BOAT INTERNATIONAL Netanya 8 - CMN Yacht Division

When Netanya 8 rolled out of
the shed and down the slipway at CMN’s
Cherbourg yard in February, what caught the
attention of connoisseurs of yachting more
than the handsomely rounded lines of her
aluminium superstructure, were the lines of
her hull, with its prismatic shape that has been
engineered for seaworthiness in all weathers.
Tuned up and put through her paces in the
English Channel over several weeks, the 58
metre Netanya 8, the first in a series of three
and a high technology flagship for CMN,
certainly lived up to expectations. Indeed it
was her seaworthiness that her crew
appreciated most in the sometimes difficult
sailing conditions they encountered in the
Atlantic. ‘On leaving Cherbourg, we got a bit
shaken up in bad weather,’ recalls Sébastien
Boutin, the first mate. ‘We were motoring at
14.5 knots as planned without difficulty, and I
noted that she responded very well in
emergency manœuvres. I am really impressed
by her lack of vibration. She is well balanced
and particularly quiet at all speeds. At 85 per
cent engine power (from twin 2,200hp
Caterpillar diesels), with full tanks, she makes
16 knots, which is a knot faster than
expected. This is a very seaworthy boat, and
the efficiency of the Quantum zero speed
stabilisers both at sea and at anchor
is outstanding.’
Chief engineer Riccardo Peirano, who lived
at the yard for 14 months while the yacht was
being built, is also full of praise as he trots out
all the numbers. ‘At 1,500rpm her twin engines
are not too greedy, consuming an average of
320 litres per hour each. And at 12 knots, we
have a range of around 5,000 nautical miles,
with a total of 123,000 litres of diesel in her
four tanks … The computerised management
and control of all the on-board functions is
very efficient and allows me to manage them
as I wish. The boat is also equipped with one
of the best generator systems, with a manual
control as well.’
The crew of 14, mostly of French nationality,
is commanded by captain Jacques Conzales.
words: Félix Aubry de la Noë
photography: Stéphane Bravin
His wife Corinne, who christened the yacht
Netanya 8, meaning ‘gift from God’ in Hebrew,
works as the ship’s purser. And as you board
you realise that a real family atmosphere
pervades the yacht, which is something that
her American owner, who is obviously very
close to his crew, particularly wanted.
British designer Andrew Winch, who was
commissioned to do the exterior and interior
design, describes the exterior as ‘fresh with
clean flowing lines’. But the key feature of
Netanya 8’s design, he says, is ‘the best ever
view of the sea’. ‘The signature is probably the
large windows which have given panoramic
views from the main deck saloon and the sky
lounge,’ he comments, pointing out that the
master cabin on the main deck ‘has wonderful
windows in the hull while a VIP cabin on the
bridge deck has unique glazed sliding doors to
its own private exterior terrace. With glazed
windows in the bulwark it is possible to lie in
bed and look out and down over the ocean.’
Like most of this generation of large yachts,
Netanya 8 has a main entrance situated almost
amidships on the starboard side deck. This
opens into a large reception lobby, flooded
with light like the rest of the interior thanks to
the huge side windows and the choice of pale
materials for the décor, including the keynote
blonde sycamore wood, which harmonises the
interior, giving it, as Andrew Winch puts it, a
‘gentle, contemporary and relaxing’ feel. The
lobby’s radiating floor design in shades of pale
marble accentuates the impression of depth
and harmonises well with the very modern
style of the wide glass staircase with stainless
steel banisters and grooved wood panelling
that serves the three decks. From the lobby a
large automatic sliding door opens into the
immense 120 square metre saloon/dining
room, which has quite exceptional panoramic
views. Set against a pretty trompe-l’œil screen
that serves as a sideboard and conceals the
servery doorway to port, the dining table and
its 12 upright aqua green chairs blend in with
the décor thanks to the play of the pale
colours in similar shades. Differently worked
The first in a line of yachts of this size by CMN, this 58 metre motor
yacht offers a feast of sea views courtesy of designer Andrew Winch
and is pervaded by a real family atmosphere