“My products have to be unmistakable, immediately recognisable, defining our DNA” Etienne Salomé‘s minute attention to detail is evident in all his creations The seed for his conversion to yachting came two-and-a-half years ago, a time at which, by his own admission, he had little knowledge of the subject. It took a concerted effort to get on the water, cruising on friends’ yachts, visiting boat shows and tapping into the maritime knowledge of Hamburg-based Marc Breder and Federico Dreves. Salomé Yachts – with Breder as executive director – was born last autumn with the launch of the Atlantic. The 12m hyper tender – powered by three TDI Mercury 4.2l V8 diesel engines producing 1,110hp and a top speed of between 52 and 60 knots – has a design that mirrors Bugatti’s classic teardropshaped coupé of the same name, while further automotive inspiration from Formula One led to the revolutionary flow-through hull. In some respects Salomé aimed for something that captured a certain simplicity – “the pure essence of a boat” – but he also wanted to create a yacht that was unlike everything else. “Is it a catamaran, a trimaran, a lobster hull, a single hull? It is something in between,” he says. “We went to several shipyards and they wanted to put the superstructure on their existing hulls. This was not what I wanted to do, I wanted a unique answer.” Salomé aimed to create the luxe automobile of the sea for which he needed “a deep-V central hull plus a sort of catamaran layout. A solution that gives complete stability when you are at anchor without the need of a gyro or additional weight.” And although shipyards were originally sceptical of his demands, advances in technology have made them all possible – a coup for Salomé, who articulates his aesthetic vision with confidence: “My products have to be unmistakable, immediately recognisable, defining our DNA.” The first prototypes of the limitededition 12 Atlantics are due for sea trials in the coming months, and Salomé promises distinctions in each model. “I think limitation is very important, but also individualisation. We have a partner – we will announce shortly – and we are developing coatings, colours, exclusive to Salomé Yachts. My aim is the units are all different, but not in terms of hardware. The shapes will all be the same, the arrangement will be the same, but just in terms of individualisation – the stitching on the headrest, the colour of yacht etc – all of these things make it unique.” Further ranges are planned (a 16m and a 20m), no doubt infused with that same trademark style that makes Salomé an indemand designer no matter what he turns his hand to. salome-yachts.com • CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 55
