Videoworks Designs IT/AV System for CdM Yacht Nasiba
For the 146-foot Flexplorer yacht Nasiba by Cantiere delle Marche (CdM), Videoworks faced a unique challenge: designing a fully integrated IT and AV system capable of supporting long-range, offshore living for a young, tech-savvy owner and his family. The yacht’s interior design was entrusted to the renowned studio Winch Design, whose approach to onboard comfort and lifestyle perfectly complements the technological ecosystem developed by Videoworks.
“This isn’t your typical weekend or Mediterranean yacht: the owner wants to be connected 24/7, whether for work or for the kids’ schooling,” explains Mario Minardi, Operations Manager at Videoworks Americas. “That drove every decision we made.”
At the heart of the system is global connectivity. Nasiba is equipped with dual Starlink terminals, port and starboard, to ensure uninterrupted coverage even if one antenna is blocked by the mast or superstructure. Complementing this, Videoworks installed two professional OneWeb LEO (Low Earth Orbit) antennas, providing a separate, fully redundant LEO network. This professional channel gives the owner and guests confidence that they’ll always be online.
This is the second ‘domeless’ yacht Videoworks has collaborated on after the one-off Project T by CdM. As LE0s become a key technology for achieving ubiquitous connectivity, especially in remote and underserved areas, it reflects an ongoing trend not only for new-builds but also superyacht refits.
For coastal operations, the yacht is fitted with 5G connectivity, effective up to approximately 20 nautical miles from shore, while 4G LTE covers closer distances. All satellite and cellular links feed into a Peplink Balance router with ultra-fast SpeedFusion technology, which dynamically aggregates and balances all connections. This ensures optimal bandwidth allocation across Starlink, OneWeb and 5G without user intervention.
The internal network backbone relies on specific enterprise hardware, providing high reliability, user-friendly management and easy remote support. Redundant switches, swappable modules and failover paths were installed throughout the yacht for maximum uptime.
In a novel request designed for EMF-conscious operation, the owner wanted the ability to switch off all Wi-Fi signals in the cabins at night to reduce exposure to electric and magnetic field radiation while sleeping†.
“We hardwired every device we could, from Ethernet connections to analog audio, and even infrared-controlled TVs,” says Minardi. “It’s surprisingly tricky, because almost everything relies on Wi-Fi these days, but guests and crew can still use wired LAN ports or analog connections for laptops, music, and other devices while Wi-Fi is disabled.”
The AV system is equally sophisticated. Given the long, explorer-style aft deck used for storing tenders and toys, the space is designed as a flexible entertainment area: five high-power active speakers with subwoofers, a 98-inch motorised rear-projection screen that unrolls from the deckhead overhang, and a projector stored in a portable flight case.
“The request was for a space that could turn from a casual deck into a full outdoor cinema in minutes,” Minardi says. “Audio and video signals are connected via analog RCA and balanced audio outputs, ensuring compatibility with high-power external systems.”
CCTV integration extends across the yacht’s exterior, with feeds visible on all the cabin TVs. With a total of 7 PTZ cameras mounted on the outside of the yacht, this setup provides not only situational awareness and remote monitoring for crew, but also a form of real-time video entertainment for the guests.
The Nasiba project demonstrates how advanced IT, network and AV systems can be seamlessly integrated on an explorer yacht. Redundant connectivity, flexible entertainment, EMF-conscious design and robust network architecture combine to create a vessel that can be fully operational, connected and user-friendly anywhere in the world.
“The system combines redundancy, ease of use and flexibility, all while respecting the owner’s preferences for EMF safety and full control,” Minardi concludes. “It’s a model for the next generation of long-range, technology-driven yachts.”
