One of the most memorable print campaigns of the 1980s and 1990s was for Absolut Vodka. The Sweden-based brand entered a competitive American spirits market with a bottle shaped like an apothecary tincture. The ad agency capitalized on this oddity, featuring it on ads drawn by Andy Warhol and Keith Haring, with other ads depicting swimming pools, ski slopes and New York City traffic in the Absolut bottle’s distinctive silhouette. Sales skyrocketed.
I think of these print ads during my tours aboard the boats from Absolute Yachts. The Italy-based builder seemingly came out of nowhere in the early 2010s to take on a packed segment, adding its own line of sleek flybridge models. Buyers noticed and Absolute’s presence grew, with larger displays at successive boat shows. The builder’s semi-displacement Navettas are “little ships” that now number 10 models from 48 to 70 feet length overall.
The latest little ship, the Navetta 62, made her world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival. She’s as stylish as her brethren, with a plumb bow and large hullside windows flanked by traditional round portlights. Her superstructure appears to be mostly glazing, with forward-facing, vertical glass and side windows supporting a ribbon of white fiberglass and the raked flybridge hardtop. She cuts a fine profile.
I approached her while she was docked stern-to at the quay. A glass balustrade flanks her after section, with teak-clad stairs from the hydraulic swim platform to the cockpit. The portside stairs have a butterfly-style hatch that grants access below to the crew quarters and engine room.
In the cockpit, freestanding furniture and recessed lighting create an aura that made me want to pull up a seat at the wet bar—a pod-shaped affair with an organic, textured finish in clever contrast to the teak sole and muted color palette—and make myself a Negroni. A wing station is built into the bar top, and a retractable shade extends to cover the entire space.
Her contemporary ambience flows on that same level into the salon. The color palette here is subtle and refined, with light soft goods and wide-plank wood soles that echo her teak decks. A low-slung, C-shape settee is forward of the portside galley and dinette. With the helm to starboard a few steps up, the entire salon gives the impression of a sunken gathering area, further enhanced by windows with unobstructed views from every seat. A clever, slatted bulkhead separates the twin Aras Italia helm seats from the leisure spaces.
The unhindered views of the sea are made possible by generous cutouts in the bulwarks, a design staple of the Navetta line. Even with the cutouts, the wide side decks feel safe and protected by the flybridge overhang. A beefy bowrail fills in the cutaway space.
A gracefully curved companionway flanks her lower helm and leads belowdecks. Both the amidships, full-beam master and forward VIP have large hull windows, beautiful lighting and king-size walkaround berths that are made for lounging while gazing seaward. Muted soft goods and vertical slatting are also here, made more striking by dark-veined calacatta marble in the en suite heads. A third guest stateroom with twin berths has a head that also serves as the day head.
Up on the flybridge, as in the cockpit, loose furnishings and a glass rear balustrade are inviting. Additional seating for several guests is under the flybridge hardtop, and a pair of helm seats are at the helm. A wet bar with an ice maker and cold stowage services the area. For those who crave more exposure, the foredeck terrace beckons with a triple sunpad and a dinette.
The 62 is matched to Volvo Penta IPS pod drive packages. Standard power is a pair of 900-hp D13s, and there’s an option for 1,000-hp engines. With the larger power plants, the 62 achieves a cruise speed of 19 to 27 knots and a top end just shy of 32 knots, according to Absolute.
Absolute’s team creates a cheeky moniker to describe each model. The Navetta 62 is dubbed “Absolute Vibe.” It perfectly describes her overall mood and spirit, which are just as memorable as that Absolut Vodka bottle from all those years ago.
Absolute Navetta 62 Specifications:
LOA: 61ft. 3in.
Beam: 17ft. 7in.
Draft: 5ft. 6in.
Displacement: 99,384 lbs.
Fuel: 898 gal.
Water: 206 gal.
Power: 2x 1,000-hp Volvo Penta IPS1350 D13s
Info: absoluteyachts.com
