Mondo Marine's 41m Nameless bridges tradition and innovation

As the Italian yard Mondo Marine enters a new era, with new management, new design offerings and new aspirations, it is perhaps fitting that superyacht_ Nameless_ – hull number eight of the 41 metre series – offers new insight into Mondo Marine’s goals.

Described by the yard as a bridge between the past and the future, the depth of this transition can be found in everything from the yacht’s overall philosophy and standard of finish to the smallest details found on board. Her classic-modern interior by Luca Dini combines a contemporary ethos with materials sourced from centuries-old artisanal companies, and her Cor D Rover exterior lines have been re-imagined with the help of a two-tone paint scheme.

‘Nameless is the eighth yacht in this series,’ explains Mondo Marine CEO Roberto Zambrini, ‘and she was personalised according to the client’s requirements. He requested ample space for hosting guests so the choice of the interior materials was made in complete relation to the spaces and volumes, paying particular attention to details to create a refined and essential whole – a link, a continuous line between outdoor and indoor, leaving as much space as possible and with a holistic approach to remove any border between the inside and outside.

‘The owner,’ Zambrini continues, ‘is a social person who loves to spend most of his time surrounded by his friends and family. Starting from this concept, our aim for Nameless was clear – we needed to create a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere and try to obtain an equilibrium between the client’s favoured style and a general feeling of serenity and calmness. We needed to instil a sense of harmony to any possible guest, from family members to casual visitors.’

The task of interpreting the owner’s wishes fell on Florence-based designer Luca Dini. ‘The owner did not want an interior style which could be so easily labelled as minimalist, contemporary or classic,’ Dini says. ‘He was looking for something well suited to express neatness in design, elegance, luxury, preciousness and high-level customisation. The owner was extremely involved with the project throughout the whole design and construction phases, from the first preliminary meeting to the day of the launch – in fact, I could easily say that he is the client with whom I have spent the most time with in creating a boat interior.

He is accustomed to getting the best, always, and he likes to play with the materials and their combination to find the perfect match. He’s got an enquiring mind, just like me, so our idea exchanges were always exciting and we have both found the end result extremely satisfying, perhaps even beyond our expectations.’

This drive for sourcing the very best, and for realising the very highest quality in finish, is evident from the moment you step on board. The general fit and finish is a step up for the yard, and the extensive use of materials such as white marble – used for floors and doors, for which Mondo Marine had to source 300 square metres of veinless Carrara marble – shows the intent of the yard for the future.

Her layout is also a mix of tradition and innovation. Her four guest suites are located amidships on the lower deck, comprising a twin and a double cabin sandwiched between two generous VIP suites. Both the VIPs feature off-centre beds. ‘I enjoyed the idea of designing the two VIP cabins in order that the bed was not placed in the middle of the cabin, as it is in 90 per cent of cases,’ Dini enthuses. ‘This way we were able to gain large entrance and living areas.’ A similar ethos has been applied to the owner’s suite, which occupies pride of place forward on the main deck. ‘The owner’s office and dressing room are not secluded spaces – they form a whole single unit together with the proper cabin that becomes a large and airy suite, which can usually be found only on much larger yachts,’ says Dini.

The main saloon offers a comfortable seating area aft with a dining table forward, serviced by a port-side pantry directly aft of the yacht’s galley. The upper saloon, with its sociable seating area, leads directly to an inviting aft deck space, which features seating under the sun deck overhang and an al fresco dining table aft in a reversal of the more usual upper deck arrangement.

The sun deck offers the usual amenities, partially shaded by the fixed hardtop, including a spa pool (which uses handmade ceramic tiles specially produced in a Florentine kiln dating from 1906) with a view to die for, casual seating, and sunloungers aft.

One of the changes made by the owner to the standard layout was to the foredeck area. ‘We decided to cut off a part of the superstructure in front of the wheelhouse,’ Dini explains, ‘so as to create another open-air/sunbathing area. This is the first time a yacht in this series has featured this open space.’ Moreover, there is a clever contrast in colours and styles for each of the exterior spaces. ‘It’s a feature I find quite interesting,’ Dini adds. ‘All the external areas are different with regards to both materials used and colours, so they convey three very distinct atmospheres.’

Contrasting with the white marble of the interior floors, there is use of mahogany for the longitudinal walls and white leather panels by Foglizzo separated by mirrored stainless steel strips, along with onyx for the en suites and exterior dining tables. On top of this simple canvas splashes of vibrant colour are provided both by the owner’s extensive collection of modern art and by the use of fabrics produced by Florentine company Antico Setificio Fiorentino.

‘The works of art,’ says Dini, ‘were envisioned by the owner and had my full approval, not only to enrich the rooms in which they are placed but also to add strokes of bright colours over the prevailing white, which is spread across the walls, floors and ceilings. It is a brave choice, for sure,’ he continues, ‘but one which gives evidence of the versatile personality of the owner himself.’

The twin MTU 16V 2000 M84 engines give a range of 3,000 nautical miles at 12 knots, but a cruising speed of 17 knots means shorter hops can be achieved in good time to enjoy the surroundings from the expansive deck spaces and bright, inside-outside areas that Nameless offers. Further, the transition to the future includes upgraded technical elements. ‘For example, innovative sound and vibration damping solutions have been applied inside the boat to guarantee maximum comfort on board,’ states Zambrini.

Such has been the success of Nameless _that the owner has already placed an order for a 60 metre to be built at the yard, representing a further transition as Mondo Marine expands its size range. ‘Following the success of the technological innovations, and the superior quality of the materials and craftsmanship in the interior of _Nameless,’ Zambrini concludes, ‘the new 60 metre will build on some of Mondo Marine’s strengths – semi-displacement aluminium construction, for example – but at the same time will move away from the traditional hull design and set new standards for the yard.’

It is an opinion that is shared by Luca Dini. ‘I am fully convinced that Nameless represents Mondo Marine’s will to send a strong message to the yacht world – that the new proprietors and management want to up Mondo Marine’s level, to enter the elite of the international leading shipyards,’ he says. There is no doubt Nameless is a fine example of this new ethos, and one can’t help but think that, as the key transition yacht combining the best of tradition and innovation, Nameless will not be unknown for long.