UPDATE, JUNE 30, 2015: Taransay was delivered a few days ago. The owners will spend the summer in the Med, before permitting Rossinavi to exhibit the yacht at the Monaco Yacht Show in September. We’ll have a Megayacht News Onboard feature on Taransay a few weeks after the show.
Read on for our original article about her design and launch.
In 1930, a yacht built at the now-defunct Hall Russell & Co. in Scotland was christened Taransay. A G.L. Watson design, Taransay measured 102 feet (31 meters) LOA. While she was scrapped in 1952, her spirit lives on in a modern-day reinterpretation. Naturally, she’s named Taransay, launched this past weekend at Italy-based Rossinavi.
The new Taransay measures 128’9” (39.3 meters). She initially was to be about 108 feet (33 meters). As is often the case, she grew with the desires of the owner and his wife. All along, she needed to embrace classic charm while simultaneously embracing contemporary creature comforts. A good balance exists aboard Taransay as a result. The funnel conceals the davit for launching the tender. It can also hold a sun awning in place over the upper deck, or lights for nighttime parties. The four guest staterooms (an owner’s party of 12 is accommodated aboard) appear as if they’ve stepped out of history. The ash wood paneling selected by the owners and Mark Berryman Design enhances the feel of these sleeping spaces. Air conditioning, fire doors, and other modern musts are also aboard. Taransay further meets RINA Green Plus standards, a voluntary environmental-oriented notation.
A few things you might not expect benefited from modern standards. A good example: the wheelhouse. Studio Tassin Design, responsible for styling, wanted it to be larger than the dimensions common in the early 20th century. The captain’s cabin and crew’s quarters aboard Taransay are also more comfortable. The galley follows suit in size as well. That should prove particularly helpful when Taransay heads out on long trips, something the owners plan to do. She’ll also be available for charter and be used at events like the Monaco Grand Prix and Les Voiles de Saint Tropez.
There’s a terrific “small world” story behind how Taransay came to be commissioned at Rossinavi. The owner was an experienced charterer and had fallen in love with Ocean Glory, an 86’6” (26.4-meter) motoryacht dating to 1935. He booked her many times over the years, becoming good friends with her captain, Marco Santoro. When he finally decided to buy a yacht, he asked Santoro to look for a classic like Ocean Glory. A few times, Santoro found good candidates, but for various reasons, the opportunities to acquire them slipped away. Finally, he suggested the owner build a replica. Here’s where yet another “small world” situation becomes part of the story. Since Ocean Glory was originally designed by G.L. Watson, they contacted the Scottish studio. G.L. Watson sent details on Taransay.
The regional Italian newspaper Il Tireno captured this video footage from the launch of the modern Taransay:
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