In chess, checkmate is the last position in which you want to find yourself. But aboard Checkmate, built by Benetti, there are multiple places where her owner likes to spend time with his family. And yes, those places include a cozy corner with a chess set. Equally important, Checkmate, a Benetti Vision 145, blends an avid yachtsman’s ideas with the Italian shipyard’s skills. She’s the 100th fiberglass megayacht built by Benetti’s Viareggio facility since 1998.
Given the owner’s love of chess, naturally Checkmate has this dedicated table aft in the saloon. Games tables typically appear in upper-deck lounges, so it’s nice to see this one in the primary interior relaxation space. (It’s also near the aft-deck doors, should someone need a little fresh sea air to better strategize.)
The rest of the saloon, with cherry and madrona woods, lets non-players have their own areas to gather. They’re not so removed, however, as to be unable to see and hear the goings-on at the games table. Overall, the atmosphere is welcoming and comfortable. It also lends privacy when needed, as the Benetti Vision 145 has walk-around decks.
Benetti offers a nice amount of customization for the semi-custom 145 Vision series. The owner of Checkmate certainly took advantage of it. This detail, in the main foyer, pays homage to the megayacht’s name without being kitschy.
There’s a lot of customization on the upper deck. Checkmate has a two-foot-longer skylounge, and the foyer leading to it and this circular dining area is open. Additionally, there’s a large port in the foyer, opposite the central stairs. Typically the Benetti 145 Vision positions the day head there.
Another custom request from the owner of Checkmate: a two-level master suite. It makes the most of the megayacht’s beam of 30’4” (9.26 meters). The sleeping space occupies the upper level. A door leads out to a private deck area, too, a further request of Checkmate’s owner. It’s fitted with a sunpad and seating.
Eight chess partners—or friends and family—are treated to four staterooms, all below decks. For extra guests, a king stateroom has a pullman, as does one of the two twin staterooms. The owner of Checkmate selected different marbles for each stateroom’s en suite bath. Benetti takes its customers to the marble quarry so that they can personally select the slabs for their yachts.
The sundeck reflects a blend of ideas from previous Benetti 145 Vision yachts and the owner. In a first for Benetti, Checkmate tucks a day head into the port side of the arch. Fully forward, there’s a seating area like the one aboard Domani, the first 145 Vision. The sundeck should get good use whether Checkmate is cruising at a reported 14 knots (powered by twin Caterpillars) or at anchor.
Checkmate’s owner is quite crew-conscious. The galley, on the main deck, has this handy pantry for staging platters. Both are outfitted with wood soles. Furthermore, the cabinetry is finished to the same standards as the guest areas aboard Checkmate. The owner wanted the galley to feel like an extension of a relaxation space. He and his family like to poke their heads in, too, to see what the chef is making.
A strictly work-only space like the laundry room further shows how the owner of Checkmate strives for a good relationship with his nine-person crew. Benetti is conscious of the crew’s needs, too. All Benetti 145 Vision megayachts have a standing-height tunnel beneath the lower deck. It permits access to the tops of tanks.
In the game of chess, checkmate ends the game. The player’s king is about to be captured (a.k.a. is in check), and no move exists to avoid it. Aboard Checkmate, the owner might find his king in a tough spot. But as the king of his yacht, there’s a multitude of ways to escape, and to do so with the people he treasures most.
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