On board Cantiere delle Marche’s first RJ 115 yacht, Stellamar

“The brief was to think out of the box to design an innovative line which could combine two apparently different approaches: the highest comfort – the same offered by a large luxury yacht – with long-distance cruising in every sea condition, a typical feature of an explorer yacht,” explains Francesco Paszkowski, who designed the interior of the new yacht and the exterior of the whole RJ line.

“We put them together to go beyond what the market was offering, to design a range with the essence of an explorer yacht combined with the style of a luxury yacht. The main focus was on designing an elegantly austere yet stylish exterior look and a clean profile to recall the long-distance cruising purpose of the range.

“We also wanted to create big volumes to allow huge interior social spaces that receive a lot of natural light through the wide windows. Along with the lowered gunwales on the main deck, these try to overcome boundaries between exterior and interior areas, while offering unrivalled panoramic views of outside.”

In technical terms, that means back-up generators, water pumps and hydraulics. It also means a larger-than-average engine room which facilitates access to each item of equipment from the twin Caterpillar C18 ACERT engines down.

Oceanic range is another keystone of the explorer credentials, and here Stellamar is well endowed. Diesel tankage of 45,000 litres, combined with the Caterpillars’ nine-knot economy speed, allow her to cover at least 5,500 nautical miles between trips to the bunkering quay.

“What truly sets an explorer yacht like Stellamar apart is her oceancrossing range, a testament to her capability to venture far beyond coastal waters,” says Buonpensiere. “With frugal fuel consumption, Stellamar is engineered for extended autonomy, allowing owners to chart courses across vast expanses without the need for frequent refuelling stops.”

The yacht is also equipped with the last word in wastewater management, including a huge 13,000-litre greywater tank. Well-thought-out systems such as this mean the vessel, “minimises her impact on the delicate marine ecosystems she encounters, embodying a commitment to responsible exploration”, adds Buonpensiere.

Equally important to owners and guests who are setting off on long cruises to remote locations is the rather pedestrian issue of storage. That sense of comfort and luxury doesn’t last long if there’s a mountain of equipment piled up in the corner of every cabin, and rations quickly reduce to tinned ravioli. And while I wouldn’t say that the four very comfortable guest cabins are over-endowed with clothes storage, the exterior locker space is another matter altogether.

“There’s a utility space under the cockpit which you can use for practically anything: freezers, laundry, toys,” says Buonpensiere. “It could equally be a beach club and wellness centre. Then there is a deep locker between the windlasses and more storage under the foredeck sofas. Below the engine room there is also a tank deck which can be used as roomy storage for all sorts of provisions.”

If that’s the explorer face of Stellamar, let’s flip the coin over and look at what the RJ 115 can offer in terms of luxury. At 299 gross tonnes, she undoubtedly has above-average volume for her size, and it has been put to good use. There are four good-sized guest cabins on the lower deck and the master suite forward on the main; then there are two saloons and a large sundeck, as well as accommodation for the captain and six crew.

“Both owners were very much involved in the project, and she, as an architect herself, made an important contribution to its development,” says Paszkowski. “Great emphasis has been given to outdoor areas with large lounging/dining areas on all decks.

“Yet, should you have enough of sun and wind, when you enter the main or upper saloon, you don’t lose contact with the outdoors, as vast windows light the rooms while visually connecting them to the sea beyond.”

It’s the same in the owner’s cabin, which fills the full beam of the main deck, and on the lower deck, where windows run the length of each guest cabin. The aim was to create a warm and welcoming environment where this light fell on natural materials.

Oak is widely used for flooring and ceilings, while cream leather appears in wall panels. The bathrooms also harness the glow of oak, allied to the almost living quality of white statuary marble shot through with silver veins for the basins and showers.

Naturally enough, the owner’s bathroom is the finest of the lot, with its near five-metre width. It boasts a large free-standing porcelain bath, his-and-hers basins, a shower and a sauna-hammam room. Just finding the space for it in the owner’s domain would be quite a feather in the cap of a 50-metre yacht – let alone a 35-metre explorer.

Paszkowski designed all the fixed furniture and, together with the owners, chose most of the loose furniture and accessories from renowned brands such as Christian Liaigre (sofa in the main saloon), Poliform (Saint-Germain sofa in the upper saloon) and armchairs by Poltrona Frau. The chairs in the dining area of the main saloon are by Cassina Hola, and the table boasts a beautiful breccia aurora marble top. The effect is one of cosy comfort.

But I must admit that one of my favourite features is the doors to the cabins, which reveal Cantiere delle Marche’s determined approach to marrying comfort and robust performance. They are built with the same oak finish that appears underfoot and they weigh a solid 45 kilograms.

But they have a secret superpower. “The doors have a kind of skirt which engages with the floor underneath, plus four hinges and a pantograph,” explains Buonpensiere. “It is very important they don’t rattle because if they do, you might not feel quite so safe in the boat. This has become the new standard for us.”

There’s another door feature that intrigued me on this yacht – this time in the dayhead off the upper deck lobby. As well as the interior door, there is a pop-out exterior door which slides back against the superstructure to give access directly to the starboard side deck.

It’s a little thing, but I like the pragmatism of it. That and the fact that it is operated via one of those hard-to-turn wheels which usually only appear in watertight bulkheads in submarines and James Bond movies. It speaks of experience.

While we’re on the upper deck, it’s worth lingering a while in that upper saloon. It has been set up with sofas that focus squarely on the large flatscreen television, making this the entertainment hub of the yacht.

But its large floor-to-ceiling windows make it ideal for contemplating the ocean or the anchorage when wind or heat brings you inside. And you can slide the glass doors aft so that there is little separating the lounging space indoors from the dining area out on deck.

The exterior spaces on the boat are well considered, with lounging in asymmetrical sofas on the main deck, and more in a foredeck cockpit that offers sunpads and sofas with the possibility of shade from a bimini.

But the star of the show is undoubtedly the sundeck, which can be used as a bar, gym, pool area, informal dining room and general lounge. On Stellamar, there’s a cross-trainer up here, a 27-inch Lynx barbecue and everything you need to mix a cool drink. On hull No 2, Pazienza, there is a bigger pool aft.

There are a host of other small details which I could evoke in description of this yacht. But I want to leave you with one that should bring a smile to your face if you’re enough of a connoisseur of explorer yachts to have read this far.

Above the long sofa specced for the owner in the wheelhouse, there is a carefully designed bank of pigeonholes. And there, immaculately rolled up and arranged in alphanumeric order, is a full set of signal flags. Perhaps Vasco Buonpensiere’s words sum it up best. “An explorer yacht like Stellamar stands as the epitome of maritime adventure.”

First published in the March 2024 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.