For some superyacht owners, it’s the aesthetic of their new build that counts the most. For others, it’s the interior volume or the speed. For the owners of Grace E, it was that illusive quality of how they feel on board that would determine their vision. Their ideal was to make sure everyone – from the guests to the crew – were extended not just comfort, but a state of wellness.
Step one was to commission Perini Navi’s motorised yacht division, Picchiotti who have developed a fabulous piece of naval architecture in Philippe Briand’s Vitruvius concept design. A visionary and highly successful racing sailboat designer in his time, Briand drew inspiration from the hydrodynamic rules of sailing yachts to deliver a motorboat hull with far superior efficiency.
His philosophy for Vitruvius, which was already a proven on previous builds such as the 50-metre Exuma and 55-metre Galileo G, include a fine water entry, a low drag underwater shape and a stretched hull, all of which help lower consumption for the hybrid diesel/electric power units.
Although the initial drawings for Grace E began with a tri-deck yacht similar in size to the two previous Vitruvius models, she evolved during the design phase to become the 73-metres and five-deck tour de force she is today. With her striking plumb bow, a distinctive feature of the Vitruvius design, alongside the full hull below the waterline and 13.3-metre beam, she now affords between 10 and 20 per cent greater interior volume than other vessels of a similar length. The construction work on the hull was completed at Perini Navi’s shipyard in Istanbul, before being shipped to Picchiotti’s yard in La Spezia on the northwest coast of Italy for completion.
Step two was to hire Rémi Tessier, who was responsible for ensuring the yacht’s interior fulfilled its promise of delivering an aura of peace, tranquillity and elegance. Working with her generous volumes, Tessier was able to accommodate space for 22 crew and 14 passengers (12 when used for charter) in seven guest suites, one of which is the 92-square-metre owner’s residence situated on the main deck.
The décor is contemporary, warm and casually chic. There’s plenty of natural light and an emphasis on natural tones and finishes, with light woods, leather, linen, parchment, back-lit onyx and stainless steel. Every material used has been scrutinised and perfected, such as the thick panels of sycamore in the owner’s suite, which have been sandblasted and bleached, then polished as if the wind, the salt, the sea, the sand and the sun had produced their own natural texture. This light palette with touches of darker wood, such as the Ebony high gloss varnished frames that surround most windows, adds a sensual touch, according to Tessier.
The layouts across all five decks have been designed to maximise options for getting together in social gatherings as well as escaping for some alone time. In terms of daytime activities, the beach club is a base for watersports with direct access from the main deck aft’s dining and lounging areas. In the evening, the upper deck’s salon, with sushi bar and sumptuous seating opens out onto the aft deck via sliding eight-metre glass doors that bring a giant U-shaped sofa into play, and a total private party space of 170 square metres.
Something the designer and builder are particularly proud of is the central atrium of the yacht, which features subtle skylights at the top. Here, you’ll find a circular staircase, with soft leather carpeting on the wooden steps, which connects all the yacht’s floors. Within that staircase there’s also a curved glass lift shaft, which features laminated hand-woven gold threads.
But to allow the wellness concept to truly materialise, the owners crowning idea was for a ‘Wellness Deck’, comprising a 238 square-metre spa. This incredible space is located on the uppermost floor and beyond the exercise arcade and massage room, there is a beauty parlour, four-person Jacuzzi, steam bath and a dedicated hydrotherapy room with sauna, cold-water plunge pool and jet bath. On the same floor, forward of this wellness suite, you’ll find the observation lounge, which is a perfect place to relax after your spa treatment. It’s got floor-to-ceiling windows that offer 180-degree views and it’s definitely got a pleasingly calm atmosphere in which to recharge. Finally, to the aft of the same floor, there’s a large open space where the owners plan to do their early morning yoga but it could just as well serve as a private sunbathing ad and as such there are some very novel, funky-looking, swivelling sunbeds.
Of course, there are so many other facets to Grace E, which I haven’t yet touched on, chief amongst those is her technical performance. In fact, she is one of just a handful of superyachts to have made the move to an advanced and efficient diesel electric propulsion system. Her combination of up to four Caterpillar C32’s, and two C18 high-speed generators, managed by a sophisticated automated power management systems, affords her a maximum power output of 4,400kW of power. Her range is in excess of 7,800nm at 12 knots, she cruises economically at between 10-15 knots and she can reach a top speed of 17.5 knots. Factor in whopping great fuel tanks that can store 188,000 litres and you’ll find that Grace E can cruise for months before needing to refuel.
But her single most costly feature is the advanced twin 1,600 kW Azipod propulsion system. What’s that? Basically, they’re two fully rotating propellers that can twist through a 360-degree turning arc and thereby render rudders and stern thrusters obsolete. Not only does this make the yacht highly manoeuvrable, and even anchorless – when coupled with her dynamic positioning system the Azipods can keep the yacht in a “fixed” position on the surface without the need for an anchor – there are also no shafts or struts beneath the surface creating drag or vibrations. This results in almost vibration-free and silent running, even under full steam. “If it weren’t for the changing landscapes,” says Cristina Bernardini, Perini Navi Group’s marketing and communications director, “you would never be able to tell when the yacht’s underway.”
As well as reduced fuel consumption, there are many other ways in which Grace E goes beyond the call of duty in environmental friendliness. Take the waste management system for instance. All used glass is cleaned and crushed to the consistency of sand before it is recycled. All used plastic is cleaned, shredded and compacted so it can be easily stowed before being unloaded at port. General rubbish is separated, compacted and stored in a dedicated refrigerated space. Grey water is processed and recycled. And even the generator exhaust is scrubbed through catalytic converters. The benefits of such a comprehensive disposal plan are not only a better environment, it also makes it possible for Grace E to remain at sea – and far from any shoreside disposal facility – for weeks at a time.
Already a big hit in yachting circles, we reckon that Grace E is more than worthy of her Ultimate accolade. In fact, she’ll probably be taking home a number of other prestigious awards in the coming year. She is an outstanding superyacht from an aesthetic perspective and her owners and all the teams involved in her build have truly pushed the limits of what’s possible both operationally and technologically. Even so, Grace E doesn’t scream of her excellence from the rooftops, she is as subtle and understated as she is remarkable. Did the owners achieve their mission of wellness? Only time will tell, but if they aren’t happy, we’ll gladly take her off their hands.
WHAT Grace E
BY Picchiotti
DELIVERED September 2014
WHY With its wellness deck that is home to an incredible spa, its distinctive design and fuel efficiency, we think the Grace E is destined for great things.
Captions:
(1) The versatility of the guest suites means that rooms can cleverly conjoin through moving wall panels, providing larger rooms when appropriate for smaller parties.
(2) Wellness for the 22 crew was also an important consideration and they are given the tools, like a private gym, multiple service entry points, and very generous space to operate effectively and collectively over long periods of time.
(3) Grace E is capable of traveling anywhere in the world and as such, she’s equipped with a well-conceived array of toys and support vehicles to allow her to cruise with maximum comfort. These include four tenders, a 113 square metre aft garage/beach club with side-shell doors, wave runners, kayaks, paddleboards, diving equipment, Sea Bobs and even bicycles.
