Yachting Magazine

Real freedom, for some people, is a goal worthy of lifelong pursuit. Richard Ford has been chasing it since just after his military service in South Africa, at age 21. “I wanted to backpack through Europe, like all us kids used to dream about doing, and I didn’t have two pennies to rub together,” he says. “I couldn’t fly from Cape Town to Europe and backpack. I even looked at trying to join the Merchant Navy to jump a ship and try to get there. And eventually, there was a boat.”

It was a 45-foot ferrocement Hartley Tahitian ketch that, on a good day, would hit 5 knots. But it needed crew, and it was headed toward the future Ford imagined. It had no refrigeration. No loran. No GPS. The kind of marine toilet where you had to lean your head down toward it and pump. Out on the North Atlantic. In February. “I’ve never been so cold in my life,” Richard says. “But, you know, we got there.”

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The first Itama 70 has been launched at Ferretti Group’s new production facility in Ravenna, Italy, marking the debut of the latest model in the builder’s ongoing range renewal.

Measuring 69 feet 8 inches in length overall with a 17-foot, 5-inch beam, the Itama 70 was developed by the Ferretti Group Product Strategy Committee and Engineering Department. Exterior styling is by Vallicelli Design, while the interiors were created by IdeaeItalia.

The yacht retains a number of hallmark Itama design cues, including a large foredeck sunpad and elongated hullside glazing that emphasizes the boat’s low-profile, open-yacht silhouette. Aft, the beach area is designed to stow and launch a 10-foot, 8-inch tender, while a large sunpad connects directly with the cockpit dining space through an integrated backrest arrangement.

The cockpit includes a U-shaped dining area and a wet bar opposite a convertible chaise-style lounge. An electrically operated bimini top provides shade over the social area. At the helm, twin 16-inch touchscreen displays handle navigation and vessel systems, while a centerline walkthrough windshield provides access to the foredeck.

Belowdecks, the layout includes three staterooms, each with a private head. The owner’s stateroom is positioned aft, while a galley and dinette are arranged amidships to maximize living space and natural light.

Power on the first hull comes from twin optional 1,550 hp MAN V-12 diesel engines. According to preliminary figures from the builder, the yacht is expected to reach a top speed of 40 knots and cruise at 35 knots. A Seakeeper NG14 gyrostabilizer is also fitted.

Founded in 1969 and part of Ferretti Group since 2004, Itama has built its reputation on open yachts that blend performance, style and strong seakeeping characteristics. The current lineup includes the Itama 45RS, 54, 62RS, 70 and flagship 75.

Volvo Penta’s IPS Professional Platform is a propulsion system that helps superyachts consume up to 30 percent less fuel with a quieter, smoother ride compared to standard systems. IPS Professional Platforms are designed to accept power from traditional and HVO diesel engines, hybrid diesel-electric systems and electric motors. Current offerings rely on Volvo Penta and HVO-friendly D13 engines.

“A key challenge was bringing the Volvo Penta IPS concept into the world of large superyachts and commercial vessels without losing the characteristics that make our Volvo Penta IPS system unique: efficiency, precision and comfort,” says Nicola Pomi, vice president of Volvo Penta’s yacht and superyacht division.

The solution was heavy-duty, high-load drives and advanced hydrodynamic modeling that ensure the system’s cavitation margins and noise levels meet the expectations of superyacht owners.

Volvo Penta’s IPS Professional Platform is designed for yachts from 82 feet to more than 180 feet length overall, as well as for commercial vessels. Each pod drive articulates plus or minus 40 degrees for close-quarters maneuverability. An algorithm-based Eco Mode starts and stops engines (and motors) based on the yacht’s real-time power needs.

Volvo Penta at Sea

British studio Humphreys Yacht Design has revealed the first details of its new FTX110 explorer yacht concept, a 111-foot flagship for the builder’s Fast-Transit Explorer Series. The series is expected to span models from roughly 49 to 108 feet, with the FTX110 positioned as the largest concept to date.

The aluminum-and-composite explorer is designed around a compact 180 GT platform, with Humphreys targeting fuel-efficient offshore cruising at relatively high speeds. Naval architects at the studio say the project draws on the company’s long-running experience with offshore performance hulls and passagemaking yacht design.

Power is expected to come from triple Volvo Penta IPS 2700 engines paired with an IMO Tier III-compliant SCR emissions system. Humphreys projects a top speed of 40 knots, with cruising speeds between 20 and 30 knots. At 20 knots, the yacht is expected to deliver a range of approximately 1,000 nautical miles, while range extends beyond 2,000 nautical miles at 12 knots.

According to Tom Humphreys, co-director of the studio, the FTX110 evolved from a client commission tied to the company’s high-performance superyacht platform. While that larger carbon-fiber concept targeted speeds approaching 58 knots, the FTX110 shifts the focus toward greater long-range efficiency in the 20-to-30-knot cruising band.

Founded in 1974, Humphreys Yacht Design has developed a reputation for offshore sailing yachts and performance-oriented naval architecture, with projects spanning custom superyachts and production designs for brands including Oyster and Arksen.

There’s a lot to be learned after building and delivering more than 142 powercat hulls over a six-year span. All of the lessons and hard-won knowledge Leopard acquired producing its first-generation 53 PC have been poured into the upgraded, next-generation version of the venerable powercat—which is also the flagship of the builder’s three-model powerboat series that includes a 40- and 46-footer.

One of the primary refinements in the Leopard 53 PC is outside space usage. The cockpit’s former setup had only built-in furniture, but owners can now have a modular, loose-furniture arrangement to tailor the area for how they live on their boat.

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Numarine has delivered the first hull in its new 88-foot 27XP explorer-yacht series, a model that succeeds the builder’s popular 26XP platform. The launch comes ahead of the yacht’s world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September, with five units already sold and three more currently under construction.

According to Numarine, the owner of the first 27XP is a repeat customer who previously owned a 22XP and moved up in size while remaining within the yard’s explorer-yacht lineup. The yacht was delivered in Istanbul and is expected to cruise extensively throughout the Greek islands and the Aegean Sea.

Designed by longtime Numarine collaborator Can Yalman, with naval architecture by Umberto Tagliavini, the 27XP builds on the design language established across the XP range. The model retains the rugged explorer profile of its predecessor while adding interior volume, expanded outdoor living areas and greater layout flexibility.

The first hull was delivered with a four-stateroom arrangement that prioritizes exterior entertaining space and a full-beam flybridge. Owners can also opt for a five-stateroom layout that adds accommodations while maintaining the yacht’s long-range cruising capabilities.

One of the most notable additions aboard the 27XP is Numarine’s new Mk2 Super Silent Pack, developed with Sleipner. The system uses a 48-volt electrical architecture combined with a 92.8-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery bank, solar panels and intelligent energy-management systems designed to improve efficiency while reducing noise and vibration onboard.

Power comes from twin 560-horsepower MAN diesels. Numarine reports a top speed of 13.5 knots and a range of approximately 2,200 nautical miles at 8 knots, giving the yacht the passagemaking capability expected from the XP series.

The 27XP measures 88 feet overall with a 22-foot, 8-inch beam and accommodations for up to 10 guests, depending on layout. With the first hull now delivered and additional yachts in build, the model represents Numarine’s latest step in expanding its explorer-yacht portfolio.

Boaters should approach a visit to Barcelona as they would a visit to one of its countless tapas bars: by sampling a taste of its many attractions. From iconic architecture to world-class cuisine, a passionate sports scene, fascinating history and beautiful beaches, Barcelona richly rewards exploration.

One name is synonymous with Barcelona: Antoni Gaudí. The famed Catalan architect’s designs define the city’s aesthetic and skyline, none more so than the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia. This breathtaking 534-foot-tall church, started in 1882 and still under construction, is the city’s tallest building and Spain’s top tourist attraction. Book (well in advance) an afternoon guided tour with tower access for views of the city and church’s exterior, to learn the fascinating history of this landmark and to take in the nature-inspired interior while aglow in a kaleidoscope of colors cast by sunlight pouring through towering stained-glass windows.

Make time as well for Gaudi’s equally jaw-dropping Casa Batlló, a mosaic masterpiece, and his whimsical Park Güell.

Art lovers also gravitate toward the Picasso Museum and National Art Museum of Catalonia. Sports fans can schedule a tour of Camp Nou, FC Barcelona’s home stadium. Or visit the Juan Antonio Samaranch Olympic and Sports Museum on the grounds of the summer 1992 Olympic Games. History lovers can check out the 17th-century Montjuic Castle—popular for its nighttime fountain and light shows—as well as the waterfront Maritime Museum of Barcelona, which houses a full-size replica of a 16th-century Royal Galley. Anyone looking for a new yacht can stop at Marina Port Vell, home to the Barcelona Boat Show in October.

Barcelona is a foodie’s dream. Among its four restaurants with three Michelin stars, Cocina Hermanos Torres adds an element of spectacle to its superb tasting menus of inventive Mediterranean fare by anchoring its dining room around the bustling central open kitchen.

La Palmera in Eixample offers an innovative spin on Catalan cuisine, particularly with its foie gras dishes. For fresh seafood, the Botafumeiro is praised for its vast food and wine selections, especially its lobster dishes. At the informal Puertecillo and La Paradeta seafood chains, customers select fresh fare from market-style counters.

Can Ros has mastered the city’s signature rice dish—paella—since 1908. Cadaques earns acclaim for its duck and rabbit variations. For top-notch tapas, the wait is worthwhile at La Cova Fumada, Cal Pep and Bodega Biarritz. Or snack your way through La Boqueria on anchovies, Jamon Iberico slices and crema Catalan, with churros and thick hot chocolate for dessert.

Marine teknology’s TEK sensors are invisibly fitted to the space between a yacht’s decks and belowdecks ceilings. These sensors detect intrusions as well as enable helpful automations.

Each TEK sensor module is composed of four to 16 individual sensors that are bonded in resin and wired together. TEK sensors detect pressure (weight) that’s exerted on the decks or steps above their installation locations. They’re connected to a dedicated electrical board equipped with a local area network that, in turn, is networked with the vessel’s third-party automation system.

TEK sensors can be professionally fitted aboard new builds and refits. They allow installers to create scenarios that, for example, open doors or activate lights if the sensors detect friendly activity, or conversely trigger third-party alarms, cameras and lights if an intruder is detected.

“The biggest challenge was how to position the TEK modules in the lower deck ceiling to monitor the main deck area, since the ceilings of superyachts don’t have flat surfaces, but rather a multitude of steel beams,” says Stefano Barducci, Marine Teknology’s owner. He says the company solved this problem by creating an installation scheme that uses bigHead threaded pins that are glued to the ceiling, and steel brackets, washers and nuts that hold the TEK sensors in place.

The result, Barducci says, eliminates the need for welding or for drilling through vertical stringers or composite surfaces. TEK sensors are designed for yachts measuring at least 78 feet, bow to stern. TEK sensor installations are invisible, and the sensors do not require any maintenance, nor do they physically degrade over time. Each TEK sensor is a module that’s composed of four to 16 individual sensors, which are bonded in resin and wired together. TEK sensors can be ordered in sizes ranging from 11 to 43 square feet, and they have cable tails that are up to 492 feet long for easy installation.