Dock Buzz

NISI SELLS FIRST XPRESSO CLASS MULTI-HULL YACHT

New NISI 50 XPRESSO Commissioned

Founded in 2004, NISI is a European wholly owned luxury yacht builder led by CEO Christos Livadas. In 2009 NISI finished construction on it’s own shipyard, a facility positioned just outside of Hong Kong and Macau in the city of ZhuHai in China, followed by a fresh product portfolio launch in 2010. Collaboration with world-renowned naval architect, Ward Setzer of Setzer Yacht Architects has resulted in the unveiling of award-winning vessels from industry topping yacht manufacturers.

The X-citing Xpresso 50 from NISI is sure to impress and delight.

Coming into the business now, NISI announced it had been awarded a contract by an American entrepreneur for Hull #1 of the first 50 Xpresso model, a new line up of luxury catamarans in its Xpresso Class.

The X50’s salon, as seen from aft, offers the kind of spaciousness only found on this type of vessel.

According to the company, the X50’s appeal is focused on attracting monohull owners to catamaran styling, strength, large social and entertaining area, and performance. Both the concept and design comes from the collaboration between NISI’s engineering team and Setzer Yacht Architects. The mission: To deliver exceptional and efficient offshore performance with unprecedented exterior and interior spaciousness.

NISI is also doing some R&D on a hydrofoil design–dubbed SonicFoil by NISI–for the company’s GTX model that, according to Product Development Engineer Don Marshall, will deliver some 20-30 knot speeds, a top speed of 35 knots, and a 50% reduction in fuel consumption as compared to a mono hull vessel.

YACHT SPECIFICATIONS

• LOA: 54.8′ (16.7m)
• LWL: 48.9′ (14.9m)
• Beam: 23.0’ (6.96m)
• Draft: 2.10’ (0.86m)
• Displacement Lightship : 21,500 lbs (9.75ton)
• Displacement Max: 24,000 lbs (10.9ton)
• Fuel: 700 gallons (2,650L)
• Fresh Water: 200 gallons (757L)
• Black Water: 150 gallons (568L)
• Accommodations: 6-8 (3-4 staterooms)

YACHT PERFORMANCE

• Top Speed: 30kts
• Cruise Speed: 26kts
• Range:
  • 375nm @ 26kts
  • 1100nm @ 9kts
• Boat Propulsion:
  • Horsepower options from 75hp – 550hp
  • Cummins Zeus, Volvo IPS
• Generator:   13.5kw Onan
• Build Class:  CE and RINA Class (on request)
• Concept and Design:  NISI Yachts
• Naval Architecture: Setzer Yacht Architects
• Interior Styling: NISI Yachts

 For more information on the exciting new Xpresso 50, or any of the other fine products from NISI, visit the company Website at http://www.nisiyachts.com

 

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Dock Buzz

BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME, NAUTICAL STYLE

The latest pairing of design and construction will most surely result in some remarkable vessels.

By Capt. Ken Kreisler

There have been some truly unforgettable duos. Henry and Charles, that being Mr. Royce and Mr. Rolls respectively. Adam and Eve for those of you who follow that particular thread. King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, which didn’t turn out so well after all. The Curies, that being Pierre and Marie, whose efforts allowed medical science to see things in another way. And of course, peanut butter and jelly. Enough said.

Taking a nautical slant on this theme, whenever there is a combining of forces in the boat/yacht design and building sector, especially when those same players are noteworthy and at the top of their respective games, the news can have a rippling effect across the industry. “What?”, “Hey, did you hear?”, “I can’t wait to see what comes out of that deal!” are just a few of the reactions that will most probably be talked, discussed, conversed, and chatted about on docks, at boat shows, and between buyers, sellers, and almost everyone else who concerns themselves with all things boats and yachts about the pairing up of the prestigious Front Street Boatyard, in Belfast, Maine, and renowned designer and naval architect Ward Setzer.

Launched in 2008, the Delta-built 38m/124+ft explorer yacht Marama, is just one of the many Setzer projects that ply the world’s oceans. Photo Credit: Martin Fine

As the story goes, Setzer, on a time away winter sabbatical in the Caribbean—not a bad place to chill out, by the way—came up with a broad range of designs he called his New American Motoryachts. Four of those new designs, the 28m/92ft Modern Commuter; a 34m/111+ft Flushdeck RPH; a 38m/124+ft Modern Explorer, and a 40m/131+ft Vintage Tri-Deck, will be actively marketed for construction at Front Street.

Ward Setzer believes strongly that the team approach is the key to success.

If you are unfamiliar with Setzer and his work, he began his career in the 1980’s under the guidance of the “Dean of American Naval Architecture”, Jack Hargrave. Coming out of the Custom Yachts division of Hatteras Yachts, in 1991 he founded Setzer Yacht Architects, an independent design studio with an unshakable belief in the strength of a team approach. Since then, the award-winning Setzer team has worked with some of the most prominent shipyards around the world including Northern Marine, Christensen, Richmond, Delta, McMullen & Wing, Lyman-Morse, Trinity, Hinckley, and NISI.

On the yard side, what started out as a run-down and non-operational sardine factory, along with some additional acreage and an unfinished marina/condo project, has grown into one of the premier building facilities on the east coast. Under the guidance and dogged vision of its veteran ownership, JB Turner, Taylor Allen, Steve White, and Ken Priest, along with investors Jack Rettig and Lucia Michaud, Front Street has consistently maintained the kind of professional work ethic that has attracted some of the most notable names in design such as Donald L. Blount, Herreschoff, Sparkman & Stephens, W-Class, Hunt, and of course, Setzer.

The Front Street Shipyard has everything necessary to fulfill a successful build. Photo Credit: Billy Black

With this kind of dynamic, it’s only a matter of time before we see the first of these remarkable designs begin to take shape and form and soon after that, slide down the ways to take their rightful places in a very special domain.

92′ Modern Commuter

If you would like more information, please contact http://www.frontstreetshipyard.com and http://www.setzerdesign.com