Ferretti has chosen the China Rendez-Vous 2014 to hold the Asia-Pacific Première of the Ferretti Yachts 960, the largest planing recreational boat ever designed and built in the Yachts line. Registered as a CE craft below 24 metres in length, this yacht takes to unprecedented heights the design philosophy embraced by the Italian brand over the last few years, maximising its concepts and contents, with the aim of achieving a truly unmatched product in its category. This is the core philosophy behind the line’s new flagship, entirely built at Ferretti Group’s Cattolica shipyard, near Rimini (Italy).
With its 29.20-metre overall length and 23.98-metre hull length, the Ferretti Yachts 960 - the outcome of the joint efforts of the Group’s Product Strategy Committee and Marketing Department in cooperation with AYT&D (Advanced Yacht Technology & Design, the Group’s research, design and product development centre), together with Studio Zuccon International Project – opens a new era in the design of large planing hulls.
This yacht falls within the CE design category and therefore does not require the presence of a professional captain, but boasts an incredible onboard liveability compared to other models in its class. The Ferretti Yachts 960, indeed, maximises several layout features typical of much larger yachts: the new flagship is the first planing yacht in the Yacht line featuring, in the traditional layout, the master cabin forward, on the main deck, and four guest cabins on the lower deck, all equally sized and with equivalent furnishings and fittings. The layout is completed by three comfortable crew cabins with dedicated access from the galley, a solution normally found on maxi yachts to ensure maximum privacy for the Owner.
The model on display in Sanya features an original layout, which reflects the choices made by the Owner and implemented by the team of the Group’s architects and designers and where the master stateroom on the main deck has been replaced by a large living area - a private play room furnished with a sofa and a coffee table.
Moreover, on the Ferretti Yachts 960 - just like on all models of the three Ferretti brand lines (Yachts, Custome Line and Navetta) - alternative layouts and various interiors décor solutions are available, including the “Tai He Ban by Ferretti” special edition, characterized by interiors specifically designed to host business meetings, official receptions, informal events and entertainment and which draws inspiration from one of the most prestigious and luxurious palaces of Beijing Forbidden City, the magnificent Hall of Supreme Harmony, where the main official ceremonies were held in the presence of the Emperor and his dignitaries.
“The presentation of the new flagship of the Yachts line in Sanya, just on the occasion of the leading Asian event devoted to yachting and the luxury market, is an extraordinary accomplishment for the development of the brand and for the entire Group in this area - comments Alessandro Tirelli, Ferretti Group’s Asia Pacific Sales Director. The China Rendez-Vous is the ideal venue to welcome Owners from the Asia-Pacific region and show them the wide range of products Ferretti can offer. We are sure that in the Asia-Pacific region the Ferretti Yachts 960 will attract the same interest that, in the less than one year since its worldwide launch, it has been attracting on the other international markets where it has been presented”.
The Ferretti Yacht 960’s outer profile strikes for its slender, dynamic lines. The design solutions implemented on this craft have a crucial impact on its overall look and endow it with a strong sporty character, extensively renovating the Yachts line’s top of the range. The glazing running along the entire main deck “cuts” the yacht from the stern to the extreme bow, resulting in a much lighter profile while ensuring incredible interior brightness. The lowered gunwale in the central part of the boat, along both broadsides at the height of the dining area, substantially increases indoor brightness and results in even lighter outer lines. Moreover, the raised pilot station allows to make the most out of interior space on the main deck, taking the deck overall surface to record values in this category. Outdoor areas are much more spacious too: the huge flybridge is entirely devoted to relaxation. Below deck, the four large glazed surfaces inserted in the hull at the height of the guest cabins ensure outstanding brightness and strengthen the concept of "perfectly equivalent cabins".
AFT AREA AND COCKPIT
One of the main innovations on this new flagship is the aft area, which has been carefully restyled and reinterpreted, creating a new concept of aft area, which is now conceived to be entirely enjoyed for leisure activities, with no detriment to its original function, i.e. storing equipment and launching the tender. The garage door features a series of comfortable sunpads which de facto turn it into a large chaise longue with a magnificent sea view. The door pistons have been hidden in the upper part of the door, preserving this area’s aesthetic features at best. The swimming platform is fitted with a convenient mobile section which makes it much easier to launch and haul the tender, the seabob, and any other items stored in the garage. The lift can be lowered to various depths below the water and can therefore also be used as a platform to dive into the water or get back onboard. Once the garage door is opened, the central part of the platform can be lowered to flood part of the garage, allowing the tender to easily slide into the water, with no need for any davit. The garage is really large: it can store an approximately 4.5-metre-long tender and various equipment, such as diving gear, thanks to the presence of several peaks. Access to the engine room is also gained from astern, through a dedicated door located under the steps on the port side leading to the swimming platform: when these steps are lifted, a watertight door is disclosed. The cockpit is very spacious, comparable to those found on much larger yachts, and is furnished with a large C-shaped sofa and a wooden dining table that can seat up to eight people.
MAIN DECK
The glazed door of the cockpit - electrically driven upon request - leads to the main deck interiors, whose layout stands out, first and foremost, for a large open space salon divided into the living area and the dining area. Natural oak wood has been used for all the interiors, adding walnut stained oak wood décor details, like the windows frames, fitted with a courtesy backlight, and the shelves hanging above the floor units. Right of the entrance to the salon stands a bar unit with an icemaker and a small bottle rack. Long, uninterrupted glazing grants a wonderful view on the sea, which is even wider on both broadside between the sofa and the dining area thanks to the lowered gunwales.
Moreover, two full-height windows have been inserted along the broadsides; upon request they can be replaced by sliding glazed doors connecting the interiors to the sidedecks. On the starboard side stands a unit with a concealing TV set which can fit a TV screen up to 55" wide. Opposite are a large U-shaped sofa by Poltrona Frau and a coffee table by B&B.
The dining table, by Bonaldo, features a glass top and a painted metal base. It can be extended to seat up to 12 guests.
The whole central part of the main deck has been designed as a lobby area, dividing the circulation routes to the upper and the lower decks. On the starboard side the lobby grants access to the day toilet and leads towards the master quarters, located forward, while in the middle a staircase allows to reach the lower deck. Maximum safety when going below deck is ensured by a wooden balustrade with a leather-lined curved handrail.
Along the port broadside, another passageway leads forward to the galley; alternatively, going up the stairs on the right the mezzanine floor can be reached, where the raised pilot station is to be found.
The area occupied by the master cabin in the traditional layout has been replaced in this model by a large private living room, designed to ensure maximum privacy and comfort also thanks to the flawless noiselessness guaranteed by perfect soundproofing, thanks to the use of multi-layer partitions that divide this area from the galley. As one as one steps inside, a walk-in wardrobe with a double sliding door can be found on the right-hand side; on the left are a big set of drawers and a full-height mirror.
Along the entire starboard broadside, under the glazing, the cabin is furnished with a vanity set and several storage compartments. The TV set, located in the aft part of the room, is just in front of the large sofa and the coffee table that furnish this exclusive play room. Lighting, particularly the backlight installed in the window frames, has been carefully arranged to enhance volumes and geometric features.
The head can be found at the extreme bow, on a lower level, and features two washbasins in Corian by Antonio Lupi. Bulwark lining is characterized by horizontal stripes in various materials and colours: the central one, at the height of the washbasins, is lacquered in white; above it is a dark-lacquered partition at the height of the mirror. The shower and the toilet are divided from the rest of the bathroom by glazed walls by Bianchi&Fontana. The LED lighting above the mirror adds another refined touch to this very airy room, which benefits from the natural light let through by the end section of the long glazing running along the entire main deck.
The galley, located forward on the port side, can rely on three different accessways, which guarantee dedicated onboard routes, direct access to the crew cabins below deck and, hence, maximum privacy for the Owner and his guests. Access to the galley can also be gained from the salon and through an external door along the port broadside. The galley, signed by Ernestomeda, is in lacquered wood with white quartz top and is fitted with a service dinette, a side-by-side refrigerator, and Bosch household appliances, as well as several hanging storage compartments forward and along the left broadside.
LOWER DECK
Access to the four cabins below deck is through a central lobby featuring a front mirror. The double cabins are identical and allow the Owner to offer his guests perfectly equivalent accommodation; all cabins are ensuite with a separate shower and spacious storage areas. The two forward cabins are furnished with sliding beds and can therefore be converted into twin cabins.
Oak wood has been used in all cabins, adding walnut stained oak wood details at the basis of the walls and in the bedside tables. The most distinctive element, which also contributes to highlighting the large hull glazing, is the wide Alcantara headboard behind the beds which, besides being used to store the curtains, extends all the way to the ceiling, covering the entire wall and curving at the sides, thereby “softly embracing” the guests in their sleep – a feeling that is further enhanced by the backlighting found along the entire bulwark. Leather is the main material used for the headboards and the stripe running around the bed. The bathrooms have floors and furniture tops in walnut stained oak wood, while the wall hanging units are in oak wood. The washbasin is by Antonio Lupi, the top is in Corian. The bathroom walls are characterized by the same curved shapes found in the cabins, resulting in a flawlessly harmonious style. The shower is separated from the rest of the bathroom by a glass wall.
Great care has been devoted to the soundproofing of all cabins on the lower deck too: multi-layer bulwarks have been installed to dampen the noise and vibrations coming from the engine room, the crew area, and the adjacent cabins. The crew quarters, located at the extreme bow and directly accessible from the galley, include three cabins hosting up to 5 people and several storage compartments. The captain cabin – on the starboard side – is fitted with a bathroom and separate shower, while the two sailor cabins, with twin beds, at the extreme bow, share a bathroom with separate shower. There is also a passageway with a corner fitted with a washing machine and a tumble drier.
FLYBRIDGE, PILOT STATION AND OUTDOOR AREAS
Access to the spacious flybridge is gained via the cockpit staircase and from the pilot station located on the mezzanine floor. The outdoor areas on the upper deck are even larger thanks to the possibility to store the tender in the garage under the cockpit and are now entirely devoted to relaxation and leisure. However, upon request, a davit can be installed on the raised fibreglass basement where, in the standard version, life rafts are normally stored.
On the left-hand side of the flybridge is the pilot station, furnished with an electrically-adjustable height pilot seat. Behind it stands a spacious U-shaped sofa with two separate tables that can be joined together thanks to two wooden trays, offering maximum comfort. On the right hand side is the co-pilot seat and, upon request, an additional steering panel may also be installed to simplify manoeuvring even more. Behind it, the bar area is furnished with two units containing the refrigerator, the sink, the grill and – upon request – an icemaker, as well as with a raised glass top where cocktails can be served or food be stored. A Jacuzzi may be fitted in the aft sunbathing area, if desired. The whole area is sheltered by an opening hard top. The aft section, entirely surrounded by manropes, may also be furnished with freestanding chairs and loungers.
The pilot station on the main deck is connected to the flybridge by a central glass hatch; it is really huge, and fitted with a large number of peaks and bookshelves above the stairs coming from the main deck; the glass windshield offers the captain the best possible visibility. The outdoor area located forward on the main deck features two large anchor chain peaks and is furnished with two sofas with large storage compartments under the seat, separated by a ladder leading to the wide forward sundeck, on the deckhouse.
ENGINE ROOM AND PROPULSION
Ferretti Yachts's first CE-certified 96-footer, the brand's new flagship, can be fitted with three different sets of MTU engines. The standard version has two 16V 2000 M84, 2,218 mhp engines allowing it to reach a maximum speed of 27.5 knots and a cruising speed of 24 knots, while the two optional versions include two 16V M93 2435 mhp engines or two 16V M94 2,638 mhp engines. In the former version, the maximum speed will be 29 knots, the cruising speed 25; in the more powerful version, installed on the first hull, the Ferretti Yachts 960 can reach a peak of 31 knots and a cruising speed of 27 knots, thereby boasting top performances for its category. The ARG (Anti Rolling Gyro) system is standard, to ensure maximum onboard comfort. Underway stabilising fins can also be installed upon request, to ensure even smoother navigation.