ISA 43mt Agora III

European shipyards are used to tailoring their offerings to clients based outside the Med, in the Middle East or Russia, for instance. But for Ancona-based ISA Yachts, its first ever client from Japan meant the yard had to radically rethink a few established conventions. The result, 43-metre Agora III, is now the largest private yacht in Japan.

“First of all, I think it’s important to understand that the owner is Japanese,” says Luca Dini, the yacht’s interior and exterior designer. Dini had penned the owner’s previous boat, a 32 metre built in Taiwan, so he was schooled in his tastes and culture. But this time, says Dini, “His dream was to have an Italian yacht – Italian, as in not only being from Italy but also with the recognisable design that is from an Italian pencil.”

This led designer and client to ISA, part of the Palumbo Group, which also owns the Columbus Yachts, Extra Yachts, Palumbo SY (refit) and Mondomarine brands. A proven semi-displacement platform was chosen in aluminium but, says Gianpaolo Lapenna, project and product executive director at ISA Yachts, “We adjusted everything which is above the waterline.” It became a highly customised project under the ISA brand that “comes directly from the idea of the owner and of the designer”.

The Italian styling that the owner desired was translated into sporty exterior lines. “He didn’t want to have three decks, because it is too high,” says Dini. “So this boat has two decks, but if you look at it from outside it seems to have a raised bridge, so we maintained the sporty line, and we’re giving him a lot of volume inside.”

Aside from this, the owner’s priorities were very different from what the Italians were used to. “This is quite an unusual yacht because the Far Eastern idea of a boat is completely different to our understanding,” says Lapenna. The project started “from the beach club” – not an uncommon obsession among owners – but this one was supersized for a very unusual reason. “This boat has no tender and no way to carry one,” says Lapenna. “In Europe we consider a yacht as a mother vessel, used with toys in order to enjoy the sea. This is the Western way. In Japan I understood that they have a completely different way to enjoy boating, which is to stay on the boat – no water toys, this is a floating house.”

The beach club allows the owner to enjoy the sea from the boat, in shaded privacy. Because the design did not need to assign volume for a tender and toys, this is a cavernous space for a 43-metre yacht. And whereas the beach club can sometimes feel like an afterthought, with a basic bar and couple of deck chairs shoved on the swim platform, as much design attention has been lavished upon this area as on the more traditional spaces inside. The teak-clad interior contains a cosy coffee area with custom-made teak chairs, a bar and fridge, plus a small dressing room and a dayhead forward. The broad swim platform aft is extended by the fold-down door that encloses the space during passages. Touches such as underlit stairs and a glass partition both delineate the indoor and outdoor portions of the space and add a dash of glamour.

This isn’t the only exterior area that’s worth a special mention. “There is a huge space for sunbathing on the upper deck. I think it’s amazing for this size of boat,” says Lapenna, “but I am 90 per cent sure that they will never use it for sunbathing.” This was another difference from sun-worshipping European owners – while a cooling al fresco breeze was welcome, UV rays were not. This space is therefore covered with an awning on carbon fibre poles, with a dining area forward, protected by haunches of superstructure on either side, a neat coffee area and – just poking out of the awning at the end – a couple of loungers.

The main aft deck below is almost entirely shaded by the overhang of the deck above. Inside, the layout is relatively conventional, with the owner’s cultural heritage infusing the decor. Dini describes it as a mix of Japanese and Italian style, both pared-back aesthetics that he says blend well. “Japanese style is very clean, very minimal, very natural. With this kind of soft touch that we give to the boat, I think the result is something that is really different.” It translates to, for example, shoji-inspired pillars between the seating and dining areas in the main saloon. They may be more substantial than the traditional paper and bamboo screens (and contain hidden storage for crockery and glasses – handy since the floor-to-ceiling windows don’t allow side cabinetry), but like shoji they divide the space while letting light through, and the dark wenge wood has an Asian feel. Meanwhile, a long panel of notched wood that runs down the centre of the space is reminiscent of tatami matting used in traditional Japanese flooring – a look echoed in the dark lines that break up the silky carpet into panels.

The style is neutral, calming and restrained, with a cool richness imparted by ceiling panels in a suede-like microfibre called Alcantara and marble in unexpected locations, such as on the walls just inside the main saloon, or on the tops of the dining and coffee tables. It’s also profoundly comfortable, homely, even residential – in line with Lapenna’s evocation of a house at sea. Take the sink-in chairs and sofas by Minotti in the main saloon, the proliferation of potted plants or the built-in display cases for books and objets d’art in the lobby. In the main saloon sitting room, terraces fold down port and starboard, enhancing the villa feel. The upper saloon has a cosier atmosphere but the space is still well lit via windows in the sloping superstructure. The main deck owner’s suite packs in plenty of comforts for spending long holidays on board, including a dressing table, desk, built-in bench for reading by the window and sofa, plus more marble in the forward en suite.

Crew areas and stairs sequestered in the centre of the main deck allow easy service throughout the boat, while staff can access the engine room via the beach club. Lapenna notes that naval architect Francesco Rogantin and the yard team did a “unique job fitting the engine room and the auxiliary apparatus on the side of the beach club in a very tight space.” Timescale was another achievement – construction took less than 18 months.

The finished boat, the largest private yacht in Japan, will be kept in Kobe and cruise among the islands there. “I made a brief investigation and I have to say that it is a wonderful place; it’s full of small islands and the sea looks incredible,” says Lapenna. “Surely it is something that we don’t know.” Perhaps discovering it will be another step in this fruitful cultural exchange.


ISA Yachts

( www.isayachts.com )

ISA 54,6 mt Forever One

There is very little about the 54.6 metre ISA Yachts Forever One that conforms to what we are used to seeing in a superyacht. With her imposing volume, more than 1,050 gross tonnes, lofty bow and flashy white and red livery, Forever One stands out wherever she goes and rarely leaves people indifferent.

Passion seems the most appropriate word to use when describing the yacht’s build. The project stems from an experienced Mexican owner, Bruce Grossman, who entrusted Fernando Nicholson of Camper & Nicholsons International and designer and naval architect Horacio Bozzo to fine-tune his ideas.

“Bruce was adamant that the design should be both unique and reliable,” says Nicholson. “He wanted a yacht that distinguished herself from the crowd, the right place to spend long, relaxed holidays with his beloved wife, Elsa – the ‘forever one’ to whom the yacht is dedicated. He wasn’t interested in building a yacht with resale in mind.” Thinking about resale value and charter use, as most owners do at the time of purchasing a new boat, would have affected design and layout options, and Grossman didn’t want such constraints.

The Grossmans owned several yachts before this, the last being a sporty jet-driven Mangusta 130. “My wife and I spent memorable holidays on board our Mangusta, but despite our enthusiasm, the Mangusta didn’t suit our needs any longer,” Grossman says. “We needed a large displacement yacht that might allow us to sail comfortably whatever the season and weather. As we spend months and months on board our yacht, just the two of us or together with a restricted number of friends, my new Forever Onehad to be a floating home. The projects brought to my attention by many reputed shipyards and designers neither matched my needs nor expectations. I wanted a yacht that was shaped on our lifestyle. We do love having both private and social areas providing us with all comforts, space and amenities we are used to at home.”

Bozzo, an Argentine naval architect and designer based in Italy and founder of Axis Group Yacht Design, had already worked out a concept with Nicholson for a yacht featuring an almost-reverse bow, massive volume and muscular exterior lines. When they showed their idea to Grossman it was love at first sight. The winning concept rapidly evolved into a project and ISA Yachts was entrusted to build it. Throughout the project’s development, the overall design remained nearly untouched while the interior layout took shape according to her owner’s input. With the creativity of a passionate designer and the meticulous approach of a naval architect, Bozzo designed everything down to the smallest element; he provided the builder with detailed instructions on how to build the complicated transom door, as well as how to align the coaming with a hinge or handrail socket.

Bozzo also created hundreds of sketches and renderings and discussed every detail with Nicholson, the owner’s captain Colin Skinner and the yard’s technical department. The owner, initially closely involved in refining the concept, left the project’s management to his trusted team.

Forever One is a complex yacht whose massive volume encompasses very large folding balconies, gullwing side hatches that required considerable research into longitudinal and torsional bending forces, and an articulated transom that opens up as a magnificent on-the-water lounge.

This beach club is a bold statement of design and technical skills. Grossman asked for plenty of cosy social areas, so its interior was designed and furnished as an area that can be used when under way. A window and a hatch that hinges upward allow fresh air and light into the room. Teak panels cover both window and hatch to form an extended, flush, walkable area when the door folds open at anchor.

As the project took shape, Alessandro Massari, a young and talented designer, joined the team with the mission of defining Forever One’s interior décor. The main saloon sets the tone for the inspired, refreshing interior design.

With its Hamptons-style, shore-inspired colours, the interior is bright and breezy. Discreet window treatments let plenty of natural daylight pour in. White, creamy hues of seashells, whalebone, rich earth and sand colours make up Forever One’s palette. Dark-brown wood frames the predominantly white fabrics, furniture, doors and walls with hints of colour brightening the scheme. The grand saloon on the main deck doubles as a cinema. Full-height glass sliding doors open onto side passages and fold-down balconies that, when opened at anchor, double the room’s width. The weathered dark-oak floor is a tactile experience for bare feet.

A full-beam, multi-purpose dining room is located in a separate area on the main deck, forward of the large lobby and the round glass lift that connects all decks. In this dining/lounging room, standalone furnishings allow small groups of guests to pursue different activities at once.

Alongside a custom square dining table, which can be extended to host up to 12 guests, this homey environment encompasses a games table, armchairs, comfy sofas, plus a bar with high stools. Forever One has five bars so guests can be served quickly and easily on all decks, both inside and outside. Guests have at their disposal versatile indoor areas and expansive exterior living spaces, and anyone who wants to will find nooks where they can relax.

“On board Forever One, I want to offer my guests the best comfort and amenities,” says Grossman. “I love to spend time in good company; nevertheless, my wife and I need our privacy. This is why we have our own apartment on the upper deck aft, where on a yacht of this size, a panoramic saloon would normally be. Abaft our suite, a lounging area opens onto the aft terrace. This is our intimate retreat.” The master suite also includes his-and-hers large bathrooms, two walk-in wardrobes and a room dedicated to his shoe collection.

As Forever One is not meant for the charter market, this yacht only has three large guest suites, all on the lower deck. A fourth room is fitted withhigh-end gym equipment. On the same deck, the roomy bow shape allows for comfortable crew quarters encompassing six double cabins, a generous dinette and a pantry directly connected to the galley on the main deck. Besides being spacious, the crew quarters boast a finish and joinery comparable to guest areas.

“Our crew is at our disposal all year round, and the yacht has to be perfectly maintained and ready to leave whenever we decide,” Grossman says. “We take into great consideration captain and crew, so as we spend prolonged periods on board, sometimes we go ashore in a hotel to give them a little rest.”

From the crew area, a flight of stairs leads to the bilge deck with abundant storage, refrigerators and freezers, cold rooms and laundry. On both sides, stabiliser compartments are easily accessed. A split-level engine room houses two Caterpillar 3512C engines producing more than 1,900 horsepower each – ensuring her top speed of 16.5 knots.

Forever One’s maiden voyage took her owners north to Venice in the Adriatic Sea. They were delighted with the yacht’s performances in all conditions and reported how comfortable they felt in their new floating home. She has indeed proven herself to be a special, life-enhancing yacht.

ISA Yachts

( www.isayachts.com )

ISA 66mt Okto

If silence is a virtue, then Italian yard ISA’s biggest launch could be the best boat afloat; the experience of 66 metre Okto is one of pure design expertise allied to the uncompromising use of fine building materials.

We’re out past the breakwaters of Port Hercules before I realise we’re moving. Owner’s rep George Mourkakos motions at the cabin porthole and I almost stumble, my brain suddenly recalibrating as the water flashes by. We’re in the rearmost guest cabin, lower deck, starboard side. There’s a single bulkhead between me and the main machinery spaces and yet I hear nothing. Nor am I vibrating, despite the nearly 5,000 horses warming up just feet from where I’m standing.

Before I can say anything, Mourkakos tells me to wait and goes into the opposite guest suite, closes the door and flushes the toilet. Or at least that’s what he tells me he did when he returns – I didn’t hear anything. This whole lower deck is arranged so no headboards abut the same wall, drawers have to be lifted up and out to avoid rattles and all the doors – at a mere 120 kilos – have rubber stoppers that drop down when closed, creating a soundproof seal. It’s all one massive study in shhhh.

This is best demonstrated in the main deck master suite. Aretha Franklin is warbling at about 70 per cent volume in the study behind the owner’s sleeping quarters, but close the door and she’s instantly muted. Mourkakos smiles – point made.

It says something that for a boat as cool as Okto, the thing that impresses most is the serenity she offers, with sound levels in the cabins while underway around 47dB(A) – like a dishwasher in the next room – and vibration one-third to half that required by the contract. Yes, the pool is amazing, the deck spaces abound and the Alberto Pinto interior is very, very special, but it’s under the waterline and down in the engine room where this 66 metre ISA truly excels. Mourkakos has worked with the owner, whose previous boat was the 82 metre Oceanco iconic yacht Alfa Nero, for 10 years.

“I know the owner, I can anticipate him. We never specifically discussed things like noise and vibration, but we both wanted to do something the industry would notice,” says George Mourkakos. And it has.

ISA’s biggest launch to date was built with a no-expense-spared approach. The tank testing alone took four months, with BMT Nigel Gee working with ISA to develop the hull, which is carried all the way forward into a tall, wave-slicing blade. James Roy, BMT’s yacht design director, says a “significant” team from his company, covering naval architects and structural and mechanical engineers, was deployed to work on the yacht, culminating in a testing regime “more in-line with the testing carried out on specialist commercial vessels”. There were also smoke tests to make sure the superstructure didn’t create dragging vortexes, or leave any exhaust gases swirling around the decks.

If it’s hard to tell that the engines are running, it’s even harder to tell when we’re turning. Out towards Antibes, we start weaving before about-facing for the passage back to Monaco, but there’s no lean – not even a trace of one. Bluff-bowed boats do tend to be tilt free, and she’s hardly some slab-sided, top-heavy wedding cake, but still the ease and level of the turn – albeit with a bit of cavitation out the back – is impressive. The penalty for that upright bow and lack of flare can be a sloppy ride in a big sea, and the captain, Sebastian Gerads, confirms that she may ship a bit of water when pitching, but says he’d rather have this than a lolling, uncomfortable slam-fest.

“It just cuts through it, like a knife through a cake,” he says. Compared to a 100 metre he skippered previously, Gerads is much happier on Okto: “[The 100 metre] had a big bulbous bow and even in 1.5 metres of sea there would be vibration. Sixty-six metres is the perfect size: it just fits between the waves,” he says. She runs lean, too, “consuming much less than expected”, adds the skipper. “Compared to a 60 metre I had before, she’s way less thirsty.” Okto hit 18.75 knots on sea trials, above her contracted requirement of 18, and that was in two metre seas, says Gerads.

It’s hard to ignore that pool for too long, however. As on Alfa Nero, it’s the first thing you see when wandering up to her on the dock, and makes quite an impression. Andrea Vallicelli designed Okto’s exterior and says the pool – 6.5 metres by 4.7 – was one of the most delicate parts of the entire project, “because the aft of the boat is visible and quite narrow”.

It’s narrow because two wide stairways lead up from the bathing platform to the main deck, then again up to the bridge deck, and once more to a perch at the top of the boat with a spa pool and gym. These mirrored stairs up the boat are something of an ISA signature, and while they pinch volume from inside, they also provide a wonderful flow between decks that’s hard to beat.

There’s 80 square metres of open deck on the bridge level alone – plenty of space for lounging. But this is also the dining and dancing deck, with its 1,000W speakers fed by Videoworks software and free-standing seating around a table set out for eight. Although the touch-and-go helideck forward – good for a Eurocopter EC135 – has also been pressed into use as a dance floor on occasion. Unusually, real teak for the decks has been eschewed in favour of synthetic Esthec, in a blondish hue, with broad planks running along the centreline narrowing towards each beam.

“For the plank thickness we studied mathematical progressions,” says Vallicelli, “like the Fibonacci Sequence. It was very challenging connecting this type of decoration with the detailed design of the fixed external furniture.”
The Italian designer had a bit more fun with Okto’s fluid exterior lines, the brief for which was pretty open. The 66 metre platform could comfortably take a proper third deck, but Vallicelli wanted to keep things low.

“The only recommendations were to design an original yacht, unique, and outside any known standard,” he says. “All main technical configurations, like the forward helipad, the aft swimming pool or the gym on the top deck, were conceived to maintain a sleek and stylish profile.”

It’s a design that flows pretty seamlessly into the interior, which flirts with flashy but never crosses the line. Whether entering on the upper or main decks, the first thing you encounter are circles: a formal dining table below and a circular cinema room above. Both operate as inside-outside spaces thanks to enormous doors opening them onto the decks.

In the case of the main deck, the doors are some of the biggest yet installed on a yacht in Italy, according to Mourkakos, and when fully drawn back – at the touch of a button and whisper quiet – open up a five metre aperture. The fabrics used in the seating on the main deck reflect this openness, and have a beach club feel. A lot of work went into the design of the seating to maintain views out over the water, even when you’re at maximum recline. “The owner was fed up owning boats with main decks that never get used,” says George Mourkakos, who also demanded high ceilings – at least 2.2 metres throughout.

Okto was one of the last boats the late Alberto Pinto worked on before his death in 2012 and the owner’s whatever-the-cost philosophy is underscored with the choice of fit-out contractor List of Austria to bring Pinto’s designs to life. List’s considerable reputation is confirmed in the flawless edging, precision alignment of cabinetry and wonderful clunk as you close lockers and cupboards.

Pinto’s studio is now run by his sister Linda, who says, “The owner was looking for a style that was simple yet dynamic. The boat has a sporty allure, which can be found in the interiors by the choice of materials in harmony with the spaces.” The studio also worked on Alfa Nero, so had a useful understanding of the owner’s style.

“The owner asked us to continue in the same spirit as the previous vessel, which is a modern, easy to live in luxury yacht. He wanted it to be as open as possible with beautiful openings to the exterior. The grand windows let much light in, so we worked with dark woods for the main lounge and a zebra wood for the upper deck lounge. As for the owner’s cabin, it was worked with whitened sycamore wood and the finishes were done in shiny varnish which thus reflects the slightest ray of light.”
The owner’s quarters definitely need some explaining. Adjoining the main master suite is another cabin, with a big double bed. It’s a study-cum-nap room, but could also serve as a VIP cabin, or a bedroom for young children who don’t want to stray too far from their parents. As a study it works beautifully, with an enormous window offering fantastic views when sitting behind the desk. Such is the quality of the sound insulation, though, that it can be used completely independently of the owner’s cabin, so friends could stay here too. In this arrangement, the only access to the owner’s cabin is through a dog-legged corridor, lined either side with hanging space. The master bathroom and an intimate vanity area are to port, and the corridor isn’t so much a walk-in wardrobe as walk-through one.

No windows are forward in the master cabin, but a good amount of light makes it through skylights in the deckhead, and to starboard is a fold-down balcony – but with a difference. No owner wants crew trudging through their quarters with stainless steel guardrails that need to be slotted into the balcony when folded down, so Mourkakos demanded a solution that required zero crew. The answer is a system whereby guardrails fold up out of the balcony at the touch of a button, and fold down flush when the balcony folds back up. It’s all push-button owner operation. Even cooler – literally – is the technology keeping the bugs out. When the balcony is down, a precise air curtain starts flowing, creating a barrier to insects, and keeping air-conditioned air inside.

The supreme lounging space is upstairs. “The owner hates projectors on board,” Mourkakos explains as he switches on the outrageous 103-inch plasma screen in the upper deck saloon. Close the doors, lower the curtains and lights with the iPad interface, and select a film from the Kaleidescape entertainment system and you’re set for a night in. This is a very popular place, Mourkakos reports. It’s served by a big, practical pantry, accessed from the main deck crew area. The galley is narrow but long, and the crew lounge on the lower deck is split into two – so two films can be watched at the same time.

A lot of thought has gone into crew movement, with deckhands able to access the forward tender garages from the crew accommodation, as well as a superb tunnel on the tank deck running to the double-height engine room. There’s no beach club on Okto: the owner could have specced it, but chose extra tender storage instead. It’s a good decision, since the intrusion of the deep pool doesn’t mean there’s acres of space. And when up a few easy steps is one of the best pools on the water, why do you need an extra entertainment area so close? Much better to stuff it with toys and a 6.2 metre Ski Nautique.

We tuck back into Monaco harbour, and I watch from the bridge wing station as skipper Gerads expertly moors us stern-to alongside Quai Rainier 1er. It suddenly occurs to me that I haven’t asked the obvious question: why did the owner downsize from an 82 metre to a 66? “He said to me, ‘George, every time I come on board [Alfa Nero], I see new people, new crew.’ So he wanted the same luxury and quality but in a smaller package,” Mourkakos explains.

He found it at ISA Yachts in Ancona, which has delivered in Okto a boat with all the hallmarks of a Northern European production. As I grab my bag to leave I crane my neck so I can hear if the skipper’s turned the engines off. It’s no use: I can’t hear a thing, except that Aretha song in my head: R.E.S.P.E.C.T.


ISA Yachts

( www.isayachts.com )

ISA 50mt Liberty

On Saturday, March 19, ISA (International Shipyards Ancona) launched the 50 metre (164ft) superyacht Liberty, the first in a series of three new 50 metre yachts currently under construction at the Italian yard. The three yachts in the 50 metre series share the same technical platform but differ in their superstructure and transom design.


Architect Andrea Vallicelli, in collaboration with ISA's in-house naval architects, designed Liberty to be a sophisticated displacement yacht. Huge volumes, great performance and low consumption are the main features of this excellent platform. Liberty's elegant exterior lines are magnified by the contrast between her metallic dark grey hull and the white superstructure.


The interior design is by Stefania Biondo dalla Casapiccola, BDC Interior Design & Décor. Twelve guests are accommodated between a master suite on the main deck, four guest cabins on the lower deck and a VIP cabin on the upper deck. The yacht accommodates 10 crew.


The yacht is powered by two MTU 12V4000 with a max power of 1,850kW at 2,000rpm. She can reach 16.8 knots at maximum speed. A pair of Quantum Zero Speed stabilizers guarantees a smooth navigation in the most severe conditions and a comfortable stay at anchor.


( www.isayachts.com )