Goga, the first Benetti B.Yond 37M, is very much the brainchild of Azimut-Benetti President Paolo Vitelli. The 121-foot (36.9-meter) project sprang from his desire to do something different, to build a steel yacht in a size category more commonly associated with fiberglass, and with a design for clients who would see it as more than just an expensive plaything.

“An important consideration was to keep the dimensions reasonable,” Vitelli says. “I’ve been all around the Mediterranean, and I love the small harbors where generally the limit is around 40 meters, or 130 feet in length. So, part of the dream was to have a yacht that could still enter these places and be close to the town or village life, rather than always anchoring outside.”

There were other drivers. Exceptional for this size yacht is that Vitelli wanted a four-deck layout, crew circulation that’s completely independent of guest areas, and the option of hybrid propulsion for the increasingly eco-conscious marketplace.

“The B.Yond concept set in motion quite a debate within the company,” says Giovanna Vitelli, who works alongside her father as group vice president. “It started in the old-fashioned way, with my father and the designer Stefano Righini sketching out ideas on a paper napkin. It was clear from the very beginning that the boat would step away from the normal path, and so, yes, our sales team was a little nervous at the beginning because there were some doubts whether our clients would understand.”

Work began on a volumetric analysis to maximize the onboard volumes, functionality, circulation flow and guest privacy. This analysis led to a radical reassessment of conventional layouts. Generous crew quarters are on the lower deck; four guest staterooms are on the main deck, along with what Paolo Vitelli calls the “playroom” or kids’ lounge; the living and dining areas are on the upper deck; an aft-facing master stateroom is on the bridge deck; and everything is topped by a sundeck for good measure.

The main living area on the upper deck is arguably the highlight of the interior, and is a powerful selling point thanks to the clear views throughout the yacht from bow to stern.

“The perception you get when you walk through the glass doors from the aft terrace with another terrace forward and light all around you is quite unique for this size of yacht,” Giovanna Vitelli says.

With a beam of over 28 feet (8.6 meters), the imposing profile may not be to everyone’s taste, but the volume of 400 gross tons is remarkable for a 120 footer. On the lower deck is an extra cabin that can be used as a gym; and another that serves as a seventh guest stateroom, or as a second captain’s cabin in addition to the one abaft the wheelhouse. So many accommodations options on a 121-foot yacht makes the B.Yond 37 an attractive proposition for charter.

The hybrid propulsion system, developed in collaboration with Siemens, has a conventional diesel configuration for a reported maximum speed of 14 knots. The system also offers four additional modes, including silent running on batteries alone, single-engine propulsion and an extended-range mode. A 100-kilowatt battery bank provides up to six hours of at-anchor power for hotel loads with the generators off. A selective catalytic reduction system also filters out toxic emissions.

“I believe the fuel of the future is hydrogen, and hybrid is an interim solution for the next few years,” Paolo Vitelli says. “Hybrid means primarily two things: to be able to switch off generators at night or when at anchor for total silence, and quiet, economical cruising at slow speed with the electric motors. There are other modes, but these, to mind my mind, are the two main advantages.”

Another notable space on the B.Yond 37M is its semi-enclosed tender garage on the main deck. Benetti—while thinking of this yacht as a compact explorer—wanted to avoid visible tenders and toys on the open aft deck, as is typical of expedition yachts.

An enclosed garage, on the other hand, would have meant less interior volume for guest use. The semi-open configuration with fold-down bulwarks provides a much bigger garage than usual, with space for a 21-foot (6.5-meter) tender, a crew tender and other water toys, but keeps them all out of sight.

“The garage is a key element of the design,” Giovanna Vitelli says. “This is not an explorer, nor a conventional superyacht, but a voyager able to travel the world for months at a time. Part of the pleasure of spending long periods on board is not having an open-air garage with all the tenders and toys always on show. The semi-open garage, which is not included in the gross tonnage calculation, was a very clever solution to make the yacht more enjoyable for owners and their guests.”

Then, there is the hull material. Once upon a time, all yachts were made of steel or wood. Paolo Vitelli was a pioneer in the use of fiberglass for large yachts. In this context, the B.Yond 37M’s steel hull marks a nostalgic return to the golden age of yachting, but in a more forward-looking, family-friendly package.

“I think it takes us back to a vision of yachting as a thing of substance and not just sparkling design,” Giovanna Vitelli says. “A true yacht, in other words.”

Paolo Vitelli ostensibly built the first B.Yond 37 for himself, but when an aging friend wanted to acquire and enjoy a new yacht quickly, he agreed to share it during the Caribbean winter season.

And, sadly, Righini died in 2021, before the B.Yond 37 was finished. A black-and-white photograph of the designer hangs in the main salon.

“From his hospital bed, Stefano designed the beginnings of the next yacht in the family, the B.Yond 48,” Paolo Vitelli says. “It will have a 26-foot swimming pool, a glass elevator, open-air terraces and space for a tender of nearly 40 feet. Sadly, Stefano is no longer with us, but we will see something else from him in the near future.” 

For more information: benettiyachts.it 

Benetti B.Yond 37M

LOA 121ft. 3in. (36.92m)

Beam 28ft. 3in. (8.6m)

Draft 8ft. 2in. (2.5m)

Construction steel and aluminum

Speed (max./cruise) 14/12.5 knots

Range 5,000 nm @10 knots

Gross tonnage 398

Naval architecture Pierluigi Ausonio/Benetti

Exterior design Stefano Righini

Interior design Benetti Style Department

Builder Benetti

This article was originally published in the Spring 2023 issue.