Tommaso Spadolini: a closer look at Montecristo 43

The all-aluminium Montecristo 43 series of superyachts by Tommaso Spadolini is inspired by the eponymous island in the Tyrrhenian Sea that the Italian designer can see from his seaside summer home.

Available in a 30- and 43-metre version, both yachts are designed to meet the needs of modern owners in a compact package. For the 340GT Montecristo 43, in particular, Spadolini has produced 3D section diagrams that better illustrate the interior and exterior layout for those less accustomed to viewing traditional 2D deck plans.

“I wanted to design a compact superyacht with a low, sporty and muscular profile in my signature style, but combined with ample living space,” says Spadolini. “The widebody design makes full use of the 8.7-metre maximum beam and creates the space to have a separate owner’s area on the upper deck.”

The section diagrams reveal how the designer has placed the interior staircase leading down to the lower deck and up to the bridge deck to starboard opposite the bar in the main salon. This provides a continuous sightline through the lounge into the forward dining room, which is separated by an LCD glass sliding panel that can be dimmed at the flick of a switch when the crew are laying or clearing the table. The day head is also cleverly hidden behind the staircase.

Forward of the dining room is a generous galley and adjoining pantry with a double door and ‘jigged’ circulation flow so guests cannot see into the pantry when dining. The captain’s cabin is opposite the galley.

There are five ensuite guest cabins (x3 VIP suites and two twin-bed cabins) on the lower deck. Forward of the guest accommodation bulkhead is a crew mess, generous laundry and four crew cabins with independent access. By cleverly angling the last few steps leading below deck, a handy room has been created to starboard that can be used as a linen store or general storage for when the crew are servicing the guest cabins. 

The side-loading tender garage aft houses a 5.5-metre tender (a rescue tender can be stowed in the bow), which can be launched and retrieved from both sides depending on sea conditions. 

The Montecristo 43 takes advantage of the elevated position of the bridge deck to have the master stateroom behind the wheelhouse, a solution that provides a level of privacy for the owner rarely found on yachts of this size. A connecting door allows the owner to access the bridge directly from his suite, or crew to clean the room using the service staircase. Featuring a walk-in wardrobe and a personal open aft deck, the suite is reached by private staircase from the main salon. The open foredeck serves as a large sun deck with hot tub.

“Clients today expect outstanding liveability, both inside and outside,” says the designer. “They want to be able to make full use of the foredeck, which is another signature feature of the design.”

The Montecristo 43 is a not a large superyacht by today’s standards, but the rational use of available volume combined with the widebody design means it has the space and flexibility to function as a fun family cruiser as well as a comfortable charter vessel.