There are cruising boats and there are cruising boats. And then there’s Akula, the just-launched 195-foot-long, luxury expedition yacht built by Rossinavi in Italy.
Don’t worry about running into Akula on your next cruise on the Great Loop. It won’t slide under the 19’ 6” fixed bridge on the Illinois River outside Chicago. And it certainly won’t be able to navigate the thin waters of the low countries on the ICW, where I’ve managed to make contact with the bottom on my 36-foot Grand Banks.
Akula is a blue-water vessel, with a steel, ice-class hull meant to cruise safely to remote corners of the world. And it certainly will stand out, wherever it is, with its striking red paint job.
“The key concept for this project is that it is a boat for cruising,” said Federico Rossi, the CEO of Rossinavi. “With the owner’s input, we were able to best express the know-how and skills we have gained through experience.”
Akula holds 12 guests in six staterooms, plus a large crew complement. It has a 39-foot beam, so there’s plenty of interior volume for everyone. In a statement, Rossinavi says the living quarters on board are “cozy but elegant.”
We don’t have details, but the new expedition yacht has what the yard says is an ultra-efficient, diesel-electric propulsion system that burns less fuel while reducing its environmental impact.
The hull and naval architecture were drawn by Arrabito Naval Architects in Livorno, while the interior was by FM Architettura in Ancona. The layout was designed to support marine research and scientific projects. A large observation lounge is forward so passengers can view their surroundings. The yacht’s sundeck was turned into a technical area with lots of expedition gear. The garage holds two 30-foot tenders, diving gear, and two 20-foot containers that will serve as portable science labs.
Francesca Muzio, the founder of FM Architettura, says that Akula is an original ship, “a strong but elegant vessel that fits perfectly with our view of modern yachting.”
The name is interesting. In Sanskrit, Akula is the name of the benevolent mother goddess Parvati, the wife of the Hindu god Shiva. In Russian, it means shark; indeed, Akula is the name of an entire class of Russian nuclear-powered attack submarines. Read more:
