Ever since Luca Bassani launched the first Wally in 1994, Wallys have been bigger, bolder and cleaner than other boats. You know a Wally when you see one.
I first visited the Wally offices in Monaco about 20 years ago to check out the new boats. The Wow Factor was off the charts. Wally is now owned by the Ferretti Group, and they just unveiled the latest Wally, a 69-foot wallywhy100, and Wally is still pushing the design envelope.
The “why” in the wallywhy line stands for “Wally Hybrid Yacht,” one that combines the advantages of both planing and displacement designs, primarily recognizing owners’ desires for more interior space to make the boat feel more like home. In announcing the new boat, Wally says it “fulfills the need for a more voluminous cruiser in the sub-70-foot range, and combines the best qualities of a luxury coupe with the extra volume of the wallywhy series.” (Wally already builds a wallywhy150 and a wallywhy200.)
Bassani himself says the wallywhy100 is built for owners who “aren’t afraid to break the mold.” He also says it’s a multi-purpose boat, “a jack of all trades,” serving as a luxury day boat, a cruiser, even a chase boat for a megayacht.
Regardless of how it’s used, the wallywhy100 is unique. Stefano de Vivo, Wally’s managing director, says that “20 years from now, the industry will look at the wallywhy100 as a yacht that dared to be different.”
The yacht’s low profile is remarkable for its sloped roof, and by the salon that’s placed much farther forward than is usual, in order to make more room for a much-larger-than-usual open space aft. The wallywhy100 also has a main deck that’s all one level, creating a large open space for good weather enjoyment; the salon can be closed off in bad weather.
The large beach club area aft has wings that fold out of the bulwarks to create more space, and a hydraulic swim platform that extends the aft deck even farther. There’s room for a tender and water toys, as well as for the usual array of sun lounges and al fresco dining tables.
Below, three staterooms can sleep six guests. The owner’s stateroom has large side windows, an oversized wardrobe, and a head with glass walls that turn from transparent to opaque when it’s in use.
Power is supplied by twin 1,000-hp Volvo IPS1350 pod drives, producing a cruising speed of 24 knots and a top speed of 27 knots. Read more:
