Steve Rigby has a successful career in yachting. But, he’s more than an industry professional. He’s a superyacht owner, having taken delivery of the yacht Haze² from Cantiere delle Marche. Rigby can’t wait to go globetrotting aboard, either. “Haze² stands as both a statement of design intent and a lived experience, a vessel that bridges the technical and the tactile, the adventurous and the intimate,” he declares.
A project born from Cantiere delle Marche’s Darwin Class explorers, the yacht has clear cruising ambitions. This suits the whole purpose of the Darwin yachts. “When we introduced the Darwin Class in 2010, we combined the generous spaces and sophisticated design of a superyacht with the rugged, ocean-crossing capability of an explorer yacht, all within a compact platform,” explains Ennio Cecchini, Cantiere delle Marche’s co-founder and president. “The market response and enduring popularity of this adaptable range have exceeded even our most optimistic expectations.”
Rigby knew the Darwin Class was right for him after touring a Darwin 106 at the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival. As much as the looks appealed, he was particularly pleased with the healthy fuel and stowage capacities and overall volume. “I have owned an ISA and a Swan previously,” he says, “but this is a big step up in GT and scale.” He and his family want to “stretch her legs and see the world,” in his words, with Norway and the Red Sea on the itinerary for the yacht Haze² within the next year to two years.
Having run the interior-design firm Lawson Robb plus other design businesses over two decades, “I am heavily involved in my projects,” Rigby notes. Several aspects of the explorer megayacht reveal his choices. For instance, the exterior tones come from Rolls Royce (“their bespoke process is wonderful, and their options some of the best’). The wrap-around glass is yet another. “This glazing creates an almost architectural continuity between interior and exterior,” he says. In fact, he adds, natural light animates interior areas from dawn to dusk. “While the Darwin line has always been celebrated for its robust and purposeful stance, Haze² achieves a more refined visual balance, confident yet graceful, modern yet timeless,” Rigby notes.
Colors like soft neutrals and deep metallic tones, from the burnt sienna bootstripe to the interior cabinetry, unite inside with outside, too. Additionally, textures were important, like teak and brushed stainless steel. Altogether, the design elements help to create what Rigby calls “a sequence of landscapes” versus decks. Versatility and easy movement are the watchwords for how lounging, dining, and entertainment areas flow from one to the other. Nothing is too precious or impractical, to respect the need to withstand Mother Nature and ongoing use while exploring. Yet, the overall look and feel remains polished, to suit days and nights in graceful Med settings. “At its core, Haze² reflects the dual nature of the Darwin ethos: an explorer’s spirit paired with the serenity of a true home at sea,” Rigby emphasizes.
Ultimately for Rigby, the yacht Haze² best sums up in one word: “Freedom.” He explains, “The sea is my happy place, and the way we will see the world for the rest of our lives.”
Cantiere delle Marche cantieredellemarche.it
Lawson Robb lawsonrobb.com
More About the Yacht Haze²
LOA: 101’0” (30.8 meters)
Beam: 24’3” (7.42 meters)
Draft: 9’9” (3.01 meters)
Guests: 12 in 5 staterooms
Engines: 2/800-hp Caterpillars
Range: 3,960 nautical miles at 10 knots
Builder: Cantiere delle Marche
Stylist: Hydro Tec
Naval Architect: Hydro Tec
Interior Designer: Lawson Robb