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Sun worshippers will, of course, head further up, where those golden yellow cushions beckon, inviting everyone into the hot tub. There’s another, more elevated sunbathing area aft, which has free-standing sunloungers and removeable railings to enable it also to serve as a touch-and-go helipad.
If lying motionless isn’t your thing—or at least not while you’re on holiday—the deck crew will be pleased to fire up the toys for you. Platinum has a big tender garage aft, which houses the six-meter Nautica RIB and its ancillary skis and wakeboards and also has room for kayaks and an extra personal watercraft. Up on the foredeck, shielded by the deep bulwarks, sit a couple of Yamaha GP 1300s PWCs and the rescue RIB, ready to be launched by the hydraulic crane.
And so to bed. Platinum can sleep as many as 14, although one of her double berths is a sofa bed in the owner’s office, on the starboard side of the upper deck. With its big windows, semi-private access to the day head and showers compartment, and an elevated view, this actually makes a pretty good cabin. Down on the lower deck, arranged symmetrically around a central lobby, are two doubles and two twin-berth cabins, each upholstered in a different color and each with a different shade of marble in its ensuite head. The twin cabins each have a fold-down Pullman berth.
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That’s the main guest accommodation. On the other hand, accommodations for the main guest—that’s the owner—are found in the huge master suite on the main deck. It spans the full width of the yacht, and has paired heads compartments either side of a large bath and shower room, as well as its own sauna. Enormous windows admit plenty of sunlight. There’s a writing desk and an occasional table, plus a big central bed.
Building Platinum on a proven hull design with a fine, seakindly entry and plenty of waterline length meant that Benetti’s engineers could afford to be pretty confident about range and performance with their chosen powerplants: twin 396-series MTU V-12s. These produce 2,250 hp apiece at a relatively relaxed 2100 rpm, and give the yacht a maximum speed of more than 17 knots, although she’ll spend more time cruising at around 14 knots. Her range at 12.5 knots is an impressive 3,500 nautical miles.
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Mega News
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It wasn’t the easiest of winters for superyacht builder Baglietto. The third vessel in its 53 meter series sustained some serious damage when a fire broke out while she was in the company’s La Spezia shipyard. Thankfully, there were no injuries and the builder was able to continue its yacht-building efforts sans interruption...There’s no denying the economy is a bit rough these days, but there’s plenty of good news to be had in the megayacht industry. The Taiwan-based Kha Shing shipyard, which builds the Monte Fino line of production and custom yachts, recently announced its plans to invest more than $20 million into expanding its build facilities, proving the company’s got nothing but confidence in its continued growth. In the same vein, Fraser Yachts’ Monaco charter team has moved into a bigger, more luxurious office in the Gildo Pastor Center. And new plans for big builds keep on coming. Dutch-builder AMELS recently introduced a model for the latest addition to its LIMITED EDITIONS line of easily personalized sisterships. The 177-footer will include a helipad and an indoor/outdoor “beach club.”
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Platinum’s original owner, who saw her through the build process, also helped design her interior and worked with the shipyard on her detailed specification, has already parted company with his yacht. Soon after the Cannes boat show she was put on the market, and her new owner lost no time in making his move. It’s hardly surprising, a brand-new Benetti seriously for sale. Back then such opportunities didn’t come around that often.
Platinum may be a member of the Golden Bay family, but it’s a notable family with an illustrious lineage. The care that has gone into her concept, fit-out, and finishing has endowed her with real individuality and character. She can justly claim to be unique, and can certainly offer a unique superyachting experience.
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This article originally appeared in the April 2009
issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
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