Pardo GT65: 20 metres, one layout, no compromise
After its world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival and a Design Innovation Award in the category for motor yachts over 14 metres LH, the Pardo GT65 stands apart from the two models that came before it in the GT range in one respect: it has a single layout, with no alternative configurations. At 20.14 metres overall, it is the third GT after the GT52 and GT75, and was developed by Cantiere del Pardo’s in-house team with Nauta, which designed both interior and exterior. Naval architecture is by Zuccheri Yacht Design.
Before settling on the final version, the yard analysed and compared more than 45 layouts, drawing on the experience of around 70 owners in the GT fleet. “On the Pardo GT52 and the GT75 that followed it there were several layout options, but for this latest model we decided to change our approach,” said Marcello Veronesi, CEO of Cantiere del Pardo. “We talked to our owners to find out whether it would be possible to develop a single configuration able to meet every need. With the new GT65, I believe we have achieved that goal.”
The hull keeps the reverse bow and pronounced chine of the Pardo Yachts family, with steeply raked sheer lines and staggered windows. Nauta drew a forward-leaning superstructure and a large swim platform with a cantilevered sunpad. Like the other GTs, the 65 retains the side decks of the Pardo walkarounds, which is why the yard describes it as a crossover.
Saloon and mid-level galley
The saloon takes up the centre of the main deck and is lit by large windows, opening doors and windows aft, and an opening roof. A disappearing glass partition separates it from the cockpit; with it open, the two spaces become a single living area. There are sofas on both sides. To starboard, a height-adjustable table extends to seat 12 for lunch or lowers to become a coffee table, and with a few extra cushions the area turns into a daybed. A twin pop-up TV built into the aft unit can be watched from both the saloon and the cockpit.
The helm station is forward to starboard. Opposite, a few steps down, the L-shaped galley sits on a semi-open intermediate level between the main and lower decks, with an induction hob, oven, large fridge, sink and storage. Massimo Gino, co-founder of Nauta, explains the choice: “It is one of the insights that holds the whole layout together and removes any compromise. If you put the galley on the saloon level, you take space away from the saloon; if you put it below, you risk cutting the owner off from friends and family. With a mid-level galley, everyone can choose how involved they want to be in life in the saloon. It is the best of both worlds.”
Three cabins and crew quarters
One step down from the galley, a lobby leads to the owner’s cabin forward and to a twin cabin with en suite bathroom to starboard, which becomes a double when the beds are pushed together. In the owner’s cabin the bed is set against the forward corner at a diagonal, leaving room for bedside tables and a view of the sea through the large hull windows. Behind a semi-opaque ribbed glass wall is a walk-in wardrobe, the first on a Pardo; on the other side are the en suite bathroom and a desk that doubles as a vanity.
The VIP cabin uses the full beam of the boat. The bed is placed against the starboard side, creating a continuous line of sight to the bathroom, which has a separate shower and WC. The yard paid particular attention to acoustic comfort in this cabin. A two-berth crew cabin with independent access from the main deck is also available.
Materials and systems
Natural oak parquet flooring runs through all the living areas. Galley worktops, bathrooms, shower seats and the grill area are in Dekton, the walls are lined with Dedar silk, and taps and fittings have bespoke finishes. Soundproofing was worked out on several levels, with attention to the VIP cabin and to the distance between the owner’s cabin and the engine room. The standard air-conditioning system is rated at 96,000 BTU.
Swim platform, garage and cockpit
A triple sunpad is built into the top of the transom, cantilevered over the swim platform. The transom door lifts together with the sunpad to open the garage, which holds a tender of up to 3.25 metres handled by a winch. Under the aft end of the port sunpad is an electric grill station with sink, at the right height for someone standing on the platform. The platform is used to launch and recover the tender and can be lowered until it almost touches the water; a second movement also submerges the boarding steps.
In the cockpit, a second height-adjustable table serves for lunch, coffee or simply relaxing. The seating faces the sea, and the aft sofa has a folding backrest so it can face either way.
Foredeck lounge and joystick
Side decks on both sides of the superstructure lead to the foredeck lounge, with a sunpad with retractable backrests, a U-shaped sofa beneath the tinted windscreen and a central table. The area works as a sunpad, a sofa or a dining spot. Pardo has concealed a joystick for the Volvo IPS drives here: lifting part of a cushion brings the controls out, so the boat can be handled from the sofa both when mooring and at speed. It is the first time a Pardo has a helm station on the foredeck, from which the owner can drive the yacht up to top speed.
Engines and performance
Standard power is a pair of Volvo Penta IPS 1200 rated at 900 hp each, for a total of 1,800 hp. The first hull has the optional pair of Volvo Penta IPS 1350 at 1,000 hp each, 2,000 hp in all, with which the yard quotes a top speed of 35 knots. With 3,300 litres of diesel on board, Cantiere del Pardo states a range of more than 300 nautical miles.
Specifications
Length overall 20.14 m; hull length 19.98 m; beam 5.65 m; draught 1.55 m; displacement 34.5 t, 38.5 t at full load; fuel 3,300 litres; water 1,000 litres; standard engines 2 x Volvo Penta IPS 1200, 900 hp; optional engines 2 x Volvo Penta IPS 1350, 1,000 hp; top speed 35 knots; design category B/C; concept Cantiere del Pardo; naval architecture Zuccheri Yacht Design; exterior and interior design Nauta.