The year was 1969. A gentleman by the name of Mario Amati decided the powerboat world needed something new, something exciting. The Italian native envisioned a line of open yachts embracing powerful performance matched by powerful lines that wouldn’t look dated in a few years. Over the next few decades, various craft bearing the Itama name (“Amati” spelled backwards) were seen cruising around the Mediterranean. The yachts’ open, agile style was well-suited to the day-tripping and harbor-hopping habits of their owners.
Nearly 40 years later, Amati’s vision lives on, and in June the new flagship will debut: the SeventyFive (seen under construction above). While she’s not the largest launch–there’s already an EightyFive–she’ll bear many of the same elements that make her sisters appealing to yacht owners. And because Itama has been under the umbrella of the Ferretti Group since 2004–the company which owns CRN, Pershing, and other familiar megayacht and production-yacht brands–she and her sisters are poised to eventually chart a course for American waters.
One of the sporty-looking SeventyFive’s features that the Itama design and build teams seem most proud of is what’s referred to as the “avantop,” a sliding sunroof made of carbon fiber and glass. It’s said to shut in just a few seconds, shading the main-deck interior, including the helm. Speaking of glass, the windscreen design has been changed compared to other Itama models, being framed in tubular carbon fiber rather than steel.
Inside, the standard layout offers four staterooms plus a crew cabin. Teak, white-lacquered surfaces, and black Maquina marble are used throughout. Although I haven’t seen any photos or even illustrations yet, the furnishings could prove to be interesting: inspired by 1970’s design elements.
But what about the performance Itamas are so famed for? Twin 1,823-hp MTUs paired with Arneson surface drives should push the SeventyFive to a top speed around 45 knots. Not enough? No problem: A VHP (Very High Performance) series is in development, expected to reach 60 knots.
Expect the SeventyFive to pull into three different Med ports from June to mid-July, as part of the Itama Power Circle, the yard’s third-annual gathering of owners and interested buyers. The locations have yet to be announced, though judging from other Ferretti Group events, no doubt she’ll be accompanied by quite the fanfare.
Itama
The price of excellence !