The first sea trials for the IY 16.98, the latest jewel from Italia Yachts. Built for an American owner, she will remain a few months in the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic to reach her true element: the deep, demanding waters of bluewater cruising.
The yacht lived up to expectations. “She immediately proved a fast hull: in light upwind conditions we logged 7–8 knots, just one knot below true wind speed,” explains Enrico Malingri after the first tests. Then came the tougher trial, from Pesaro to Ancona: 20 knots of breeze, steep seas, always on the bow. “Even in these conditions she maintained speed, a perfectly balanced helm and a remarkably soft passage through the waves.”
Figures and sensations that speak for themselves: a successful hull design, blending the comfort of a cruiser with the performance of a racer. The shipyard’s new flagship establishes itself as a true ocean cruiser, already with her sights set on the upcoming Atlantic Race for Cruisers, the natural proving ground for a yacht born for offshore sailing.
