From September 10 to 15, Cannes will be providing the stage and backdrop for the Yachting Festival 2019 and Benetti will arrive proudly in the spotlight from a long season full of important sales, deliveries and launches.
Three fiberglass Benetti yachts will be exposed at this year’s lavish event. World Premiere for the seventh hull of Delfino 95 M/Y “Aslan”, a 29-meter displacement yacht, and M/Y “Bangadang”, the eighth Fast 125 unit, with 38.1 meters in length that will be presented together with M/Y “Botti”, 35.5 meters yacht and the third Mediterraneo 116.
Benetti confirms its presence on the Croisette as a worthy representative of ‘Made in Italy’ tradition and excellence on the Côte d’Azur with a brand-new allure thanks to several sales, deliveries and launches in the Class, Oasis and Custom categories, to the conclusion of the first part of the iconic Giga Season and to the delivery of 108-meter Benetti’s flagship Giga yacht FB275. The Cannes Yachting Festival 2019 is the showcase that opens the 2019/2010 yachting season and this year it shines a spotlight on three yachts in the Class category.
M/Y “Aslan”, the seventh Delfino 95 unit, is a 29-meter fiberglass yacht. The exterior design is by Giorgio M. Cassetta and the interiors are by the Benetti Interior Style Department, which has created a design that is heavily inspired by the world of sailing yachts, as desired by the owner. The use of teak is particularly striking and a clear reference to sailing boats. The first thing you notice about “Aslan” is the colour of the hull: a deep blue elegantly set off by a red waterline, two colours also found in the interior decor.
The boat’s leitmotiv is its understatement, which taken together with the sophisticated refinement of straightforward design choices delivers a remarkable sense of elegance.
The layout covers four decks and all the interiors share the same style, as defined by the colourways and choice of materials, not least in the main salon, where the standout features are two open bookcases. The alternating blue and white colourways, also found in the cabins, set off the carpet and teak with wengé inserts on the floor, providing a perfect foil for the prestige and quality of the sofas and chairs.
The owner’s cabin on the Main Deck is bright and airy, with alternating Tanganyika wood and light-coloured leather inserts. The bathroom and its big shower are dominated by the glowing tones of light-coloured teak wood, with Taj Mahal marble used for the floor and shower tray. The 4 guest cabins, 2 VIP and 2 Twin, are also bathed in natural light, with light-coloured carpeting accompanied by teak wood and blue- and cream-coloured leather inserts. One of the standout features in the bow area on the Upper Deck is the custom Jacuzzi tub lined with a remarkable mosaic entirely hand laid by a Tuscan craftsman.
Accompanying M/Y “Aslan” to the show will be M/Y “Bangadang”, the eighth unit built of the Fast 125 model yacht renowned for its clean lines. The exterior design is by Stefano Righini and the interiors are the work of UK-based RWD, which has designed three different style solutions especially for Benetti: Land, Sea and Air. The owner of M/Y “Bangadang” opted for ‘Air’, which combines clean lines with a distinctly modern personality. 38.1m in length, the yacht is equipped with high performance technology for speed and manoeuvrability. In addition to the D2P displacement-to-planing hull designed by Pierluigi Ausonio and the Azimut|Benetti Research & Development Centre, M/Y “Bangadang” is also fitted with low drag, high efficiency Azipull carbon thrusters.
The owner of M/Y “Bangadang” has opted for minimalist styling and clean lines, choosing ‘Made in Italy’ furnishings from brands like Cassina, Minotti, B&B, Meridiani and Paola Lenti. The flooring throughout the boat is oak parquet, with alternating colour shades and crafting techniques.
The sheer quantity of natural light that is a feature of the yacht as a whole is the first thing to strike you in the lounge on the Main Deck, which is furnished with sofas, chaises longue, armchairs and a table seating 10. The owner’s cabin is also flooded with light through panoramic windows and has a private bathroom with marble floors. The night area can accommodate up to 10 guests on the Lower Deck in 4 cabins with bathrooms. Furnished with sofas and sun loungers, the extremely spacious outdoor areas are designed for enjoying the open air life and a convivial atmosphere in good company, hence the bar corner and high performance barbecue unit fitted with an original extractor hood that protects the grill when not in use.
The second helm station on the Sun Deck is furnished with two L-shaped sofas in a solution already used on other Fast 125 models.
M/Y “Botti” will be the third yacht exposed in Cannes. The 35.5-meter M/Y “Botti” has a fiberglass displacement hull and a carbon fibre superstructure. She is the third Mediterraneo 116 unit in the Class category and extends across four decks.
The exterior design concept is by Giorgio M. Cassetta, while the interiors are a jointly work of Benetti’s Interior Style Department, and Radyca design studio, the design firm brought in by the owner, who contributed personally to choosing the details of the furnishings and materials. The sleek, sweeping design of the exteriors is reflected in the layout of the interiors and their decoration, in which light and big spaces work together to create warm, light-filled settings.
Fine fabrics, wood accents featuring warm colours and soft lighting set the tone in the communal settings and the spaces reserved for the owner and their guests. The Main Deck has a roomy lounge area comprising a dining space and an American bar. The Master Suite in the bow area is dominated by two huge glazed surfaces, with parquet floors in the night area and marble in the bathroom area. Before entering the Master Suite, a comfortable studio with sofa and TV offers a private area in which to take a break and relax.
The stern area on the Upper Deck has all-wood flooring and consists of a spacious outdoor dining area with a round table that can seat up to 10 people. The interior is set aside for leisure and play activities, with a Sky Lounge furnished with a big sofa, a 75-inch TV and a game table seating four players. A big jacuzzi and a fully personalised sun lounging pad are positioned centrally in the bow area. In the stern of the Sun Deck there is another personalised sun lounging pad, while the bow area is furnished with sofas and sun loungers.
The 4 guest cabins are on the Lower Deck: the 2 VIP cabins with double beds are laid out symmetrically, while the 2 guest cabins have sliding twin beds. One guest cabin has a pullman bed. Also, on the Lower Deck, but further forward, are the 3 cabins for the crew which, together with the captain’s cabin on the Upper Deck next to the bridge console, can accommodate up to 7 people.
The engine room is fitted with two 1,029 kW MAN V12-1400 engines (1,400 mHP @ 2,100 rpm each), driving the boat to a top speed of 15 knots, while the cruising speed stands at around 14 knots. The yacht has a range of 3,200 nautical miles at 10 knots and is stabilised both at sea and at anchor by electric stabiliser fins.
