Pardo will be one of the more interesting builders at the Cannes Yachting Festival, which runs from September 10 to 15. The Italian shipyard, which has separate lines of motoryachts and sailboats, has proven itself to be an innovator. Its P series models the share vertical bows and arrowhead-shaped hulls of competitors like Wally, Zeelander, and the former VanDutch brand (which Pardo acquired), but the Pardos look beefier and more protected for big seas.
Its new flagship GT75 version, which will debut at Cannes after several years of teasing with various concepts, will be a tender garage version. As the name suggests, there is hidden space in the transom for stowing a tender while running.
Kevin Costner was the first to test the GT75 on a cruise last summer around Italy.
Pardo Yachts
The GT75 enjoyed pre-show publicity courtesy of actor Kevin Costner, who used the 75-footer to cruise last summer through Calabria, Sicily, and the Aeolian islands. Costner gave the vessel a PR sound bite, noting its “elegance, 360-degree views and many comfortable spaces for sun and relaxing just a step from the sea.” But his onboard video is much more detailed in his assessment of the boat.
But the Hollywood star missed the big picture—specifically, how this vessel stands in a class of its own by successfully combining serious dayboat exterior space with an interior designed for weekend cruising.
The stern’s potential is most evident when it’s wide open.
Pardo Yachts
The dayboat component is apparent across the upper deck, with not one, but two forward sets of seats—a dining arrangement with a table in the center of two sets of seats, and a separate lounge forward of those.
But the real differentiator is the aft beach club zone, which includes a generous swim platform (with a foldout ladder that has a mini-platform, a queen-size lounge that looks back over the platform, and fold-down terraces on each side that have become standard features on this style of boat.
The salon has a sense of open space, thanks to the placement of the lounges against the bulkheads.
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These terraces are different than most because they can be adjusted to any angle, so they can be stuffed with cushions and used for extra sofas, or with bare teak, as a diving board. There’s also a lounge in the upper cockpit, positioned in front of the large opening doors to the salon.
The interior by Nauta Design features lots of windows on the superstructure of the salon, as well as a massive roof window, with lounges set along the bulkheads. The overall is sense is open space and light, which compensates for the unusual amount of exterior space. The salon also includes a galley area, with side doors on both sides, to increase the sense of space.
The generous owner’s suite has lounges, windows, and a separate head with glassed-in shower.
Pardo Yachts
The GT75 also has generous space belowdecks, with the standard layout of three staterooms and three heads, along with options of two or four cabins (with a nicely concealed crew cabin). The full-beam primary mimics the light and space in the salon, with a sense of roominess and large windows on either side of the queen-size bed. The glassed-in shower, separate from the toilet and sink, is another feature that helps the boat stand out in a busy 75-foot-plus space.
Of course, the vessel’s smart design, which includes the open space up top and generous below-deck arrangement, is what really sets it apart. Then there is its impressive top speed. The standard engine package, triple Volvo 1050s mated to IPS drives, give the 75-footer a top speed of 41.5 mph. Volvo IPS 1350s upgrades lift the top end by another 3 mph.