ADAGIO
Adagio is now in the hands of the proud owner and currently cruising around the pacific.
Visit this page to view the construction process.
The galley is a professional chef's seagoing delight. The finest appliances have been installed with Liebher refrigeration, U -Line refrigerated drawers, Miele full cook top and oven. A unique feature is a moving screen in the aft galley counter that can be raised and lowered to provide privacy in the saloon.
Redwing sailing dinghy with its bolt-on keel for MY Adagio. Designed by Chuck Paine and constructed by Paul Tingey.
If you wish to know more about owning your own 'Adagio', email John Vitali or Lars Bjorklund
THE CONSTRUCTION
The brief for Adagio started in West Palm Beach, Florida in the spring of 2006. The prospective owner sent his representative Steve Wallace to Florida to meet with designer Mark Fitzgerald. Steve Wallace is the manger of Blackline Shipping in Brisbane, and consultant to the owner on his marine affairs. Steve is your typical Aussie and his first words to Fitzgerald were, "This boat has got to be good, safe reliable, simple and completely clear of bull shit. However, the owner has a keen eye for art, aesthetics and quality. It is a big challenge... do you think you can do it, mate?"
Steve Wallace had some experience around North American Hargrave Yachts in his boatyard management. Steve and the owner had agreed that it was the right type. Mark Fitzgerald started his design career at Hargrave's office just blocks away from where this first Adagio briefing occurred. Fitzgerald started at Hargrave's in 1977 and since moved north to the office of C.W. (Chuck) Paine in Camden, Maine. Mark Fitzgerald had now worked under the artistic eye of Chuck Paine for 20 years.
It was the right combination for a new yacht design: practical thinking and excellent engineering, all done under an artistic eye. Now examine building this design; from North America off to the South Pacific and the cultural savvy island of New Zealand.
After some discussion and investigation of cost/benefit/quality it was concluded to build Adagio in New Zealand. John Vitali of Diverse Projects, NZ, had built a very high-end 68' similar motoryacht for the Paine office previously. The client was an American, a past New York Yacht Club Commodore in fact. If you need a doctorate in what a proper yacht is, build one for a former Commodore of the NYYC.
John Vitali is a highly motivated manager of people with thousands of ocean miles racing maxi yachts. It is a good combination that few in the yacht business have. John not only understood the ocean in both it placid and angry guises. John also understands that each person on a team is key to success. Dealing with people in these high quality, high attention, and complicated projects is no different than managing a rugby team.
Additionally, in New Zealand assembling an all-star team of available talent is very achievable. The roster was soon put in order starting with Carl Ferguson of Profab in Palmerston North, NZ, to do the metal work and capital engineering, Robinson's Marine Interiors to do the joiner package, Paul Keller to install the electrical system under the design of David Potter, painting and fit out to be done in Auckland at the Orams yard. There was also an important piece of design work done in Australia by George Freedman of Freedman Rembel. George and David had collaborated on land-based homes both in Australia and New Zealand. George would guide the Paine office to produce interior details for the Robinson's joiners to create. Simple enough... Vitali from his Auckland office gathers the design information from North America, disseminates it through his New Zealand build team. Keep the quality up, the people motivated, the chaos to a minimum, and one of the best boats of its type will launch 25 months after the initial briefing in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Below is the construction of Adagio. These images are webcam photos taken 3 times during each day of construction.
The Launch
