Tuesday, January 1, 2008

It is hull number 120 in the history of the CRN shipyard. At 60 metres in length, "GiVi", a displacement mega-yacht made of steel and aluminium, represents a complex, unique, "fully-custom" combination of technological research, design, performance and comfort, a product of...<br /><br />...the working relationship between CRN's technical staff and the Zuccon International Project firm, which handled the outside and inside layouts.<br />This vessel is capable of top-flight cruising performance: with a range of more than 10,000 nautical miles when travelling at 11 knots, "GiVi" can easily cross the ocean, and make the return trip as well, without refuelling. This is an important feature for a mega-yacht designed around the idea of living every facet of life onboard, even during extended periods of time.<br />While the large volume and massive dimensions of the grey hull provide the dominant theme for the external layout, the masterful distribution of the inside spaces was meant to achieve a single goal: offering guests onboard a number of spaces for relaxation, entertainment and socialising. <br />In order to guarantee voyages as pleasurable as possible, the shipowner has placed particular attention on the crew, which numbers no fewer than 20 on the "GiVi", a vessel with a capacity for 12 guests.<br />A large portion of the lower deck has been set aside for the crew, with a roomy mess room and a separate rest and relaxation zone, both decorated with luxurious finishing touches and oak panelling, while the crew's night zone offers eight cabins, each with its own bathroom and a built-in closet.<br />Also found on the lower deck is a high-tech professional kitchen designed by Ernesto Meda and the shipyard's engineering staff, complete with Rational professional stoves and Gaggenau appliances. A skilful combination of functional efficiency and refined design, this zone, equipped for the best in haute cuisine, can serve up to 70 people.<br />The crew's working facilities are also found on the sub-deck, which holds a laundry room and a refrigerated pantry serviced by a side hatch that permits convenient loading of supplies.<br />Moving up to the main deck, the open-air portion to the stern is designed as a conversation area. All the vast outside areas of the "GiVi", outfitted to satisfy the needs of a large number of guests, are decorated with fabrics in lively colours, often tied to the luminous hues of the sea and the sun.<br />In a fitting contrast to the playful, lively exterior, the style of the interior decorations follows a more classic concept of elegance reinforced by the continuity of the materials, colours and fabrics. A fondness for the past, with an "Old English" atmosphere established through solid, well defined forms, combines with modern-day tastes, revealing the shipowner's dual objective of placing a decorative scheme of discrete, highly functional elegance inside comfortable settings that prove both refined and intimate. <br />The furnishings on all four decks of the "GiVi" feature the distinctive hues of mahogany panelling and veneer created by the Zago firm.<br />The light-hued oak parquet is another motif found throughout the different spaces, in elegant contrast to the darker mahogany, all of which is rendered even more exquisite by the malva green of the raw silk upholstery of Jim Thompson.<br />With the service areas having been moved to the lower deck, all the space of the main deck has been set aside for the shipowner and the guests onboard. The aft lounge, intimate and cosy, is perfect for life onboard, especially in the evening hours; equipped with a plastic screen and projection equipment, this 60-metre space functions as a full-fledged movie theatre and entertainment centre. Completing the roomy lounge are deep, comfortable sofas upholstered in Bordeaux leather and elegant ochre-coloured curtains.<br />Towards the bow of the main deck is the lobby, connected to the upper decks by a large stairway whose steps are chiselled with the name "GiVi".<br />The remaining portion of the covered deck holds the guests' night-zone: a hallway that doubles as a gallery, holding numerous works of art, leads to the five VIP cabins (two other guest cabins, one with twin beds, are found on the lower deck, where they are entered from a private stairway), all equipped with large closets and bathrooms done in antiqued marble, complete with floors decorated in the Genovese style.<br />Each guest cabin appears to follow its own decorative theme, revolving around a distinctive colour: tan, sand, cream and malva, the hues of the silk on the headboards, the upholstered furniture and the bedspreads.<br />Throughout the ship, the lights are adorned in the delicate transparency of appliqués created by the master glassblowers of the firm La Murrina. Exclusive forms, such as the seashell lamps in pink mother-of-pearl, make the most of the traditional bright, airy quality of Murano glass.<br />At the bow of the main deck is the shipowner's suite, which includes a large studio where all working activities can be carried out in comfort.<br />Filling the whole 11 metres of the ship's width, the inside of the owner's cabin features delicate shades of green in the silk of the bedspread and the relaxation zone, with its upholstered sofa. Two walk-in closets, plus a corner space with comfortable overstuffed chairs and a table for breakfasting, complete this setting. The large bathroom, with its two entrances, is equipped with double sanitary services, plus a majestic central shower, all decorated in an onyx green hue.<br />The classic elegance of the interiors and the informal style of the exterior, the two character traits of the "GiVi", coexist in perfect harmony on the upper deck, all of which is set aside for the daytime activities of the guests.<br />The panoramic lounge, located in the aft portion of the ship, already breathes in the spirit of the open air, with its large-scale windows providing a natural continuation of the external cockpit, used as a luncheon zone. <br />The airy touch of this setting is highlighted by every last detail of the decorating scheme, inspired by an original sense of the natural: the rattan sofas by Smania, handcrafted and further refined by the sand and ivory hues of their linen, transmit a sense of sunny freshness that continues in the outside areas.<br />An entirely different tone characterises the formal dining room found at the centre of the ship, with its bar area and a large table for twelve dominated by an inlaid marble design on the theme of the winds. The colours of Bordeaux and ochre are once again featured in the silk fabrics and upholstery, creating a timeless style.<br />Further forward on the upper deck are the Captain's quarters, consisting of a cabin that adjoins the radio room and the wheelhouse, which is equipped with all the latest navigation systems.<br />The atmosphere on the enormous sundeck is "Arabesque", with a bar and a covered lunch zone featuring a revolving "Japanese" style table. Comfortable sofas and a Jacuzzi tub equipped for chromo-therapy complete this area, which can easily be transformed to accommodate a helicopter landing pad. Just behind it is a highly original, panoramic "game room" with rounded windows that open and tables that can turn the space into a pleasant luncheon room.<br />The technical zone includes the engine room, complete with a separate control room, where two Caterpillar 3516B engines push the vessel at a cruising speed of 15 knots and a maximum speed of 16.5 knots. To the aft of the engine room, a garage holds one of the mega-yacht's two tenders, both built by the historic Riva shipyard. <br />The GiVi holds a 9.5-metre Riva tender that offers a maximum speed of 45 knots, an offshoot of the Sunriva line, modified to serve as a tender for vessels measuring 60 metres and more. CRN plans to install the prototype of this line, named the "Riva Shuttle", on its other 60 to 72 metre vessels under construction. <br />A second tender, a Riva Rivale measuring 52', will follow the vessel wherever she goes.<br />A distinctive feature of this ship, also found on the 54-metre mega-yacht "Ability", is the large fitness area facing out onto the aft beach platform of the lower deck: a refined expression of "wellness within wellness". This full-fledged SPA measures approximately 24 square metres and comes complete with a massage room, a Turkish/Roman bath by Starpool and a gym. Gymnasium was designed by the CRN engineering team, with expert consulting from the technical staff of Technogym, which outfitted the workout area. <br />In short ...a ship built for lengthy cruises of endless pleasure.