Sometimes it’s what you don’t see aboard a megayacht that makes as much of an impression as what you do see.
Case in point is the sleek 40 Alloy series from Sanlorenzo. The Italian shipyard introduced the all-aluminum 131-foot series last year at the Monaco Yacht Show, where I got a good look at hull #1, christened 4H. At this year’s edition of the show, hull #2, Onyx, was on display. Despite that prior tour, I forgot what made the main deck so special until I walked from the saloon forward to the owner’s suite: no dining area. Yes, even though essentially every other megayacht in this size range has either a combination saloon-dining area or a country kitchen fully forward, the 40 Alloy devotes the main deck to relaxation.
Traditionalists may balk at the arrangement, but I find it refreshing. Who says you have to have a main-deck dining spot inside, after all? And truth be told, the way some builders offering yachts in the 130-foot range end up sandwiching in a table and chairs, main-deck dining spots sometimes feel small and make the saloon feel the same way–definitely not something that should happen on a megayacht.
That’s not to say that there’s no place to eat inside the 40 Alloy. The dining area has been relocated to the upper deck, where two cocktail tables in front of a sprawling settee to starboard convert to one rectangular table.
Speaking of the upper deck, here’s another good example of what you don’t see making a big impression. From the helm station all the way to the doors leading to the aft deck, it’s one large, open space. No walls segregate the driving area from the guests, and no walls compartmentalize the dumbwaiter that leads from the lower-deck galley (located in the crew’s quarters). The openness, three large skylights directly overhead, and the fact that the windows to each side permit both seated and standing guests to enjoy excellent views all play to strong effect.
Of course, some things about the 40 Alloy series are readily noticeable, helping the yachts stand apart more. Take a close look at the profile, and you’ll see two sections that fold down as balconies: one in the saloon, and the other in the master suite. Watertight double glass doors yield access when the balconies–or, as Sanlorenzo likes to call them, terraces on the sea–are put into position. Balconies such as these are finding their way more and more onto megayachts, and owners–particularly younger and young-at-heart clients–appreciate them. Owners these days also appreciate being able to work or even work out aboard. Having toured hulls #1 and #2 of the Sanlorenzo 40 Alloy series, I’ve seen how the builder fulfills both of these desires. Aboard 4H (hull #1), the owner’s stateroom features a private gym along the port side, next to the bedroom. Aboard Onyx, the same space is the owner’s office. While I was impressed with both arrangements, I particularly liked how the office was a fully separate space than the bedroom area. Even aboard megayachts upwards of 50 feet longer than the 40 Alloy, the owner’s office is typically the first room you enter when stepping inside the owner’s suite. Why? I suspect it’s the same reason that main-deck dining areas get squeezed into saloons: Nobody, from the build and design teams and even the owner’s team, ever gave it a second thought.
So how come Sanlorenzo seems to have given these and other things a second thought? Mario Giornati, the yard’s public relations and press office manager, explained to me that management has noticed a change among its buyers in recent years. Specifically, the clients have been more attracted to modern styling and novel features, versus the traditional-looking, all-white yachts that Sanlorenzo offered for a number of years.
Keeping up with buyer demand is obviously in its best interest, but so is giving the market something that turns heads. Considering Sanlorenzo is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and has more novel designs planned for the next year, including a steel-hulled boat, it seems set on turning heads for a while to come.
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