Robb Report USA – August 2019

74 AUGUST 2019

ALBERTO COCCHI

WATER

Dream Machines

the 80-meter megayacht Dragon, the

shipyard’s new flagship. Not only is this

full-displacement steel-and-aluminum

yacht the largest in the yard’s fleet, it is

also the first in its new Classic range. The

exterior design by Hydro Tec takes cues

from old-school ocean liners and is a

preview of the even larger boats to come

from the brand.

Dragon’s highlights include a glass

elevator joining all six decks of the yacht—

not a common convenience among such

large vessels—as well as the oversized,

lower-deck, multi-area beach club that

opens on three sides and the sundeck’s

swimming pool with a waterfall-

bedazzled grotto.

The main deck plays host to four large

guest cabins and a VIP suite, all done up in

neutral elegance with low-key but tasteful

art and fine attention to detail. The lower

deck—which houses 10 crew cabins—has

the west edge of Italy gets all the

flashbulbs, with famed ports like Naples,

Savona and Viareggio, where some of the

country’s most renowned boats are built.

But tucked in along the Adriatic Sea across

from Croatia sits a cluster of superyacht

shipyards in the Marche region’s city of

Ancona. Ten years after the economic

downturn, this area hums with major

activity. Vineyards and their wineries are

bearing fruit and making increasingly

delicious wine, Michelin is bestowing

restaurants with stars, and shipyards such

as newcomer Palumbo are quietly turning

out yachts while other regions of Italy

soak up the limelight. Ancona is the major

port of the Adriatic, but the only hint of

that is the traffic leaving this ancient

city—with Roman remnants dotted

throughout—in the evening.

Palumbo Shipyard’s Columbus line

(columbusyachts.it) recently launched

Above: Floor-to-

ceiling glass—and

lots of it—makes

for an impressive

technical feat.

Right: Views

and natural light

define the private

owner’s deck.

This six-deck flagship

yacht is a sign

of things to come along

Italy’s east coast.

another guest accommodation as well.

The owner claimed the entire upper

deck, which features an expansive suite

with a bedroom boasting 180-degree

panoramic views as well as a roomy

private office and lounge space for

invited guests. A large stern terrace

is included in this private area, as is

a forward balcony. Francesco Guida

worked with the owners to design the

bespoke interior, which clocks in with

2,300 gross tons of volume.

Two MTU 16V 4000 engines propel

Dragon to a top speed of 17 knots while

four fin stabilizers should keep the ship’s

roll at a minimum both under way and

while anchored. At its cruise speed of

12 knots, the vessel has a range of 6,200

nautical miles, roughly the distance from

California to Hawaii and back. It will

make its world debut at the 2019 Monaco

Yacht Show in September. Danielle Cutler

Tiers

of Joy

74 AUGUST 2019

ALBERTO COCCHI

WATER

Dream Machines

the 80-meter megayacht Dragon, the

shipyard’s new flagship. Not only is this

full-displacement steel-and-aluminum

yacht the largest in the yard’s fleet, it is

also the first in its new Classic range. The

exterior design by Hydro Tec takes cues

from old-school ocean liners and is a

preview of the even larger boats to come

from the brand.

Dragon’s highlights include a glass

elevator joining all six decks of the yacht—

not a common convenience among such

large vessels—as well as the oversized,

lower-deck, multi-area beach club that

opens on three sides and the sundeck’s

swimming pool with a waterfall-

bedazzled grotto.

The main deck plays host to four large

guest cabins and a VIP suite, all done up in

neutral elegance with low-key but tasteful

art and fine attention to detail. The lower

deck—which houses 10 crew cabins—has

the west edge of Italy gets all the

flashbulbs, with famed ports like Naples,

Savona and Viareggio, where some of the

country’s most renowned boats are built.

But tucked in along the Adriatic Sea across

from Croatia sits a cluster of superyacht

shipyards in the Marche region’s city of

Ancona. Ten years after the economic

downturn, this area hums with major

activity. Vineyards and their wineries are

bearing fruit and making increasingly

delicious wine, Michelin is bestowing

restaurants with stars, and shipyards such

as newcomer Palumbo are quietly turning

out yachts while other regions of Italy

soak up the limelight. Ancona is the major

port of the Adriatic, but the only hint of

that is the traffic leaving this ancient

city—with Roman remnants dotted

throughout—in the evening.

Palumbo Shipyard’s Columbus line

(columbusyachts.it) recently launched

Above: Floor-to-

ceiling glass—and

lots of it—makes

for an impressive

technical feat.

Right: Views

and natural light

define the private

owner’s deck.

This six-deck flagship

yacht is a sign

of things to come along

Italy’s east coast.

another guest accommodation as well.

The owner claimed the entire upper

deck, which features an expansive suite

with a bedroom boasting 180-degree

panoramic views as well as a roomy

private office and lounge space for

invited guests. A large stern terrace

is included in this private area, as is

a forward balcony. Francesco Guida

worked with the owners to design the

bespoke interior, which clocks in with

2,300 gross tons of volume.

Two MTU 16V 4000 engines propel

Dragon to a top speed of 17 knots while

four fin stabilizers should keep the ship’s

roll at a minimum both under way and

while anchored. At its cruise speed of

12 knots, the vessel has a range of 6,200

nautical miles, roughly the distance from

California to Hawaii and back. It will

make its world debut at the 2019 Monaco

Yacht Show in September. Danielle Cutler

Tiers

of Joy