Is this idiotic design the new trend in small yachts?

There is a grab rail along the bow the length of the cushions. I have mixed emotions. They've made LOTS of sportfish with no bow rails and those guys don't have problems with tending lines or setting out an anchor in a sea. I've worked as a mate on a few many years ago, and never had a close call. I also don't think anyone is going to be on the bow of any yacht that size in anything over 2-4' seas at cruise because they're going to get soaked anyways from spray..... I do agree the boat is a little too much form over function.

I agree, the magazines promote it, and the new owners want it. Especially with interior furnishings. A lot of things they're putting on yachts is not geared toward longevity. You go on a 1970's Hatteras or other yacht and as long as the interior was half taken care of, the wood and most furnishings are still intact and in good shape.....with exception of a few things......I have a late 90's Azimut MY I take care of and the wall fabric is delicate and then glued to 1/2" foam and the foam is disintegrating everywhere and the wall fabric looks like a shower curtain now.....

The only use of that rail is when the passenger is strapped down to the pad and goes on a speed ride to see which will kill him first, thrill or spray! (It seems to be dry on plane with a nice bow flare, so I vote for thrill!)

My question is; aren't there minimum requirements by CE and ABYC for rail height? I always thought they dictate such stuff on manufacturing standards, Any one has details or references on this?

There are rules for charter yachts, but I have not seen any for private yachts. On our line of boats we have no exterior rails forward of the bridge, just inside pilot rails, so you have something to grab to if you need to get there or jumping on or off. But I don´t want to see people, especially kids, hanging on the foredeck at higher speeds. So no rails unless on special order...

The designers are Nuvolari& Lenard... they are renowed for their collboration with OceAnco's Y700 line (80-87m), Lürssen's "Quattroelle" but also were responsible for designs of US builder Marquis yachts for example. (similar size range to MCY)

Italo design

In Germany motorbikers call their female backseater Sissy after the austrian empress Elisabeth of Austria. And those Yachts are called Sissi transporter and the sun pads called Sissi pads. These Boats do not really travel. The average private planning yacht in Europe is statisticly less than 12 days a year out of its harbour. And this probably only in nice and calm weather. A toy.

Cheers

The sunpads are made from Velcro!

For the Sissi Navi set...

How is this any different than if you set anything wet on or spill anything on a teak deck? A stain on a table can be dealt with more easily than a stain on a deck. But really as things weather the stains disappear on their own. A table in your living room will have that condensation ring on it until you take it out, a table outside on a boat is going to have that stain disappear into a sea of stains.

Red wine is a partial exception, as are oils and waxes. Not so much because they cannot be dealt with, but rather because your not going to get an even spray of those things all over the place.

I was onboard the boat at the Miami Boat Show in February. Tom Serio was with me and he took a few details shots for me. I know he sea trialed the boat and wrote a review for one of the rags, but I wasn't as optimistic. There were some blatant fit & finish issues that made me question the areas I couldn't see, however this was the first build in the series.

I recently saw either the same pic or a very similar pic as in the OP in a well known mag from a slightly different angle.

The pic that I saw appeared to be reckless to have passengers on the forward seating area while under way at cruise speed.

I saw the boat yesterday leaving the show and was behind it coming in Port Everglades and passed it. The sunpad cushions are above that little grab rail on the outsides. It is truely a nuts idea.....Maybe they strap you in like on a stretcher when you're up there???

Pascal,

On a much smaller scale, this is a picture of a chris-craft express cruiser similar to what our family had in the late 50's, early 60's. My favorite position was having a couple seat cushions and sitting in front of one of the port holes while under way. Since I was the oldest son, I was also the bow-line tender. When my father brought the boat into the dock, I would jump off the bow and secure the bow-line and then grab the stern-line and secure that as well. The only grab rail we had was on the cabin top.