A voyage from South Africa to La Spezia for the cruiser-racer, Morgana

Morgana’s owner was waiting for her while she faced her first seven thousand nautical miles.  Morgana is a custom cruiser-racer, built with naval architecture by Reichel/Pugh, from the exterior and interior design by Nauta Design and built by the South African shipyard, Southern Wind. The maiden voyage, starting from the southernmost point of Africa to the Ligurian sea, saw the 100-foot sloop in a proper crossing, rather than just a simple “delivery voyage”.

A CUSTOM CRUISER-RACER TAKING OVER 3,000 HOURS TO DESIGN

This vessel is also the result of a long design and construction process – begun in 2017 when the owner contacted the studio, Nauta Design in Milan to make the yacht of his dreams – Morgana is a vessel of the latest generation. In addition to a  lifting keel (a variable keel allowing for better racing performance, as well as being able to navigate in shallow ports and bays), its hull is in Corecell and Nomex carbon fibre, composite materials that are pre-soaked for advanced performance, both during racing and cruising.

The over 3,000 hours spent in its design have created a streamlined and sporty profile, “capable – explains Massimo Gino, co-founder and partner of Nauta Design – of communicating speed and performance.” Indeed, the owner wanted a “fast bluewater cruiser” capable of competing in superyacht competitions. For this reason, according to Gino, they developed a “low and streamlined deckhouse, in proportion with the height of the freeboard. On a similar boat, with a lower freeboard compared to similar yachts, we had to play with millimetric changes in order to create the right height and correct proportions.”

The hull, “powerful when it is tilted”, has a tight buoyancy to optimise close-hauled sailing and guarantee speed even with little wind. All results reached thanks to the close partnership of the professionals in the businesses working together, and the boat’s owner. And to the constant checking, in the pre-construction phase, by the technicians of the shipyard, so as to evaluate, step by step, Morgana’s weight and avoid any errors.

RACING EXTERIOR, CRUISING INTERIOR

The design studio in Milan was also given the job of designing the interiors of this custom cruiser-racer. “Finalising the concept – says Mario Pedol, chairman of Nauta Design – required time and we were invited to the owner’s house to better understand his tastes and discuss the various options. Now the owner is very happy with the result and the right combination of a warm and welcoming environment with hints of contemporary design.”

The owner’s suit to the bow, the three cabins with private bathrooms for guests and the living room (with a TV area in the forward part) stand out for their sober and modern style. Completing this superyacht is a double cabin for the captain, one with two bunks for the crew, a garage for the tender, an ample peak to the bow, a docking area below decks and an underwater anchoring system.