Imagined by the acclaimed Italian yacht designer Federico Fiorentino for Rossinavi, the 180-foot Project Zephyr concept looks really futuristic, but it was actually inspired by ’60s automotive designs. The Rossinavi-built yacht will have a Fast Displacement XL 500 hull by Van Oossanen Naval Architects. The XL running surface is the next step forward for the Dutch firm’s patented fast displacement hull form. It provides 20 percent more speed over the previous generation and, perhaps more critical to the owner, 20 percent more interior space.
Project Zephyr
On Zephyr, the hull is particularly noteworthy: With 16V 4000 MTU engines, it will deliver a top speed of 32 knots. At 12 knots the yacht has a transatlantic range of 3,540 nautical miles with fuel consumption of less than four gallons per nautical mile.
One of Fiorentino’s primary goals was to put the owners and guests beside the water without using a conventional beach club. Instead, Fiorentino created a 990-square-foot beach area that covers the entire aft deck that is connected to a 300-square-foot raised terrace. With the huge swim platform deployed, the focal point of the stern becomes its 18-foot swimming pool. The views are exceptional from every point on this deck, from the raised terrace to the transparent edges of the pool. The deck above also has a large open space, with sunbeds and lounges on the rear portion, and a dining table for 12, a bar, and a barbecue beneath the overhang.
Project Zephyr
This outer deck connects to an enclosed saloon and pilothouse. Up front, the foredeck also has a generous social space, with lounges and sunbeds.
The master suite is located on the main deck, just forward of the saloon and dining area. The palatial design includes a separate office, bedroom with lounge area on one side and vanity on the other, walk-in closet, and a full-beam en-suite bathroom. On the deck below, the five guest staterooms also have their own en-suites.
“What really makes Zephyr unique is the mixture of livable space, high performance, low fuel consumption, and her aggressive-but-harmonious look,” says Fiorentino. “The yacht is intended as a futuristic piece of technology, but with a huge personality and presence.”
