A Yearning for Yachts

Ferretti Yachts' fleet of floating villas will stand the test of time.

- AZIMIN SAINI

Italy and Singapore may be some 10,000km apart, but one thing unites us: the two countries are surrounded by sunny islands in the blue seas. Except, of course, we never had David Gandy diving in slow-mo off a yacht in white speedos.

Still, that makes Singapore a fertile stomping ground for yacht makers and prospecting owners to converge, as it most recently did at the Singapore Yachting Festival. Nearly 70 exhibitors descended upon ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove to display an armada of sleek white yachts bobbing in rippling waters like graceful swans.

Amongst the berthing boat builders, Italian marque Ferretti Yachts, brought in by local distributor Hong Seh Yachting, stood above the rest. Its selection of yachts is kitted out by some of Italy’s finest names in the interiors game. After all, the yacht builder is synonymous with elegance, craftsmanship, and unparalleled luxury, merging its technical prowess with Italian design savoir-faire.

Its tagline ‘Just Like Home’ sounds modest — until you are reminded that feeling at home on the seas means having to construct entire floating villas complete with creature comforts and space for the crew. These are often customisable — a task its builders are more than happy to fulfil.

“Compared to Western customers, there is a very different way of experiencing life on board,” explains Stefano de Vivo, chief commercial officer of Ferretti Group. “For instance, APAC buyers tend to ask for more customisations, like enclosed dining rooms, dedicated spaces for karaoke and mahjong, and fewer cabins because they cruise for shorter periods of time.”

Here, we highlight three stunners worthy of the seas.