not exact sisterships. With each build and each customer, the design
morphs. This hull features a well-developed sitting area forward of the
wheelhouse. By raising the foredeck three steps to accommodate garages
for a substantial RIB, the rescue boat and water toys, Perini created a snug
protected area aft of the main mast with ample bench seating and
expandable hi-lo tables. Yet another area for outdoor living, it’s a more
private spot for dining when moored stern-to. An awning deploys from
the front of the flybridge to shade a breakfast or tame the breeze for an al
fresco dinner. It is the first proper outdoor dining area in a Perini bow
since the yard deliveredLiberty(nowLuna) in 1997. At anchor, the
foredeck becomes yet another hang-out spot with chaises longues
deployed from an adjacent stowage area. Four carbon fibre poles locking
into deck fittings can quickly transform this sundeck to a shaded zone.
The flybridge is pure Perini and, with outdoor dining below, this deck
is kept clear for watching the crew sail the yacht or entertaining friends.
It’s also the place where built-in sunpads along the aft rail beckon when
the yacht is under way.
One of the original driving forces for Fabio Perini’s revolutionary
captive winches was to keep guests safely out of the way during
manoeuvres. Hidden drum winches have been standard issue for decades
for halyards and main and jib sheets, butSevenis the only one of the 60
metres to have captive winches on every sail, including staysails and the
reacher. “Mr Perini insisted on this to reinforce the theory that [just] one
person could sail this boat,” adds Sgariglia. “No ropes equals no injuries.”
With a bit of arm twisting, the managing director reveals thatSeven’s
captive sheet winches are a bit faster thanSeahawk’s, despite being the
same generation. “But the big diference is the hydraulic furlers,” he says.
“The jib is just 15 to 25 seconds from fully furled to fully out!” To put that
in perspective, that’s about two-and-a-half times faster than gear available
during the first Perini Navi Cup in 2004, and equipment undreamt of
three decades ago when the Perini story began. The equally impressive
thing is that the builder makes it all look seamless and inevitable. That’s
enough to make the seven grandchildren aboardSeventhink powering a
500 tonne yacht around a race course has always been a piece of cake.B186