SL86
The Sanlorenzo SL78 is an 80-foot luxury motoryacht with a flybridge that was launched by the iconic Italian yacht-building firm Sanlorenzo in 2016. Though marketed as the brand’s entry-level yacht, there is nothing entry-level about the sheer level of style and luxury to be found aboard this remarkable vessel. Winner of the 2016 award for “Best Exterior Design” in its class at the Cannes Yacht Show, the SL78 presents a curvaceous and modern exterior with flowing lines, sculpted bulwarks and a streamlined bridge that covers two-thirds of the boat’s length. Innately customizable, buyers can tailor their SL78 to their own requirements, though North American buyers can expect to encounter a Sag Harbor edition of the yacht with design input from stylists Marty Lowe and George Jousma.
The teak-lined flybridge comes with a sleek hard-top, held in place by metallic structural supports, with a louvred sunroof and an extending sunshade so that you can decide how much protection you want from the elements. There is room at the entirely glazed rear of the bridge for a trio of sun-loungers, while further forward you can enjoy meals at a bespoke table or prepare food and drink at a starboard wet-bar station with a sink, chilled storage, an ice-chipper and a Kenyon grill. At the front of the bridge, just behind a sloping windscreen, there’s a plush chaise-longue alongside a cushioned twin-seat that faces an upper helm with superb visibility.
To stern on the main-deck you will find a hydraulic, full-beam bathing platform that connects to one of the largest transom garages ever seen on a boat of this class, with enough space in here to host a Williams 385 jet tender. Steps up take you to a sheltered aft cockpit with a transom sofa, a coffee table and a set of stylish armchairs, while broad side decks lead to an idyllic foredeck retreat with a low-slung, U-shaped Portuguese Bridge sofa in weatherproof upholstery. Tinted, sliding glass doors to the rear lead into a salon that boasts cinema-screen side glazing, an L-shaped sofa and an ottoman in stitched suede or Minotti leather, high-gloss fiberglass walls, marble surfaces, fabrics from Ivano Redaelli, floors in grey oak or your choice of authentic timber and a pop-out HDTV integrated into the wall. A few steps forward take you to a port-side formal dining room for up to eight diners, with a table from RH Modern surrounded by Poltrona Frau chairs, while the ultra-contemporary glass-and-steel staircase to the bridge sits to starboard. A forward galley with a skipper’s door and a clean and minimalist theme features solid granite counters, Miele cooking appliances, a Sub-Zero fridge-freezer tower, a deep Barazza steel sink and a must for any American kitchen, an InSinkErator garbage disposal. Though some models retain bulkheads between these main-deck spaces, buyers can also choose for a free-flowing, open-plan lay-out to enhance sociability.
The main-deck helm is situated in a pilot-house, and comes with a Raymarine Diamond Edition package with integrated controls, while joystick handling, a steering wheel, stern thruster controls, CMC stabilizer switches and a high-speed compass complete the offering. The helm is linked to twin MAN D2862 LE 12V 1800HP diesel engines or a pair of MTU 10V 2000 M94 motors for top speeds of approximately 30 knots and cruising speeds in the mid-20 knot range. This yacht’s proprietary, vacuum-infused planing hull proves to be an efficient and agile performer in a range of conditions.
Generously proportioned lower-deck cabins provide sumptuous and luxurious sleeping quarters for up to eight guests, with a separate crew room for up to two members of staff. Two en-suite twin rooms are joined by an en-suite double towards the front of the hull, with rooms lined in fine timber and decadent carpeting with chunky hull windows as well as glass and steel accents. Amidship there is a full-beam owner’s stateroom with a queen-sized bed, a work-desk, leather-lined bedside cabinets, masses of storage and a semi-open spa-like bathroom with a pair of stone sinks, a toilet room with bidet and a waterfall shower wet-room.
