Boat International US Edition – May 2019

boatinternational.com • 05 2019

comfort was paramount, and as such extra
sound dampening was required.
“My wish is to build a boat that when it’s
running you hear nothing at all,” Dragnis
says. The precise goal was to improve
noise insulation by 35 percent compared
with O’Ptasia’s predecessor, O’Pari 3.
“I like the quietness of the upper salon,”
says Vafiadis, to this point.
Vafiadis, along with his son Stefano,
styled O’Ptasia’s interior and exterior
as well as configured the layout. He has
penned 11 of Golden Yachts’ 13-strong
fleet, creating a familial inheritance of
flowing looks, soft lines and a style that
endures. Balance, fluidity and light are all
Vafiadis keywords.
“Looking at O’Ptasia’s profile, you can
recognize a certain fluidity, like water
moving in slow motion and then shaping
well-balanced volumes,” he says. “It’s a
continuation of a style in the Golden
Yachts family. When you make a
successful design for a brand, it’s normal
to maintain such design concepts. We
designed all of the Golden Yachts new
builds having that same idea in mind.” In
order to scale up the elegant exterior on
O’Ptasia, Vafiadis played with the contrast

between volumes and recesses, “by pulling

the volumes out in opposition to the

recesses absorbed by the dark.”

The tastes of Dragnis and Vafiadis are

balanced inside. “I like light colors and

Giorgio likes dark woods, so it’s always a

matter of finding a compromise,” Dragnis

says. Fittingly, the interior has a blend of

dark woods paired with a light color

palette that is intended to evoke a sense

of calm. There is a range of woods, from

a porous lati to glossy ebony. “The

inspiration for the interior was quiet, calm

and relaxing,” Vafiadis says. “We kept the

surfaces clean, and there isn’t a lot of

clutter or accessories.” The interior decor

is modern, with clean, crisp lines and

eye-catching details. Ebony cabinetry is

inlaid with stainless-steel details. A

rippled line in the cabinets breaks up the

expanse of joinery in the salon, drawing

the eyes up and out to views beyond the

picture-box windows. The main salon is a

grand space, a large open-plan room with

two seating areas containing white leather

sofas, black coffee tables and glass lamps.

A dining area is set at the forward end of

the salon, and the ebony dining table is

centered with backlit, honey-tonedonyx.

The art on board O’Ptasia is a feast for the eyes.

Pop art, mosaics and textured pieces that tempt

you to touch them adorn the hallways and guest

cabins, adding heaps of personality

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