Five notable yachts just became available for charter in the West Mediterranean, with plenty of time left to book itineraries before the current season is over.

First up is Zazou, a 213-foot Benetti that launched in 2021. It’s new to the charter fleet at Y.CO, with plans to base in the South of France and Corsica. This is the first time that Zazou is being opened for charters, with availability beginning mid-August.

“Ideal for families, she is elegant and sophisticated thanks to her stunning interior,” Sioned Williams of Y.CO Charter Management stated in a press release. Notable features include a gymnasium, treatment room, outdoor cinema and beach club. Accommodations are for 10 guests in five staterooms.

Y.CO also just welcomed the new-for-2024 Benetti Dyna to the charter fleet in the Mediterranean. Dates are available in September and October.

Accommodations aboard Dyna are for 12 guests in six staterooms. Amenities include a main-deck pool, a cinema, a spa and a master stateroom with a private balcony.

“Dyna is a particularly fine example of the B.Now 50m Oasis model,” Yasmine Naitijja of Y.CO Charter Management stated in a press release. “No expense has been spared in the finishes throughout. The spa area is a real onboard highlight, as is the large main-deck pool, while the stylish Novamarine Black Shiver chase boat offers enhanced exploration.”

Also now available in the West Mediterranean is Alma III, a 97-foot Azimut that was just delivered to the owners from the shipyard in June. It’s part of the Fraser charter fleet and will have availability in August from Sardinia.

According to the Fraser team, Alma III is the only Azimut Magellano 30 currently on the charter market. Exterior design is by Ken Freivokh, and accommodations are for 10 guests in five staterooms. The master is full beam on the main deck.

In the IYC charter fleet in Greece, guests can book the 82-foot Maiora El Pecado, which became available earlier this summer. The yacht is a 2014 build that IYC’s team says is in “impeccable condition” with accommodations for as many as nine guests in four staterooms.

Notable features and equipment on El Pecado include low fuel consumption and at-anchor stabilizers for guest comfort.

Also in Greece with IYC is the 107-foot Custom Line My Mistake, a 2023 build that accommodates 10 guests in five staterooms. The IYC team notes that this yacht has a child-friendly setup, meaning it is a good choice for bookings with families.

Top speed aboard My Mistake is reportedly 26 knots, which should make short work of cruising between the Greek Isles while leaving more time for fun at anchor and in harbors.

When does the Mediterranean yacht-charter season end? The high season is over at the end of August, but with nice weather, the cruising in some parts of the region can be terrific well into October.

How to book a week on board: Contact a charter broker at y.co, iyc.com or fraseryachts.com

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The first Maiora I ever reviewed was an 80-foot flybridge called Max & Ale, back in the mid-1990s. It had a dark, high-gloss, flame-cut mahogany interior with a lot of bright, canary-yellow upholstery. That yacht had a personality, plain and simple.

More recently, I got aboard Pesa II, which is a Maiora 35 Exuma, and I wondered what kind of personality a yacht with the model designation Exuma might have. Despite all my years of getting on boats, I have never visited the Bahamas—a massive omission for someone in my deck shoes, I know. But alas, it’s all too true, for now at least. My online search led me to the Bahamian musician Tony McKay, also known as Exuma, who is currently my go-to life soundtrack. Soon, I was reading up on the island chain that runs southeast of Nassau down to Great Exuma. Pals with years of experience cruising those shoal waters tell me the Exumas are some of the most idyllic islands in the world, especially if you like scuba diving. But you do need the right boat to get the most out of them, with a shoal draft and good speed.

Pesa II is just such a yacht. This 115-foot composite trideck launched last May with a striking, silver-metallic livery and an unusual general arrangement.

Approaching from the stern, guests step aboard at the swim platform. Curved “palazzo steps” extend across the transom. While the cockpit is conventional enough—it has a sun pad and booth-sofa island, as well as stairs to the deck above—what lies beyond is far from ordinary. You could say this yacht is almost a wide-body, or even that it has partial asymmetry. At the main-deck level, it has a sizable salon with a single, well-protected side deck to port and a full-beam owners’ stateroom forward, plus a few other surprises.

The salon aboard Pesa II has three zones. An L-shaped sofa is to port, with a dining table for eight to 10 guests forward, and a pair of armchairs and a coffee table to starboard. The views through picture windows make the whole space feel special.

Above, the upper deck is accessed via stairs that arch between an amidships lobby to starboard, and a pantry and the main galley to port. The upper deck is a supremely flexible entertainment space. It has outdoor sun loungers and an inside sky lounge, which, on Pesa II, has a sofa to starboard and formal dining forward to port. There’s also a three-monitor bridge console with a centerline pilot seat flanked by double bench seats, all upholstered in a diamond-stitched cream leather.

Side doors access wing stations and, ultimately, the foredeck terrace. Beyond those side doors, the whole deck space can be opened up to the elements via a sliding sunroof, drop-down side glazing and the aft-deck doors. The Maiora team calls the space a “fly on demand” because it almost becomes one enormous flybridge.

This design is most unusual for also providing a smaller wheelhouse forward on the main deck. It has doors on each side that access the working foredeck, and a dogleg staircase to port that connects with the crew area belowdecks. The crew space has a galley and mess to port, a captain’s double-berth cabin to starboard, and two twin-bunk cabins on each side of the fo’c’sle.

The owners’ stateroom has a forward-facing super-king berth with a vanity/desk to port and a corner sofa to starboard. Its en suite and walk-in closet are forward. Pesa II’s guest accommodations are belowdecks: four double-berth staterooms accessed from an amidships lobby. The aft stateroom’s double berths convert to twins, and one of the staterooms aboard Pesa II has a Pullman berth. The other two guest staterooms are amidships, one of them a larger VIP. Both have double berths, and the VIP’s berth is positioned for great views of the outdoors.

There’s an organic feel to Pesa II’s interior, which Maiora’s creative team worked up with the yacht’s owners. A big-block parquet sole with matte oaks and bleached-walnut veneer detailing sets the tone. The sky lounge has a teak sole. The color palette throughout the yacht features whites, creams, fawns and taupes, as well as bright marbles for tables and bathrooms. It’s a soft, contemporary vibe that, to my eye, has a hint of the late 1960s and early 1970s in the low-furniture choices. Virtually everything is curved, ribbed, rounded or radiused. All of the mirrors are irregular shapes, and they bounce around the natural light that comes through the glazing.

And then, there’s performance. Despite the yacht’s near-plumb bow, which maximizes the waterline length at displacement speeds, everything below the waterline is aimed at planing performance. There’s a V-hull form with spray rails and chine flats. Power is triple 2,000 hp MTU 12V 2000 M96X diesels paired to triple MJP water jets. The two outer jets are steerable, and the center one serves as a booster.

Maiora’s quoted top speed is normally 35 knots, but Pesa II’s top-end is a couple of knots slower. This yacht is available for charter, and it has “night mode” lithium-ion batteries that supply hotel loads without running the engines—a great feature, but one that adds significant battery weight. Thus, Pesa II’s top speed is 33 knots, with a fast cruise around 27 knots.

More speed is possible with bigger engines. The third Maiora 35 Exuma has triple 2,600 hp Caterpillar diesels and a reported top speed of 42 knots. As for range, Pesa II should manage around 1,250 nautical miles at 10 knots.

Water-jet-propelled vessels have their advantages. They not only allow for a relatively small engine room aft, but they also are highly maneuverable. They have far less vibration and are ideally suited to shoal-water cruising, with no protruding props or shafts. The maximum draft on Pesa II is just 4 feet, 7 inches, and that’s at a full-load displacement of 375,000 pounds. Yachts with water jets can also deliver a crash stop, which normally means hauling up within not much more than a boat length from any speed.

For tenders, there are two garages aboard the Maiora 35 Exuma. One is aft beneath the cockpit for an 11-foot-6-inch service tender or two PWC, while the other is a “dry” transverse space for a 21-foot main tender. That’s a good-size ride to head out in for some exploring, but with so much to enjoy on board the Maiora 35 Exuma, most owners and guests won’t be gone for too long.

The First Exuma

The first Maiora 35 Exuma, Lady Nina, was delivered in 2020 to Central American owners. It is now based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and was exhibited at the most recent Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. It has a darker, contemporary interior, and triple 1,925 hp Cats for a top speed of 35 knots.

Jet Experts

The Next Yacht Group has more experience with water-jet installations than most other yacht builders in the Maiora 35 Exuma’s size segment. This group has been delivering such craft consistently for well over 30 years.

What’s in a Name?

The Maiora name comes from the Latin phrase ad maiora, which roughly translates as “toward greater things.” A new range of Exumas is being worked up by architect Marco Casamonti, whose first project with the Next Yacht Group is the AB110 expected to debut later this year.

Made in Italy

Formerly known as FIPA Italiana Yachts, the Next Yacht Group is headquartered in Viareggio, a resort city on Italy’s west coast that is home to many of the nation’s best-known yacht builders. The group includes the Maiora, AB and CBI Navi brands. Maioras are built in Viareggio, while Maiora Exumas and ABs are built in nearby Massa. The CBI Navi brand is reserved for custom metal vessels.

Take the next step: maiora.it

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Next Yacht Group, the parent company of AB Yachts and Maiora, has announced the launch of the 115-foot Maiora Exuma.

The yacht comes in at 300 gross tons with a reported top speed of 35 knots. The design includes a straight bow, open stern and water-jet propulsion. Power is a trio of 2,000 hp MTU engines. Owners also can opt for a triple 2,600 hp configuration that the builder says juices the top-end speed to nearly 40 knots.

Draft is about 4 feet, allowing for skinny-water cruising in the Bahamas. Additional features include meta-panels and resonators for soundproofing, an automated trim-control system and two gyrostabilizers.

There are two garages on board, with the side garage sized for a Williams Dieseljet 625 and the aft garage suited for an 11-footer along with watertoys.

Also notable is the upper-deck lounge, which is a 506-square-foot, enclosed space. It can convert to an open-air space by opening a door, sliding open the moonroof and lowering the side glazing. The builder calls this setup an “on-demand flybridge.”

How many guests can sleep on board? The Maiora 35 Exuma can accommodate 10 or 11 guests in five staterooms, including a full-beam master forward on the main deck. There also are quarters for five or six crew.

Take the next step: go to nextyachtgroup.com

The post Meet the Maiora Exuma appeared first on Yachting.

Is there any more relaxing place than at anchor in a favorite quiet anchorage, with the engines powered down and the chilled beverages served up?

It can be easy, in those moments of bliss, to forget about all the design, engineering and craftsmanship that go into making every onboard detail perfect. Getting an eye on all of those fineries is, instead, what boat-show season is all about: a chance to poke and prod every nook and cranny on new model after new model until you find just the right one for enjoying your go-to harbor.

In this article, we take a look at some of the boats expected to be on the docks at boat shows this autumn. We’re thrilled to report that the designers, engineers and craftsmen have been hard at work coming up with even more ways for all of us to enjoy the best of the boating lifestyle.

wallypower58: Stylish Evolution

Whereas most of the yachts in the wallypower line have taken their styling cues from the wallytender, the wallypower58 draws its inspiration from the wallypower118 that launched back in 2003. “At Wally, we often say that our yachts are 20 years ahead of their time, and, in this case, that’s very much the reality,” Stefano de Vivo, Wally’s managing director, said in announcing the new model. Key features include overnight accommodations for our people; folding bulwarks that expand the onboard space by about 270 square feet; and the option of adding a crew berth, say, if the wallypower58 is going to be used as a chase boat for a superyacht. A hydraulic swim platform is another option; guests can use it as a submerged teak beach.

Benetti B.Yond 37M: A Return to Steel

Benetti Yachts in Italy launched Hull No. 1 of the B.Yond 37M in July. The 121-foot hull is built in steel instead of the more common fiberglass, and it has an E-Mode Hybrid system by Siemens Energy to reduce emissions. The yacht can switch from mechanical to electric propulsion and back again, giving owners four operating modes. In full electric mode, Benetti says, the yacht has zero emissions; in Eco Transfer mode, range is 8,200 nautical miles at 9 knots. For accommodations, owners can choose to locate the master stateroom on the main or bridge deck. Overall, there are options allowing for as many as seven guest staterooms, depending on whether owners want certain gymnasium or crew spaces on board.

Canados Gladiator 571 Blade: 50-plus knots

The Gladiator line from Canados includes seven models from 41 to 96 feet length overall. The Gladiator 571 Blade takes its design cues from the Gladiator 493—one of the builder’s bestselling models—with features such as a central steering position, built-in foredeck lounge pads, and oversize sun pads fore and aft. The design firm Saturia Studio in Rome also added new features, including a reversed sofa at the swim platform for watersports fans, side lockers for fenders in the cockpit, and a larger tender garage. Inboard- and outboard-power versions of the Gladiator 571 Blade are available, with the base-model 725 hp Volvo Penta D11s providing a reported 36-knot top hop. Optional powerplants increase that speed well above 50 knots.

Maiora 30 Eden: A Sizable Flybridge

The latest hull of the Maiora 30 has been christened Eden. It’s a walkaround version of the vessel, with a flybridge that has almost 1,300 square feet of space without any steps or stairs to interrupt the flow of guests. This Maiora 30 is also the first to be fitted with a custom teak-and-glass hot tub that has room for five adults, with infinity-style views all around. Another notable guest space is at the stern, where what the builder calls a terrace connects to the salon for indoor-outdoor entertaining. Tender stowage is forward, with a garage that can hold a tender more than 19 feet long. Maximum speed, according to the builder, is 23 knots, with stabilizers that operate both underway and at anchor for comfort during long-distance cruising itineraries.

Ferretti Yachts 860: Features Galore

The Ferretti Yachts 860 is a flybridge model with numerous features that the Italian builder says are unusual in this size range. There are sole-to-ceiling windows as well as glass fashion plates in the exterior design. Inside is a helical staircase that leads down below from the main deck, with an art deco influence in the styling. There are opening windows in both hullsides allowing for fresh air at anchor, and there are four staterooms, including an amidships master. Crew quarters are separate, with en suite double cabins. Base power is twin 2,000 hp MAN V-12s for a reported cruising speed of 27 knots and a top-end of 32 knots. A pair of 1,800 hp MANs is an option, as is a Seakeeper or Zero Speed system for stabilization.

Custom Line 140: A New Flagship

There’s good reason for the celebration that accompanied the recent launch of the Custom Line 140: It’s the largest yacht the Ferretti Group brand has ever built, and it now serves as the Custom Line flagship. According to the builder, the high-speed displacement hull allows for a top hop of 21.5 knots. Spaciousness is the theme inside, with a nearly 325-square-foot wide-body owners’ stateroom on the main deck. Owners can opt for an opening terrace here to add even more connection to the sea. Four additional guest staterooms are belowdecks, and there are separate quarters for seven crew. Custom Line is also touting the yacht’s level of “acoustic comfort,” with silenced engine-exhaust systems and machinery supports to reduce vibration.

Hinckley SilentJet: A Hybrid Power Upgrade

The Hinckley Company just introduced SilentJet, a hybrid power update to the Picnic Boat 40 S that allows the yacht to operate silently, including without a generator at anchor. The builder has been working on the idea since 2017, when it introduced the electric Dasher model. The Hinckley team worked with Twin Disc to develop the final concept and integrate it with the Hinckley JetStick control system. With the SilentJet system engaged on the Hinckley Picnic Boat 40 S, the company says, the boat can cruise at 7 knots for at least one hour and at 5.5 knots for as long as 90 minutes. Given that this is a hybrid system, there’s also diesel power available. In that mode, the same boat can reportedly achieve a top-end speed of 35 knots.

ISA Classic 65: 212 Feet of Fun

Christened Resilience, the ISA Classic 65 has a steel hull, an aluminum superstructure and a gross tonnage of more than 1,400. There’s a full-beam master stateroom forward on the main deck, in addition to five more guest staterooms. Space can be converted to create a seventh guest stateroom if it’s needed. Aft, the transom door opens to sit flush with the swim platform, adding to the space from opening side doors to allow for more than 1,900 square feet of beach club. Features here include a gym, sauna, showers and massage room. Guests can access the rest of the yacht from here in three ways, including via a corridor that has an enclosed-glass space with views of the engine room and its MTU 12V powerplants.

Riva 102′ Corsaro Super: Top Speed of 28 knots

The Riva 102′ Corsaro Super is a successor to the 100′ Corsaro, which the builder says has been among its bestsellers in recent years. The 102′ has an updated design in the superstructure and hull, creating what Riva calls a contemporary sport concept. Aerodynamics were improved with the addition of glass fashion plates aft. For guest relaxation, gunwales swing out on each side of the main deck to create terraces with panoramic views. Accommodations are for 10 guests in five staterooms. The main deck’s primary living space can be ordered in one of two ways, depending on what owners want closest to the aft deck: a focus on dining with a table at the stern, or a focus on lounging aft that sees the dining space moved amidships.

Pursuit OS 445: Series Flagship

The OS 445 is the new flagship of Pursuit’s Offshore series and the largest boat the builder has ever produced. It’s made for fishing and family cruising alike. Anglers get transom and gunwale rod holders, a transom livewell, three fish boxes totaling 239 gallons, and a setup ready to install downriggers. For cruising, there are yacht-style bulwarks for secure passage to the foredeck seating area, as well as a galley-up design on the bridge deck for entertaining. Itineraries can include weekends on the hook, with a master stateroom that has a queen-size island berth, and a second stateroom for kids or guests. According to Pursuit, triple Yamaha F425 outboards produce a top-end speed above 42 knots, with a range of 349 nautical miles at 26 knots.

Princess Y85: Expanding the Range

Princess Yachts continues to expand its Y Class Motor Yacht range, which includes the Y72 and Y78. The new Y85 is the flagship until later this year, when the Y95 is scheduled to launch. For the Y85, the builder is offering owners various ways to spec out the onboard space. Up on the flybridge, owners can add an optional tender and crane for tender stowage, or replace the sun pad with a hot tub and free-standing furniture. Down in the cockpit, owners can choose a traditional U-shaped dining arrangement, a central table with free-standing furniture or the builder’s “infinity” layout with seating on an electrically sliding mechanism that helps to create more of a beach-club ambience in this part of the yacht.

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