When Benetti’s brand-new B.Yond line burst onto the scene last summer, it was clear that the Italian yard had branched out into new territory. With eco-conscious credentials, steel and aluminium construction and an LOA under 40 metres, the line had tapped into the desires of the modern-day yacht owner looking for something with serious capabilities.
As the brainchild of the Azimut Benetti Group’s founder and president, Paolo Vitelli, and the late designer Stefano Righini, the B.Yond line is flying off the shelf. With the first unit, Goga, already at sea, Benetti has seven more semi-custom B.Yond models either on order or under construction.
Before Goga takes her place in Port Hercules for the Monaco Yacht Show this September, BOAT gets the lowdown on what makes the B.Yond line groundbreaking.
Size
The criteria for the B.Yond was that it couldn’t be longer than 40 metres, so the boat could go alongside or stern-to in any small Mediterranean harbour. While compact in length, the B.Yond 37M packs a punch with its width. It stretches 8.6 metres across the beam, making it almost a metre wider than Benetti’s 37-metre Motopanfilo model. This width not only makes the B.Yond a match for a number of competitors’ 44 and 45-metre boats, it also gives it natural stability.
The yacht has broken all the rules when it comes to what can be offered in a 37 metre package. There’s a walk-in wine cellar and a cold room on the lower deck and on the upper deck, guests will find a living area with unobstructed 360-degree views and another similar spot on the sundeck, which also features both indoor and outdoor dining areas. There’s also a tender garage on the main deck that can house a 4-metre crew tender, a 7-metre tender for guests and a locker of toys. For Goga, a new 6.5-metre EvoJet 70 from Williams was built – a tender more associated with 50 or 60-metre yachts. Even with a large garage, the B.Yond still makes space for a small beach club.
Steel
While a large section of the market has been busy building yachts of a similar size in fibreglass, Benetti looked to construct the B.Yond in steel. The Italian yard’s intention was to offer sturdy yachts that were built to last and are easily reparable. To come to the decision to use an alternative material for the B.Yond line, Benetti analysed its client base, and discovered that a lot of clients from Europe, Russia and Canada liked or preferred steel boats. This choice is also representative of Benetti’s pioneering move during the 1950s to introduce boats constructed out of metal rather than wood.
The B.Yond line would not be possible without the work of naval architects AUSONIO Naval Architecture, the Benetti R&D Department and hull designer Pierluigi Ausonio’s firm P.L.A.N.A. The result features a white steel hull and aluminium superstructure complemented by painted white stainless steel railings finished with teak handrails.
Electric
Not only did the B.Yond need to be solid, manageable and stylish; eco-conscious design was a key part of the package, too. Engineered in partnership with Siemens, the B.Yond is fitted with an electric propulsion system that offers four cruising “E-Modes”, from silent running on batteries alone, to single-engine propulsion, to an “Extended Range Mode”, where the main engines are powering electric motors, which are turning the shafts and covering the hotel load of the boat – all of which can be operated at the touch of a button on the bridge. The optional 100kW battery bank can provide six hours of air-con with the generators off, while a 300kW is ideal for those looking for eight hours of autonomy at anchor during the day and 12 hours at night.
Claiming that the B.Yond is the greenest boat in its class, Benetti has reduced fuel and CO2 consumption by 24 per cent when compared with traditional propulsion systems, taking care of NOx emissions with a selective catalytic reduction system and ensuring the long life of all heavy machinery on board.
To see the first B.Yond yacht, Goga in the flesh, contact Benetti directly here to arrange a visit during the 2022 Monaco Yacht Show this September.
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