NAVIS April / May 2012

The Antonisa, a 124-foot yacht made by Hodgdon Yachts, represents some of the finest craftsmanship in the United States. Built through a collaboration of naval architect Bruce King and interior decorator Cecilia Castoldi, Antonisa combines innovative engineering with beautiful aesthetics. The yacht was built in East Boothbay, Maine for her European owner. At 124 feet, Antonisa offers plenty of interior and exterior space. As many as eight guests can ride comfortably with a crew of six. The boat's exterior offers enough room for sunbathing, fishing, and enjoying the wonderful surroundings. While she does not have an extensive system of exterior decks for parties and sporting activities, Antonisa has a remarkable interior that makes guests know they have stepped into a highly crafted vessel.

Slide into the driver's seat of the Ferrari 458 Italia and you become the living, breathing center of this extraordinary machine. Every aspect of the 458 Italia has been designed to put the driver in charge without taking away any of the fun you get from barreling down the road in a Ferrari capable of hitting 60 mph from zero in just 3.4 seconds. Every sensation flows from the car directly into your body: the mid-mounted 4.5-liter V8 roars into your right ear, the tachometer dominates your view of the dash, and the steering wheel pulses in your hands as you feel the road. The Ferrari 458 Italia even connects you to details that would go unnoticed by most cars. LCD screens flanking the tachometer can tell you anything from your speed to the temperature of each tire.

Originally designed to meet the specifications of Prince and Princess Sadruddin Aga Khan, the Hamilton II has an impressive interior and exterior. After the prince passed away, his family decided that CNB should complete the Hamilton II and launch it as a testimony to his love of yachting.

The prince would definitely be proud of this yacht. It is the largest yacht builder at the Bordeaux shipyard. Even apart from this accomplishment, though, it has numerous features that help it stand out as one of the most appealing 36-meter yachts in the world. Build from a carbon fiber composite/vinylester resin with a balsa core and a carbon mast and boom, the Hamilton II can sail in just about any weather condition. The ship's light weight means that her upwind sail area of 560 square meters offers more than enough power.

The Sunseeker Predator 130 combines the latest in engineering and computer technology to offer a simple approach to yachting. The computerized management system has touch screen monitoring and controls that make it easy to use in any weather condition. The V-shaped hull also adds to its nimble agility on the water. This stunning 130-meter yacht works well for short excursions, but it also has a range of up to 1500 nautical miles. That means the owner can travel just about anywhere with the Predator 130. This is one of Sunseeker's most reliable, advanced motoryachts.

Having recently completed two custom tenders for Oceanco Y706, Hodgdon is already hard at work on four more tender contracts. Each boat contains customized features that make it a truly unique vessel for transporting guests to and from yachts. Hodgdon will build two custom 10.5-meter designs (one open tender and one limo tender) with input from Michael Peteres Yacht Designs and A.J. Anderson of Wright Maritime Group. The first tenders will ship to The Netherlands in the fall of 2012. This design features a hydraulic-operated lifting roof and a private jet level interior with waterproof leather seats. Even with a full capacity of 12 guests, it still offers excellent performance, reaching nearly 30 knots. The plan for this limo tender was a finalist for the 2011 Showboats Design Award.

The 70-meter Numptia stands out as one of the most impressive Italian superyachts on the water. Created through a partnership between Rossinavi Shipyard, which built and designed the engineering elements; Axis Group Yacht Design, which created the naval architecture designs; Design Studio Spadolini, which handled the exterior design; and Salvagnii Architetti, which created the interior design, this all-Italian superyacht has a number of custom features that help it stand out from other vessels in its class.

Laurel represents a stunning achievement in design and engineering. Donald Starkey Design and Delta Design Group worked together on this project to create the first superyacht with a steel hull and composite superstructure. Although many sea-going vessels have steel hulls, this has not been a common element in yachts. Delta Design Group, however, firmly believes that it makes more sense to allocate a vessel's weight budget on structure instead of fairing compound. Through careful engineering, Delta has managed to make a relatively lightweight superyacht with a robust shell plating and frame system with very little weld distortion.