ON TEST. PARDO GT75: BEAUTY IS AN ESSENTIAL LUXURY.

It’s hard not to be fascinated by the beauty of the new Pardo GT75 which, unveiled as a world premiere the Cannes Yachting Festival, has redefined the standards of this market segment in one fell swoop, presenting what, in my humble opinion, is not only the most beautiful motor yacht of the year, but also the one that, thanks to its solutions, naval engineering, and features, allows Cantiere del Pardo to leave behind (by a considerable margin) the elite of Europe’s top shipyards.

A bold statement, which, even before analyzing how this beauty performs at sea, deserves to be explained thoroughly.

Pardo GT75: yacht or superyacht?

What Cantiere del Pardo and Nauta Design have achieved with the new Pardo GT75 is quite unique in its class. This boat magically manages to condense, in “just” 23 meters—while maintaining the simplicity of use and the resulting operational efficiency—many of the qualities that would typically lead us to purchase a superyacht. Let’s dive into these in detail, starting with the top-down view of the main deck.

From this perspective, indeed, we can see how, with great lightness and intelligence, three convivial areas have been created, allowing the guests to fully enjoy the spaces on board. These spaces, while common on superyachts over 30 meters, are practically impossible to find on boats of similar length.

A top-level beach club

With the balconies open and the platform extended, the beach club boasts a simply enormous usable area (around 40 square meters), allowing a large number of people (during the sea trials we were 14) to enjoy this space with a luxury and comfort that only such dimensions can provide.

The stern view of this area is breathtaking, resembling the entrance to a Roman temple where the symmetry and purity of the Pardo GT75’s lines, along with the magnificent staircases, frame and elevate the large central sunpad.

A superyacht tender

The beauty of the aforementioned sundeck hides a secret. With the simple press of a button, indeed,a nearly four-meter tender is revealed, which can be launched or retrieved effortlessly. Having a tender of this size—yet another superyacht feature—allows owners to disembark in a dry, fast manner and significantly extend the range and duration of their land explorations. It’s an impressive tender, but it comes with the great advantage of “disappearing” when not needed.

Pardo GT75 – Main Deck

Climbing two steps, we enter the area defined by the Pardo GT75’s exterior dinette, the main deck. Here, the shipyard offers two layout options: galley up or galley down, meaning you can have the galley either on this deck or the lower one. Both versions are interesting, allowing for great customization of the yacht to suit individual needs.

In either case, what stands out prominently is again the refinement and spaciousness of the design. Sitting on the aft sofa of the exterior dinette with the glass doors open, the sense of continuity is truly priceless.

Here, the boundary between exterior and interior almost disappears, giving the sensation of being on one large terrace overlooking the sea. This is undoubtedly thanks to the 360-degree glass windows and the absence of tall furniture—another brilliant touch by Nauta Design. In the galley down version (my favorite one), this feeling is even more pronounced, enhancing the connection with the sea and offering an unmatched panoramic view.

At the center of this space stands the Pardo GT75’s interior helm station. Despite being equipped with three seats, large screens, and exceptional visibility for maneuvering, it blends into the surroundings with sublime lightness, further enhancing this unique design.

By closing the sliding doors at the stern and the retractable roof, the Pardo GT75 transforms into the perfect yacht for cruising in less-than-ideal conditions or enjoying winter cruises.

The Bow Lounge

Walking along the wide side decks of the Pardo GT75, we reach the bow, an area that would be an understatement to simply call “smart.” Here, we find a true outdoor lounge with two opposing sofas, a central table, and a large forward-facing sunpad, creating a refined and elegant space that can be shaded with carbon poles and canopies when needed.

This area seamlessly blends beauty and functionality, much like the panoramic terrace of a luxury hotel. On one hand, it’s the perfect spot for dining outdoors, away from prying eyes when you’re docked; on the other, it’s the most breezy and comfortable place to spend hot summer days, sinking into the array of sofas and cushions.

The backrest of the bow sunpad, which effectively transforms it into a massive chaise longue, also allows you to lie down while underway from an elevated position. The visual experience is breathtaking—something I had never encountered, even on larger yachts.

Pardo GT75 – Lower Deck

For the lower deck of the Pardo GT75, Nauta Design has developed many interesting versions, all influenced by the choice of galley up or down, offering the possibility of having two, three, or four cabins. This is a significant advantage when an owner needs to design a yacht tailored to their needs—another feature typically reserved for large superyachts, though with much higher construction costs.

The three- and four-cabin versions, all with en-suite bathrooms, naturally assume that the galley is positioned on the upper deck. The three-cabin version is perfect for larger families, while the four-cabin version caters to those who want to host a lot of guests on board or owners who plan to use the yacht for chartering.

My favorite version, as you’ve probably guessed, is the two-cabin version with the galley down, though I realize it’s quite a luxurious choice. With this configuration, you get open spaces comparable to a 30/35-meter superyacht, a massive galley with a large central island (perfect for show cooking), opposite an equally large U-shaped sofa with a central table.

What all the versions of this stunning yacht have in common are the two wonderful cabins located at the bow and stern, respectively the VIP and the Master Cabin. The VIP cabin is truly spacious, with dimensions comparable to the master cabins of other yachts, and is equipped with a king-size bed.

The Master Cabin is enormous, alone measuring well over 20 square meters. It takes full advantage of the six-meter beam to create a true apartment where the owner enjoys a large bathroom with a double shower, a three-meter-long wood-paneled desk, a large sofa, and plenty of walkable space. The aft bulkhead houses the king-size bed, complete with bedside tables and a tall double-door wardrobe that rivals the one at home.

Pardo GT75 Sea Trial

When I wrote that the new Pardo GT75 could be considered the best yacht of the year, I was only partly referring to the design and functional solutions described so far. A good half of this assessment, which I didn’t make lightly, is based on what I experienced during an extensive half-day of cruising.

This yacht represents in fact the highest evolutionary stage of hulls in this size range, specifically designed for IPS engines and masterfully harnessing their full potential. Whether at low or high speeds, or during maneuvers, the Pardo GT75 effortlessly showcases the incredible ease that this technology provides.

A perfect example is the triple Volvo D13 IPS 1350 engine configuration we tested on the Pardo GT75. Despite being fully loaded and with the hull in less-than-ideal condition, it easily reached an impressive speed of 34.2 knots. The captain told us that it can even reach 37 knots when the hull and propellers aren’t covered in vegetation as today.

At the helm, the yacht is pleasantly responsive. As it accelerates, it planes without noticeably changing its trim or raising the bow. Pushing the throttles to the limit, you’re struck not only by the sense of power—unusual for a boat of this size—but also by its ability to make tight turns, with yaw angles that brought smiles to everyone on board.

Pardo GT75 is an unexpectedly lively boat that never forgets its true purpose, consistently delivering top-notch safety and cruising comfort. It glides smoothly over the waves with impressively low noise emissions.

At 20 knots, its economical cruising speed, the Pardo GT75 shows remarkable fuel efficiency. Despite its 55/56 tons of weight today, it sails steadily at just over 11 liters per nautical mile—a remarkable performance for a 23-meter yacht!

Slowing down reveals another fascinating quality of this unique yacht: its ability to cruise in displacement mode. At 12 knots, the Pardo GT75 offers a cruising experience very similar to that of large superyachts, where noise levels and fuel consumption are minimized, and the onboard experience is exceptional. In these conditions, it’s easy to envision serene moonlit night crossings or extended exotic voyages, made possible by its 700-mile range at this speed.