Superyacht

CODECASA HULL C122: INSIDE INFORMATION

Codecasa’s latest on-spec Vintage Series build, Hull C122, is now complete and looking for an owner. But, how does a shipyard begin a project without an owner’s input? We talk to Codecasa’s Raffaella Bartali to find out.

Steve Chalmers

Codecasa’s Vintage Series has been catching the imagination of yacht owners since Hull F73(now M/Y Magari) was launched back in 2011. Her 42-metre sister-ship, M/Y Libra (Hull F75), came two years later with the 50 metre Hull C121 M/Y Gazzella crowning the range in 2015.

With the clean and classic lines of the Vintage Series clearly proving popular, the shipyard, which was established in Viareggio back in 1825 by the shipwright Giovanni Battista Codecasa, decided to build two Vintages on spec. Hull F76, M/Y Gio Chi Thè was delivered in July 2016, with Hull C122 recently completed in the summer.

It takes a lot of confidence to build on spec – only a few shipyards have the ability to do it – but with 193 years of experience, Codecasa didn’t think twice about starting Hull C122.

Building on spec requires belief in a yacht design. What makes the Vintage Series so popular with owners?

Raffaella: Our Vintage Series was born in 2011 and was immediately a great success. This is the reason we have always believed in this yacht design and this is why we have built several yachts of this Series since.

What is the biggest advantage of building Hull C122 on spec?

Raffaella: Reducing the delivery time is the biggest factor. Hull C122 is now ready for launch.

With the classic lines of the Vintage Series proving popular, the shipyard, which was established in 1825, decided to build two, on spec.
How quickly can she be ready?

Raffaella: The delivery can be scheduled in about six weeks from the Signature of the Sales Agreement, which is the ‘technical’ time needed to carry out tests at dock and at sea. So, building on spec enables the yard to keep working and have yachts ready for prompt delivery.

Q: How do you design an interior without and an Owner’s input?

Raffaella: It’s hard to guess the nationality and tastes of a future Owner, so Hull C122’s Interiors stand between a classic and a modern style, in line with Italian taste. The best care has been devoted to details and the choice of materials, so we’re confident a potential owner would like it.

Q. The interior design is very much different from that of Gio Chi The’s – what was the reasoning behind trying a different theme?

Raffaella: The different theme is simply due to the fact that our yachts are all custom built, so each yacht is different from the other.

Q: With an on-spec build, do you have a type of owner in mind?

Raffaella: It’s not possible to have a type of Owner in mind, but obviously this kind of yacht is meant for people who love living on the sea. Hull C122 is not a sporty or fast yacht and for this reason, maybe she’s more suitable for families. In fact, she is equipped with two Caterpillar 3512C engines (1650hp @1800 rpm) giving her a top speed of 16.5 knots at light displacement, with a 4000 nautical mile range at 11 knots cruising speed. Hull C122 can ensure a safe navigation in any weather condition.

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Q: Do you have to guess their age, lifestyle etc?

Raffaella: Superyacht trends give me a good idea on age and lifestyle: there’s good chance they are middle-aged, with children.

Q: With its gold detailing, the C122’s style is bold and confident. How do you go about creating the colour scheme?

Raffaella: For the colour scheme, we aim for continuity throughout the yacht. For C122, grey, gold and sunny tones prevail and this colour scheme is echoed inside and outside to create bright and fresh spaces everywhere you look.

Q: With an on–spec build, do you expect a potential owner to change colours, styles and designs?

Raffaella: When an Owner comes to us looking for a finished Yacht, he already knows what kind of product we can offer him. Usually, our ‘on spec’ yachts are built in a way that by simply changing some details such as fabric, cushions and lamps, the yacht style can easily be changed to look more personal.

Q: One of our favourite details in the lattice-style marble floor design. Was this created especially for C122?

Raffaella: Yes, this marble floor design was created by our in-house design team especially for Hull C122. The stone itself was supplied by a Tuscan company.

Q: What other design elements are unique to the C122?

Raffaella: All the Codecasa yachts are unique because they are all custom built. Hull C122’s sun deck layout differs from the other Vintage Series yachts, where the usual classic central mast with hard top are replaced, in this case, by a roll bar. The result is a more sporty look; increased usable space and consequently greater comfort in the sun deck area.