Nauta Design, among the top studios in boat design, has rethought the relationship between the interior and exterior of a yacht and, as a consequence, has redesigned the physical threshold between hull and water, deciding to take a step forward in protecting its research by filing to patent the concept of The Island. A true extendible “beach on the stern” which expands the usable surface area of a vessel thanks to collapsible gunwales and hold doors.

The space that is created, developed over three sides of the stern, is created through the addition of a connection between the lateral platforms, that open out to the water at the beach club level, and the collapsible gunwales, which expand the size of the area. The result is a room out in the open, without a continuous design between the interior of the yacht, the exterior, and the sea. The owner and his guests can freely move from one side to the other of the vessel, with no physical or visual interruptions.

THE ‘BEACH ON THE STERN” CONCEPT

“The concept of The Island – explains Mario Pedol, the co-founder, together with Massimo Gino from Nauta Design – was created with the 75-metre, Dune, developed for a client who did not want a pool on the stern of the main deck, and asked us to create a connection with no interruptions between the main deck and the water. And so the idea came about to open this area from the sides, to increase the surface area, improving the way and offering incredible contact with the sea.”

An idea that stands out in a number of yacht designs created by the studio and which allows to more than double the available space on the stern on Nauta Design vessels (+79% for the Dune 75, +61%for the Wave 85, +70% for the  Slipstream 78 and even +95% for the Air 96).

THE ISLAND PATENT

The patent process, which began three years ago and was aimed at defining the commercial value of the idea in an economy like today’s (connected to a global level and led by innovation), led to patenting the invention in Italy and two patents as an  ornamental design in Turkey and, more in general, in Europe.

The former preserves the use and function of a product or concept, while the latter protects the design. “Obtaining a patent – notes Pedol – is a long process, that is expensive and sometimes difficult, but in this case, we believe that it was worth the effort. The recognition from the market of the right to protection is more important than any other immediate commercial benefit that a patent can bring about.”

In this case the design studio wanted to yes, protect a distinctive trait of its creations like the “beach on the stern”, but also a way of enjoying nature and the sea. On the other hand, says Pedo, “the best reason for buying a superyacht is to be able to enjoy the environment that surrounds you in the most direct manner possible…”