Yacht Class n°15 (dec 2018/jan-feb 2019)

AZIMUT-BENETTI GROUP

Unveiled at the last Versilia Yachting rendez-vous, the Delfino 95 ‘has attracted many glowing reviews. From the outset, she is recognized as an indisputable personality through her still conquering figure. Then force is to admit that her interior fittings and decoration are likely to seduce the most demanding.

Written by Francesca Portoghese – Photos : Thierry Ameller

Uriamir, name of this 29 meters, belongs to the Benetti Classic family (95 ‘, 116’, 132 ‘and 145’), all with displacement hulls. Made of polyester (shell) and carbon composite (superstructures) to gain weight and robustness, they are all characterized by an undeniable personality despite a profile of elegant and timeless lines. Thus, the 95 ‘, born from the design office Giorgio Maria Casetta, in terms of its silhouette, perfectly meets a priority of the specifications of Benetti shipyard: a concept breaking with the past, without being at all costs trend.
High on the water, with imposing superstructures, this unit is first and foremost as friendly as possible in terms of outdoor spaces, culminating in the front deck encircled by a high balcony that secures a vast space of which we immediately understand the reason for being: idleness. In order, a lounge with a coffee table, a bench and ottomans, then solariums and finally a small pool. Lovers of seawater will head to the stern. The lowered transom acts as a bathing platform and there is a kind of beach club, once the tender and the jet-ski have been launched. The lunches or dinners with sea view on 180 degrees will be served either in the cockpit, entirely protected by the cap of the flybridge, or at the level of the upper deck on a terrace, which decorates the interior living room, a kind of home cinema.
We are now eager to discover the interiors on four decks: lower (crew and engine room space and garage), main (living-dining room, main kitchen and master), upper (terrace-living room TV and wheelhouse), the mini flybridge is reserved for the outside cockpit. Accompanied by Rossella De Luzio, head of the Benetti Style Department, we are getting ready to familiarize ourselves with the interior fittings, the result of a thorough study of Achille Salvagni, in close collaboration with the owner. Note that this designer has long worked with the group Azimut-Benetti … for the better. What we will soon see. The large side windows of the main deck highlight, if necessary, an original decoration despite its soft nuances.

Achille Salvagni, master of decoration

In terms of materials, the alternation of light wood with its velvety and powdery surface, and dark, varnished wood reminds us of the transatlantic fittings of the 1940s. The wood reflects the combination with nature and the sea and adapts well to the boat with its enveloping forms. The play of natural light, absorbed by surfaces and fabrics, enhances the decor. The look, rich in charm, is accentuated by the chiaroscuro effect given by the alternation of materials such as limestone marble and Tay and Tanganyika woods, in two glossy and opaque versions. The cabinetmaking work of the Uriamir is extremely refined. The light wood surfaces have been treated with a special patina that makes them very pleasant to the touch. They are spaced by dark cornices that emphasize the frame of the boat. The wooden doors with their herringbone veneer and the Benetti “B” shaped handle fit perfectly. Virtually all internal surfaces of the boat have been patinated and treated so that the contrast between the rough and the smooth can be appreciated more. In addition, the ceiling was covered with a high-end lacquer, called Tactus. We also see wallpaper inserts with a raw linen finish that only make the atmosphere even more relaxing. The choice of Achille Salvagni by Benetti and the owner was therefore most relevant. The continuation of our visit will reinforce this very positive impression.

All is refinement

To be sure to capture the maximum of light in the following owner, no hesitation, the front of the main deck is the most appropriate. This is where the shipowner suite, which apart from its generous dimensions, gives an impression of even greater space. There are two dressing rooms and two bathrooms (with a bath), for the gentleman and the lady. We find a similar decoration to the living-dining room is a dominant of light tones highlighted by dark varnished wood (surrounding walls and doors). The intimacy of the owners is totally preserved. The four other cabins, two doubles and two twins, which occupy part of the lower deck, take over, for our pleasure, the same “ingredients” in terms of decoration. The layout plan of the common area of the main deck remains classic with however originalities such as the shape of some furniture and curvaceous sofas. We walk in a contemporary atmosphere that reflects refinement and subtlety. Congratulations to the talented Achille Salvagni who proves that good taste can be found in yacht interiors.

Who goes piano goes sano

Last step and not least: plunge into his mechanical bowels or more clearly in his engine room to verify a proper assembly and know the power of these two diesels MAN: 2 x 1,000 horses. The displacement hull tracks with determination its wake to 14,5 nodes maximum. Reducing to 11.5 knots to get the cruising speed, one can count on a range of 2,190 miles, which allows her to consider a transatlantic with a stopover in the Azores, then in Bermuda (1,950 miles). An asset if this unit is placed in a charter fleet, which she will have no trouble doing with respect to her comfort and amenities. The crew area includes three cabins for a total of five berths.
We will not be surprised to learn that already three copies of this 95-foot were built and delivered to their sponsor, which augurs well for a promising career.