Cantiere delle Marche Delivers Another Darwin 86
Italy’s Cantiere delle Marche has had a flurry of launches in recent months, the latest being the the Darwin 86 Empire. The yacht, acquired by an enthusiast American owner, showcases bespoke configuration, machinery and a layout crafted to her owner’s specifications. Some requests, such as a hull reinforced with bulletproof steel plates, arise from the owners’ navigation plans, as they seek to venture into distant and challenging areas.
Empire exhibits Darwin aesthetics by Hydro Tec, while leveraging on CdM’s unique approach to technical areas. Her interior design was developed by Massari Design.
The yacht is designed to sail for long periods at the highest latitudes. As a result, she features an “ice belt” at waterline level and enhanced scantlings in the hull and rudders to cope with icy conditions. Among the owner’s requests was a fourth pilot station in the engine room.
Her interior features a layout consistent with the owner’s requests in terms of number of guests and style. The onboard atmosphere exhibits a sober and understated elegance. The interior designer achieved a warm and inviting ambience by skillfully blending custom-made furniture with pieces from manufacturers like Poltrona Frau and Poliform.
The owner’s full-beam stateroom is located on the lower deck amidships, along with two twin cabins with Pullman bed. A VIP suite occupies the farthest forward section of the hull. Crew quarters for four are located on the main deck forward alongside a sizable crew mess, and are directly connected to the wheelhouse on the upper deck via a dedicated staircase.
The main deck, both inside and out, serves as the hub of social life onboard Empire with lounging and dining areas and a bar in direct connection with the galley. The upper deck hosts a large and well-equipped gym, while the sun deck, equipped with loose furniture and sunbeds, is a great spot to enjoy life in the open air.
At 26.3 meters (85.4 feet), Empire is a little ship under all aspects: robust, comfortable, reliable. She is powered with twin Scania 294 kW engines and features three Northern Lights generators for a total of 155 kW, and sodium-lithium chloride batteries. Her wheelhouse is designed to offer her captain and crew the easiest handling of the yacht with a Boening integrated monitoring and control system. The yacht is protected with a sophisticated anti-intrusion system.
“The Darwin Class continues to provide us with great satisfaction, firmly establishing itself as a reference in the explorer yacht market,” says Vasco Buonpensiere. “This Darwin 86 adds up to a total of 12 Darwins from 86 to 112 feet already delivered.”
For more information: cantieredellemarche.it
SPECIFICATIONS
Length overall: 26.03m/85.40 ft
Registered length: 23.95m/78.57 ft
Waterline length: 22.9m/75.13 ft
Max beam: 7.43m/24.37 ft
Depth, amidship: 4m/13.12 ft
Draft: 2.43m/7.97 ft
Displacement, full load: 195 tons
Diesel oil: 38,390L/10 141 gal
Fresh water: 3,400L/900 gal
Black water: 985L 260 gal
Gray water: 6,360L/1,680 gal
Engines: 2x Scania DI13070M 294 kW (394 hp) @ 1800 rpm
Gearbox: 2x Twin Disc MGX 5114 i=4.17:1
Generator: 2x55 kW (2x73.75 hp) Kohler or equivalent
Stabilizer fins: electric, zero-speed
Maximum speed: 11.5 knots
Cruise speed: 10 knots
Range: 4,000 nm @ 10 knots
