Cerri is known for its sporty and speedy fiberglass yachts. It’s now venturing into the explorer world, plus steel and aluminum construction, with the Phileas line.
“Phileas” comes from the famed character of the same name in Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days. Cerri (pronounced “cherry”) is offering Phileas in metal to tap the knowledge base of its sister company, Baglietto.
The first Phileas yacht is already in build at Cerri’s facility in Carrara, Italy. She measures 114’2” (34.8 meters), with a beam of 24’9” (7.6 meters) and draft of 7’9” (2.4 meters). Tunnels are being incorporated to keep that draft shallower than other expedition yachts, and therefore for greater appeal among Americans in particular. Overall, the Phileas styling comes from the drawing boards of A. Vallicelli & C., with Cerri’s in-house team responsible for the hull.
The full Phileas line will range between 98 and 115 feet (30 and 35 meters). If the size range seems small, Cerri’s management team makes compelling arguments to the opposite. First, the LOAs are consistent with the shipyard’s focus. Second, according to Giulio Bertani, Cerri’s sales director, some buyers have been stepping down in size due to regulatory and manning issues of larger megayachts. The anticipated 4,000-nautical-mile range at 12 knots under 965-hp MTUs means owners of the Phileas can enjoy the same destinations—and maybe even more, if they opt for an ice-class hull.
The latter is an example of how Cerri is striving to give clients more choices than some of its competitors. Bertani says the Phileas yachts can also have traditional fairing and high-gloss yacht paint, or no fairing at all. For the latter, he adds, Cerri will employ thicker steel hull plates and emphasize welds as perfect as possible. A dedicated laundry room, extra refrigerators and freezers, even bigger tanks are all available, too, Bertani says.
The flexibility extends to the general arrangement. The Cerri Phileas is available with three to five staterooms. Their configuration is open to choice as well, as is the rest of the relaxation spaces. For perspective on crew requirements, consider that the first Phileas will be manned by four crew. They’ll be housed in two cabins below decks, with the captain getting a stateroom aft of the wheelhouse.
Cerri is remaining firm on one particular aspect of the Phileas line, however. The yard wants to make maintenance for the crew straightforward. Bertani says every system is being designed for simple access and, if needed, replacement. He comments that too many yachts are designed with systems as after-thoughts, essentially placed wherever an open spot seems to exist. Furthermore, Bertani says, even things sight gauges are being installed in the Phileas’ engine room. And, Cerri has simple operations manuals in mind as well.
The Phileas line is being marketed statesidE directly by the yard. Bertani says that Cerri wants to have a shipyard representative based in the States in the near future, to complement these activities. Cerri already has a U.S.-based after-sales and service representative.
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