BEYOND the EXPECTED

THE BENETTI B.YOND SERIES OFFERS LONG-DISTANCE CRUISERS AND CREW-THINGS THEY CAN'T FIND IN OTHER SMALL SUPERYACHTS.

- DIANE M. BYRNE

SPACE IS USUALLY the reason that owners step up to a larger S superyacht-say, a length overall of 197 feet or more. On those yachts, there are easily enough staterooms to accommodate up to 10 family members and friends; there are several lounging areas inside and out, spread across a few decks; and there is enough room for a party or for privacy. Getting all this in a yacht of less than 500 gross tons, which typically caps around 164 feet long, is just not possible.

Or is it?

Paolo Vitelli, president of the Azimut-Benetti Group, was convinced there's a way. Not only that, but he believed yachtsmen would like a semi-custom series with a steel hull, long-range, volume rivaling much bigger boats, and four decks. He was thinking in ways yachtsmen hadn't seen: Steel alone is a radical departure from the norm in this size range. Four decks are unheard of too.

He was right. The 121foot Benetti B.Yond 37M landed about a dozen contracts before Hull No. 1, Goga, appeared at international yacht shows in 2022. As of January, the next available delivery date is in 2027.

Increasingly, yacht buyers are realizing that volume dictates how roomy a project will look and feel. To that end, the Benetti B.Yond 37M has a volume just shy of 400 gross tons. Strong-selling American- and European-built series yachts, even those that are 10 to 20 feet longer, are unable to rival that volume.