Tremenda: A custom explorer build for owners in the know

“My experience of these clients is that their taste in architecture and design is really refined, so I travelled to their offices and discovered a space that is a masterpiece of art, architecture and interior design,” Cassetta tells me.

He stumbled upon the owners’ vast collection of paintings and sculpture, as well as gardens populated with installations and fountains – like an oasis placed atop a city skyscraper.

“It wasn’t just for the owners’ enjoyment, but also their employees, and I thought, if this is how they like to share their pleasure for beauty in the everyday work environment, then we must bring that spirit of inclusion into their yacht.”

Immense exterior decks were owner prerequisites. A beach club was dismissed by Cassetta as being the “stupidest thing in the world” on a boat of this size. Instead, he penned a swim platform large enough to lounge on and enjoy watersports from, and which neatly segues into the main deck aft living area via stairs on either side. It’s a key reason why the yacht went from 42 metres to 45 metres.

“I’m really in love with those stairs. They’re so comfortable that people sit on them as benches and they integrate well with the architectural design,” he says, noting the hull cut-outs on either side that serve a practical function for the crew when mooring and afford guests unobstructed views.

Plenty of shade from the sun was another owner request, yet with as much brightness as possible. The solution to the paradox came via large structural awnings on every deck that provide considerable overhangs, forward and aft, including on the fully covered sundeck – Cassetta’s favourite area on board.

Here, al fresco dining takes place at a round Carrara marble table, while lounging is possible from a bank of oversized sunpads or at a convivial seating area with sofas upholstered in eye-catching stripes.

“My experience of these clients is that their taste in architecture and design is really refined, so I travelled to their offices and discovered a space that is a masterpiece of art, architecture and interior design”

Forward is an expansive Carrara marble-clad cocktail bar selected to complement the interior marble, from the gold-veined green dining table in the main saloon to the rosso rubino low tables in the upper saloon.

It’s here where one of the most delightful design quirks is found – a hidden cocktail bar for guest use. The ample exterior shade that the structural awnings create is countered by vast banks of windows, including on the lower deck where the guest accommodation is located, to introduce a flood of natural light to the interior.

“Integrating both shade and light in a nice secure design was challenging but it comes down to the fact we had the right amount of time to thoroughly refine the design,” says Cassetta.

The three-year design phase wasn’t without its difficulties, taking a pause at the start of the pandemic. On the upside, it gave Cassetta ample time to perfect the exterior’s clean, uncluttered styling.

In profile, Tremenda is defined by a graceful sheer line that ends in a near vertical bow. Naval architecture hails from Italian studio Hydro Tec.

“We collaborated with Hydro Tec to get a specific shape of the bow, which is so very masculine and imposing, but at the same time sleek and elegant,” says Cassetta. “Not having a single knuckle or decoration on a boat of that size yet still looking in proportion is, for me, the biggest satisfaction.”

The lack of visible grilles or details caters to the owners’ preference for form and function, such as stainless steel grab rails that are easy to use and maintain. The exterior teak decks are matched with Flexiteek ceiling slats that, according to the captain, save the crew from a “maintenance nightmare”.

Functionality boils down to the smallest of elements; on the sundeck, a cabinet designed to hold loose exercise equipment has a rubberised top for guests to place their free weights on to avoid damaging the teak decking.

Plenty of shade was another owner request, yet with as much brightness as possible. The solution to the paradox came via large structural awnings

The bow is dedicated to the storage of two jet skis and a seven-metre Williams Jet tender, which sits in a sunken tender well. The massive tender capacity forms part of the yacht’s explorer qualities, including transatlantic capability, twin MAN V12-1400 engines and low fuel consumption (her range at six knots is 9,000 nautical miles). Four CMC-Marine electric stabilisers make the yacht steady as a rock.

Then there’s the “unprecedented levels of storage”, including six fridges and a walk-in freezer on the lower deck. More toys are stored aft, though none with lithium batteries.

The captain, who joined the build four months before delivery with more than 28 years’ experience, put his foot down citing fire hazards.The mandate was for generous quantities of guest space. This includes good interior ceiling heights, with the main and upper decks measuring 2.2 metres and 2.3 metres, respectively.

Design of the interior guest spaces was entrusted to Cantiere delle Marche’s in-house studio, led by Tiziano Mecella with a clear steer from the owners’ team. “For us, designing Tremenda’s interiors was about translating the owners’ vision into spaces that feel both deeply personal and universally welcoming.

Every detail reflects their desire for warmth, serenity and an understated sense of luxury. We wanted each guest to feel embraced by the environment, which is why we paired warm wooden tones with tactile resin finishes, creating a soothing continuity in all interior spaces.”

There is little variation in footprint between the two VIP cabins and two oversized twins (one with Pullman berth) save for the VIPs’ open en suites with sliding privacy doors that have a voluminous impact on the perception of interior space.

Long, low windows give views of the water, while backlit glass-fluted wardrobe doors and nero d’Avola Salvatori stone in the en suites reflect the “beach house” interior aesthetic.

It’s continued in the shared guest areas, with stonehued plaster on the walls, textured natural rattan on the doors and fluted wood panelling on the central staircase.

“The staircase is one of my favourite elements,” Mecella adds. “Its slender, painted metal structure was intentionally left exposed to create a sense of weightlessness, as if it floats between the decks. It symbolises the lightness and openness that define the entire interior concept.”

An integrated TV mirror takes pride of place, facing an abstract artwork that hangs above the bed. It’s one of many pieces of art and sculpture adorning the yacht, all taken from the owners’ private collection in a neat circle back to Cassetta’s original design intent.

“This is one of the few projects that, from an exterior design point of view, I can say we achieved 99 per cent of our expectations.”

Tremenda, it seems, is a tremendous success.

First published in the December 2025 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.