INVICTUS 280 CX: INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTIAN GRANDE

Within a few years, Invictus Yacht has managed to establish itself as a manufacturer of boats small in size (its range, in fact, varies from 19 up to 42 feet) but with the same design and finishes as yachts. The new 280 Cx, exhibited at the Boot Düsseldorf 2017 as the first model of the Cx series, follows this philosophy: it stimulates the interest and curiosity of all those customers who have a great sense of beauty and detail and often come from bigger boats where they’re used to have different materials and sizes if compared with those available in this product range.

From a technical point of view, the 280 Cx  features the same sporty hull lines and traditional style of the X series but with the high-quality equipment of the GT line and the liveability of a cabin-equipped model. “C”, in fact, stands for “cabin”. “Interiors are significantly generous: we’ve a wide bathroom, a convertible bed and a nice bar cabinet on a 8.70-metre boat which doesn’t look like a cabin-equipped one” says Christian Grande, the architect who designed the whole production of the shipyard based in Borgia, Italy. ” What I enjoyed the most in my project- he continues – was to create the right balance between interior liveability and an exterior design able to hide it”.

The living space mustn’t be perceptible from the outside. Thus, the designer has played on the sides and deckhouse height and masking in order to have a boat large inside but small outside. “It’s not a cruiser for long distances but a boat designed for day-trips, where we can spend a night, let children sleep after lunch or have enough space to host a friend for a day-trip at sea. What I wanted was a boat able to amaze for its hidden qualities” – claims the designer.

“ This is what the market wants. People want a boat like this which features a great attention to details, particular couloring and evident Italian style. The latter is translated into a certain material complexity, high-quality materials and fabrics. These are the ingredients of a recipe telling something Italian which doesn’t come only from nautical experience” tells the architect.   

Beyond the aesthetical appearance which makes the Gt and Cx series different, the 280 Gt and this new Cx model are very similar. They both have a cabin with en-suite bathroom, a fore and astern sun pad. “The Cx is more practical. The GT model is more stylish but less soft while the CX one is more comfortable: if we want to make a comparison with cars, we could say that it’s the same difference existing between a coupe and a saloon car” explains Grande, “even if hulls are different but the choice comes from the ambition of satisfying customers’ tastes. They’re two different but equally licit alternatives”.

However, the new creation preserves the unmistakable Invictus qualities which translate into a unique style combining elegance, classical and sporty lines. “Sportiness is not only determined by the visibile carbon or red colour, as well as elegance is not exclusively characterized by black”, explains the designer “ Accompanied colours are more elegant than contrasts. By taking advantage from juxtapositions, softer and mellower colours and using much steel on the deck which, unlike plastic, is bright like a jewel, the result is the evocation of a classic rich racing world. In short, sportiness is mixed with elegance.

The container of all this style is the boat which is, above all,  a means which must sail even though sailing is not only to move from place to place. ” What we have here is a boat. In addition to appearance , which is an subjective matter, we’re talking about products designed to sail and that sail well” says Grande ” Customers choose Invictus because they want to sail. On the other hand, there are other functional elements, such as handrails, hull, teak, enough space where to accomodate shoes, fenders and many other accessories. And, of course, all Invictus boats feature a great convertibility. I gave the boat, which is generally rigid in its architectural layout, the ability to adjust to the passengers’ needs at various times of the day. I have created a means able to let me drive and take a drink, too. Sailing is just a moment of the sailing experience, then there’s relaxation and sharing. This is why I created a specific space where to sunbathe, read or chat. This is why the pilot’s seat can be transformed into an armchair for the cockpit table. It was necessary to create a smart convertibility, immediately available in just two clicks. A mutant object, in the great Invictus tradition”