This new 80ft carbon cruiser by Brenta Design marks Hanse founder Michael Schmidt’s return to boatbuilding and Sir David Chipperfield’s first input into yacht design

Three big names have contrived to combine some big ideas for this big new build. The Brenta 80, a bold new project by a new brand due to be unveiled at the Dusseldorf Boatshow in mid January, has an innovative multi-tiered deck, designed by Brenta’s Lorenzo Argento. It was created for a veteran of boatbuilding, Michael Schmidt, who sold Hanse Yachts in 2011. He decided he needed a larger yacht than his Hanse 630, aboard which he has extensively cruised for the last three years, but couldn’t find one that met his exacting requirements. He should be behind the wheel of this new carbon fibre 80-footer by early summer.

Schmidt decided to build his own yacht and new yard for luxury semi-custom carbon cruisers in Greifswald, the same town as Hanse. And a certain client and friend of Lorenzo Argento’s was impressed enough to want to come in on the project – this is the first boat that Sir David Chipperfield has worked on. Chipperfield is a keen sailor and owner of a Brenta 42 daysailer and he has designed an understated interior that highlights structural elements and is marked by practical round edges throughout.

 

Brenta 80 Chipperfield saloon

New Brenta 80 carbon cruiser for Michael Schmidt

“I adapted the interior to a comfortable interpretation of the exterior that interacts with the architecture of the yacht,” Chipperfield said.

 

The novel hull shape was sketched by Argento, an idea that formed the basis for the looks inside and out. High bulwarks aft help disguise a triple-tiered deck, a subsequent benefit of which is a seemingly low profile coachroof. The result is that Schmidt and future 80 clients who chose this configuration gain a vast aft cabin and centre cockpit, without it impacting to heavily on the visual line.

Three versions of the Brenta 80 are offered: a centre-cockpit as per this first model, an aft cockpit or a deck saloon. Also in design is a 100ft version and a day powerboat of around 42ft. Carbon was specified throughout for the 80 because Schmidt wanted to keep weight down. “It’s nice to have a boat that can accelerate fast and do 13–15 knot speeds – cruising is easier, deck fittings are all lighter.” The cruising displacement is expected to very light at around 34 tonnes says Argento.

Ultimate design meets ultimate boatbuilding mix ­– we await to see if it makes the perfect match.

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