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Design and practicality are often at odds. A feature may look pretty but that doesn't mean it will serve its purpose. The design team at Sessa, headed by Christian Grande, worked hard not to fall prey to this age-old binary, trying throughout the creation process of the new C46 to brace function with form. And although at first glance, it seemed that some styling may have superceded pragmatism, on closer inspection I found that most every feature aboard not only had a smart look but was also built with a purpose, made of high-grade materials, and could be easily maintained.
Large scuttles in the teak-and-holly saloon sole are prime examples of how pleasing joinery doesn't have to hinder access. They're light due to their plywood cores but provide shoulder-wide access to the bilges, which contain a 114-gallon aluminum water tank and 41-gallon black-water tank. Forward, the VIP has a scissor berth—twins that close together to form a queen— with drawers at the foot of each bed so accessing stowed items is simple in either configuration. The aft master, with its angular flooring and tiered ceiling, has its main hanging locker in the entryway—the only part of the cabin with standing headroom—so owners need not slouch to get dressed.
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Topsides, the mixture of smart looks and function continues, but with a twist. The enclosed helm area—where owners and guests will likely spend most of their time—is not only functional, but successfully brings the outdoors into an enclosed space. Sound oxymoronic? I was skeptical, too.
For example, at first the 5'0" x 6'3" sunpad to port of the starboard-side helm seemed out of place. Understandably, Sessa created it with the thought of leaving plenty of headroom below in the galley and entryway into the master. But a sunpad of that size in an enclosed helm area? Well after dangling my legs from the comfortably cushioned platform, with a good view to all points and the sun pouring in through the 8'41⁄2" x 4'5" sunroof, I began to warm to the concept. What finally sold me was a button in the electric panel on the helm console. When I pressed it, a 19-inch Toshiba LCD TV appeared from under the sunpad headrest, a crafty way to have a television topside but keep it shaded.
There are other elements here where the designers meshed the openness of the outdoors with indoor conveniences, while retaining both style and function. A large wet bar/galley with a two-burner Bosch electric cooktop inset into a glass countertop sits aft and to starboard, far enough from the radar arch so cooking won't damage the overhead. Beneath the cooktop, and hidden in teak-paneled cabinetry, are both a microwave and an Isotherm ice maker. And although the ice maker has fitted wooden-panel skirting, you can quickly unscrew the skirt for full access to the wet bar plumbing if you need to make repairs.
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