San Lorenzo 40 Alloy: Open to the Sea

Written by Texts Miquel Mallafré

On board

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The Sanlorenzo 40 Alloy is a yacht that represents a milestone in the ascending career of Sanlorenzo. It is not only the largest yacht built to date by this company, but is also the first one built in metal, more specifically in aluminium. The 40 Alloy goes beyond a mere question of size or constructive materials, because it provides a revolutionary design.

Sanlorenzo is back on the headlines since Massimo Perotti and his team have got in charge of the company. Without giving up the classic models nor the quality level characteristic of Sanlorenzo, the new models are filling in important segments of the large yachts market. First it was the SD 92, that competes directly in the market of displacement yachts of around 24 meters and next this 40 meters, that is the largest yacht built by Sanlorenzo to date and is the first one in aluminium.
The aluminium construction is not a reason but an answer to the desire of reaching high performance. Aluminium was chosen for being the only solution that allows to obtain a good performance on a yacht of this length, because fibre glass or steel is heavier. Architect Francesco Paszkowski received the order to carry out this project, that can only be described as absolutely revolutionary for the great amount of functional and aesthetic solutions adopted.
Being their first unit built in aluminium, the company hired the services of the English consultancy John Winterbotham and Partners, specialised in the construction of large yachts. 

Great Perspectives

The outer design of this yacht does not go unnoticed. Its dark metallic grey colour, grants it an intriguing appearance. Its sharp lines tell us about its high performance, but the design from a close distance allows us to discover that the Sanlorenzo 40 is open to the sea in an unprecedented way, with ingenious and simple solutions from the functional point of view, but that they require a great previous technical work.
Two are the main aspects that stand out on the outside. Firstly the four folding platforms that create four exclusive lateral terraces on the main deck, two on the living area and two on the owner’s cabin, lowering large bulkheads on the sides. Next we find the lateral doors of the upper deck, that open up in the shape of a seagull wing to be able to go out to the lateral walkways. But that is not everything. On the main deck the lateral walkways forward have been suppressed, to give more amplitude and privacy to the owner’s cabin, that can thus occupy the full beam of the yacht. Consequently, the walkways go up to the upper deck to be able to go to the bow manoeuvre area, only protected by stanchions and cable hand rails, that look more like the guard ropes on a regattas sailing yacht. Tradition dictates.
In order to sharpen the lines of the yacht and to reduce its balance to the maximum, aiming to provide the required inner comfort, the final height of the yacht has been reduced as much as possible, to the point that there is only a unique steering position, an upper one, eliminating the conventional open fly bridge to create a large sky lounge that reunites the steering position and the living area, but that opens astern with an ample outdoors living area.

Main Deck

The ample cockpit of the yacht allows to form a cosy outdoors living area. But it is right here where the conventional aspects finish, because as a previous way to the interior the superstructure houses a mixed area, with a set of double doors, in such a way that it allows its use as part of the cockpit or as part of the interior, and therefore it has service cabinets. Nothing prevents from opening both sets of doors and to have the interior and the exterior as a unique space.
It is immediately noticeable that in the living area there is no dinning room, but this generous space is destined for conversation and relaxation, without furniture fragmenting the inner space and with incomparable views towards the outside thanks to sliding doors that open up over the lateral walkways exactly in front of the folding platforms previously mentioned, in such a way that the views over the sea open up from the floor up to the ceiling.
The minimalist decoration has been the subject of a careful selection of furniture on behalf of the owner and Paszkowski himself, as well as of a conscientious study of the artificial illumination, based in the use of light lines in the ceilings and the use of the indirect illumination around the furniture, to give the sensation that some pieces of furniture are suspended. The walnut wood predominates throughout the boat, with two finishes, a clearer one for the floor and a more classic one for the furniture and the bulkheads, combined with lacquered subjects and leather. By express desire of the owner this decoration extends throughout the boat, including the guests’ and the crew cabins.

More in Super Yachts Review nº 041