After the Great Depression, designers “cleaned up” Art Déco. Pure lines suggesting motion and speed upstaged embellishments in architecture. The new style was known as Streamline Moderne, which perfectly defines Smeralda.

Story Maria Roberta Morso Photos Klaus Jordan

Following the 240-foot Silver launched in 2007 and her sistership Silver Zwei in 2009, Hanseatic Marine in late spring 2012 launched a wondrous 252-foot (77-meter) yacht named Smeralda (after the famous Costa Smeralda in Sardinia). Smeralda is a larger version of the two previous yachts launched by the Australian shipyard founded and owned by Guido Krass, a German entrepreneur sensitive to environmental issues.

High speed and long range, large size, fuel efficiency, as well as highly refined aesthetic were the requirements Krass put on the table when he decided to start the Silver series. Achieving all of these goals in one design was quite a challenge, said Espen Øino, the renowned designer who was chosen to carry out the ground-breaking projects. Back in 2007, few shipyards even thought of fuel saving and environmental protection as areas of interest to yacht owners, so the shipyard was truly a trendsetter.

The first yacht in the Silver series, Silver (now Rabdan) has found a new home in oil-rich Abu Dhabi. Her new owners specifically bought her for her fuel efficiency. Despite its current economic ties to oil, Abu Dhabi—home to the high-tech environmental Masdar City project—is planning for a future less reliant on hydrocarbons.

Smeralda does the same, offering a high level of efficiency for top-end performance with low fuel consumption. She shares many of Silver’s and Dragonfly (ex Silver Zwei)’s characteristics, including the same naval platform and light aluminum construction. Smeralda boasts an aggressive, aero- and hydro-dynamic bow with a very fine entry and a chine that starts at the bow and smoothly widens to the full beam. With her spindle-shaped silhouette, Smeralda echoes the style of some early 20th-century fast vessels with the added contemporary touch of an aircraft fuselage. With a beam of less than 33 feet, Smeralda is the epitome of slim hull construction.

Øino kicked the Silver-series concept up a notch with Smeralda. Her distinctive profile is characterized by an elongated fore section with touchdown helipad and a very long aft main-deck area. The expanded swim platform, extending out a remarkable distance from the stern, further enhances Smeralda’s slim silhouette, and connects to a large beach club. The spacious and elegant lounging area at sea level easily converts into a luxury spa equipped with massage room, gymnasium and a sauna for eight people.

Among the impressive exterior features that Smeralda shares with the previous models are eye-catching hull-wing hatches that lift up forward to reveal water toys and two 24-foot (7.4-meter) custom-built tenders. One of the major differences between the exterior layout of Silver and that of Smeralda is the removal of a lounge in front of the wheelhouse. Krass observed that guests did not use that space very much; on Smeralda, the same space is used instead for equipment storage. Apart from being more functional, this design feature enhances the superstructure’s sleek profile.

Above the sloping storage hatch is the wheelhouse windscreen encompassing a space-age helm station with excellent all-around visibility. The owner’s cabin, located on the upper deck, also benefits from astonishing 180-degree views through a sweep of windows. A large raised lounging pad just beneath the panoramic windows turns this area into the perfect spot to enjoy the panorama. A few steps down from the magnificent stateroom, a corridor leads to an office, a walk-in wardrobe and to sumptuous his-and-hers bathrooms. The owner’s apartment also includes a salon with direct access to the aft terrace—the owner’s private outdoor retreat.

Smeralda’s interior layout displays interesting solutions, including staggered levels that help optimize the interior volume. Such is the case with the wheelhouse that resides on a raised deck above the main-deck guest cabins and the owner’s split-level apartment.

Another of Smeralda’s notable layout features is the guest-cabin configuration. The yacht accommodates 20 guests in three large VIP staterooms forward of the main deck and six lower-deck twin cabins (two with an additional Pullman bed). All guest cabins share the same approach to the décor, a contemporary mix of glossy American walnut surfaces combined with leather wall panels and colorful upholsteries. Smeralda owes her contemporary interior design to German designer Andreas Holnburger of Vain Interiors with input from Guido Krass. American walnut paneling enhances custom finishes. Fine carpets, leathers, artisanal stonework and other skillfully designed details help create an ambiance that is both formal and relaxing. That is the theme that is found throughout. On all decks, guests will find stunning design features and cozy places where they can relax. That is the case with the winter garden-like dining area that bridges the exterior and the interior social areas. From this dining veranda, guests step into a huge salon, which includes a library aft and a lounge with multiple seating. A decorative panel that conceals a large plasma TV acts as a focal point, transforming this living room into a cinema.

Cutting-edge entertainment equipment, in fact, is spread throughout the yacht, including outdoors where there is another cinema and a sophisticated outdoor light and sound system that transforms the upper deck into a nightclub. On the same deck aft, a glass-fronted Jacuzzi surrounded by seating and sun pads offers a perfect arrangement for relaxation in the sun. A dining table for 10, served by a fully equipped bar, is the right place to dine under the stars.

But of course, Smeralda’s real beauty may reside in her stunning measurements and performance. She is equipped with two MTU 16V 4000 M90 engines that deliver 3,648hp each at 2,000rpm (her predecessors were equipped with twin MTU 16V 4000 M71s), has a displacement of only 560 tons and a gross tonnage of 952 GT. Thanks to her hull shape, light all-aluminum construction and powerful engines, she can reach a top speed of around 27 knots. Perhaps even more remarkable is her ability to cruise at 25 knots and her range of about 4,500 nautical miles at 18 knots. With a modest draft of 8 feet 5 inches and her excellent seakeeping, Smeralda is a “go-anywhere” yacht that easily casts a spell on all lucky enough to see her navigate.

For more information, visit hanseaticmarine.eu, espenoeino.com or burgessyachts.com

LOA: 252ft. 6in. (77m)
Beam: 32ft. 8in. (10m)
Draft: 8ft. 5in. (2.60m)
Construction: aluminum
Displacement: 560 tons
Engines: 2 x MTU 16V 4000 M90
Speed (max.): 27 knots
Speed (cruising): 25 knots
Range @ 18 knots: 4,500nm
Stabilizers: Quantum Zero Speed Ride Control fins (1 pair forward, 1 pair aft)
Fuel capacity: 29,587 gal. (112,000L)
Freshwater capacity: 8,189.35 gal. (31,000L)
Generators: 3 x Northern Lights 1066H + 1 emergency Volvo D7A
Naval architecture: Espen Øino International/Hanseatic Marine Engineering
Exterior design: Espen Øino International
Interior design: Vain Interiors
Class: Lloyd’s Register, Maltese Cross 100 A1, SSC, YACHT, MONO, G6, Maltese Cross LMC, UMS MCA LY2
Builder: Hanseatic Marine – 2012
Central agents for sale: Burgess Yachts