An interview with Simon Milovanovic Varvaro, Project Manager of the Darwin 106.

Big sister of the Darwin 102, the Darwin 106 has been designed and equipped to fulfill her Owner desire to have a large, reliable, comfortable yacht to enjoy months-long fishing expeditions in remote and uncontaminated seas.

Simon Milovanovic Varvaro, Naval Architect & Marine Engineer and Project Manager at Cantiere delle Marche, entrusted to follow the development and building of this peculiar project, will help us discover all features and equipment of this luxury explorer/fishing yacht.

“The Darwin 106’s American Owners and family love to live and gather in a very relaxed and informal way both at home and at sea” says Simon. “They are already dreaming and planning expeditions to Alaska and other far flung destinations.”

To fulfill their dreams, a robust and long-range yacht able to face the hardest weather conditions and nonstop navigations was an obvious choice. CdM, number one in the construction of explorer yachts was the obvious choice.

“Fuel tank capacity (always very generous on our explorer yachts) has been increased from around 40.000 to 50.000 litres to give the yacht the required long-range performances,” Simon maintains. “He owned other fisherman yachts in the past yet he didn't want to buy a tantamount of a sporty fast planing fisherman, just larger than the previous one, but a slow, displacement vessel to enjoy in full long expeditions from the moment the yacht leaves the quay to the final destination. Fast trip to fishing spots and adrenaline fishing activities will be held by using the yacht’s large ‘tender’, which is a real American Fisherman that will be towed during long trips.”

Simon helps us take a closer look to all features and fittings that make the Darwin 106 a top-class fishing yacht:

• “We start from the fishing cockpit. The stern platform has been transformed into an enclosed cockpit with a bulwark;
• A ‘battle station’ has been centrally placed in this cockpit, instead of a most traditional fighting chair. Fishing will be carried out in ‘stand up’, allowing multiple strikes to be managed at the same time, giving more fun to the whole ‘fishing family’;
• Screwless rod holders have been placed on the large teak caprail around the cockpit, all equipped with drainages and an easy access for periodic maintenance;
• Many lockers holding the famous U.S. tackle boxes “Plano” are encompassed into the fishing cockpit bulwarks;
• Flush floor tanks with water recirculation and pump for live fish baits are located on the transom and below the cockpit floor;
• The lazarette is arranged cohesively with the fishing activities and include a small yet fully equipped workshop;
• A double Eskimo ice maker refrigerated locker, below the cockpit floor, with both salt and fresh water ice, helps maintaining the fish fresh for long time;
• Freezers located beneath the sofa in the main cockpit offer extra storage space for the catch. In order to increase the food loading capacity, we are currently improving and optimizing the space on board.

“The design and construction of this boat will be a good and formative experience for all the people involved.”