60 years in the making: Inside the Sanlorenzo 52 Steel

Delivering more than 800 yachts in 60 years has provided Sanlorenzo with a wealth of experience in building boats. Founded on Italy’s Arno river in 1958, the yard moved to Viareggio in 1972 to take advantage of growing demand, before branching out into composite construction in 1985 with the launch of the SL57. Over the years, the feedback and individual experiences of more than 750 yacht owners have driven Sanlorenzo’s new designs and innovations — this approach is embodied in the yard’s current flagship yacht, the 52 Steel. Built at the yard’s new Sanlorenzo Superyachts facility in La Spezia, this 52 metre model was first introduced to the yachting public at the 2017 Monaco Yacht Show.

Sanlorenzo yachts are born in the Mediterranean, where the climate is beautiful and outdoor living is second nature. Being connected to the sea and nature is a key building block of the Sanlorenzo DNA and therefore the yard strives to maximise opportunities for al fresco living in all of its designs. The foredeck of the 52 Steel is a great example of this — having all the tenders hidden in the garage enables this area to be dedicated to guests without the need for intrusive equipment such as cranes. Instead there is plenty of space to spread out and enjoy the view from any one of the large sofas.

Over the past decade, one of the main areas of focus in yacht design has been to increase the size of windows to maximise natural light and to blur the lines between internal and external spaces. With the 52 Steel, especially in the main saloon, Sanlorenzo has achieved the goal of maximising window size without compromising on the design and external lines of the yacht, which were developed in collaboration with the renowned studio Officina Italiana Design. This lets in a lot of light and enables great views of the sea even while sitting inside; unmistakeable Sanlorenzo DNA.

The full-beam sauna and gym area, situated just forward of the beach club, will make your guests feel like they are on a much larger yacht. This is a fully-fledged wellness centre, complete with a sauna, steam room and adjacent shower — premium features normally reserved for yachts over 60 metres in length. Guests looking for a serious workout won’t be disappointed, with room for exercise bikes, treadmills and much more.

As yachts get bigger, the connection with the sea often diminishes; the stern beach club design of the Sanlorenzo 52 Steel ensures that this doesn’t happen. Owners can get back to the elemental feeling of being on the sea and of connecting with nature, while at the same time enjoying great comfort and luxury. Guests can easily enjoy a quick dip or launch a wide range of water toys and still have full access to the typical superyacht comforts. The beach club is equipped with a bar and lounging area, and there is a spa and gym area for a complete luxury wellness experience.

The float-in tender garage on the Sanlorenzo 52Steel occupies the same space as the beach club. Often on a yacht these two areas are separate, and the end result is that they are often both smaller than is preferable. By combining the two, Sanlorenzo has been able to create an impressively large beach club and accommodate a much larger tender than is usually found on yachts of this size, with the option for an eight metre limousine. Once the tender is docked inside the yacht, guests are completely protected from the elements and can disembark in a safe and graceful manner.