La Spezia saw the launch of the first ClubSwan 80, the fifth “My Song” belonging to  Pier Luigi Loro Piana, an experienced boat owner who, for 35 years has been working with Nauta Design, the studio who curated the design of the interior and cockpit. The Finnish shipyard Nautor’s Swan instead, coordinated the design, together with Juan Kouyoumdjian, for the naval architecture, while Persico Marine was the strategic partner for construction.

CLUBSWAN 80, FAST AND HIGH PERFORMANCE

A gem created by many hands, born in the wake of the previous ClubSwans, to complete the range: the technologically advanced 36, with which it shares, handling, hull design  and sail plan, the innovative 50, and the powerful 125, winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race and the RORC Caribbean 600.

“The ClubSwan 80 design – explains  Enrico Chieffi,  vice-president of Nautor Group – was created for two reasons: because our range deserved a new yacht of this kind and because in the Maxi category we saw a gap for a high performance yacht, capable of inserting itself into the competition system, something which is currently missing.”

The result is an extremely fast vessel, with a tilting keel and rotating canard, capable of finding the best compromise between performance and functionality, both during competition and when cruising. Because the owner, in addition to speed, performance and fun, according to Mario Pedol, co-founder of Nauta Design, “likes to be able to use his yacht with his family and friends.” This is the also the reason for which the interiors have been designed for ambivalence and flexibility.

ELEGANT, LIGHT AND FLEXIBLE INTERIOR

The space below deck is modular, with light furniture and hanging cloth storage bags, which can be quickly and easily removed to disembark. Almost all the other elements can be removed as well: from the oven to the dining table, including the carbon fibre toilets (a material leitmotiv for the ClubSwan 80, alongside the more traditional mahogany) in the three bathrooms and the air conditioning system.

Only the seats and gunwales in the living room are integrated structural elements, so they can also be used as cots during longer competitions. The large bed in the owner’s suite can be split in half to convert it into a double room and, like in the aft cabins, it can be quickly dismantled for removal when racing.

“We have transformed technology into elegance – notes Pedol – thanks to Pigi’s input (editor’s note: the owner): everything in the interior is in carbon fibre and we worked on the base comforts, to allow for the boat to be used for cruising, equipping it with a fridge, kitchen, air conditioning and showers.”

The black technical interiors of the ClubSwan 80 are given a rhythm by the mahogany veneer, which highlights the lights and LED rope lights in addition to the profile, furniture and flooring, so as to give a touch of elegance and a warm welcome.

FOCUS ON ILLUMINATION

Illumination is an important component of the design. Spot lights and approximately 100 metres of LED rope lights, more or less hidden in the interior of the movable furniture, add only 4.5 kg to the final weight of the boat, based on a detailed analysis of the impact of various electric consumption.

“Light – states Martino Majno, sales and project manager for the Milanese studio – is a central topic. Seeing as we have a dark interior, we played with three separate levels of illumination, starting with those needed only for regattas, with discrete red lights adapted for night-time racing. For cruising we opted for indirect longitudinal rope lights, but we also planned for functional, architectural, and focused lights.”