Wider Yachts is introducing a new “entry-level” model megayacht tender that can also ride the waves as a day cruiser worth its own salt: the Wider 32. While her hull sides don’t do nifty parlor tricks like those of her big sister, the Wider 42, she’s going to stand out in harbors because of her styling—and I’m not just talking about the paint job.
It’s a good thing Antonelli’s reputation is so strong, or people may have thought he was nuts with his idea for the debut model, whose revolutionary shape-shifter mechanism pushes out the boat’s sides to add a ton of relaxation space on the hook. And some folks believed he’d cranked the looney-thinking scale all the way up to kook-o-rama when he announced that the next Wider models would be not logically progressive 50- or 60-footers, but instead megayachts in 122-, 150- and 165-foot iterations. Again, Antonelli proved to be crazy like a fox, selling not only the superyachts to eager owners, but also the 42-footers as matching, souped-up tenders.
Antonelli is taking Wider back to the smaller end of the spectrum with the new 32, a Fulvio De Simoni design being marketed as a killer tender or everyday express cruiser, depending on whether the buyer is a billionaire or an average Joe. It’s one boat for two markets. While the 32 doesn’t do the Transformers thing, she does have an axe bow and a 9-foot-8-inch beam that tapers only slightly at the bow, greatly enhancing onboard space and allowing the cockpit to be used as everything from a sunbathing section to a full-on dining area with large table. Her interior is a convertible setup with a pair of sofas that double as berths for long-weekend cruising. A galley and full-beam head are in that big, roomy bow.
Top speed is expected to be 37 knots with cruising at 30 knots, thanks to a pair of 260-horsepower Mercruiser Turbo Diesel engines paired with Bravo 1 DTS sterndrives, so the 32 should appeal to buyers interested in day cruising alone. The diesel propulsion design was chosen to make life easier for superyacht owners already buying diesel fuel for their motherships, so they don’t have to make two stops at the fuel docks.
Also inspired by large-yacht owners (but sure to please average Joes as well) is the level of customization available in the 32—everything from hull and deck colors to window glass and frames, seat configurations, upholstery and accessories. Antonelli’s goal is to make Wider tenders as distinct as its superyachts, and that means letting the customers act almost as if the 32-foot production boat is a semi-custom design.
“The owner is the most important player in the creation of his boat,” Antonelli says, “so his Wider 32 ultimately will reflect his own individual being.”
Look for the Wider 32 at the 2014 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Or, actually, look for the crowds of gaping people. You can be sure the 32 will be smack in the middle of it, driving them all as mad as Antonelli—with desire.
Written by:
Related
