Why would a builder known mostly for performance-oriented sailing yachts develop a displacement motoryacht series? Considering the series is coming from Wally, the question should actually be, why not? Wally has never seemed satisfied with producing cookie cutter designs, either among its sail- or motoryachts. But from another standpoint, Wally’s president and founder, Luca Bassani, realizes that the changing buyer landscape is comprised of clients who want practical cruising craft. Wallyship is a direct response.
Two models are part of the series, a 25.65-meter (84-foot) yacht referred to as the 26-meter, seen here, and a 36-meter (118-footer). Each all-fiberglass yacht still bears the aggressive, ultra-contemporary profile elements that mark other power and sail Wallys. The styling comes from in-house, while the naval architecture results from collaboration between Wally and Allseas Design, the company behind the Wally Tender, Fjord Motorboats, and a number of custom megayacht tenders. However, the Wallyships, to be classed by RINA, also embrace features of traditional long-range cruisers. For example, they feature high freeboard for seaworthiness and engines rated for heavier duty and lower fuel consumption. Wally hasn’t revealed specifications for the 36-meter, but the 26-meter will be equipped with twin 350-hp Caterpillar C12s. That’s certainly a lower-horsepower model than other megayachts in this size range. Because she’s intended to emphasize distance versus speed, too, the expected range is 2,000 nautical miles at a 12-knot cruise. Gyroscopic stabilizers should ensure comfort in a variety of conditions, and a 1.6-meter (five-foot) draft at full load should allow her to explore shallow and deep water alike.
Wally says the 26-meter Wallyship’s beam is about 10 percent wider than that of comparable megayachts, coming in at 7.5 meters, or just shy of 25 feet. The owner and guests will appreciate the extra elbowroom on deck, where there’s not just the customary aft-deck dining and relaxing area, but also what Wally calls a forward cockpit. It features a full-size dining table surrounded by sunning space. Inside, the additional beam benefits the choice of three or four staterooms. With either layout, the owner is treated to an aft suite featuring a wall of glass doors/windows that yield access to the enlarged swim platform. Take a look at the illustration above, and you can imagine an owner simply enjoying the view or taking a swim before breakfast. Because of the suite’s position, the tender garage is amidships, capable of holding a 6-meter (20-foot) toy and fitted with a launching system with retractable arms. Those arms additionally hold the tender alongside the yacht when it’s in the water. The crew (four, in two staterooms, with either layout) has direct access to the tender garage and other mechanical areas.
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