular, it is also unusual, given its position at the very front of the boat.
Another intimate, homely area has therefore been created, separated in terms of its function from the rest of the deck, but without any aesthetic barriers taking up space or blocking views.
At the centre of the boat, like a giant totem pole, is a white, slender staircase with an elegant, sinuous design. The desire to amaze gracefully continues in the sleeping area. First of all, you are met not by a series of enormous windows, but by traditional, steel-framed portholes and a cosy atmosphere. There’s no shortage of light, but you also get the wonderful sensation of being in a safe place, on a real ship, designed to be sailed and to get people in the mood for an adventure.
The decision to not overdo transparent surfaces on the topside is also the best way to avoid what Luca Bassani, in this very magazine, called “window and porthole patchworks […] of all shapes and sizes combined purely in terms of quantity”, a trap into which most modern boats fall. On the contrary, the profile of the Sanlorenzo SX76 provides an attractive balance between the solids of the structure and the voids of the windows.
There are two cabins in this version: the owner suite is amidships, positioned along the beam, while the VIP suite is at the bow. There are three heads, one for each room plus a day-toilet at the foot of the stairs, where there is also a second, small saloon. Here, and throughout the lower deck, expert interplay of polished mirrors subtly amplifies the feeling of spaciousness. The crew quarters are at the stern, in front of the engine room and with direct access to the cockpit.
The philosophy of the shipyard from Ameglia’s 76-foot yacht is also undiminished below the waterline, with a semi-planing hull designed for sailing long distances and with the utmost enjoyment, fully in line with the concept underpinning the boat. There are two Volvo Penta IPS1050 engines, producing a top speed of 22 knots at 2,350 revs with fuel consumption of 299 l/hour.
However, the yacht’s natural pace is more relaxed: at 18 knots and 2,100 revs the boat travels at a fast cruising pace, burning 237 l/hour. It is most efficient at 1,500 revs, where it has a range of 520 miles and fuel consumption of only 96 l/hour, at a speed of 12 knots. Perfect for travelling in total comfort, and enjoying the sea, gracefully and with a feeling of awe.
SANLORENZO SX76
PROJECT Luca Santella (concept) • Piero Lissoni (interior design) • Zuccon International Project (exterior design) • Lou Codega (naval architecture)
HULL LOA 23.35m • Maximum beam 6.5m • Draft 1.56m • Light mass displacement 60,000 kg • Full mass displacement 67,000 kg • Fuel tank volumes 4350 l • Water tank volume 1300 l MAIN PROPULSION 2 Volvo Penta IPS 1050 • Outlet mechanical power 588 kW (800 hp) • Number of Cylinders 6 • Bore&Stroke 131mm X 158mm • Swept volume 12.8 l • Maximal rotational speed 2300/min • Weight 2300 kg EC CERTIFICATION CAT A
PRICE 4,000,000 Euro Exclusive VAT
SANLORENZO YACHT
Via Armezzone, 3,
I 19031 Ameglia (SP) Italia
tel. +39 0187 6181
[email protected]
www.sanlorenzoyacht.com
(Sanlorenzo SX76, graceful and awe-inspiring – Barchemagazine.com – February 2019)
