M

onte Carlo Yachts has never

been a shipyard to conform

to the status quo. The

unique styling and modular

construction technique

alone ensure that the boats

stand out amongst the

mainstream competition.

The 66 swoops in to

replace the 65 as the

smallest model in the range and the one that has to offer the

class and refi nement promised by the most luxurious branch

of the Beneteau Group tree for the least amount of money.

The 65 was a fi ne-looking machine and, if anything, the 66

is even better. The profi le is cleaner, the lines are muscular but

elegant, and its covered side decks and delicately integrated

hardtop give the appearance of a boat bigger than it actually

is. It’s unmistakable and retains the recognisable Monte Carlo

Yachts cues of fl ared bow, circular hull windows and the clam

shell outline of the superstructure but, for a craft of 66ft

(20.11m) in length and 36 tonnes (dry), has a tightness and

proportional balance unique amongst rivals. In a world of

high-sided fl oating apartments the 66 is a breath of fresh air.

The designers, Dan Lenard and Carlo Nuvolari, refer to

evolution not revolution, but the boat is no mere spruce up of

the existing 65, it is an all-new boat from top to bottom with a

fresh hull design and a fl ybridge deck that is now the size of the

previous 70ft model’s. In most areas the 66 feels larger than it is,

partly down to the use of high quality, robust components and

the intelligent foredeck, and partly due to the volume of the

hull and the headroom this delivers within the accommodation.

The materials are a class above too, especially the likes of

purple Calcutta marble on the galley tops and saloon table.

Expensive fl ourishes that stop short of going full Mar-a-Lago

but add a sprinkle of stardust that will be appreciated by those

with an eye for interiors. This boat is thoughtfully detailed

throughout, even down to the tiniest cupboard door handle

and lavish mix of materials on show in the master suite.

The big boat feeling continues in the cockpit where the

fl ybridge overhang, double access points from the bathing

platform, substantial mooring gear and space for free-standing

chairs around the table add to the impression that you’ve stepped

aboard a bigger craft. This, after all, is a range that started life

with a 76 and has a 105 as its fl agship so MCY knows a thing

or two about building boats on such a scale and wants customers

buying a 66 to share the same ownership experience as one

who has ordered a 105.

In places the boat truly does feel like a scaled down 105,

namely on the fl at foredeck with its plethora of lounging options.

It’s hard to choose between the deck spaces because they all offer

something a little different. The cockpit is well protected and

within easy reach of the aft galley in the saloon. The fl ybridge

feels vast and is versatile thanks to the sunroof embedded within

the hardtop and a wetbar with all the amenities needed to keep

guests fed and watered. Our test boat had space for free-standing

furniture at the aft end of the fl ybridge but you could (and

The 66 is not just a spruced up

65, but an all new boat with a

fresh hull design

The cockpit is well
protected by the
fl ybridge overhang