When the owner knows how to communicate his preferences and the shipyard can hear him, the result is predictably excellent.
For those interested in superyacht-related events, Admiral Yachts’ launch of the 65m Life Saga could bring to mind the 42m long boat of the same name (Heesen, 1994). The similarity of the names can be easily explained: both boats have the same owner, but the new superyacht is the first one built by him from scratch, which means that it bears the stamp of the preferences of an experienced owner who took seriously the construction process and the choice of a shipyard that could “hear him “. The client had a very clear vision of what his new yacht would be like: the appearance is courageous and solid, but not aggressive or overloaded. The nature of the owner’s use of the yacht must also be taken into account: water sports, long-term stays with the family and the possibility of receiving a large number of guests on board.
“We started discussing the construction of this boat two years before we signed an agreement with Admiral Yachts,” says Chris Delves, captain and owner’s representative. – I spent this time in the shipyards of Northern Europe, testing various models. We were looking for a ready-made engineering platform and finally settled on an Italian shipyard: only here were we ready to make serious changes to the design so that the vessel would meet the customer’s requirements. “
Decks “sea” and “sun”
Harmony, balance and optimization are the main guidelines that had to be taken into account when designing the interior space of Life Saga. Each zone on the ship has tried to give a special function; they are not duplicated, and this is another factor in the attractiveness of the boat. They even received their own special names in the project: for example, the main deck is lovingly named Sea Deck, and the upper deck is Après Soleil Deck.
The main deck space from aft to amidships is devoid of clear boundaries between open areas and spaces, and thus is perceived as a large open area. Such a planning solution along with folding and sliding glass doors, folding balconies, opening windows can be called a single “hybrid environment”: there is plenty of air, light and space, and you don’t always know where you are – inside or outside.
The same idea is implemented on the upper deck, where the very light dining room in the form of a rotunda with its sliding curved glass walls, designed as part of the après soleil concept, looks like a kind of filter that can separate the lounge area from the cinema or connect them, which goes against the usual separation of open and closed spaces on a pleasure boat.
Dossier Admiral Life Saga
Length:
65.00 m
Width:
10.60 m
Draft:
2.90 m
Capacity:
1195 reg. t
Fuel / water supply:
120,000/25,000 l
Engines:
2 × Cat 3512C (1600 hp)
Maximum speed:
16 knots
Power reserve:
6,000 miles (10 knots)
Passengers:
12 people (6 cabins)
Crew:
17 people (9 cabins)
Hull / superstructure material:
steel / aluminum
Design:
Gian Marco Campanino / Mark Berryman Design
The two-deck, solid compartments and the folding bulwarks provide great views from the amidships
Two folding bathing platforms on the sides provide the “beach club” with even more air and contact with the sea
Beauty by day …
… and at night
The main saloon is also designed as a semi-open space with tall, partially sloping windows on both sides and sliding glass doors that open access both to adjacent rooms and to the outside, to hinged balconies in the bulwarks. During the design phase, the decision was made to move the galley downstairs, giving the VIP cabin on the main deck space for a private lounge that can be transformed into two separate cabins simply by using a folding wall panel.
There are two cabins for the owner. The one on the main deck, together with the office, was located closer to the bow, and the second suite took the place of the usual skylight in the aft part of the upper deck. It is quite spacious here: there was a place for a library, a sushi bar, a winery and table football.
The designer made sure that the yacht does not get lost among boats of similar sizes
In the center of the dining area on the upper deck is a polished ebony round Fletcher table with a radial sliding mechanism, allowing the seating capacity to be increased from eight to twelve. The table is installed between the saloon and the open area in the stern, and the sliding glass doors of the saloon allow you to adjust its “belonging” to a particular area at the moment. One table instead of two – this is how the owner’s favorite optimization principle works.
With the sundeck, the designers at Admiral Yachts have managed to do without the pillers, which usually support the canopy of its overhang. Alfresco zone, remarkable for its richness, has been formed on the deck. The bar in the center looks like an open-air kitchen – with a barbecue, grill, oven and teppan stove, and next to it there is a dance floor on one side, and on the other – a jacuzzi and a wet bar.
A door on the transom that rises and folds under the main deck terrace gives access to a spacious “Beach Club” – another relaxation area with sauna, hammam, gym and Jacuzzi; this place is especially attractive when, in addition to the main door, two additional bathing platforms are folded down on each side.
The Italian shipyard Admiral Yachts can be called the flagship of The Italian Sea Group – an association that includes the Tecnomar and NCA Refit shipyards, as well as the interior company Celi. The shipyard, located in the town of Carrara (part of the shipbuilding hub of the Ligurian coast), specializes in the construction of large motor yachts; its capacity allows it to manufacture yachts over 100 m in length.
Since 1966, 145 projects have been completed, and since the early 1980s, Admiral Yachts switched to the construction of steel ships, and since then this name has been associated with reliable seagoing yachts.
In 2011, the company was acquired by The Italian Sea Group, allowing the corporation, which previously relied on the assets of the Tecnomar shipyard, to fill the gap in its production capacity and become one of the largest players in the Italian yachting industry.
Japanese cappuccino
Marc Berryman, the yacht’s interior designer, was hired by the client while the Life Saga hull was under construction. The task was formulated in a tangible and original way: to create an exquisite relaxing atmosphere, and to borrow the general flavor from … cappuccino, in some places adding milky shades. To implement this concept, light oak wood was chosen, to which, as a base, darker walnut and wenge were added – all in a matte version, while maintaining the natural texture. Leather has taken an important place in the design of the interiors of the super-yacht.
“The owner has a fondness for leather car interiors and we have installed panels covered in this material throughout the yacht, some of which have been specially treated for outdoor areas. The automotive theme also inspired us to use quilting and perforated leather on the main stair handrails, ”says Berriman.
There is plenty of air, light and space, and you don’t always realize where you are: inside or outside
New textures and colors have been added to the interiors thanks to inclusions of stone: travertine, onyx, Emperador marble and limestone. All these elements and solutions were combined in an “oriental” way.
“I have always been impressed by Japanese design, which gives a sense of harmony and serenity, and one of the key themes on the yacht is the Japanese circle motif, complemented by objects shaped by horizontal and vertical oak and walnut planks. The circle is central to Japanese architectural language, symbolizing safety. However, here it breaks straight lines, ”continues Berryman. Another recurring motif is the miniature hydroponic trees, characteristic of the designer’s creative handwriting, found everywhere and bringing the interior to life.
When the huge sliding curved glass doors are open, the upper deck dining group merges with the aft seating area
The boundaries are blurring … Salon on the main deck
Bar adjacent to the salon: a symphony of wood and leather
The circle – one of the key motifs in interior design – is found everywhere
Power of the sea
For almost 40 years, Admiral Yachts has been building its boats with steel hull and light alloy superstructure, and Life Saga is no exception. The basis for its creation was the G-Force 65 engineering platform, which has undergone profound changes in accordance with the individual needs of the customer. At the same time, the shipyard did not strive to implement the ultra-innovative achievements of the industry, but almost all of the best and proven ones can be found on board Life Saga.
The optimized lines feature a ribbed bow bulb designed to smooth the vessel’s wave system and reduce drag. As a result, equipped with two Caterpillar 3152C diesel engines of 1600 hp each. from. the yacht is capable of sailing at a maximum speed of 16 knots; cruising speed – 14.5 knots. With a capacity of 120 tons of fuel tanks, the Life Saga has a serious range of 6,000 miles: at 10 knots, it can cross the Atlantic twice without refueling!
Launching of Life Saga became a landmark event for the shipyard
Three generators with a total capacity of 550 kW will provide electricity to all equipment on board and satisfy any guests’ fantasies. The specialists from the Dutch Van Cappellen have taken care of excellent sound insulation: in addition to standard measures, the main engines are mounted on a frame beam structure forming a closed loop, which reduces structure-borne noise. Despite the impressive capacity of the fresh water tanks (25,000 liters), there are two Idromar desalination plants on board, providing 30 cubic meters of water replenishment. m per day.
Life Saga has become the second largest yacht in the Admiral Yachts fleet – the Planet Nine championship (73 meters, 2018). For a shipyard operating in the superyacht market over 500 reg. t, the launching of the yacht was a landmark event, and work on it helped the company to get contracts for the construction of two 75-meter projects.
Conclusion
This balanced yacht with a catchy dynamic design and recognizable interiors did not disappoint its owner, who wanted to get a special, or better – a unique boat, a kind of shipbuilding art piece, on which one could surf the oceans of the planet. In the name of the technical platform from which Life Saga arose, the shipyard laid the idea of the energy of the sea elements, which the vessel must withstand. The reliability of the yacht’s steel hull, its precise lines and well-thought-out engineering “filling” convince: Life Saga will cope with many tests.
Text
Ivan Golubev
Chief Editor
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