Owner Pier Luigi Loro Piana is a highly skilled sailor that has traditionally leant towards superyacht projects that have met the requirements for his love of competitive sailing. However, with his most recent refit he has decided to take on a very different type of project than usual by overhauling 51m Masquenada in order to make it suitable for a round-the-world-trip by making it much more accessible, luxurious and comfortable for long voyages around the world.

Masquenada before the refit 

 “I decided to go for a big, beautiful motor yacht of around 50-60m in length, capable of accommodating around 10-12 guests for exploring the world in safety and comfort,” says Loro Piana. “The size of the yacht was critical: any bigger and I wouldn’t be able to access the small, secluded bays I was used to visiting with my sailing yachts.

Mario Pedol, co-founder of Nauta Design, helped make the final decision on which refit yard was most suitable for the project and they decided together on Lusben, Azimut-Benetti’s refit branch. The owner requested a complete redesign of the main deck aft, with an open- air beach club with easy access to both the water and the main salon. One of the major modifications was the removal of the old deck crane replacing it with a custom-built, 7.5-tonne capacity crane that can fold away out of sight.

 “The main salon was transformed with the installation of a two-metre wide door to enhance the connection with the open aft deck. The starboard access to the engine room is also new, as are the ventilation trunks with integrated chaise lounge,” says Pedol.

 The upper and the bridge decks were large enough prior to the refit, however they have still been extended by 1.5m to create more room for gym equipment and two sailing dinghies. The upper deck aft is now set up for al fresco dining and lounging, with a fitted BBQ-galley in the top deck.

 The yacht has gained 1.5 knots of top speed and has been built with sound-proof boxes to reduce noise transmission through the hull, which was an important feature for the owner.

 Masquenada was relaunched in June 2021 accommodating 12 guests including the owner. It includes two suites on the main deck, three on lower deck and a master stateroom on the upper deck. Since the relaunch Masquenada has enjoyed a summer cruising in the Mediterranean and is now on the way to the Caribbean to start a three-year tour around the world.

 “Masquenada is a very versatile yacht and I am definitely very happy with the final out-come,” says Pier Luigi Loro Piana. “All the design team worked very well, Nauta, Misa and Rogantin, and my life on board with my family and friends last summer was just what I had envisaged when we started out on this adventure!”

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