Benetti celebrates nautical tradition with the slide launch of the Diamond 44M M/Y "Papa Joe"

by Benetti 19 Mar 2024 21:35 AEDT 16 March 2024

Diamond 44M M/Y `Papa Joe` launch © Benetti Yachts

On March 16th, at the historic Benetti shipyard in Viareggio, "Papa Joe", the seventh unit of Diamond 44M, took to the water during the traditional and exciting slide launching ceremony.

The yacht, with external lines designed by Giorgio Maria Cassetta and interiors designed by the Benetti Style Department, will be the family boat of the owner who, collaborating closely with the Shipyard, wanted to make it his second home.

Benetti launched the latest Diamond 44M unit, M/Y "Papa Joe" on March 16th with an evocative ceremony. The slide launch is one of the oldest nautical traditions and Benetti has always passed down this custom thanks to the historic 56-metre inclined slipway which is still fully operational at the Viareggio shipyard. The ceremony saw the presence of the Shipyard's management, as well as the mayor and the port authorities to celebrate the first evocative descent of the vessel into the water, recalling the tradition of the famous Benettis of the past.

The majestic Diamond 44M, flagship of the Class category, stands out for its imposing and solemn external lines, designed by Giorgio Maria Cassetta, which blend perfectly with the interiors marked by a contemporary, welcoming and sophisticated mood, expertly curated by Benetti's Interior Style Department. This 44-meter has surprising spaces both inside and outside and has five staterooms for 12 guests, while there are five cabins for a crew of seven people in addition to the captain.

Diamond 44M M/Y `Papa Joe` launch - photo © Benetti Yachts

On M/Y "Papa Joe", the contribution of the owner is also evident, actively collaborating with the Shipyard on the design of his yacht. He chose to incorporate various elements that reflect a distinctively elegant style, like the rosewood Santos accents characterized by veins that create particular designs in contrast with the main essence of oak. The atmosphere of tranquility that reigns on board also results from the color choices, which mainly focus on the light and neutral tones of the soft furniture, which are combined with color details such as turquoise accents, brown in the master cabin, burgundy-plum in the main salon and a peculiar shade of Levanto red selected for the marble smoking table on the Upper Deck.

The layout of this boat was conceived by the Shipyard to emphasize and make the most of the spaces, both outside and inside, guaranteeing maximum comfort and an unparalleled welcome, starting from the transom with the elegant beach area fully equipped and furnished with a lounge sofa and bar and a sliding smoked glass door overlooking the sea. At the stern, there is also a spacious garage that can accommodate a 6-meter tender and two jet skis.

Diamond 44M M/Y `Papa Joe` launch - photo © Benetti Yachts

On the Main Deck, in addition to a large and functional formal dining area, there is also the imposing owner's suite equipped with all comforts and the adjacent office area furnished with a large desk that allows the owner to have a second office on board. The crew and guest footpaths are designed to guarantee maximum privacy, thanks in part to the Rack Room on the Main Deck, which not only integrates the electronic and audio-video components in a single environment, but also serves as a service passage for the crew.

The Upper Deck, in addition to hosting an area totally dedicated to the captain dominated by the majestic wheelhouse and a private cabin, is characterized by a Skylounge with very generous spaces, a real cinema room where the large custom sofa in the center allows both to admire the sea view towards the stern or to enjoy a film with family on the big screen towards the bow. Furthermore, at the bow of the Upper Deck, the generous sunpad, the U-shaped sofa and the custom hydromassage pool create an additional comfort area available to guests.