boatinternational.com• 062019he stereotype of growling motor yachts snarling up the
Riviera, spewing fumes and decibels and rocking little
sailing boats has become a little old fashioned. Today, in
a leaner, greener world where we know the
delicate balance of the oceans has been
upended,blindhedonismonthewaterlooks,well,blind–
andratherpassé.Ithaslefttheyachtscenelongingforanew
kindofboatthatisquietandeconomical.Butstillfun.
Atthevanguardofthis(literally)quietrevolutionforthe
pastfewyearshasbeenWider,theItalianbrandspecializing
indiesel-electricyachtsthatofferhushedcruisingand
sensiblefuelconsumption–butalsosuper-sizedand
glamoroussocialspaces,anda“moreismore”approachto
hiddentricksandfold-outgizmos.Itissensibleand
excitinglyeccentricatthesametime.“Thepropulsion
systemsofships–yachtsarenotanexception–combined
withmanyvariables,arethecauseof,atleast, 20 percentof
thetotalseaandairpollution,”saysLucianoCardini,
engineeringmanagerofWiderSuperyachtDivision.“The
useofnewtechnologies,moreethicalbehavioranda
professionalapproacharethekey.Insofaraswecan,Wider
tookupthechallengeofbeingamongthecompaniesthat
makesustainabilityanapproachtothemarket.”
FirstofitsbigboatswastheWider 150 Genesiin 2015
(renamedBartalibyherCanadianowner)andlastyearabig
sisterlanded:thefirstWider165,Cecilia.Bothshareabeamy,technical
look,sidedecksthatprotrudedistinctivelyontheupperdeckandavivid
orangebootline.AstheirdesignerFulvioDeSimoniputsit:“Ceciliawas
bornaftertheexperienceoftheWider150,fromwhichshetakesthe
generalphilosophiesandideasand[reinterprets]theminabiggersize.”
Lessobviousfromtheoutsideisthatbothboatswerealsoawardedthe
RINAGreenPlusPlatinumandtheRINAComfortClassnotations,for
ecologicalcredentialsandlowlevelsofnoiseandvibration.Bothbenefits
arelargelydowntoWider’scarefullydesigneddiesel-electricpropulsion
systems.Gensetsdrivetheboatatthesametimeaspoweringlithium
polymerbatteries,whichthenpoweronboardservicesfrombridgeT
Thecopper-covered
stairwellispartof
alustrousdecorative
scheme.Above:themain
aftdeckdiningarea