A number of up-and-coming yacht designers are aiming for owners’ attention by producing concept projects. Some, though, haven’t been vetted by experienced naval architects, so they could very well be impossible to build. The Federico Fiorentino team is avoiding that problem with Belafonte, a fast-displacement concept it initially unveiled last fall. Belafonte has now been analyzed by Van Oossanen Naval Architects and, if built, should achieve both transatlantic and transpacific range with enviable fuel burns.
Van Oossanen’s study of Belafonte reportedly reveals that the 164-footer (50-meter) will be able to cross the Atlantic at 13 knots. At that speed, she should consume about 30 percent less fuel than a traditionally hulled displacement yacht. Furthermore, at higher speeds, Belafonte should have a 20-percent better fuel burn vs. traditional semi-displacement yachts. For an owner who wishes to cruise the far-flung Pacific, the crossing can be done at 9 knots. And, for those of you who like to go a little faster on the water, Belafonte should be capable of a 30-knot top end.
Wherever the yacht is envisioned to go, Belafonte is designed to accommodate an owner’s party of 10. Both a Very Important Person and the owners get full-beam suites. The master also has a fold-down balcony, naturally. Meals can be enjoyed outside or inside, in a mix of formal and casual areas. A bar even accompanies the shaded alfresco dining spot aft on the upper deck. And, as you’d expect, Belafonte has plenty of sunning spots, plus a pool.
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