Marine

Stunning wood-carbon fiber yacht tender melds tech and tradition

Stunning wood-carbon fiber yacht tender melds tech and tradition
Castagnola brings together past and present with the Heritage 9.9
Castagnola brings together past and present with the Heritage 9.9
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The deep black hull contrasts with the warmth of teak and mahogany wood
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The deep black hull contrasts with the warmth of teak and mahogany wood
From directly above, the Castagnola Heritage 9.9 looks like a classic all-wood boat
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From directly above, the Castagnola Heritage 9.9 looks like a classic all-wood boat
Much like an electrified vintage car, the Castagnola Heritage 9.9 combines the latest technology with pure, classic styling
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Much like an electrified vintage car, the Castagnola Heritage 9.9 combines the latest technology with pure, classic styling
Castagnola offers a number of propulsion options, including shaft drives and hydro jets
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Castagnola offers a number of propulsion options, including shaft drives and hydro jets
The Heritage 9.9 is not designed for long journeys, but it does include overnight accommodations for shorter-distance trips
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The Heritage 9.9 is not designed for long journeys, but it does include overnight accommodations for shorter-distance trips
The world looks a little prettier from aboard a boat
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The world looks a little prettier from aboard a boat
Below deck in the cabin
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Below deck in the cabin
Small galley/wet bar with cooktop
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Small galley/wet bar with cooktop
At the helm
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At the helm
The Heritage 9.9 is powered by two 320-hp Yanmar engines
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The Heritage 9.9 is powered by two 320-hp Yanmar engines
Wraparound sofa with dining table
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Wraparound sofa with dining table
Even the controls are concealed below tasteful wood
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Even the controls are concealed below tasteful wood
Castagnola gives the Heritage 9.9 a deep V planing hull
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Castagnola gives the Heritage 9.9 a deep V planing hull
Castagnola looks to combine the performance advantages of carbon fiber with the ageless style of wood
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Castagnola looks to combine the performance advantages of carbon fiber with the ageless style of wood
Castagnola's Heritage 9.9 is capable of speeds up to 40 knots
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Castagnola's Heritage 9.9 is capable of speeds up to 40 knots
Castagnola promises the Heritage 9.9 has excellent high-speed maneuverability
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Castagnola promises the Heritage 9.9 has excellent high-speed maneuverability
The Heritage 9.9 frame is built from epoxy-infused ash
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The Heritage 9.9 frame is built from epoxy-infused ash
In the build
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In the build
The mahogany wood is clad with an epoxy-infused carbon fiber
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The mahogany wood is clad with an epoxy-infused carbon fiber
Light, rugged carbon fiber down low, classic, glowing wood up high
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Light, rugged carbon fiber down low, classic, glowing wood up high ...just reversed in this upside-down shot
Castagnola brings together past and present with the Heritage 9.9
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Castagnola brings together past and present with the Heritage 9.9
View gallery - 21 images

No boat catches the eye quite as quickly as a natural-wood vessel like the NOX SV. Or so we thought. The new Heritage 9.9 from Italian shipyard Castagnola Yacht blends its natural wood aesthetic with a glossy black hull shell that gives away its secret ingredient: carbon fiber. The "Wood in Tech Skin" construction is designed to bring together the performance of carbon fiber with the rich, timeless look of wood ... and it catches the eye every bit as quickly as wood alone.

Castagnola Yacht chief Gabriele Maestri concocted the formula behind the 10-m (33-ft) Heritage 9.9, seeking to find just the right balance of grounded tradition and cutting-edge innovation. Enlisting the pens of Nauta Design and architectural services of Studio Names, Castagnola pursued Maestri's vision with a build method it calls Wood in Tech Skin (WTS), essentially coating the outside of the wooden deep-V planing hull with a thin layer of epoxy-infused carbon fiber.

The mahogany wood is clad with an epoxy-infused carbon fiber
The mahogany wood is clad with an epoxy-infused carbon fiber

By leaving the wood exposed on the other side, life onboard is as warm and pure as Mother Nature intended. Castagnola spills a little of that warmth over the sides with the teak siding of the gunwale.

Castagnola promises that the WTS construction makes the Heritage much easier to maintain than a traditional wooden boat while providing light, agile performance on the water. The wood, meanwhile, absorbs sound so things remain quiet even at top speed.

Conceived as a limited-range weekend cruiser or superyacht chaser, the Heritage 9.9 houses a single cabin with bathroom below deck near the bow. The vessel can be specified as a hard top, but the open version shown boasts an airy deck with a pair of sun loungers just fore of the aft swimming platform. A lounge with wraparound vis-a-vis sofas and adjustable table merges seamlessly with the compact cockpit tucked below the sleek windscreen. There's also a small galley with sink and cooktop.

Much like an electrified vintage car, the Castagnola Heritage 9.9 combines the latest technology with pure, classic styling
Much like an electrified vintage car, the Castagnola Heritage 9.9 combines the latest technology with pure, classic styling

To further enhance the classic wood looks, Castagnola declutters the wood dash panel, allowing it to serve as a natural canvas for an array of analog gauges. The larger digital screens and controls are housed below this panel.

The 6.5-ton Heritage 9.9 comes powered by a pair of 320-hp Yanmar engines equipped with pods. It cruises the water at 34 knots (63 km/h) and can hit speeds up to 40 knots (74 km/h). With its 500-L fuel tank, the Heritage journeys up to 160 nautical miles (296 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h).

Castagnola's Heritage 9.9 is capable of speeds up to 40 knots
Castagnola's Heritage 9.9 is capable of speeds up to 40 knots

Yacht brokerage Equinoxe International is handling Heritage 9.9 sales and lists the vessel at €590,000 (approx. US$717,000).

Sources: Nauta Design, Castagnola Yacht

View gallery - 21 images
2 comments
2 comments
michael_dowling
No electric option? Just a pair of filthy diesels. Oh well,way,way beyond my budget.
Tom Lee Mullins
I think that is cool and beautiful.