Cantieri Estensi: Official Preview for the New 535 Maine

Cantieri Estensi, the market leading builder of reliable, elegant and highly appealing lobster boats and trawlers, continues along the path of renewal with the new 535 Maine. After its presentation in Düsseldorf, the new model was launched in June 2016 and makes its public debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September.

THE EVOLUTION OF AN ICON

The new 535 Maine follows in the footsteps of the hugely successful previous model, the 530, of which a total of 35 have been sold (rising to 60 when the 480 and 640 sister models are factored in), rewarding the innovative technical solutions it introduced, its unprecedented living space and the peerless build quality. Today the 530 Maine evolves into the 535, which offers some important new features based on experience and the latest technology available.

Big side windows illuminate the three cabins below deck, while the new solution devised for the door between the cockpit and the saloon makes it possible to create a single space for even more direct contact with the sea. From a technical standpoint, the partnership with Volvo Penta brings all the benefits of electronics to cruising, while innovative fittings like the pivoting swim platform or the joystick to manoeuvre the yacht from the cockpit make life on board 535 Maine, the ideal “home on the sea”, an even more comfortable experience.

EXTERIORS

The exterior of 535 Maine features three key areas. The cockpit in the stern, entirely sheltered by the flybridge, is fitted with a big sofa and has the space for a dinette with table and chairs seating six. The third helm station, available on request, allows the yacht to be manoeuvred from the cockpit using the Volva Penta joystick. Under the floor, the hydraulic gangway extends electrically from its housing to the dock. On request, the swim platform in the stern can be fitted with an electro-hydraulic mechanism for launching or retrieving a tender (up to 450 kg) or simply to go for a swim.

The second area to enjoy in company is in the bow. This big sun lounging area is big enough for at least four people, with room for two more on the forward-facing sofa, which can also be used when cruising at low speed to enjoy the view in the utmost quiet and comfort. The steel anchor and 75 metres of chain can be raised and lowered by means of a 1,700 W radio controlled winch.

Finally, the big flybridge offers the chance to spend a relaxing day entirely in the open air. Next to the helm station is a dinette, also for six people, served by a cabinet containing a fridge, a grill and a sink. The space in the stern is left free to install a davit for retrieving a light tender (the structure has been strengthened specifically for this purpose), or alternatively for chaises longues or sun loungers, at the owner’s request. And when the sun gets too hot, the retractable bimini top can be extended and used even when cruising.

INTERIORS

The saloon, with access from the cockpit through a new cavity sliding door, has a floor made entirely from teak, while the wood used for the furnishings and the fabrics can be freely chosen by the owner. Two layout solutions are available. In one the galley is aft and on the left, with the interior dinette next to the helm station, and in the other the galley is further forward and separated from the saloon by a transparent glass partition. The stern section of the saloon is given over to seating.

Below deck, the two guest cabins amidships are both for two people, with single or double beds, and are both illuminated by light entering through the big new portholes on either side. The bathroom serving both cabins has dual access from the second cabin and the corridor, of course, and a separate shower cubicle with a teak grate and bidet.

The owner’s cabin occupies the entire bow section of 535 Maine, with a series of unusual features that cannot fail to gratify owners and make them feel they are on board a superior class yacht.

First and foremost the arrangement of the big double bed (170×200 cm) at 45 degrees to the yacht’s axis, making it easily accessible from three sides without the need for steps. The cabin is illuminated by light shining through the rectangular overhead porthole, while a second porthole floods the room with light from the starboard side. On the forward side of the cabin in the bow, a door provides access to the walk-in wardrobe area, which offers a huge amount of space for everything needed on a long cruise. The big bathroom with private access and premium fittings and furnishings has a separate shower and bidet, of course, like the second bathroom.

On request, crew quarters can be provided aft of the engine room, in a big cabin with two beds arranged in an L-layout and served by a bathroom with an internal height of 180 centimetres. The level of comfort, the possibility of fitting this room with air conditioning and its large size make it the perfect space either for crew or guests.

TECHNICAL FEATURES

The partnership signed by Cantieri Estensi and Volvo Penta means that 535 Maine can be fitted with all the latest propulsion and steering technology. The engines used are the familiar D6s, available with two rated power outputs and paired with shaft line transmission systems. Volvo Penta’s new Glass Cockpit screens in the helm station provide control of all navigation and monitoring parameters at the touch of a finger. The bow and stern thrusters can also be interfaced with the electronic control system, allowing the yacht to be manoeuvred simply by moving the joystick.

From a construction standpoint, 535 Maine is infusion laminated for maximum structural rigidity, weight for weight. Like the previous 530, the peculiarity of the hull is its ability to deliver cruising comfort in both displacement and planing modes. The relatively small dead rise (14.5 degrees at the bow) makes it possible to cruise at reduced speed without putting much load on the engines, offering a theoretical range of 1,000 nautical miles at 8-9 knots. The variable geometry of the hull, which has a fin running the entire length of the keel and a chine of up to 50° in the forward section, offers maximum directional stability and a soft impact even on rough sea, for fast cruising at peak speeds of up to 25 knots.

A 140 L/h desalinator and a more powerful 12 Kw generator are also available so that 535 Maine can be used for very long voyages, with all the confidence offered by the yacht’s unusually solid construction and category A type approval.