Cantieri delle Marche’s Darwin 86 Explorer superyacht Percheron arrived a little late at the Fort Lauderdale Show, but to get there at all she had to battle Atlantic storms and swells, with 55-knot winds and big seas. You can see how the yacht coped in this video.
Percheron is the second of the 86 Explorer range to launch, and is every inch a pocket superyacht, built in steel and aluminium to withstand the rigours of anything the ocean can throw at her. Not surprisingly, the yacht appeals to owners who want to expand their cruising horizons: after heading from the Cannes show to Fort Lauderdale show on her own bottom, Percheron is heading for the Caribbean, the Panama Canal and the Galapagos islands. Cantiere delle Marche supports the Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands, a charity that assists in the conservation of the islands, by donating part of the proceeds of every Darwin yacht sold.
You can see Percheron’s DNA in her engineroom, where she feels like a much bigger yacht, with a spacious layout (you can access the areas underneath the twin 287kW CATs for servicing). The attention to detail is striking, even down to ‘bookmatched’ panelling on the floor. The owner has specced a utility area aft, which includes a drill for on-board metalwork. All the systems are heavy duty, including a waste management solution normally seen on commercial ferries. To ensure the yacht meets stringent environmental standards for cruising the Galapagos, there is a system for purifying oil-contaminated water from the bilges.
The owner will be cruising with his family, and one of the guest cabins has been configured with three bunk beds for the children and an occasional cabin opposite that can be used by a nanny. A well-equipped main deck galley and crew mess should make for a happy crew. High bulwarks and chunky deck gear are a tribute to the yard’s commendible ‘over-engineering’ philosophy.
The yard’s first Nauta Air 86 was sold to an Australian owner by Lee Marine in July this year.
To see more of Percheron, explore our gallery here