flexible stylish
wife to manage. They will cover plenty of water, cruising between
South Florida and the Great Lakes. Powered by optional 1,550hp MANs,
the 780 can reach a top speed of 31 knots.
Part of Ferretti’s plan to stand out from production builders is to
highly customize for different markets. Coleman works closely with
Ferretti’s in-house designers to plan each detail and make it most
appealing to their region. “As part of being product manager for
Americas, I go to each product [as it’s being designed] and Americanize
the boat,” Coleman says. “We want our boats with lots of stuff on them;
we add a lot of electronics. I start with a list of electronics and say
‘we will take the largest screens possible and every one, everywhere.’
I also try to upgrade everything.”
Coleman pored over 200 samples with the designers to select the oak
floor – a cream stain that brightens the space, chosen as a complement
to the lacquer. There are two lacquers for this version of the 780, taupe
and a darker, earth tone. The owner selected the colors and fabrics and
gave other input. If a customer prefers other furnishings over Minotti,
they can be changed to Poltrona Frau, among others.
“I’m working with the owner on hull 5 of the 780, and they’ve had
some pretty specific specs,” says Coleman. “Some are simple, like heated
towel bars, others include a pretty unusual wine cooler that required
some furniture modification and the biggest challenge was modifying
the crew layout to have only one berth and full crew mess – they don’t
want to see the crew at all.”
Flexibility is a maxim on the 780. This hull has the option of an open
galley to the main salon, creating an unfettered flow.
A door can be closed between the bridge and galley
so that, if the owner is entertaining in the evening
with lights ablaze in the salon, the captain could still
run the boat with the bridge dark. The high-tech
glass bridge is a few steps up, as part of the spec
for the 780 was to create a raised pilothouse feel
in a smaller yacht. All four cabins are en suite,
including the full beam master, and one of the twins
is convertible into a double. Additional soundproofing
ensures it’s quiet down here when under way.
But outdoors is where this yacht proves itself
a proper villa at sea. The furniture on the upper deck
is marine grade and comes from Roda in Milan. The
loose, low-profile pieces allow the owners to pick and
choose their preferred layout. The hardtop is also
an option, and one that’s becoming more popular,
and it’s something Americans insist on, Coleman
says. Otherwise the 780 will come with a roll bar as
standard, which can be fitted with canvas shading.
Likewise, the hardtop can have glass skylights or a
bladed system to let air in.
The forward bow seating area is huge for its class,
with a pop-up table, and all covered by a shade. The
transom hosts a particularly clever fold-out seating
area, creating a mini beach club feel. You could
imagine owners retiring here after arriving in harbor
to enjoy a cocktail and watch the world go by.
It certainly rivals most outdoor spaces found in
a penthouse on land. And that is very much the point.A hardtop is an
option for the
sundeck, or it could
have a roll bar and
canvas shading
PHOTOGRAPHY: ALBERTO COCCHI