Last week, Robb Report Hong Kong was part of the few privy to the launch of a new multi-million-dollar vessel at the Aberdeen Marina Club. Sanlorenzo’s SL90 Asymmetric, a luxury superyacht famed for its innovative design, comfort, luxury, and elegance, has been much discussed in media—our colleagues at Robb Report US and Robb Report UK have embarked on champagne-fuelled events on board and written about the yacht company’s other iterations from Cannes, no less.
Finally, we had the chance for a first look and a tactile experience here in Hong Kong. Docked at the private club, the luxury superyacht came into view, gently slicing through the waters with effortless ease. Consider our collective breath taken.
Already, there’s significant ink spilt in the press and within the luxury yachting community arising from the novel philosophy of design within the Sanlorenzo brand. It’s slightly askew from the norm, and with good reason. Spacious interiors and exterior deck spaces are key, and the SL90A’s unique asymmetric layout (hence the name!) sets the superyacht aside from its piers—sorry, peers.
“Symmetry has been a fundamental tenet of boat design ever since Noah built his Ark,” wrote Richard Alban in Robb Report. “This obviously makes hydrodynamic sense below the waterline, but symmetry is less important when it comes to the superstructure. At least that’s what Italian yacht builder Sanlorenzo is trying to convince the yachting world with its brand-new SL120 Asymmetric.”
Geri Ward, notable writer of yachting features, writes of the brand, “It pays to think outside the boat. Understanding that most yachts these days are more like luxury apartments, where space is a premium, Sanlorenzo’s designers saw that eliminating a side passage and stairway to the top deck would not impact the functionality of the yacht. It would, however, add […] precious square feet to the interior.”
Indeed, space is key, as there is no sense of the cramped or of the proximity to the other within the large confines of the spacious vessel. The meticulous attention to detail, the undulating curves that sail along the waves, the sleek lines visible even from an aerial shot—Sanlorenzo’s craftsmanship and exemplary design cannot be questioned. These are buoyant with key designers ensuring that novelty and technical finesse are intimately connected, keeping afloat this giant in the industry.
Now, for the technicalities. Sanlorenzo’s vessel is built in Ameglia, Viareggio, Massa, and La Spezia on the western coastline of Italy. Driven by 2 x MAN V12 2,000 hp engines, with a maximum speed of 29 knots, the fuel tank has a capacity of 9,000 litres. A beam of 6.5 metres rises above the waves, with a gross tonnage of 95 gross tonnes, Sanlorenzo SL90 Asymmetric can comfortably accommodate up to eight people in four elegant staterooms, with three crew members on standby.
Premium materials and finishes are the cherries on top, as a splash of refined luxury will hit you at every curve and corner. The discerning eye will spot a quick touch of the high thread-count Frette fine linens, Christofle glasses, silverware, tableware, and Bottega Veneta furnishings and accessories. For that subtle nod to Asian aesthetics, a display of Tan Ping’s paintings courtesy of Wei Gallery for the Hong Kong viewing was noted. Every aspect of the experience sets such a high watermark that you know you’re sailing in the lap of luxury when the boat is unmoored.
Like Sinbad, we’re ready to sail the seven seas, but only with all the comfort of the Sanlorenzo SL90 Asymmetric.
Sanlorenzo’s SL90A is based at Aberdeen Marina Club and available for private viewings by appointment through Simpson Marine and/or Sanlorenzo Asia. Make your inquiries at sanlorenzo@simpsonmarine.com or Tel (+852) 2555 8377.
All images courtesy of Simpson Marine Ltd.
