Miami International Boat Show: Giovanni Filippetti discusses the Navetta 28

Filippetti navetta 28 at the Miami International boat show

Giovanni Filippetti, CEO of Filippetti Yachts arrived to South Florida from Mondolfo, Italy, on Wednesday, February 16th for the 2022 Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show (MIBS) with an unequivocal plan of action on his agenda…

To promote the new Filippetti Navetta 28

Amidst both the flow of yachting enthusiasts curiously promenading up and down the piers of One Herald Plaza, and brokerage engagements commanding his attention, Filippetti cordially sat down aboard the Sport 55 moored among Denison Yachting’s exhibit of 20 Superyachts for a one-on-one meeting to shed light on the shipyard’s latest brainchild.

However, before Filippetti tells us of his passionate vision with the birthing of the Navetta 28 – my first encounter with the Sport 55 is worth a few words.

As it sits stateside in Miami, the sport coupe emanates an absolute grandiose aura from its aft sun-tanning terrace and spacious main salon, right down to the full-beam master cabin measuring 4.64 meters. An awe-inspiring combination of clean, sharp lines combined with a color palette of fine wood and white leather crafted by Davide Cipriani of CentrostileDesign, coupled with knowing the Sport 55 is capable of a 50-knot (92.6 km/h) peak speed, simply left me glowing.

What was the initial mindset when designing the hull of the Filippetti Navetta 28?

From the start, we envisioned the Navetta 28 to be a charter boat. Sales are booming, and everyone seems to be going in this direction. With the charter, we are given the flexibility to have six cabins on a yacht, because technically at the construction level – the vessel is considered a boat since it measures less than 24 meters.

This eliminates all ship requirements. It is not necessary to have a full-time captain and crew, and the owner can drive the boat or hire a captain himself.

With the layout, you will see the upper deck is a very flexible space. It was designed with the owner in mind, whether he wishes to have a master cabin, salon or even a cinema. The same goes for down below. We built four cabins, but it can also be modified to suit different needs, for example, if a client wanted to install a fitness gym.

Badged with the Fulvio De Simoni stamp, what does this world-renowned Italian yacht designer bring to the Filippetti Navetta 28?

Experience. Every project works, and always on the first shot. He brings a unique strength and character to all he touches.

We decided to go with Fulvio De Simoni because we have a great relationship and long-standing ties together, since he started Pershing with my dad. We are also constructing our flying-bridge series F100 with him.

How does “Total Freedom” relate to the Filippetti Navetta 28?

A pair of 800-hp engines brings the Navetta 28 to a maximum speed of 14.5 knots (26 kilometers) and a cruising speed of 13 knots (24 kilometers). Due to the efficiency of the hull, you only burn 60 liters of fuel per hour. This gives the possibility to go over 3,000 nautical miles.

Most competitors are semi-displacement hulls, so their top speed will be faster, but they do not have the capacity and range that 20,000 liters provides. Thanks to the low fuel consumption, you are rewarded with a bigger cruising range. This is good for a charter because guests are always looking at consumption and how far you can travel.

What distinguishes Filippetti as a yacht boutique builder, instead of one of those “next hull number” larger manufacturers?

Number one for us is to create a personal relationship. That’s the reason Filippetti does so much customization on our boats. It is like building a house, and the customer is involved every step of the way.

Our approach and vision for the future is to keep it as a yacht boutique. Our target has never been about making a big number of hulls per year. We aim to build quality boats that you can enjoy and sail problem-free. We prefer to work with fewer customers, and provide to them exactly what they want!

We believe this personal customization will be the future in yachting. Everybody can buy a yacht from a big shipyard, but then, everyone will have a similar vessel. There are customers that do not want to be in the same bay with ten similar yachts – this is where Filippetti comes in!

Filippetti finishes our interview with a few thoughts on what special qualities his father Fausto brings to the brand.

My dad loves what he does. After all, he’s been at it since 16 years of age. He is very focused on the technical stuff and the engine room layout. He says – Giovanni, we can never forget… we send families with children out on the water. It is not like driving a car. If you have a problem, you can’t just walk away. Safety and quality must always come first.

Priced at €7.6 million Euros ($8.62 million US dollars), the Navetta 28 is forecasted to hit the waters in the next 20 months. From the renderings, the displacement yacht melds interior and exterior spaces in perfect harmony – it is guaranteed to be quite the fixture of freedom and fantasy on the seas!

Navetta 28 Technical specifications