Technology, weight control and 'By owner, for owners' approach: just days before the launch of the new Ice 62, we spoke with the President of Ice Yachts.
PressMare – Marco, Ice Yachts operates in a very specific market range, between 50 and 80 feet. Where is your real competitive edge today?
Marco Malgara – We operate exactly in that range, from 50 to 80 feet, and the difference mainly comes from our structural approach. We make extensive use of infused carbon for internal structures, achieving lighter and stiffer boats. This is not a stylistic exercise: it means better performance, greater comfort and a structure that works better over time. In addition, the interiors department, coordinated by master shipwright Roby Marchesi, uses ultra-light and technological materials combined with classic wood veneers, which, beyond offering a distinctive design, also provide effective help in keeping displacement under control.
PM – However, your boats are not full carbon.
MM – As standard, construction is mixed glass-carbon with epoxy resin matrix and Corecell sandwich. We use carbon where it really matters, especially to reduce weight aloft: decks, structures and elements that strongly influence the boat’s dynamic behaviour. Every kilogram saved high up is a real advantage. However, in about 50% of cases, clients request full carbon for hull and deck. At Ice Yachts, the composites manager is Paolo Ferrari, one of the leading experts in the field in Italy. Working in synergy with him is Alessandro Polastri, specialised in carbon structures. At Ice Yachts we use only epoxy resin and we carry out at least four infusions per week, even for parts such as bulkheads, which are always entirely made of carbon composite.
PM – A concrete example of weight reduction?
MM – The new Ice 56 displaces about 16 tonnes. Comparable boats on the market easily reach 21–23 tonnes. This is the direct result of our construction choices and materials.
PM – The hull-deck joint also follows a precise philosophy.
MM – We bond hull and deck, but then we reinforce them by laminating the joint, as was done in the past; we do not rely only on adhesive. Today structural adhesives are excellent, but no one can guarantee how they will behave after thirty years. It is a bit like reinforced concrete: for years it was thought to be eternal, then it was understood that it is not. Structural redundancy is, for us, a matter of common sense.
PM – On the technological side, Ice Yachts was among the first to adopt 48-volt systems.
MM – On the larger boats, from 70 to 80 feet, yes. We are talking about a system that serves both hotel loads and all the main services: electric winches, furlers, bow and stern thrusters, bilge pumps. Today technology allows everything to be managed at 48 volts. We are not the only ones using 48 volts, other yards already do, but on boats of 100 feet and above.
PM – What are the main advantages of this solution?
MM – Cables weigh about half compared to a 24-volt system, because by increasing voltage you reduce copper section. In addition, current flows better and in the end you get an overall reduction in electrical consumption of around 27%. These are concrete benefits, not theoretical ones.
PM – And what about batteries?
MM – We use lithium iron phosphate batteries: they have much lower operating temperatures than conventional lithium and do not present the well-known safety issues. Today there are also batteries directly at 48 volts, so there is no longer any need to build complex battery banks.
PM – You have also made specific choices in terms of maintenance.
MM – We use ultrasonic sensors that protect the hull and allow us to extend cleaning intervals up to 3–5 years. We started adopting them on the Ice 64 and 66, with excellent results.
PM – Ice Yachts manufactures many components in-house.
MM – We do everything in-house except the keels, which we build with highly specialised partners such as CSC Marine and APM, using special steels. APM is also a global reference for racing yachts and superyachts. An example of in-house production are the bowsprits: all in carbon, made in autoclave and then structurally integrated into the hull.
PM – Recently Ice Yachts was awarded by the Altagamma Foundation.
MM – Yes, and I must say it was an important recognition. Entering a system that includes 115 partner companies – Ferrari, Maserati, Moncler and many other Italian excellences in fashion, design and jewellery – makes you understand the level of the context. It is stimulating, but also demanding, because it requires an adequate structure.
PM – Speaking of structure: how many boats do you currently have under construction?
MM – Seven at the moment. It is a significant number, considering the level of customisation. On average we produce about six boats per year, because they are all very particular: those who come to us are looking for an almost tailor-made product.
PM – From a design point of view, which studios do you work with?
MM – The Ice 66 is by Farr Yacht Design, while the other models are by Felci YD. This allows us to maintain strong design coherence while leaving great freedom to owners. We have also started a collaboration with Studio Micheletti.
PM – What time span does your current order book cover?
MM – About two years of production, we are fairly well covered, and requests are mainly for large boats.
PM – Looking to the future: the new yard in Brindisi.
MM – It should become operational, roughly, from mid-2027 and will be added to the two yards we already have in Lombardy. There we will reopen the catamaran division, developed with Studio Micheletti, with a “zero-kilometre yachting” logic.
PM – What type of catamarans are you planning?
MM – Very light catamarans, with about 30% less weight than average, and high-level finishes. We will start with a comfortable but fast 52-foot cruising model, then the 64 and 72 feet will follow. Naval architecture is by Farr Yacht Design, while exterior styling and interiors are by Studio Micheletti. We develop the deck layout in-house.
PM – Are motor versions also planned?
MM – Yes, they will simply be versions without a mast. Not catamarans conceived as motoryachts, but versatile platforms for those who prefer motor cruising without all that sailing implies in terms of equipment and dedicated manoeuvring spaces.
PM – On sustainability, how are you moving forward?
MM – We are also organised in terms of product life cycle. We focus on recycling removable parts. So-called recyclable resins today still present too many technical limitations.
PM – You come from the world of owners, and this clearly emerges.
MM – Yes, and I believe it is one of Ice Yachts’ strengths. I build boats that I would use myself. If I choose a solution, it is because I truly believe in it.
PM – Even though boats today are increasingly equipped.
MM – It’s true, the world has changed: air conditioning, watermakers, bow thrusters and increasingly also stern thrusters. At first I was against them, then I tried them: in certain situations a stern thruster changes your life.
PM – Yet you still leave room for the pleasure of sailing.
MM – Of course. We keep solutions that allow the owner to “play” with the sails, such as a mainsheet traveller not constrained to a fixed point. Then, if he wants, he can do everything from the helm console. These are small details that make the difference.
PM – The second-hand market for your boats also speaks clearly.
MM – We have 12 active requests for a used Ice 52. When one comes back to us, it lasts no more than two weeks.
PM – Let’s close with the latest model, the Ice 62.
MM – We have just launched it, and it looks beautiful in the water. The owner is an experienced racer, coming from other yards, and chose Ice Yachts after seeing our boats. The same is happening with the new Ice 56: habitability and performance of a 60-footer, but with contained weight that makes it easy to handle and still manageable without the need for a permanent skipper and professional crew.
Giuliano Luzzatto