Yacht Class n°33 (june-july-august 2023)

Custom Line – Ferretti Group

Italian shipbuilder Custom Line, a member of Ferretti Group, is launching its flagship, a superyacht of over 42-metre whose design, by Francesco Paszkowski, will cause heads to turn. The layout and technology used to ensure her success must also be assessed.

Written by : Christophe Varène – Photos : DR

The Custom Line 140′ is a special unit with her 42.61 m in length, this new flagship of the range inspires respect. But she has many other assets that cannot be summed up as a list of numbers, no matter how impressive they are. Thus, moored in the port, she showed off her very taut and sporty lines – this is the world of the Italian shipyard’s planing hulls – with her beautiful slender bow, her superimposition of light and dark lines attenuating the mass effect and, above all, her astonishing Y-shaped pulpit supports that lighten the silhouette and clear the view from inside. This modern design marks the third collaboration of Francesco Paszkowski Design with the brand. To reach the Custom Line 140′, visitors were given a foretaste of luxury and tranquillity thanks to its “prestigious” tender, Ferrerri Group’s first electric runabout, the Riva El-Iseo. We boarded this four-deck via the beach club: the vast platform unfolds from the transom to become a lounge and relaxation area just above the waterline, ready for swimming and nautical pleasures. Behind a bar, a side-opening garage houses a Williams SportJet 520 and a jet-ski. We walk up to the main deck via the two wide staircases on each side to discover the aft saloon. Well sheltered from the sun, this 30 m2 teak slatted space finds its elegance and comfort in the furniture chosen from the famous Italian design house Minotti: two coffee tables and deep armchairs complete the wide aft settee. A double high glass door then leads to the main saloon, boasting no less than 45m2 of refinement. Floor-to-ceiling side windows (2.10m!) provide plenty of light here, as well as in the dining area where a table can seat ten or even twelve. Continuing forward, you come to a kind of landing. From here, the staircase, which has no risers to keep the view clear, leads to the upper decks and to the lower deck where the professional galley is located. There, a chef can prepare the best dishes inspired by the sea, very present thanks to a large opening.

A master suite with a private terrace

To conclude this tour of this main deck in style, let’s continue towards the bow to reach the master suite. This real “flat” of 44 m2 extends across the entire width of the yacht. After the starboard entrance, a small corridor has a bench seat under a large porthole facing the two dressing rooms (His & hers). The king size bed is oriented towards a bulkhead with a TV screen. If the left side is occupied by a desk and its armchair, the starboard wall lowers to become a real terrace: this private space, protected by a pulpit, offers two armchairs and a coffee table for moments of sharing and plenitude. The bathroom confirms the attention paid by the Custom Line’s designers to the owner’s well-being: a contemporary central bathtub, a double washbasin, two shower cubicles with sea view, two separate toilets, all in an elegant atmosphere made of marble and woodwork. Do guests enjoy the same standards? To find out, let’s head below deck to admire the four cabins: three VIPs with double beds and one with two single beds. Everywhere the decoration plays on materials capturing and diffusing the light for an upmarket atmosphere. Two VIP cabins have their beds facing the hull porthole for an unobstructed view and closest proximity to the water, while the third one has an opposite configuration, facing the bulkhead with a TV screen. Each one has its own private bathroom and plenty of storage space. Before going back up, let’s take a look at the crew quarters for six, which include three cabins with bunk beds, three bathrooms, a dining area and a galley.

LA CONVIVIALITÉ RÈGNE AU PONT SUPÉRIEUR

Let’s go up two levels to discover the upper deck. Its entire aft section is devoted to conviviality with a large L-shaped sofa and a long table for ten, sheltered by the sunbridge. Forward, a lounge offers a more intimate setting with a graphic environment thanks to the perpendicular lines on the furniture and on the ceiling. The gangways lead to the foredeck whose configuration will satisfy the sunbathing enthusiasts: a saloon with two tables, ideal for an aperitif or a snack, and two large and pleasant sunbeds. Towards the bow, the deck is devoted to the technical side, with electric windlasses and mooring cleats. Amidships, this upper deck houses the wheelhouse, the heart of the Custom Line 140′. The reserved area of the captain, who also enjoys a cabin on this level, offers a cosy atmosphere dominated by 24″ touch screens (or 27″ as an option), electronic instrumentation, with the Integrated Bridge Solution, with a clean, chiaroscuro design. And to bring our visit to a close, we had to climb the last steps to the sunbridge. On a single level of 70 m2 is a lounge and a bar well protected by a carbon hard-top, plus a Jacuzzi and two solariums in the sun.

A top speed of 21.5 knots

But, as mentioned, the Custom Line 140′ has a planing hull, so performance needs to be discussed. Equipped with a pair of 2 638 hp MTU 16V 2000 M96L she reaches a top speed of 21.5 knots, which is a good performance considering the 225 t displacement. At the cruising speed of 18 knots, she has a range of 680 miles, a decent distance, but with a fuel consumption of around 760 litres per hour. As requested by her owner, this superyacht meets the requirements of the IMO TIER III certification, which aims to protect the environment by reducing emissions of nitrogen oxides. Seakeeper NG18 gyroscopic stabilisers are used for navigational comfort. Both the technology and the design are thought out for a true sense of pleasure.