A superyacht charter is many things. An escape, a luxury, an adventure and, if you’re one of the fortunate few to charter 90m NERO, it’s a journey back in time to the halcyon, golden days of yachting.
Sporting a design inspired J P. Morgan’s fourth Corsair yacht (launched in 1930), this 2008-built superyacht is an architectural triumph.
Pairing classic style with contemporary sophistication, Nero’s aesthetic is a unique response to modern superyachting. There’s no mistaking the origins of Nero’s majestic lines and handsome profile. From clipper bow to counter stern, Nero’s proportions are beautifully balanced between her masts with a classic yellow stack top adding the final signature of symmetry, and a nod to a more elegant era.
The 1930 Corsair is not the only vessel to have lent its looks to Nero. Her commissioning owner, British entrepreneur Neil Taylor, is a keen yachtsman and serial boat owner. Nero’s design draws inspiration from many sources in many different ways, including Errol Flynn’s 1929 schooner, Zaca, which spurred the styling for the handcrafted teak skylight, and the 1912 steamship RMS Niagara – a transpacific ocean liner whose Edwardian staircase prompted the grand swirl of precision marquetry that now unites Nero’s interior decks.
With Nero, Taylor saw an opportunity to combine his love for classic yachting lines with today’s mechanical ability and supreme standards of comfort. NERO’s opulent 1920’s styling is evident in every aspect of her aesthetic. Nero is equipped with all the luxury amenities of the modern superyacht lifestyle, cleverly integrated so as not to detract from or compromise her sophisticated splendour.
Taylor founded Corsair Yachts specifically for the project’s undertaking and commenced her build at the Yantai Raffles Shipyard. A team of international experts was assembled, with references from Lurssen, Benetti, and some of the superyacht industry’s most well-known names, on hand to ensure this construction was nothing short of world leading.
Subsequent refits under her current ownership, led by Italian designer Laura Pomponi, have seen Nero’s interior luxuries further elevated. “Simply put, we were requested to transform her from a Gentleman’s Yacht into a Lady of the Sea,” comments Laura. The interior styling is tastefully opulent, with light-filled spaces decorated with neutral tones and sea-blue accents of colour. “The atmosphere you feel as soon as you enter, is special,” adds Laura. “When you step onboard you are immersed in all the glory of yachting’s golden age. Nero has a timeless elegance and a classic beauty, but you have the highest modern comforts. She epitomizes the definition of new classic.”
The spectacular owner’s quarters, boasts a full-beam bedroom suite and separate lounge/study, as well as his-and-hers bathrooms and a walk in wardrobe, are the headline of Nero’s accommodation. This owner’s apartment is located on the main deck and enjoys direct access to the upper deck observation lounge and foredeck pool.
The guest accommodation comprises a VIP suite, two further doubles, and two cabins that are convertible between twin and double arrangement. Every cabin has a full en suite bath, finished in marble, and adheres to the same superlative standards of interior finish.
Guest and entertainment areas aboard Nero include the sun deck with its Jacuzzi tub, multiple alfresco dining spaces as well as the formal dining room, various lounges, a cocktail bar, a fully equipped gym and dedicated spa treatment room, a library, and a cinema room.
Whilst NERO is not a literal interpretation or replica of any one yacht, she undoubtedly embodies the classic grandeur and spirit of each of the Corsairs vessels, and brings about an inspiring reimagination of such. This yacht is a world apart from 21st century superyachting but she whispers a quiet reminder that this is where it all began.
