The luxurious KOJU, measuring 121’4”, stands as the inaugural vessel in Benetti’s innovative Motopanfilo 37M series. This yacht offers a modern take on the yachting essence and lifestyle prevalent in the 1960s. Renowned musician of the 60s and 70s, David Bowie, was also a proud owner of a similar Benetti-crafted yacht.
Benetti, an esteemed Italian shipbuilding company, characterizes the vessels in this series as “Yachts Suspended In Time.” The accolades bestowed upon KOJU for its exceptional design, seamlessly harmonizing 1960s aesthetics with 2022 technologies, speak volumes. Fortunately, IYC, the International Yacht Company, makes KOJU available for summer charters.
KOJU’s exterior boasts a sleek and tapered silhouette, brimming with ample external space. The stern, featuring a contemporary revamp, includes a spacious beach club and a generous bathing platform, while discreetly housing the tender garage to the side. The upper deck comprises a seating area, a formal dining section, sun loungers, and a Jacuzzi.
In the interiors, a color palette revolving around light wood, white hues, and shades of blue immediately evokes a maritime ambiance, reimagined in a modern context.
This 2022 reinterpretation of 1960s style reflects a remarkable fusion of past and present, bagging three prestigious awards that honor its innovative design, reminiscent of a bygone era steeped in marine adventures. As a displacement yacht, KOJU’s hull displaces water to move through the ocean, offering enhanced cruising comfort and superior sea handling compared to faster planning yachts.
The 2022 Design & Innovation Awards hosted by Boat International in Milan acknowledged KOJU’s distinctive features, particularly its effortless exterior styling. Subsequently, KOJU secured two more awards: Outstanding Exterior Design, Motor Yachts 24m to 39.9m and Best New Series. The accolades continued at Robb Report’s Best Of Best 2022 Issue, World Yacht Trophies 2021 in Cannes, and Boat International’s Super Yacht Awards in London 2022, where KOJU clinched additional awards.
KOJU’s design incorporates simple, 45-degree cuts to break the long horizontal lines and optimize the strengths of a displacement yacht, efficiently utilizing the available volume in an appealing exterior deck layout. The salon showcases warm light wood flooring and curved ceilings, with hints of white and blue scattered throughout. The cabin walls follow the gentle curvature of the hull, embracing the yacht’s 1960s design.
Accommodating a total of 10 guests, KOJU features an owner’s suite at the bow of the main deck and four guest cabins on the lower deck.
Francesco Struglia, in collaboration with Benetti’s in-house designers, ensured impeccable construction standards complemented by expansive windows connecting the interior to the external environment. Long sightlines further amplify the impression of opulence and distinct maritime luxury.
KOJU boasts a spacious engine room for easy maintenance and service access, coupled with an efficient hull form and diesel engine combination enabling a top speed of 17 knots and a remarkable range of 3,800 nautical miles at 10 knots.
The vessel’s interior was a joint effort between Lazzarini Pickering and Benetti SpA, with Pierluigi Ausonio Naval Architecture overseeing the naval design.
Benetti describes KOJU as “an elegant design evoking memories of nautical traditions at their finest. The layout, styling, proportions, and thoughtfully designed outdoor living spaces” convinced judges of the vessel’s competitiveness in the market. Noteworthy attributes highlighted by judges include the yacht’s aesthetics, lifestyle offerings, and price point, with one judge stating, “This yacht hits the mark effortlessly.”
Currently, KOJU is open for charter via IYC, catering to summer expeditions in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and other idyllic destinations.
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