When Benetti announced it was expanding its range of 50-metre steel superyachts in 2018, it wasn’t anticipated how quickly they would fly off the shelf. Fast forward exactly four years and there are 13 B.Now models currently on order or under construction at the Italian yard. The first 50-metre version to hit the water was Iryna, who was delivered to her Ukrainian owner – a loyal customer of the Azimut Benetti Group – in December 2021.
Now after nearly a year of cruising the Mediterranean, Iryna is a real-life example of another one of Benetti’s outstandingly popular customisable models. Taking just three years to build a single unit, the B.Now line was established with the aim to utilise new and advanced construction technology to provide owners with delivery times reduced by approximately 30% compared to the market average. The Italian yard has made this possible by finessing the sleek hull in a way that provides a perfect platform for any of the four-size increments offered in the line.
What size?
An owner is able to choose a B.Now yacht in either 50, 58, 66 or 72 metres LOA. With each version designed by RWD, the yachts feature dynamic exterior lines that house large elongated windows. The windows keep all those on board close to nature along with a layout that keeps the interior and exterior spaces well intertwined.
One of the largest areas on board the 50-metre Iryna is her 36-square-metre beach club, where gull-wing hatches and a steam room are key features and an infinity pool has been placed as an extension of the stern deck. Nearly half of the yacht's liveable surface is outside.
While the 499 GT Iryna features Benetti’s traditional aft deck design, owners of a B.Now can opt to upgrade to the Oasis Deck® solution. Ideal for socialising and enjoying long stays at sea, the Oasis Deck® comes with larger opening wings and an integrated pool. For a guest walking from the main saloon, the journey to the aft is seamless and can be under the shade of the optional biminis if desired. Here, guests get the best of the on-the-water lifestyle.
What interior style?
While the sleek and sporty exterior styling by RWD is set, the full-customisable interiors are up for negotiation and can be tailored to meet the needs of any forward-thinking owner. For the owner of Iryna, Benetti’s Interior Style Department and Visionnaire formed the team that built the desired interior that showcases the best of Italian style. The result includes unique furnishings and claddings and ceiling panels made from fine wood such as silk-coloured satin-finish frisé maple contrasted with oak. Other materials on board are ivory-coloured leather on the ceiling and leaf-shaped satin-finish details hand-made from palladium, a precious metal in the platinum group.
The chosen interior layout for Iryna is set up for long-distance cruising with all guest areas are separated, but still easily accessible, from the crew. Guests on board have access to plenty of outdoor spaces, particularly on the upper deck, where sunbathing spots and relaxation areas can be found in addition to a gym. The main deck has a large outdoor lunch area and moving inside, a saloon is divided into lounging and dining zones. To the bow, the largest of the yacht’s five staterooms, the owner’s suite, takes over the bow area and features a private balcony and a fireplace. In total, she can accommodate up to 10 guests.
For other units of the B.Now range, the available design options include placing a media area instead of the formal dining area and upping the number of staterooms to six for a total of 12 guests on board. The owner’s suite is also able to accommodate a private office, and the garage on the main deck forward can be filled with any toy and tender the owner chooses. On board Iryna, the garage carries a 6.25 metre tender, a Jet Ski, a rescue craft and four Seabobs.
How far can you travel?
The modern-day owner that Benetti had in mind when creating the B.Now range intends to make the most of remote working and long-distance travel. Therefore, the hull design by P.L.A.N.A Design in collaboration with the Azimut|Benetti Research & Development department had to be high-performing with a shallow draft and propulsion system that can go the distance.
An owner of a B.Now yacht can choose between a Diesel Mechanical or an E-Mode Hybrid system, and can expect to reach a top speed of 15 knots. With a cruising speed of 13.5 knots, the economical speed of 12 knots can take the yacht to a maximum of 4,500 nautical miles. A long journey is made even more comfortable thanks to the yacht’s ability to navigate for weeks without having to pull into port for fuel and supplies. And with this, Benetti has laid down another milestone in its long record of innovating in high-end yacht building.
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