Roald Dahl’s character Willy Wonka
had a great glass elevator that transported him wherever he wanted to go. Hull No. 1 of Overmarine’s Mangusta Oceano 44 reminded me of that story. This yacht is elevated by glass, and it has the potential to take owners just about anywhere. ¶ This 146foot, 461-gross-ton steel-and-aluminum design, perhaps more so than any other yacht I have seen recently, takes the tri-deck concept to new heights. Based on a hull platform from Pierluigi
Ausonio and with design by Alberto Mancini, this superyacht has a particularly strong, modern profile and a light, bright, contemporary interior. Mancini is skilled at blending inside and outside spaces, in this case with sole-to-ceiling windows, sliding doors, and ghost bulwarks and balustrades. ¶ Powered with twin 1,700 hp MTU 12V 2000 M86 diesels, the Oceano 44 reportedly reaches a top speed of 15 to 16 knots, depending
on load. That said, an efficient 11 to 12 knots will be more than enough for typical cruising. At that speed, and with a fuel capacity of almost 19,000 gallons, this yacht is capable of more than 4,000 nautical miles. In theory, that’s enough for at least a trans-Atlantic crossing. ¶ Whether it’s a long passage or a long weekend, the owner can spend overnights in the main-deck master stateroom. It occupies the full 28-foot-6-inch beam and has full-beam en suite facilities forward that include a bathtub and a shower stall, a vanity desk to port, a dressing area with flanking closets and a fold-down balcony. ¶ Guests aboard Hull
No. 1 can stay in what could easily be called a second owners’ stateroom aft on the deck above the master—an optional layout that replaces the standard sky lounge. In the stateroom configuration, this space includes a walk-through dressing area with flanking closets and mirrors, a portside en suite head, a vanity desk and a free-standing seat to starboard. The views from this space are spectacular, given full-height glazing on three sides that, to some degree, will slide open. Glass upper bulwarks on either side also help make the vistas impressive. ¶ The remaining four en suite guest staterooms are on the
lower deck. Two have double berths, and two have twins as well as Pullmans. ¶ There is walkaround room outside the upper deck. Inside, a captain’s cabin and ship’s office are abaft the wheelhouse, which also has wide-open views through fullheight wraparound vertical windows. The bridge has doors to the port and starboard side decks and wing stations. Up front are double-bunk crew cabins, the crew mess and the yacht’s laundry. ¶ For guests to relax seaside, there is a beach club aft with a teak-clad lower-deck lounge that occupies the full beam abaft the engine room. On the first Oceano 44, this space includes a bar, wraparound Minotti sofas and a day head. Underway, all that is seen around the waterline aft is a narrow swim platform, but at anchor, the stern can be transformed with fold-down surfaces. Part of the transom becomes a swim deck, and “beach lounges” open to the sides, effectively creating a walkaround stern. Tenders and toys are kept in a garage beneath the foredeck with a portside hinge-up door and gantry crane. ¶ Additional guest relaxation areas include the cockpit, which has stand-alone furniture and great views, thanks to an absence of opaque bulwarks and transom structure. Glass panes inset
into the aft-deck sole serve as skylights to the beach club below. A foredeck pool has sun pads and chaise longues, creating what the shipyard calls an “island spa.” The pool has glass walls and glazed panels in its base that serve as skylights for the master stateroom en suite below. ¶ Up top, half of the 1,100-square-foot sun deck has hardtop protection. Free-standing furniture from Paola Lenti with upholstery from Mariaflora is here, along with a wet bar and stools. Staircases head down to the upper-deck guest lobby and pantry, aiding circulation for guests and crew. A few discreet doors also let crew move around with minimal impact on guests. ¶ When guests want the sanctuary of ceilings and air conditioning, there’s a conventional main salon. Hull No. 1’s is open plan, with Poltrona Frau sofas and armchairs, and an amidships dining room flanked by full-height sliding-glass doors. ¶ Overmarine Group has considerable experience building semicustom yachts. It has been turning out Mangustas for 40 years, with more than 120 bigger than 100 feet length overall. The Mangusta Oceano 44 continues this tradition of excellence.