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Tango: On Board the 30 Metre Wallycento Sailing Yacht

Each addition to the Wallycento fleet takes technology and design to the next level, and poses a new threat to regatta rivals. Raphael Montigneaux admires the moves and turns of Tango, the latest contender...

The Yacht Club de Monaco magnetises the attention: this Norman Foster -designed, boat-inspired marvel (complete with towering masts) leaves most superyachts that line its dock literally and metaphorically in the shade. It’s a special 30 metre sailing boat, then, that can pry admiring stares away from both the club and the massive white motor yachts that sit alongside her.

But then Tango , the latest hull in the Wallycento series, is rather unusual. She has a striking black carbon hull and rig, and a flush teak deck that seems to stretch far beyond her true length. She is the second Wally for a repeat client, and the fourth Wallycento , but it’s immediately clear that she differs from her siblings, thanks to her unique design team: Pininfarina for the interior, and Mills Design for the naval architecture and exterior design, which was developed in collaboration with Wally.

From outside, the flush deck of  Tango  is both stylish and regatta-friendly. “ Tango’s  unusual reverse sheerline combines with our ramp deck geometry to allow a smooth unbroken line, running from bow to the stern,” explains naval architect Mark Mills.

“Since the first meetings, we shared the same vision of the innovations that can be applied to this type of yacht, like the cutting-edge deck layout that combines our flush deck with bulwarks aft, as introduced in 2006 with  Esense , with the ramp deck of  Alegre ,” says Bassani.

This feeling is reinforced by the fact that  Tango  has no cockpit, in the style of the first classic yachts. But a large removable table can be installed with chairs and a bimini, creating a comfortable area when the yacht is moored up at anchor or in port. Even though  Tango  follows the same box rule as other Wallycentos, there is no doubt that the latest edits are improvements. Mills Design brought new ideas to the shape of the hull, the rig, the layout of the deck equipment and the all-important weight reduction.

“The most obvious development has been rearrangement of the interior layout to produce practical improvements without harming the value of the interior,” says Mills. “By centralising the engine and systems machinery, we were able to co-opt a lot of the keel and mast structure to support these; and place them beside the keel and mast and under the winches to reduce plumbing and wiring.” Centralising machinery also reduced the inertia of the pitching movements, conserving energy and improving performance. They considered hull stiffness too. “We worked with Pure Engineering, whose sophisticated structure used some of the most advanced carbon and core options available,” says Mills.

Leaving Port Hercules for a sea trial between  Monaco  and Cap Ferrat, conditions are light, with only six knots of true wind – but it is enough to get a glimpse of the potential of this cruiser-racer. In a few seconds, the new 3Di sails from North Sails are up, creating a cathedral of carbon. “The deck hardware is powerful and fast: it takes only seven seconds to hoist the jib!” says Wally founder  Luca Bassani .

This technical wizardry, which the owner describes as “the most advanced technologies in construction, systems, rig and sail handling”, were vital to the brief. After all, he was attracted to the Wallycento in the first place because “I never sailed at 25 knots and always wanted to know what it’d feel like”.

The 45 metre Southern Spars carbon mast offers a total sailplan of 640 square metres upwind, and the boat easily reaches seven knots. “ Tango  is lively and reactive in light air,” says Bassani. “The feeling at the helm is that of a much smaller boat, balanced and quick.” And a fast turn at the helm proves his point –  Tango  feels like she’s running on rails and reacts immediately with only one finger on the wheel.

Inside,  Tango  has an automotive essence. Persico Marine, which built the boat, has had a long relationship with Pininfarina through its sister company Persico Automotive. “Pininfarina was the ideal fit to develop sporty interiors matching the superyacht personality,” says Bassani. “ Tango’s  visionary owner agreed right away to integrate the renowned Italian design brand in  Tango’s  team. From its inception Wally has been open about involving new players in the development of projects.”

Not only was this Wally’s first collaboration with Pininfarina, but the firm was given a free hand, with no details from other Wallycentos carried forward except for the Konstantin Grcic steering wheels. These feature tapering spokes and what industrial designer Grcic describes as “a very rational, even edgy design, which clearly expresses the dynamic forces of steering such a maxi yacht”.

The design approach follows the theme of the cockpit-less deck, with staircase-less steps down to the saloon. Floating treads, their ends angled not unlike spoilers on a Formula One car or wavelets on an otherwise smooth sea, are suspended from the saloon’s aft bulkhead. The ends of two of the steps stretch out along the saloon walls forming shelves. Bassani enthusiastically describes the steps as well as the entire approach to the interior as “cool”, while Paolo Pininfarina, chairman of the company, notes that “to be innovative in a dream team of innovators” was a challenge.

The minimalist interior needed to be super-light and still offer comfortable accommodation for six guests in three cabins. “Thanks to the selection of materials and the innovative solutions of the interior decoration, delivering both function and aesthetics, we generated an ultra-light and super-performing yacht, perfectly suitable for cruising as well as for racing,” says Pininfarina. Key materials used include carbon fibre, wood and leather, creating a sporty atmosphere, reinforced by red accents in the furniture and red automotive-style seams on the upholstery. All of the accommodation is situated forward, including the master suite with double beds on either side. This area can be neatly converted into a sail storage room when the yacht is set up for regatta racing, since a giant skylight hatch gives direct access from the foredeck.

The choice of builder was vital to making this design work. Bergamo-based  Persico Marine  is known mainly for its racing boats and was founded on building lightweight moulded components, beginning with the shells and keels of the 1992 Italian America’s Cup entry Il Moro di Venezia. It has worked on some of the most demanding and gruelling yacht classes from TP52s and Mini-maxis to Volvo 65s and other America’s Cup challengers. “A large part of the carbon pieces for  Tango  were produced in Bergamo and moved to Savona by road,” says CEO Marcello Persico. Eight tonnes of composite were used and Persico reveals that the yard has decided to buy a new facility in Carrara for future Wally projects, such as the Wally 145 – scheduled for launch in 2019. This new shipyard is dedicated to superyachts, while all the racing projects will remain in Bergamo.

As for  Tango , her owner’s verdict is that she’s “sleek, quick, beautiful looking – and comfortable to cruise”. After extensive sea trials, she was ready just a few days before her debut in Monaco. She was in the Principality for only a couple of days, and she left quickly for extra training with the crew in preparation for her first official regatta, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, where she joined up with 14 other Wallys, including the three other Wallycentos,  Open Season ,  Magic Carpet3  and  Galateia .

In her regatta configuration,  Tango  has a crew of 24, and it seems that those extra days spent training and tuning the yacht were well used, since she won her first race in Saint-Tropez.  Tango  is a thing of beauty – but she’s also fast enough that you’ll be lucky to catch a glimpse.

The article was originally published in the June 2018 issue of Boat International.

Images: Carlo Borlenghi; Gilles Martin-Raget; Toni Meneguzzo

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Tango // Wally

Black beauty with a big dance floor aft: the 100 feet sailing yacht tango by  wally - the fourth unit of the wallycento fleet.

Naval Architect Mark Mills of Mills Design was appointed for the first time for a Wally project and comments:

“Tango is our largest project to date and also we believe the most innovative, the most stylish, and certainly one of the most satisfying to develop in collaboration with the client, Wally, Pininfarina, and Persico Marine. We owe our involvement to the vision of Luca Bassani who suggested us to bring a fresh mindset to the Wallycento design question. 

We developed a radical proposal combining dramatic deck geometry with a novel interior layout for the most efficient result within the Wallycento box-rule, integrated with the structure to a level not yet seen in a yacht of this size. That proposal very quickly became Tango, after huge amounts of detail development, but very little deviation from the original vision for a sleek, light, and exciting sailing machine.”

Luca Bassani, Founder and President of Wally adds :

“A relevant  Tango’s technical attribute is to have the immersed volume of the hull more forward than the previous Wallycentos, and the aft lines are cleaner and more stretched: an hydrodynamic option that I much appreciate. Mark’s initial idea to have a displacement close to the minimum required by the box-rule, combined with the maximum sail plan allowed, would bring some advantages in the typical lights airs of the Mediterranean conditions.”

Sailing Yacht Tango is listed for sale with an asking price of €12,000,000.

Wally is known for new ways, so Tango got the main salon at the aft area. Engine room and service area are placed amidships, guests can find their places forward. The interior was designed by Pininfarina .

“ Tangos’ cruising comforts equal those of the previous Wallycentos whilst her different interior layout further concentrates the weights over the boat center of gravity.”

Paolo Pininfarina says:

“The interior design of this Wallycento challenged our team to achieve the perfect balance of performance and comfort. Thanks to the selection of the materials and the innovative solutions of the interior decoration delivering both function and aesthetics,  we generated a true thoroughbred of the sea, ultra-light, and super performing, perfectly suitable for cruising as well as for racing. We are very proud of this accomplishment further confirming the excellence of our nautical division.”

Interior Sailing Yacht TANGO

“Tango turned out exactly how we envisaged her when we started developing the project: super sleek lines and aggressive overall appeal conveying her high-performance DNA.” proudly says Luca Bassani   “Additionally, our form-reflects-function approach is epitomised in Tango’s sheer flush deck in the like of  the iconic Esense : besides enhancing the purity of the design,  it would facilitate the manoeuvres while racing.  We look forward to the sea-trials and test the predicted superior performance of our new superyacht.”

TANGO is currently not for sale, so no price is available.

Exterior Pictures: Gilles Martin-Reget

Interior Pictures: Toni Meneguzzo

Main Specifications of TANGO

Profile & Layouts

Deck Layout

General Arrangement

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Wallycento Tango

The enormous open teak deck on tango, wally’s fourth wallycento launch, goes beyond the italian builder’s usual striking aesthetics. the 100-footer was designed, as wally founder luca bassani put it, to be “a boat that can deliver results in races, but also provides good comfort while cruising.” tango can have it both ways. mark mills, […], michael verdon, michael verdon's most recent stories.

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Wally Tango.

Main saloon.

Owner’s suite.

The enormous open teak deck on Tango , Wally ’s fourth Wallycento launch, goes beyond the Italian builder’s usual striking aesthetics. The 100-footer was designed, as Wally founder Luca Bassani put it, to be “a boat that can deliver results in races, but also provides good comfort while cruising.”

Tango can have it both ways. Mark Mills, who has designed many successful sailing raceboats, used the lightest and most advanced build materials, like carbon fiber and nomex sandwich core, to create a vessel weighing only 52 tons, a featherweight compared to most cruising yachts the same size. Mills mandated that Tango have raceboat features like a sloped foredeck, raked rigging system, and lightweight titanium components. During the yacht’s first race, Tango reached a highly impressive 26 knots. At the same time, Pininfarina, designer of many famed Ferrari racecars, did the interior, using light fabrics, chevron-shaped motifs, and a stunning carbon-fiber stairway from the cockpit to the inner saloon. The Pininfarina interior has three staterooms, including a large master suite, and quarters for two to four crew. Tango can be raced with as many as 21 sailors, but Mills says 12 can sail the yacht comfortably. “She should do very well on the superyacht racing circuit,” Mills said at the Monaco Yacht Show. “We saved every ounce we could on her so she’d be fast, very fast.”

Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Photo: Toni Meneguzzo

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Tango, a visionary Wallycento / Pininfarina with inside-outside consistency

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]ango , the fourth unit of the highly competitive Wallycento fleet, was successfully launched at Persico Marine facility in the Ligurian west coast. The stepping operation was completed after the yacht touched the water; Tango gets ready for the sea-trial before the delivery to her passionate owner, scheduled at the end of August.

“ Tango turned out exactly how we envisaged her when we started developing the project: super sleek lines and aggressive overall appeal conveying her high performance DNA .” proudly says Luca Bassani, Wally President “ Additionally, our form-reflects-function approach is epitomised in Tango’s sheer flush deck in the like of  the iconic Esense: besides enhancing the purity of the design,  it would facilitate the manoeuvres while racing.  We look forward to the sea-trials and test the predicted superior performance of our new superyacht ”.

Along with Wally’s over 20 years know-how , the new Wallycento boasts Mark Mill’s naval architecture , Pininfarina interior design and  Persico Marine construction technology : the perfect mix to produce a magnificent speed-machine.

Tango introduces a new naval architect in the Wally projects, Mark Mills of Mills Design, with whom the Monegasque yachting disruptor shares the same vision of innovations that can be applied to this type of yachts.

“ Tango is our largest project to date and also we believe the most innovative , the most stylish , and certainly one of the most satisfying to develop in collaboration with the client, Wally, Pininfarina, and Persico Marine ” says Mark Mills of Mills Design. “ We owe our involvement to the vision of Luca Bassani who suggested us to bring a fresh mindset to the Wallycento design question .”

“ We developed a radical proposal combining dramatic deck geometry with a novel interior layout for the most efficient result within the Wallycento box-rule, integrated with the structure to a level not yet seen in a yacht of this size .” continues Mills.  “ That proposal very quickly became Tango, after huge amounts of detail development, but very little deviation from the original vision for a sleek, light, and exciting sailing machine . ”

“ A relevant  Tango’s technical attribute is to have the immersed volume of the hull more forward than the previous Wallycentos, and the aft lines are cleaner and more stretched: an hydrodynamic option that I much appreciate ” adds Luca Bassani. “ Mark’s initial idea to have a displacement close to the minimum required by the box-rule, combined with the maximum sail plan allowed, would bring some advantages in the typical lights airs of the Mediterranean conditions ”.  

Tango’s interior layout places the main salon aft, the engine room and service area amidships, and the guest accommodation forward.

“ Tangos’ cruising comforts equal those of the previous Wallycentos whilst her different interior layout further concentrates the weights over the boat center of gravity .” remarks Bassani.

The contemporary interior design carries the signature of Pininfarina , the renowned design brand, reflecting the visionary approach of Tango’s owner to have the inside-outside consistency . The team of Pininfarina nautical division engaged the challenge to develop outstanding ultra-light interiors that would match the superyacht DNA.  “ The interior design of this Wallycento challenged our team to achieve the perfect balance of performance and comfort .” says Paolo Pininfarina , Pininfarina Group President. “ Thanks to the selection of the materials and the innovative solutions of the interior decoration delivering both function and aesthetics ,  we generated a true thoroughbred of the sea , ultra-light and super performing, perfectly suitable for cruising as well as for racing. We are very proud of this accomplishment further confirming the excellence of our nautical division .”

Construction

Tango marked another “first” for Wally: the collaboration with Persico Marine for the superyacht construction.

“ We are extremely pleased with our first cruising superyacht : Tango weighs only 47,5 tons thanks to the overall optimisations developed at the beginning of the project .  Specifically, we worked hard to lighten the interiors as much as possible, not just using carbon fiber and nomex sandwich in the joinery construction, but also developing different solutions to build, for example, the hinges and veneers ” explains Marcello Persico, Persico Marine CEO. “ Our new team uniquely combines the expertise in sound pure racing boats such as the VORs, Mini Maxis, and America’s Cups catamarans, with that in the most refined cruising superyachts .

“ This extraordinary group of highly qualified professionals allowed us to deploy the latest know-how in every area of the yacht, from the composite to the interiors up to the very innovative systems and sail controls. Being Tango our first full custom cruising yacht, we decided to invest a lot of time and energy in the early development of the design of the whole boat, and started the construction after confirming all the solutions and aspects of the design.

After two years of non-stop dedication and work, I still can’t believe to see the finished yacht: it’s a very emotional moment and can’t wait to sail her!” happily concludes Persico.

Tango will be premiered at the Yacht Club de Monaco, on the 26 September  and in the morning of the Monaco Yacht Show opening day (27 September), while she makes her racing debut at the Les Voiles de Saint Tropez, where she faces the high competition of the other three Wallycentos. A show not to miss!

The Wally portfolio of yachts under construction includes two sailing yachts, the Wally 145 and the Wally 93  to be launched in May 2019 and in spring 2018 respectively, the fifth unit of the 27 Wallyace, and two 52 wallypowers. Additionally, units of the new Wallytender X are under way.

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