Otam 65 HT - the fastest Otam ever as told by the designer Francesco Guida

by Otam 9 Feb 2021 05:36 PST

The new OTAM 65 HT has been conceived to meet the specific demands of a deeply passionate and brave yacht owner, driven by the desire not to buy a serial product but to create a brand new design - a true one-off having limitless customization freedom in pure OTAM style.

Following delivery of the 60-knots OTAM 65 HT to her owner last summer, the shipyard has released new images of the exterior and interior.
With its two 2000 hp engines, the new OTAM 65 HT reaches a maximum speed of 60 knots and a cruising speed of 50 knots having an impressive fuel efficiency at all speeds
Carbon hardtop and deck rigging
Francesco Guida, who conceived the interiors and the styling and details of the external cockpit, describes how the design concept was developed and executed

At the customer's request, the Francesco Guida Design firm designed the styling and details of the internal layout and of the external cockpit, giving the yacht even more personality and translating the specific requests of the customer with a high attention to detail. The extreme customisation typical of the Italian shipyard is expressed to the fullest in the new OTAM 65 HT, which can be perfectly described as a "Made in Italy one off". This yacht embodies the concepts of experience, research, development, flexibility, iconic design and top performance combined with outstanding efficiency.

Its hull makes it difficult to match the OTAM 65 HT yacht. The sporty and iconic aesthetics in pure OTAM style are also the result of working with a historical partner such as Umberto Tagliavini, from Marine Design and Services.

Developing the OTAM 65 HT, the Italian yard has stretched its limits by setting the fastest speed ever achieved, reaching a maximum speed of 60 knots and a cruising speed of 50 knots via a bottom with a 21 degrees deadrise at the stern, ensuring unparalleled navigation and yacht handling. Moreover, this model achieves considerably higher fuel efficiency than other boats of the same size currently available on the market, despite the speed for which the OTAM yachts are known worldwide.

Otam 65 HT - photo © Alberto Cocchi

External design to enjoy the sea

The hardtop of the OTAM 65 HT has been customised with new details according to the owner's requests. One of most remarkable is the absence of doors leading to the cockpit, which creates a large, open-space area (to better enjoy outdoor life) without affecting any of the yacht's comforts - for example, the entire area has air conditioning.

"In the cockpit, instead of the traditional teak," explains Francesco Guida, "we specified grey Esthec with the 'planks' arranged athwartships to accentuate the width rather than the length. A challenge here was that the side cabinet had to be big enough to house not only a sink and fridge, but also other domestic appliances such as an ice-maker and wine cooler, as well plenty of storage space for tableware. The cabinet's volume is broken up with strips of brushed stainless steel on the façade".

Carbon inserts have been added to the deck rigging

Carbon fibre inserts are not just in the hardtop; they can be found in the deck rigging as well (from the anchor to the transom platform), according to the shipyard's tradition to use technologically advanced materials. Other than creating a chromatic contrast with the white metallic hull, carbon fibre reduces weight, considerably enhancing performance.

Interiors inspired by the world of private jets

The interiors and the details of the new OTAM 65 HT, conceived by Francesco Guida Design, are fully customised. The elegant geometries that express the cutting-edge style give the vessel a timeless character and, at the same time, mark a new benchmark for interior design in the sport yachting market.

"The whole concept was based on two basic premises", explains Francesco Guida. "The first was that the décor had to highlight the fact that she is the fastest yacht OTAM has ever built, and probably the fastest in her class, and so we took inspiration from the even faster world of private jets. The second premise was that the owner wanted a monochromatic black and white colour scheme with visible reference to the carbon-fibre elements used in the yacht's high-tech composite construction."

"We achieved these effects in various ways", continues Guida. "Pearlescent white paint and black-stained oak are combined with carbon-look coatings for the ceilings and wall units, which are styled in a way that recall the overhead storage units on jet planes. The ceilings are also very subtly shaped to mirror the aerodynamic profile of the hardtop. So in terms of materials, shapes and colours, the inside echoes the outside."

Otam 65 HT - photo © Alberto Cocchi

The lighting was another important area of study. "One of the challenges we had to overcome is that fact there are no hull windows, so we had to make the three cabins below deck airy and inviting without recourse to natural light. All the lighting is indirect and uses the white surfaces to bounce light around the rooms and emphasise the sculpted shapes. To break up the S-shaped corridor linking the cabins, we inserted an oval-shaped 'lobby' in the middle to provide a focal point of interest".

Colours, shapes and materials have been carefully selected to harmoniously coexist, giving the yacht a balanced appearance.

"The leather-clad beds and side cabinets resemble the cocoon-like sleeping units you find in First Class air travel, and the brushed, stainless steel detailing and door handles match the light grey of the soft silk and wool carpeting. A striking element in the galley is the Striato Olimpico marble. This is only traditional material used on board, but its bold, horizontal black and grey stripes lend it a very modern look that blends in perfectly with the rest of the décor. Naturally, to keep the weight down, all the marble is mounted on an aluminium honeycomb substrate".

"The bathrooms are quite special because we did away with conventional wash basins and replaced them with freestanding 'totems' in brushed stainless. Even the WC is covered with a stainless steel lid, not unlike those you find jet planes."

"The same kind of time and thought went into developing the design of this 20-metre boat as a yacht twice her twice", concludes Francesco Guida. "And I believe it shows: the elegant, cutting-edge geometries give the vessel a timeless character and, at the same time, represent a new benchmark for interior design in the sports yacht market."

OTAM 65 Specifications: