Flying South in otam

Une catastrophe

There’s a lot to like about ripping along at 54 knots in an 80-footer, especially on a lumpy day. As nasty weather zeroed in on Cannes, winds had picked up and the bay had neared the threshold where one could possibly spill a drop of rosé—otherwise known as in the South of France. You’d never have known it, though, sitting at the helm of the Otam 80—fagship of the builder’s Millennium series and one of the fastest yachts of her size in the world. As smaller craft struggled for stability, the Otam 80 gave us the ride of our lives, smooth and responsive, courtesy of a deep-V hull, which is shoved along by four 1,622-horsepower MTUs with Trimax surface drives. It would be a mistake, however, to write off this bodacious bad boy as strictly a performance boat. Among her enormous cockpit with loads of comfortable seating, a spacious salon with all the creature comforts and three plush staterooms, the Otam 80’s interior embodies luxury—all the more enjoyable while screaming along at 50-something knots. More rosé, anyone?