There are superyachts designed for the waters off Saint-Tropez, and then there are superyachts designed to disappear over the horizon entirely. Galileo G most certainly belongs to the latter camp.

Built by historic Italian shipyard Picchiotti and launched in 2012, the 55.7-metre explorer was conceived as a genuine long-range yacht, one capable of taking its owners far beyond the familiar cruising grounds of the Mediterranean and Caribbean. And, more than a decade after her launch, there remains something refreshingly purposeful about her.

The naval architecture came courtesy of Philippe Briand, with design by his Vitruvius studio. The brief was centred around quality, performance and exploration, resulting in a yacht that combines the elegance expected of a serious Italian superyacht with the engineering required to venture into some decidedly inhospitable parts of the world.

That capability is far from cosmetic. Galileo G has a steel hull built to Ice Class 1B standards, while her propulsion and onboard systems were reinforced and protected for operation in extreme climates. Most impressive, however, is her range: at a cruising speed of 11 knots, she can cover some 9,000 nautical miles without refuelling. Top speed is around 16 knots.

In other words, this is a yacht built with the Northwest Passage rather than Portofino in mind. And she has the pedigree to prove it. Vitruvius says Galileo G has travelled continuously since her launch and completed two circumnavigations, exactly the sort of life for which an explorer yacht should be designed.

But serious capability hasn't come at the expense of comfort. Her interiors, created by Perini Navi with Studio Genta, have an appealingly traditional quality. Teak and mahogany feature throughout, complemented by artwork and objects collected from around the world.

There is room for 12 guests across six cabins, supported by accommodation for a crew of 12. At 10.37 metres across the beam, there is also considerable space aboard, but the yacht's long, relatively restrained profile avoids the visual bulk that characterises many modern explorer yachts.

And perhaps that is what makes Galileo G so appealing. In a world where bigger increasingly seems to mean better, this is a yacht with a very clear purpose. She isn't simply a private resort capable of moving between fashionable anchorages; she is a vessel designed to explore. Because surely the greatest luxury of owning a yacht isn't having everything you could possibly want onboard. It's having the freedom to go almost anywhere in the world.

Lastly, her lines are truely timeless. She is still as beautiful today as the day she came out of the yard.

Picchiotti Yachts

Galileo G

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