Carniglia, former Captain of RJ 130 (now Nuri) will have the same role on board the new RJ 155 currently in build at Cantiere delle Marche

CDM – You have been working for the same yacht owner for many years, haven’t you?
GC – Yes, over 15 years!

CDM – So you know pretty well both him and his family, and their yachts...
GC – Definitely! I can safely say that I grew up professionally thank to the trust of this experienced owner. I know what he and his family like, how they live on board, what they prefer to do while on holiday. They enjoy cruising around with no hurry, quietly and comfortably, they actually enjoy the navigation in itself.

CDM – Did they owned other explorer yachts before RJ 130?
GC – What they had before RJ 130 were ‘explorer-like’ yachts, not true explorer yachts. First of all they were yachts built in fiberglass. You can’t fathom (risk) to cross the expanses of the oceans on a ‘plastic’ boat. The two things don’t get along well. You absolutely need a robust steel hull to navigate in full safety. Another major aspect is the engine room that must be large and well appointed, with all machinery at hand for easy maintenance and repairs.

CDM – When he decided to have a proper explorer yacht?
GC – In 2018, at the Cannes Yachting Festival, I was invited on board an explorer yacht built by Cantiere delle Marche, the Acciaio 105 Gatto. I asked to visit the engine room… it was ‘love at first sight’! We appreciated the approach to yacht building of the yard, their attention to construction quality, equipment, spaces, storages. We had the chance to purchase a yacht that was already under construction at the Ancona shipyard, an explorer yacht commissioned by an Owner who had to give up. The yacht was renamed RJ and we added 130 to distinguish her from the other yachts of the same series that were about to be produced. We are proud that the shipyard decided to give the name RJ to the whole series.

CDM – You stepped in when the construction was underway: did the Owners have the possibility to personalize the yacht?
GC – To a certain degree, yes. Yet I have to say that the Owners liked her as she was in most aspects.

CDM – What did they like better?
GC – The fact that she is a true explorer yacht dressed like a true luxury yacht. I think that CDM did the right move with this line designed by Paszkowski. The RJ line combines perfectly the two worlds without compromising.

CDM – You surely have had the chance to experience the quality of RJ 130
GC – We sailed a lot on our first season in the Med and the Owners appreciated very much the yacht’s comfort and livability. RJ 130 behaved perfectly well even in rough seas without slamming the waves or heeling and providing utmost comfort to Owners and guests.

CDM – Yet, the Owner decided to move forward and he sold RJ 130
GC – He was extremely satisfied with RJ 130 under all aspects, both stylistic and functional ones. He just wanted a larger, fully customized explorer yacht so he chose to have another RJ built by Cantiere delle Marche, a yard that earned his trust, but a hundred and fifty five footer this time: RJ 155.

CDM – Apart from the dimension, what are the main differences between the two RJs?
GC – He asked to have a proper beach area astern where to enjoy the close contact with the sea. The contact to the natural environment was indeed one of the main requests, so RJ 155 will feature very large outdoor spaces on all decks and, in parallel, most interior areas have visual connection to the exterior through full height, openable windows and doors, and glass bulwarks. This time, the interior design and decoration will be tailored 100% to the Owners’ desires by Achille Salvagni who developed a mood that fits to their way of living on board. He wanted a greener yacht too so the project focused on minimizing its environmental impact by lowering the emission of CO2 and all sort of particles by equipping it with top-end exhaust systems and adopting advanced water treatment equipment. RJ 155 will be IMO TIER III compliant. She will be powered with twin Caterpillar C32 Acert WOSR delivering 895kW each at 1800-2000rpm. These are robust and reliable engines with modest fuel consumption at all speeds that becomes extremely modest at an economic speed of around 10 knots. We asked also for very large storage spaces, fridge and freezers to be free to sail far and wide without being forced to stop for provisioning.

CDM – You mentioned the excellent seaworthiness of RJ 130. Are there further improvements on the RJ 155?
GC – She will be equipped with two couples of electrical driven stabilizers which, connected via a dedicated software to the rudders, help the auto-pilot to keep the course.

CDM – What are the Owner’s plans once RJ 155 is delivered?
GC – We have been talking about a tour of the world. It is something they would love doing and with a yacht like RJ 155 you can do it in full safety and total comfort, enjoying the experience to the fullest. RJ 155 is born to it and, sooner or later, we will do it. Yet, the Mediterranean Sea offers so many extraordinary seaside villages, islands, archipelagoes. You can sail to remote, almost uninhabited places to relish total peace and relaxation or visit seaside towns (and hinterlands) full of history, culture, good cuisine. Of one thing we are sure: it is not the yacht’s capability in terms of range, livability, seaworthiness, safety that will drive our choices… it is us!