Italy’s Wider is building a new 130-ft yacht, its first new project since the acquisition of the shipyard in April by Genting Hong Kong.

The new sister to the award-winning Wider 150 ‘Bartali’ and Wider 165 ‘Cecilia’ is currently in build at the Ancona-based shipyard and is available for sale with a delivery in time for next summer. 

Making the most of life at sea, light and space is very much the theme with floor-to-ceiling windows in the main saloon, indoor-outdoor living in the sky lounge, and a large waterside beach club allowing owners to enjoy the best of life right at the water’s edge.

Initial viewings have drawn wide praise for the aggressive styling of this full-displacement all aluminium superyacht. The sporty exterior lines of the yacht allows for huge deck space totalling more than 200 sq m, split into three distinct luxury areas: the foredeck for sun worshippers, bridge deck aft for al fresco dining and entertaining and a generous beach club, for easy access to the sea.

Her capacious interior will contain accommodation for 12 guests in six cabins as well as room for up to seven crew, depending on owner requirements. Wider’s trademark wings on the upper deck create space for a large sky lounge indoor-outdoor living area, totalling 85 sq m, high above the water allowing far reaching panoramic views.

As with all the Wider range, extra space has been created through the use of a diesel-electric propulsion system. In addition to producing a lower carbon footprint and up to 20 per cent less fuel consumption than a traditional twin screw configuration, this is the quietest way to power a vessel, the builder says.

Class leading levels of noise and vibration were achieved on the Wider 150 – awarded a RINA score of 100/100, the first time this has happened – and will be repeated on her smaller sibling. At anchor, she can operate silently on battery power alone for up to 6 hours – meaning peaceful nights and undisturbed enjoyment of life on the water.

Clients will have the option to work with Wider to create the interior of their choosing or they can select a designer of their choice.

Sales and Marketing Director Jeremy Roche said: “We are particularly proud of plans for the new Wider 130 created by our in-house design team, which will perfectly complement the larger vessels in our range. She has all the trademark Wider styling and will offer a remarkable amount of accommodation and living space for her size.”

“Her stunning lines combined with the extensive beach club, large sky lounge and silent operation at anchor – enabled through her diesel-electric propulsion system – mean we’re confident this boat will truly be something special.”

Wider Head of Design Michele Lubrano added: “A lot of thought has gone into every detail of her layout so that as well as providing spacious guest areas that flow well from one space to the next, it will enable the crew to work efficiently and come and go discreetly through well-designed passageways.”

The all-aluminum yacht benefits from the same diesel electric propulsion system used aboard the 150 – now named ‘Bartali’ and delivered in June 2017 – and the Wider 165, due for delivery in early summer of 2018. 

This system affords numerous advantages over traditional, twin screw propulsion systems, including:

• Ability to run solely on battery power for up to 6 hours in complete silence while at anchor.

• Flexibility of layout – no propeller shafts, simply electric cables which link the power source to the electric motors on the pods and supply all of the hotel systems. This has allowed for a more compact engine room creating more space at the midship which allows for the addition of a 6th guest cabin, exceptional of yachts this size.

• Reduced noise and vibration – the power management system optimises the use of one or more generators, as well as the power stored in the batteries, to ensure that never producing more power than required at any given moment and electric motors are quieter meaning significant reduction in noise and vibration levels.

• Fuel efficiency and thus extended cruising range – just 84lt per hour at 10kts offering range of 3400nm.

• Shallow draft – 2m 00 (6’7’’) – allows access to more areas and is particularly well suited for usage in the Bahamas.

• Increased reliability – electric motors have less moving parts and are less prone to failure.

• Reduced maintenance – Because of the efficient use of the generators by the power management system, generator hours are reduced meaning that standard maintenance is reduced and the time between overhaul is extended.


GENERAL ARRANGEMENT

Guests are treated to six staterooms that stretch further aft than on a traditional yacht of this size, well into the area usually reserved for an engine room. Each has an en-suite bathroom, and generous shower rooms.

The full-beam master stateroom is on the main deck and includes an opening terrace, ideal for an evening cocktail or breakfast over the water as well as huge windows to add to the feeling of space and connection with the sea. 

The Wider 130 has an ample beam of 8.40 m (27’7’’) and generous head height of 2.10 m (6’11’’) making the main deck saloon remarkably airy and light, with floor-to-ceiling windows on either side that allow the light flood in. The bulwarks also drop down allowing guests to enjoy uninterrupted views of the ocean even while seated.

On the upper deck, aft of the wheelhouse, a sky lounge leads out to an inviting aft deck. Sliding full-height glass doors can divide the two areas, when necessary, or open to create an impressive indoor/outdoor sun deck, ideal for entertaining, totaling 85 sq m.

Outdoor relaxation areas are in abundance, totaling 217 sq m, and split into three distinct areas:

• The Beach Club is a magnificent onboard oasis that offers splendid relaxation space in direct connection with the sea and provides a spacious transom swim-and-sunbathing-deck with dedicated bar and storage for water toys.

• Forward of the wheelhouse, a large seating recess, including a Jacuzzi, is carved into the superstructure Additional sun pads on the foredeck, which house the jet skis, are ideal for sun worshippers.

• The upper deck aft is ideal for long lunches in the shade or alfresco dining and entertaining for the owner and his friends.

The Wider 130 is built to comply with the latest standards (LY3) for crew. Three twin cabins, a sizeable cabin for the captain next to the wheelhouse, and an ample crew mess. 

Tender and jet ski storage is located forward, creatively hidden from sight while at the same time remaining easily accessible. There is capacity to stow a 5m (16’5’’) tender below the foredeck and two jet skis are housed in the sun pads on the foredeck meaning that the garage has enough storage to house all of the toys you could wish for. All of the tenders and toys are launched and retrieved with a crane built into the starboard bulwark.


DIESEL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY

The Wider 130 is powered by a diesel electric propulsion system combined with lithium polymer battery banks coupled with Azimuthal pods. 

The propulsion system is completely modular, so the Wider 130 can cruise using only the battery packs, in ZEM (zero emission mode), or with up to two inline, variable speed diesel generators. This means it can cruise at a higher range of speeds while continuing to enjoy limited specific fuel consumption.

All the onboard energy sources are controlled by the Wider Power Management System, a smart and fully integrated system which flexibly controls the power supplied by the shore connection, the gen-set and the battery packs, distributing it between the hotel requirements, the propulsion system and the battery pack recharging, as required.

The Wider 130 is equipped with an Azimuthal pod propulsion system which affords significant advantages compared to conventional shaft-line propulsion, including increased reliability, increased maneuverability, shallow draft, lower noise and vibration and reduced maintenance

A range of 2,600 nm is expected at her cruising speed of 12 knots, increasing to 3,400 nm at the economical speed of 10 knots. The yacht has a top speed of 14 knots and can also run solely on batteries when in zero emission mode.