• Guests

    12

  • Cabins

    6

  • Crew

    12

Length GT Built (REFIT)
49.9m
496 GT 1997
(2022)
Beam Draft Top Speed
9.1m 2.6m 18 Kts

Akira One is a 49.9m motor yacht delivered by Italian shipyard Benetti in 1997. The yacht's refined interiors have been crafted by Zuretti, while her exteriors have been penned by Stefano Natucci.

Key Features

  • Multi-functional deck areas with Jacuzzi
  • Classically-inspired mahogany interior design
  • Stern garage for tender storage
  • Full beam master suite

Design & Construction

Designed around a full displacement steel hull and an aluminium superstructure she features a 9.1m beam and a 2.6m draft. The yacht is built over 3 decks with an internal volume of 496 GT (Gross Tonnes). The design also incorporates a heli-pad.

This was the second yacht built on the Golden Bay Series design.

Exterior Design

Akira One still carries much of the thinking that made her a very interesting 50m (164ft) Benetti when she was delivered as Golden Bay in 1998. The raked bow, long white superstructure and dark window bands are very much of their period, but the deck planning was ahead of a lot of yachts around her at the time.

The biggest decision was to put the tender inside the stern. The original garage carried a 6m (19.7ft) Novurania athwartships and used a three-part gantry crane for launch and recovery. That freed almost the whole upper part of the yacht for guests instead of giving valuable deck space over to boats.

The 20m (65.6ft) sundeck is still the main outdoor area, and it is split into three clear zones rather than one long open terrace. Aft is for sun loungers, the middle section has a circular dining table, bar, barbecue and jacuzzi, and the raised forward section can work as sunpad space, a dance floor or an emergency helipad once the rails are removed. That sort of multi-use thinking feels very current, even though it dates from the original build.

One deck down, the bridge deck aft has a more formal dining setup for 12 under the overhang, with extra seating around the rail and provision for canvas shade. The main deck aft is quieter and works well as a reception space when boarding from the bathing platform, while a separate seating area forward of the bridge makes use of space that many yachts of this age left largely untouched.

The photos show how those areas still read clearly today. The stern decks are long and layered, the upper spaces are well shaded, and the forward guest seating remains tucked into the superstructure rather than exposed at the bow.

Interior Design

The interior was originally designed by François Zuretti around a very traditional brief, with mahogany panelling, cream carpets and deckheads, fluted pillars, dentil cornices and rope-pattern dado rails. That basic character is still easy to read after the 2022 refit.

The main saloon is formal, with deep timber cabinetry, pale upholstered seating and several separate conversation areas. The original layout also included a bar, fireplace and four pyramid-shaped display cabinets, so the room was designed to handle different groups at once rather than centre everything around one sofa arrangement.

Forward, the dining saloon seats 12 around a glass-topped mahogany table. The crystal chandelier above it was built with the individual pieces linked by wire so they would not knock together when the yacht was moving. It is a tiny detail, but exactly the sort of thing that tells you how carefully the original interior was thought through.

There are some lovely construction details behind the decorative finish. Around 3.5kg (7.7lb) of gold-plated fittings were used throughout, while some of the marble was cut thin and mounted on Kevlar to save weight. On the lower decks, pale silk wall panels replaced some of the darker timber to stop the cabins feeling too enclosed.

The 2022 refit covered both interior and exterior work and brought the entertainment systems up to date, but the older Zuretti character remains a big part of what makes Akira One feel different from a newer 50m yacht.

Accommodation

Akira One accommodates up to 12 guests in six en suite cabins.

The main deck owner’s suite runs full beam and is entered through a private study. The bedroom has an emperor-size bed, twin dressing rooms, glass-fronted shirt drawers, shoe storage and a walk-in wardrobe, while the bathroom is fully lined in marble and centred around a circular spa bath. Separate wash basins, dressing tables, a head compartment and steam shower complete the space.

Four guest cabins sit on the lower deck, with two doubles and two twins arranged around a central lobby. Each has its own colour scheme, good wardrobe space and an en suite bathroom or shower room. The later accommodation figures also list two VIP staterooms with large jacuzzis, so the current six-cabin setup has clearly been developed beyond the original five-cabin guest plan.

Crew accommodation is for up to 11.

The service layout is one of the more useful parts of the yacht. A private crew stair connects the lower crew quarters to the galley, upper pantry and bridge area, and then continues right up to the sundeck, where it emerges behind the bar. Crew can therefore move through almost the full height of the yacht without repeatedly crossing guest spaces.

Performance & Capabilities

Twin MTU 12V396 TE94 diesels produce 2,226hp each and give Akira One a top speed of around 18 knots.

Cruising speed is about 14 to 16 knots depending on operating condition, and with 69,900 litres of fuel she has a quoted range of around 4,606 nautical miles at 12 knots.

The original engineering specification was high for its time. The engine room was computer monitored, and the yacht used a Hi-Fog fire system designed to discharge a fine water mist rather than large volumes of water into the interior.

Zero-speed stabilisers were added as part of her later specification, improving comfort at anchor, while the 2022 refit also brought a broad update to the yacht’s systems and entertainment equipment.

Tenders

Akira One carries a substantial toy package, including a 6.4m (21ft) Castoldi tender, a 3.85m Williams tender, three jet skis, SeaBobs, paddleboards, water bikes, windsurf equipment, towables, waterskis and snorkelling gear.

There is also a 9m (29.5ft) waterslide and an inflatable water park setup with climbing elements and platforms. The scale of the toy list fits the original logic of the yacht quite neatly: keep the upper decks clear for guests and put the working gear down at the stern where it is easier to launch.

Akira One Yacht is not For Sale

Motor yacht Akira One is not currently for sale. Explore other Benetti Golden Bay Series Yachts for sale around the world. You can also view all Benetti Yachts for sale or search all new & used yachts for sale globally powered by YachtBuyer’s Market Watch.

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