The 118 WallyPower yacht is, to put it in the briefest terms, an undisputed masterpiece. Christened the “Galeocerdo”, it has grabbed the eye of all who see its dark visage, and though its appearance alone is, to say the very least, impressive, the finer details are just as incredible. You could scour the excellent yacht harbours of Monaco or Abu Dhabi, glimpse all their seafaring wonders and yet fail to spot something that carries the same honed, dramatic presence. Beneath the exterior lies three gas turbines. These turbines pump out a gargantuan 5,600 bhp, and each drives a Rolls Royce KaMeWa Waterjet. A 370 bhp diesel engine aids the two jets that help steer the vast craft. Overall, the 118 WallyPower rockets across the waves with a combined output of 16,800 bhp. Such colossal power bolts the yacht to a top speed of 60 knots or 70 mph. Such speed is hardly reached even for far smaller boats.
And it can keep up such a speed for a range of 300 nautical miles. However, its power source isn’t totally thanks, as the sharp knife body shape, with smoke testing conducted at Ferrari’s wind tunnel in Maranello, helps cut through the waves like scissors through the cloth.
Beyond its mechanical prowess lies the most exquisite interior, where the focus on performance can still be visible. Inside the cabin are carbon fibre window frames, and the whole deck’s superstructure is a carbon frame in the 118 WallyPower’s pursuit of lightness. Even the bath fixtures and the dining tables are made from the carbon in the drive to keep the weight low. Such advanced and clever building ideas allow the boat only to weigh 95 tons.
This less is more approach cannot only be seen in its engineering but also in its cabin style. The dining area, deck, navigation and cockpit are all continuous elements, creating an open space that suits the 118 WallyPower’s breezy nature. Comparisons can easily be drawn to that of a swanky, new-age metropolitan apartment or even the understated flamboyance of a spy villain’s lair! The deck’s appearance has a sense of practicality too. Two of the dining tables can be mechanically lowered to offer more room, and the dining and lounge area is placed away from the heat of the engines.
Head deeper inside this gloriously suave vessel, and you’ll find six televisions at your leisure and a small, stainless steel kitchen that wouldn’t look too out of place on the set of science fiction films. Coincidently, the 118 WallyPower did indeed gets its moment in the spotlight by appearing in the 2005 thriller “The Island”.
Three bedrooms can be found below the deck. The owner’s stateroom acts as the largest, bearing the comfort of a king-size bed and a pair of en suites, complete with a skylight. A couple of guest rooms are also available, each with a queen-size bed and an en suite. Putting into detail how a yacht perfectly capable of housing six people in refined, palatial splendour truly puts into perspective the technological brilliance in achieving such a low weight and high speed.
In such a vast world of water, it seems a shame to have such a masterpiece be so rare to find. That being said, perhaps it only fits and remains one of a kind. Currently, the 118 WallyPower is one of a kind and owned by the Kondakji family. That exclusivity level can reinforce its place as an icon on the waves and a marvellous representative of pushing the boundaries of yacht design. Some day there will be faster and more luxurious power yachts than the 118 WallyPower, but they will never make anyone forget their mesmerising presence.
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Edit by Roberto Castellucci
