Italia 11.98 l Italia Yachts for Sale l David Walters Yachts

The Design of the Italia 11.98

OPTIMIZED FOR PERFORMANCE

Envisioned to surpass even the high bar set by the success of the 9.98, the Italia 11.98 brings together the design prowess and decades of experience of the Italia Yachts Design Team led by Matteo Polli, Olivari Engineering, KMD Design, and Arbore and Partners Design. The concept for the Italia 11.98 was to create a yacht that can compete and win in world-class ORC and IRC competitions while remaining fun and easy for the family to enjoy, both racing and cruising. The performance objective was to create a well-balanced boat that is responsive and stiff with excellent speed and handling in both upwind and downwind conditions.

The 11.98 uses an innovative symmetrical layout to maintain optimal weight distribution, resulting in better balance and maneuverability. Furthermore, the yacht. A water ballast system is also available, as is an integrated carbon dolphin striker suitable for asymmetrical sails, carbon fiber mast, boom, and tiller. The interior incorporates a minimalist design approach with removable canvas cabinets, carefully designed structures, and a mindful approach to minimizing potential damage during the rigorous stowing and unstowing of sails during a race. Depending upon the owner's priorities and primary utilization of the yacht, the Italia 11.98 comes in two versions: the ORC Championship-winning Sport edition or the more creature comfort-oriented Bellissima.

For the Serious Competitor

Sport Version

Born for the purist, the Italia Yachts 11.98 Sport is a testament to the passion of sailing. Built for the discerning sailor who prioritizes simplicity, functionality, and versatility, it's an ideal choice for those looking to race competitively. The design is a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation, combining creativity, craftsmanship, and state-of-the-art technology. Despite having a reduced wetted surface and large sail area, the 11.98 Sport exudes power and grace, even in light air. It's responsive and easy on the tiller or helm, ensuring fingertip steering with confidence and precision. The exterior elements and cockpit design mirror the roominess of the symmetrical layout of the interior, adding to the boat's overall aesthetic and functional appeal. Besides helping to balance weight, this symmetry aids in the rational use of space, making it both naturally accessible and elegant.

The Ideal Performance Cruiser

THE BELLISSIMA VERSION

Designed to provide the performance-oriented sailor with a vessel that is not only deceptively fast but also exceptionally comfortable and safe. The Bellissima variant features a deck plan and cockpit configured for shorthanded sailing, ideal for couples or families, and refined interior designs with all the luxuries demanded long-distance cruising. Exemplifying the concept of minimalist elegance while providing the amenities and comforts desired for cruising, the Italia Yachts 11.98 Bellissima brings together the best performance qualities of the 11.98 with some added extras to make life aboard more relaxing, comfortable, and enjoyable for extended voyaging.

Italia Yachts 11.98

Naval Architect	Matteo Polli / Italia Yachts Design Team
Interior Design	Kristian Macchiut (KMD) / Arbore & Partners
Exterior Design	Kristian Macchiut (KMD) / Italia Yachts Design Team
Engineering & Structural	Matteo Polli / Olivari Engineering
Length Overall	38' 3"
Hull Length	38' 3"
Beam	13'
Standard Draft	6' 11"
Displacement	14,110 lbs [Sport] / 14,550 [Bellissima]
Mainsail Area	516.67 sq ft
Jib Area	452.08 sq ft
Spinnaker Area	1,184 sq ft
Genaker Area	1,507 sq ft
Standard Engine	30 HP Volvo
Fuel Capacity	29 gal
Water Capacity	53 gal
Certification	RINA Category A
GPH ORC	590

Sport

Bellissima

EXTERIOR DESIGN

The exterior design of the Italia Yachts 11.98 embodies practicality and cleanliness. The streamlined deck layout is functional and intuitive, allowing easy navigation and management, even under challenging conditions. The cockpit is equally sensible and can be configured with removable cockpit benches ideal for when in 'cruising mode.' The boat has several other customization options, including a removable cockpit table, a fold-down transom for easy water access, an integrated dolphin striker with an anchor base, and an underdeck furler for convenience. Every aspect of the boat's design aims to ensure smooth sailing with two people, focusing heavily on safety and performance.

3 Cabin + 2 Heads

INTERIOR DESIGN

The Italia 11.98 features three spacious cabins, each with a double berth and generous storage and lockers. To starboard is a large head adjacent to port a comfortable separate stall shower doubles as wet storage for foul weather gear. The L-shaped galley with gimbaled stove, single basin sink, and lots of cold storage is functional and well equipped. To starboard is a forward-facing nav station with a chart table and access to the yachts systems and electrical panel. The main salon has two large settees and a centerline table with two folding leaves.

The Sport interior is designed to optimize performance and is specifically tailored to a race crew's unique requirements. Special features include:

A lightweight table design.
Improved storage space with side storage for sails.
Removable soft lockers.
Large settees that convert to very comfortable sea berths.

The Bellissima is business on deck, with many of the same race-optimized features of the Sport, but it's about luxury and comfort below. The Italian design is evident in every touch. High quality, matched grain joinery work, superb stainless steel accents, and elegant Italian leather trim and upholstery are a few of the finer details. With various interior options available, including teak, stainless, and carbon fiber accents, each Italia Yacht can be configured to the owner's exact specifications to suit their unique taste.

Sport

MAST AND RIGGING

Configured for competition, even as a base model, the Italia 11.98 is for the serious competitor. The high-performance rig includes a 9/10 fractional aluminum mast with a tapered profile, and two spreaders swept back at a 21-degree angle to maximize the jib roach. The aluminum boom features an internal outhaul. The optional carbon fiber mast and boom and the retractable bowsprit are popular options for the serious racer.

The rigging is discontinuous for optimal strength, and the forestay is constructed of 1x19 stainless steel wire with turnbuckles. The chainplates are integrated at the broadest part of the beam for maximum mast support and to ensure unobstructed access to the foredeck. The forestay also includes a foil for added performance. The running rigging is all high quality, low-stretch Dyneema, as is the backstay with tensioner. The Bellissima version contains an integrated bowsprit as standard equipment.

SAIL PLAN

The Italia 11.98 Sport and Bellissima share the same sail plan. The foresails have a powerful aspect ratio and a generous amount of volume without overlapping. The mainsail has a moderate square head with a considerable roach, eliminating the requirement for a split backstay or runners. The 9/10 fractional sail plan offers the possibility for both symmetric or asymmetric sails, both fractional and at the masthead.

Fast and Responsive Handling

SAILING CHARACTERISTICS

The sailing qualities of the Italia 11.98 embody an easy-to-handle and very balanced boat that does not require much effort at the helm, is flexible, and shows excellent speed in both the Sport and Bellissima versions. Reactive and responsive, the Italia 11.98 is a fun boat to sail in both light wind and stiff breezes. The yacht responds as you'd expect and accelerates quickly after tacking. Reliable and stable, the Italia 11.98 is a tamed purebred.

Utilizing the latest computational fluid dynamic design and velocity prediction programs (VVP) to model and maximize the competitive advantage in ORC and IRC competitions, the Italia 11.98 is an ideal choice for the serious sailor.

Distinct Italian Influence

ELEGANT DESIGN

The interior exudes warmth and comfort, with three good sized cabins and two fully equipped bathrooms providing the full spectrum of liveability at sea. The carefully designed lighting visually expands the space, creating a welcoming and cozy atmosphere. The Bellissima's lighting design subtly enhances the overall experience with warm, diffuse, and continuous light, carefully calibrated to prevent intrusiveness during night navigation. In terms of interior design, the Bellissima places comfort at the forefront, with tall cabinets providing ample storage across all spaces. The elegant upholstery, available in 'leather' and 'carbon look' options, adds a touch of sophistication, while the high-quality, artisanal finishes underscore the attention to detail in every aspect of the boat's design.

The Highest Quality Standards

TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING

Every element of the Italia Yachts 11.98 embodies quality and precision, from construction to the finish. The yacht is constructed and assembled in Italy, crafted with pride by experienced and highly skilled artisans, guaranteeing a luxury sailing experience for the owner.

The construction of the Italia 11.98 ensures a lightweight and rigid hull without sacrificing reliability and safety. The hull and deck are constructed of GRP laminate with a variable-density PVC foam core and a gelcoat finish. The outer laminates utilize a combination of biaxial and unidirectional glass fibers impregnated with vinyl ester resins for optimal strength and protection against osmosis.

The internal frame is constructed of unidirectional carbon fiber and glass fiber laminates. The frame is then laminated into the hull utilizing Ultimate Lay Up Technology to produce a structural grid that ensures rigidity and incredible strength and minimizes the vessel's weight. The bulkheads are solid marine ply, then laminated to both the hull and deck by structural adhesives and fiberglass. The deck is molded nonskid, with the Bellissima version offering the option of synthetic or natural teak.

The Secret is Below the Waterline

KEEL AND RUDDER

With years of regatta and world-class competition experience between them, the design team relied upon their knowledge of what makes for a fast yacht and combined it with the utilization of the most modern computational fluid dynamic design tools available. The result is a keel, bulb, and rudder that is perfectly balanced for performance and handling.

The Italia 11.98 comes customized with either a T-Shaped keel with a torpedo-style bulb optimized for ORC or a deep fin keel designed for IRC competition. The foil sections minimize drag and demonstrate excellent flow stability in all conditions and hydrodynamic efficiency. The generous rudder area and high aspect ratio result in superb maneuverability and a helm that is exceptionally responsive and well-balanced.