A handful of U.S. builders are successfully defending against an invasion by uber-stylish Italian motor yachts under 100 feet, but nobody seems better prepared for the European conquest than Hatteras Yachts. The North Carolina builder’s most recent launch, the M90 Panacera, has a fairly conventional-looking exterior with Hatteras lines, but boasts one of the most creative interiors in its class, going mano a mano against some very fine European interiors without looking like a poor man’s copy of their designs.
Hatteras interior designer Cullen Moser took RobbReport.com on a tour of the M90 at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, pointing out the features that distinguish the new Hatteras. “We wanted the boat to be contemporary and elegant, but at the same time comfortable and informal,” says Moser. “The emphasis was to maximize natural light while also using the texture of the materials to create more visual interest. You can see some of that with how we contrasted the rosewood veneer with softer, simpler whites.”
Floor-to-ceiling windows and a large fold-down balcony on the port side do indeed give the open-plan section of the saloon a contemporary beach-house feel. Instead of designing the master suite forward on the main deck, Hatteras made a masterful departure by placing a bulkhead between the formal dining table in the salon and the forward galley.
This forward section, which can be reached by the two open passages on either side of the bulkhead, is arguably the most imaginative use of space for a yacht this size. It looks like a semi-formal country kitchen, with a marble-covered island galley and informal dinette positioned against the forward bulkhead. Above is a huge 7.5-foot by 10.25-foot skylight that floods the room with natural light. This single piece of dimmable glass turns the galley into an atrium. Thanks to 9 feet of headroom, the area feels larger than the actual physical space.
Moser said the design was about more than just providing a separate, informal eating area for the owners and guests. “The galley has a duality,” she says. “It is elegant enough to function as a space for entertaining the owners and guests, but can be used as a food-prep service area for big social gatherings. It also allows the guests to be undisturbed in the formal dining area.”
Hatteras has moved forward in the last three years with some very creative designs, including the M75 Panacera, with its entirely open-plan main deck. The U.S. builder has managed to stay true to its traditional Carolina roots, but continues to push the design envelope in a unique, exciting way.
