Boat Review | Rosehearty

Where the sea and style go hand in hand

There’s a lot of talk in the yachting world about mixing tradition and innovation and talk is often all that it is. But in the case of Rosehearty, the mix really is there. The 56-metre Perini Navi, which splashed exactly a year ago, does combine very diverse elements and somehow meld them into a uniquely elegant, stylish package. But most of all, Rosehearty is the product of the meeting of two very different personalities, that of TV magnate Rupert Murdoch, now on his second Perini Navi after the 48-metre Morning Glory, and one of today’s most innovative stylists, Christian Liaigre. The third magical ingredient in the mix, of course, is Perini Navi and its 56-metre series developed in collaboration with Irish-based designer Ron Holland. In fact, Rosehearty is the third in the series after Burrasca and Santa Maria. “The aluminium hull and deck construction took over 80,000 working hours,” explained Perini Navi General Manager Giancarlo Ragnetti. “And then you have to add the time it took to fit her out too.” In all, over 400,000 working hours went into building this 56-metre ketch. Rosehearty has a beam of 11.51 metres, displaces 486 tonnes and has an all-white hull. The latter is a nod to tradition given that one of the unwritten laws of seafaring is that yachts can be any colour so long as it’s white. “This was a very specific decision by the owner,” chips in Ragnetti. Rosehearty has the same lines as her sisters, from the profile of her superstructure with its bimini over the pilot area to the long fly overhang sheltering the cockpit and the large stern port hiding both the garage and gym. She also has the same system of automatic winches and furlers developed in-house by Perini. A system that means her 1,560 square metres of sail, spread over two masts that tower 59 and 48 metres respectively over the water, can be easily controlled. “They also have carbon booms that incorporate furlers themselves,” stresses Ragnetti. And that, after the gleaming white hull that interrupted a long series of navy Perini Navis, is the second new feature to be found aboard Rosehearty. Then, of course, there’s her deck garage which lies forward of the mizzen mast and which is used to stow a tender larger than those aboard the other 56-metres. However, what really makes Rosehearty unique are the choices her owner and interior designer made regarding her general layout. “The owner wanted a yacht for holidays that he could use with his family, not a yacht for party-giving or socialising,” explains Christian Liaigre for whom Rosehearty was a first foray into the world of yachting. Liaigre also did the interiors of the Mercer Hotel in New York, Valentino’s Paris headquarters, the homes of designers of the likes of Calvin Klein, Karl Lagerfeld and Kenzo as well as Rupert Murdoch’s loft in New York’s Soho. “We didn’t want to do anything too spectacular. We just wanted to create an atmosphere of adventure on the sea,” he told us. The result is a flying bridge awash with spaces from which to experience direct contact with the sea. Then there’s the living area in the cockpit. It is cosy and sheltered with a sofa along the aft toerail and a conversation area at the saloon door. However, Liaigre was really able to give full expression to his theme in the interior, using traditional materials but a very attractive simple design, resulting in the kind of a minimalist luxury for which he is renowned. The first taste comes just inside the saloon door and is a conversation area with low occasional tables and very simple leather sofas and armchairs. A red leather sofa running along the sides, ideal for providing extra seating for guests in port, is one of the most striking features of the décor. After the living area there is a port study and a starboard dining room. Once again we have a sofa along the walls. The bridge, which leads down to the crew quarters and service areas, is our last stop on the main deck. The colour scheme centres around red and sand-coloured leathers, ecru fabrics, blond wood floors and the gleam of ebony furnishings. The same colours are used on the lower deck and in the sleeping quarters which are accessed via a corridor beside the dining room. The full-beam master suite lies amidships and offers a bedroom, study, walk-in closet and bathroom. There are also two double and two twin guest cabins. Here too the design is simple and understated with no frills. Christian Liaigre’s nickname in the business is Monsieur Bois (Mr. Wood) and he really has done wonders with the various combinations he’s chosen as well as the lovely natural fabric colours. The cabins, living areas and other spaces aboard are all dotted with various mementos of Murdoch’s favourite destinations of Polynesia, Africa and Australia. Another way of uniting tradition and innovation aboard Rosehearty and bringing alive an atmosphere of adventure and the sea.
(Yacht Capital, n.1/2007)

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