For the past several years, Sanlorenzo has been building sleek megayachts up to 40 meters (131 feet), mostly with a mid-20-knot cruise speed. The buyers were, of course, impressed with the layout of relaxation spaces. Aruably, though, they liked the performance aspects a bit more. However, concerns are growing, particularly among European owners, over fuel consumption and the environmental impact. Customers want to burn less fossil fuels while still enjoying a cruise. As a result, Sanlorenzo has a displacement yacht, the Sanlorenzo 44 Steel, while remaining true to its philosophy of maximizing living space.
Nearing completion at the 50-year-old shipyard’s Viareggio, Italy facility, the 44 Steel is, as the name suggests, a 44-meter (144-foot), steel-hulled yacht. To address the more leisurely, fuel-friendly equation, the yard equipped her with twin Caterpillar 3512Bs. They should permit a 17-knot top speed at half load and a 15-knot cruise speed. At that cruising speed, the range should be 1,900 nautical miles. Better yet, when throttled back to 12 knots, the Sanlorenzo 44 Steel should see a 4,000-nautical-mile range.
Ten people in the owner’s party (catered to by nine crew) will enjoy a voluminous interior. Sanlorenzo says it’s more along the lines of one aboard a superyacht 30 feet longer. In fact, the volume is 499 gross tons, akin to that of a 50- to 52-meter yacht.
Francesco Paszkowski, who has collaborated with Sanlorenzo on many boats so far, worked with the owner of the first 44 Steel to create a distinctly personal atmosphere. The illustration here give a hint as to what the final design will look like, featuring a decided emphasis on natural tones and particularly “cascades” of light along walls. In fact, this superyacht reportedly has a sophisticated interior lighting system. It higlights the upper-deck dining area (no main-deck dining), the oversize main saloon, and the guest staterooms. Those cabins include two VIPs and two twin-bed staterooms.
For waterside fun, the transom garage includes the “Beach Club,” containing a gym, spa/wellness room, and head. Guests can additionally access it via stairs on the aft main deck and inside the saloon.
The feature I’m particularly interested in inspecting is the “under lower deck,” in Sanlorenzo’s terminology. It’s a central tunnel running beneath the entire length of the lower deck. It houses technical systems like the engine room and bow thruster compartment. It further houses the laundry and additional freezer and cold storage space. It’s apparently anything but a crawlspace, too. Sanlorenzo asserts it’s large enough for an adult to stand up properly, especially to check and maintain systems.
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