Icona 70 Performance Party Yacht Makes Debut In Europe

It is very fitting that my first encounter with the innovative Icona 70 took place on a hot, sunny day in Italy. In Genoa, to be precise, at this year’s Genoa International Boat Show. And it’s fitting because this is a new model built by a new company, backed by the Italian Overmarine Group, which manufactures Mangusta yachts. Thus, the Icona 70 incorporates radically new ideas, but it also benefits from being inspired by and linked to Mangusta Yachts.

It makes perfect sense that Igor Lobanov, already familiar with the Mangusta REV’s design language, was chosen to develop a project unlike any other 70-foot boat. And the enormous aft deck that caught my eye in Genoa is exactly that—unlike any other 70-foot yacht. This aft deck—larger than seems possible—is achieved thanks to two massive folding wings that extend the beam to nearly 30 feet (about 9 meters). With the wings deployed, they create a 430-square-foot (about 40-square-meter) party deck or beach club—a feature not found on most boats of this size.

It also features a large hydraulic staircase that can be raised and lowered to provide easy access from the water into the main salon. But I get the impression that most guests will want to stay in the outdoor areas on the aft deck, which feature a large sun deck, massive speakers, a well-equipped outdoor kitchen, and, of course, a professional-grade DJ booth to control the sound system and integrated lighting.

That said, the Icona 70 is by no means the first boat built for parties. But I must say that it beautifully combines a large aft deck with a spacious cabin layout. The interior features large windows, numerous skylights, and three spacious cabins with considerable headroom.

Inside, the bridge features four built-in 19-inch (48-centimeter) touchscreens, four comfortable seats, and elegant multicolored ambient lighting to set the mood. I was told that the interior “enhances the experience without becoming the experience.” And it’s pretty hard to argue with that.

This philosophy extends to the yacht’s onboard systems, where advanced monitoring, joystick control, dynamic positioning, real-time bow sonar, and assisted docking technologies are designed to make this high-performance vessel exceptionally easy and intuitive for an owner to operate on their own.

It’s clear that this is a boat designed for the Mediterranean. But I have a feeling that a lot of people in South Florida will also be excited about a boat as “figa” (as they say in Italy, “great”) as this one.