Maria Roberta Morso

Even at first glance, it is clear that J’Ade represents a great achievement and a step forward for both the CRN shipyard and its long-standing collaborator, Zuccon International Project. Striking exterior lines and refined interiors highlighted with delicate jade-green details conceal many sophisticated engineering elements, such as a lateral, floodable garage containing a Riva Iseo 27.

The secret of a successful semi-custom series mostly lies in a design that appeals to a wide range of owners, but the recipe must contain other important ingredients such as construction to high standards, attractive price and appealing delivery time.

At the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show last year, the Rodriguez Group showcased a yacht never seen on this side of the Atlantic, the Cerri 102. The 102 was also in Cannes, alongside smaller sistership Cerri 86.

Currently at the helm is Fulvio Codecasa, who works with his two daughters and sons-in-law; he has guided the shipyard since the early 1970s when Codecasa launched its first steel vessel. The Codecasas’ longevity says something about their passion and devotion to their craft, which contributed to the growth of the brand and the company.

A large group of captains gathered in the port city of Livorno, Italy, this past month for the 13th edition of the Benetti-Azimut Group Yachtmaster. A three-day event, the Yachtmaster gathers captains of yachts 100 feet and larger.

On the occasion of the 2012 Yacht Valley Press Tour organized by HISWA, the Dutch yachting industry association, we had the opportunity to visit De Voogt Naval Architects, a firm whose history is closely bound to that of superyacht builder Feadship.

Wally is certainly no stranger to innovation. In so many ways and so often, the company has pushed the boundaries to create something truly new, be it sail or power. In Cannes and Monaco this year, the company showed off Kanga.

In 2011, we walked around the Vitruvius 73’s huge metal structure at Perini Navi’s Yildiz yard in Turkey. A year later, a trip to La Spezia gave us an opportunity to see all the progress that had been made on a yacht is shaping up to be an exceptional new entry in the superyacht world.

When Roberto Zambrini was named CEO at the beginning of 2012, the yard’s owners and new management decided to step into the future with a few projects that should represent a turning point in the shipyard’s tradition.

On the occasion of our latest visit to Heesen’s facilities in Oss, we had the opportunity to get aboard the builder’s new flagship, the all-aluminum Heesen 65m. Construction started in December 2011 after a long design and planning process. The much-anticipated yacht, currently in the outfitting stages, is well on her way to an on-time delivery in 2013.

The family-owned Spanish shipyard, founded by Jesus Astondoa in 1916, stayed true to what has been a winning formula over the past decades. Astondoa, which has a diverse production, offers its clients a high level of customization, regardless of boat size.

We recently paid a visit to Astondoa, a Spanish shipyard renowned for its extensive range of what we’d like to call “production/custom” yachts in the 40- to more than 120-foot range.

We came back from a tour of the Dutch shipyards, organized by the Dutch yachting association (part of a larger association promoting the Dutch marine industry, known as HISWA), with some positive news. Most (if not all) the Dutch shipyards have a number of big yachts currently under construction and the future looks bright.

The Crystal 140 is one of the newest models in superyacht-builder Benetti’s semi-custom offering. Exterior styling by Stefano Righini and a functional interior by François Zuretti give her an alluring and subtle personality, suitable for personalization.

Only two years old, Italian boatbuilder Cantiere delle Marche has already forged a solid reputation with sturdy steel-and-aluminum vessels built for worldwide exploration. The experienced team behind this new shipyard focuses on owners and a small production of high-quality, long-range luxury cruising yachts designed to meet those owners’ needs.

Azimut Benetti Group started as Azimut srl, a sailing-boat charter company, in 1969. It wasn’t until the 1980s that it became a boatbuilding brand with its own production. From there, it experienced phenomenal growth. At all of the world’s major boat shows, the group has a large presence with island-style displays and multiple booths, presenting a vast array of boats and yachts, addressing just about any type of motorboat enthusiast’s needs or desires.

One of the noteworthy new yachts at the 2011 Monaco Yacht Show was E & E, a vessel that belongs to an experienced yachtsman who really knew what he wanted out of his new yacht. The starting point for the design and construction of E & E was the owner’s previous boat, his beloved Vripak-designed 126-foot yacht Jasmin.

The S in S Collection stands for Sportiness. These stylish composite vessels are very comfortable cruising at speeds in the high 30s and in several cases have top speeds exceeding 40 knots. Among their most recognizable stylistic features are the square midship hull-side windows (four or six, according to length). The larger models boast a sun deck elegantly concealed in the sleek profile.

Designed for owners who enjoy longer periods at sea and give priority to environmental concerns and lower fuel consumption, the two models in the Magellano collection offer comfortable and versatile interiors combined with cutting-edge technology and innovative materials that earned the more recent Magellano 50 several awards, including the international powerboating organization UIM’s 2011 environmental award.

Generous volume combined with dynamic lines characterize all models in this collection; from the smallest to the largest, the focus is on lifestyle and livability. Built in composite, these comfortable yachts boast a generous speed that allows for quick jaunts between islands or a few miles off shore in search of quiet anchorage and moorings.

The “sarissa” was a very long spear used in ancient Greek warfare: robust and efficient, it rushed along at lightning speed finding its mark...This is what Vitters’ 140-foot sloop Sarissa does.

The 236' Azteca—one the largest yachts launched in Italy in the last 30 years—is also the largest CRN-built yacht to date, making her the reigning queen of the Ferretti fleet. This member of the exclusive “top 100 club” owes her classic profile to Nuvolari-Lenard.