Tommaso Spadolini talks about the Wide Space displacement motoryacht in build at Italian Vessels

The Italian designer explains first person how the project of the new 28.5-metre was born based on the hull lines by Umberto Tagliavini.

I’ve known Mario Parigi, the CEO and founder of Italian Vessels, for many years and was delighted when he and his two sons approached me to design a new project.

The Parigi family’s objective when it took over Cantieri Navali di Termoli on Italy’s Adriatic coast was to revive an activity that had been in shipbuilding and repairs for more than 20 years, having delivered over 200 vessels from tugboats and trawlers to superyachts. Mario is a former captain and surveyor and he wanted to launch the Italian Vesselsbrand with a seaworthy steel and aluminium project that went far beyond a standard fiberglass motoryacht in this size range.

We came up with two 28.5-metre displacement yachts based on the same hull lines by Umberto Tagliavini. The explorer-style Enjoy version has a superstructure that is positioned forward to leave more room on the open aft deck for carrying tenders and toys, whereas the Wide Space version currently in build has a more traditional superyacht profile with a longer upper deck aft, although they share around 70 per cent of the superstructure.

The guest accommodation for both models comprises four comfortable ensuite cabins on the lower deck and an airy owner’s suite on the forward main deck complete with day sofa and walk-in wardrobe. An unusual feature on this size of yacht is that in addition to the main salon we have a sky lounge of about 16 square metres behind the wheelhouse on the bridge deck.

There’s a big galley on the main deck with direct access from the crew quarters. There are two crew cabins on the lower deck forward, including the captain’s cabin, but a small crew mess in the bow can also be converted into an extra cabin.

Rather than have a tender garage in the transom we chose to have a large lazarette for stowing toys and other equipment and the tender can be stored on chocks on the hydraulic stern platform, which can be raised and lowered for easier tender operations. There’s room for another small MOB tender or jet ski on the foredeck in front of a guest seating area.

In terms of exterior styling, the horizontal grilles for the fashion plates and hawseholes are typical of Studio Spadolini, as is the functional and balanced design devoid of fussy or superfluous detailing. The contemporary interior design is based on light woods, warm leather and natural fabrics. The shipyard also relies on some top-level designer brands, such as Boffi for the galley equipment.

The Wide Space and the Enjoy are compact superyachts at under 29 metres and around 210GT, but they’re designed on big boat principles and have wing stations, for example, to improve visibility fore and aft when manoeuvring.  Both are powered by twin 560-hp MAN engines for a top speed of 13 knots and a cruising speed of 10 knots. But what’s unusual for yachts of this size is that they can carry 30,000 litres of fuel and have a transatlantic range in excess of 3,000 nautical miles at economical speed. 

As in other shipyards, the build schedule for the Wide Space has been delayed slightly by the coronavirus pandemic, but she is expected to launch in the autumn.  And she will be painted in the same striking white and celeste colours as the renders!