
Move over, multihulls; there’s a new speedster in town.
If you’re familiar with luxury catamarans, then you probably remember Lady Barbaretta (a.k.a. Lady B), built by CMN in 2004 and capable of 20-knot speeds under sail, an impressive accomplishment. Well, under a new name, and thanks to the handiwork of Azzura Marine, that yacht, now known as Necker Belle, can hit 25 knots.

The 32-meter (105-foot) multihull, constructed entirely of carbon fiber, underwent extensive work over the past few months. The photos here show her as she peeked out of the shed at the Australia-based yard this week. The sails and deck hardware were all upgraded, and a new mast rising 38 meters tall (125 feet) was additionally created. She now meets the MCA code LY2 standard, the most updated large-yacht standard; as Lady Barbaretta, she met the LY1 standard. Local press reports in Australia say the yacht was also lengthened, to 33.5 meters (110 feet).
Inside, AM Interiors, Azzura Marine’s in-house design studio, made extensive changes to the décor and added a guest stateroom, bringing the total number of people who can be accommodated to 10. (On a side note, it’s worth mentioning that AM Interiors is working with Trinity Yachts on a 57-meter, or 187-footer.)
While the yacht was still in the shed, Azzura Marine placed a water tower nearby to simulate voyages in seawater while testing each system. Testing dockside has just begun, as have sea trials. Once the crew and the owner (widely reported to be Sir Richard Branson) are satisfied, Necker Belle will cruise more than 10,000 nautical miles to her home base in the Caribbean. There, charter clients will get a chance to experience her, through the management of Virgin Limited Edition, Branson’s luxury-retreats division.
Leave a Reply