Custom Line Navetta 38 Reviewed

Custom Line’s Navetta 38 had a tough act to follow. Its predecessor, the Navetta 37, sold 14 hulls between 2016 and 2022. The first Navetta 38, Telli, made its official international debut at September’s Cannes and Monaco yacht shows, with a gray hull, white superstructure and black shadowing that announced the yacht’s presence as worthy of notice.

The Navetta 38 is 127 feet, 2 inches length overall, compared to its predecessor’s 121 feet, 6 inches—but with the same 26-foot-3-inch beam. The Navetta 38 weighs in at 299 gross tons, or 10 more than the Navetta 37.

In-house naval architecture is much the same, but the Navetta 38’s profile comes from Filippo Salvetti’s studio. It elevates the styling on the 37 with crisper, cleaner lines. Outside spaces are broadly similar, but the 38 has fold-down platforms aft that nearly double the size of the area, which spans around 750 square feet. Combined with the cockpit and its glazed balustrade—and steps on each side that connect the tiers—the whole stern is an entertainment zone by day or night.

There’s also the upper deck aft off the sky lounge, which Telli’s owner configured for formal dining. It is connected via a starboard side deck to the forward terrace, with seating and loungers. There’s even more space on the sun deck above. It has partial protection from an arched hardtop. Aboard Telli, there’s a wet bar amidships, loungers forward and a hot tub aft, although that top deck space is a blank canvas for owners’ interpretations.

Light plays an important role aboard any yacht, and this Custom Line Navetta 38 is no different. The open-plan main salon and sky lounge include full-height picture windows and have bulwarks rebated to deck level to maximize the views.

Interior schemes come from Studio ACPV, aka Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel, working closely with the Custom Line Atelier team. The Navetta 38’s options provide a calm, soothing and contemporary vibe. Freestanding furniture mostly comes from B&B Italia and Maxalto. Walls are lined with Japanese paper-weave cloth from Phillip Jeffries, while soles, handrails and headboards are a rich blend of leathers. The enticing leather aroma is omnipresent.

The owners’ stateroom is forward on the main deck, which also includes one of the two day heads, along with the galley and a pantry. Entering the owners’ stateroom feels fantastic, with a long run of picture windows and a 16-foot-long lounge that’s as inviting as the views. Inboard are two walk-in closets. The sleeping area has a forward-facing super-king berth on centerline and a pair of en suites forward that share a glass shower.

Guest accommodations on the lower deck include four en suite staterooms, all accessed from a companionway that runs across the yacht instead of being on centerline. All have great windows and marble in the heads. The two VIPs have outboard-facing king berths.

Quarters for seven crew in three cabins are forward on the lower deck. An en suite captain’s cabin is on the bridge deck, where the helm has vertical windows and doors, a leaning post and a sofa. The console is an I-Bridge from Team Italia Marine with Simrad electronics.

In terms of performance, straight-shaft thrust comes from twin 1,400 hp V-12 MANs and ZF boxes, which deliver a semi-displacement top speed of 15 to 16 knots, depending on load and weather. Telli is reportedly quiet underway, and the quoted range at an eco-cruise speed of 10 knots is a whopping 2,800 nautical miles. Custom Line also says a hybrid version will soon be available for owners with greener tastes.

If history is any indicator of upcoming success, the Custom Line Navetta 38’s future looks bright.

Behind the Build

There are four composite semi-displacement Custom Line Navettas: a 30, 33, 38 and 42. There also are three planing composite models: a CL106, CL120 and CL140. All of them, as well as the aluminum Custom Line Navetta 50, are built at the Ferretti Group’s Superyacht Yard in Ancona, Italy. As of this writing, the yard had 26 composite Custom Lines in various stages of construction, along with 10 metal projects from 140 to 280 feet in length. The latter includes the biggest Pershings, Custom Lines and Rivas, and four custom CRN mega-yachts. 

Owner-Builders

Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi is one of his own best customers. The first Custom Line 38, Telli, was built for him and his wife, Antonella. So was their previous yacht of the same name, the first new-shape Navetta 33 in 2017. Before that was the older-style Navetta 33 Crescendo in 2014, along with various other boats from different Ferretti Group brands. Antonella’s father, Piero Ferrari, heads up the group’s Strategic Product Development team and sits on its board as a minority shareholder. Piero is also the second and only surviving son of Enzo Ferrari and retains a 10 percent stake of the automotive business.

Festival Spirit

Every guest stateroom on Telli has framed color photos from the Isle of Wight Festival 1970, an “English Woodstock.” They were taken by Italian artist Franco Vaccari, and are unusual for featuring fans rather than performers and event lows rather than highs. They’re cool to those of us old enough to remember flower power.

Take the next step: customline-yacht.com

The post Custom Line Navetta 38 Reviewed appeared first on Yachting.