CRN

CRN Megayachts Offer Bespoke Yachts in Steel and Aluminum

In 1963, in the Adriatic seaport town of Ancona, Italy, Sanzio Nicolini founded Costruzioni e Riparazioni Navali, a shipbuilding and refit company that became better known by its acronym “CRN”. Ignoring the trends of his competitors who built wooden yachts, Nicolini chose to use the cutting-edge materials of steel and aluminum.

His cutting-edge approach – building high-end luxury yachts in steel and aluminum for a demanding, select clientele – has borne considerable fruit. In the ’60s, CRN yachts ranged from 15 to 20 meters in length, sporting an instantly recognizable design. The first 23-meter project, Super Conero, led to ever larger, more prestigious vessels built in partnership with major designers who helped to forge CRN’s international reputation.

CRN Megayachts Collaboration is Key

Throughout the 1970s, yachts made by CRN continued to grow in size as well as in reputation. The company successfully anticipated the needs of an increasingly complex market.

The Super Conero yacht was CRN’s first 23-meter yacht, and the model became popular. This led to even bigger, more prestigious yachts that were built in partnership with major designers. CRN was forging an impressive international reputation.

Nicolini also collaborated frequently with Carlo Riva, the successful boat builder of the Riva Yacht brand. This partnership of innovators had a huge influence on the entire Italian pleasure-yacht industry as well as on their own two companies. From 1970 to 1978, CRN built eight yachts for Riva.

CRN Megayachts Catering to the Ultra-Wealthy

CRN built its first Megayacht over 45 meters in 1978. It was designed for an emir in the Middle East, and this class of clientele played an important role in the company’s trajectory over the next decade. Throughout the 1980s, CRN customers were primarily Greek tycoons and Middle Eastern royalty. Each client sought an increasingly larger yacht, which now ranged in length from 32 to 61 meters.

In addition, CRN built a 32.8-meter yacht for the head of a famous Italian car-making dynasty. This was the first explorer-class yacht in the luxury yachting world.

CRN Megayachts Changing Times

In the 1990s, with the Gulf War and other turmoil in the Middle East, CRN’s top clients were directly affected and demand for yachts dropped. The company stayed afloat by diversifying operations to include refitting and focusing on commercial builds.

In 2002, however, CRN’s production capacity and abilities expanded greatly when they acquired the adjacent Mario Morini shipyard. It was a well-blended union, as the Morini yard had extensive experience in steel ship construction on the commercial, merchant, and military sides. The combined operation gave CRN an impressive 80,000 square meters of shipyard space, which was one of the largest in Europe.

CRN Megayachts Building Megayachts

CRN further diversified production by combining aluminum and steel vessels with new composite ones. Their megayacht lines were born, starting at 40 and 43 meters.

Working with designers Nuvolari & Lenard, they hatched the idea of producing fully customized megayachts, but with all being built on the same naval platform. Working with architectural firm Zuccon International Project in 2006, yacht size kept growing in the coming years, eventually reaching 60 meters in the years 2007-2011.

In 1999, CRN became part of the Ferretti Group. CRN joined Custom Line to form Ferretti Group’s Ancona-based megayacht operation.

CRN Yachts Where the Future Begins

Each new yacht is a challenge to raise the bar, to dream up new solutions that push the limits imposed by the materials and the available space. We are pioneers of a whole host of functional and aesthetic innovations: CRN has always devised unique designs vaunting state-of-the-art amenities that over time have become true trendsetters in the yachting world. Take the beach club, for example, or the multipurpose area aft on the main deck, or the terraces and balconies offering panoramic views and total privacy in close contact with the sea.
This continual quest for excellence in materials and technologies, in shapes and design, defies convention and propels us into the future. It all springs from the yachting culture that’s in our blood – and always has been.

As part of Ferretti Group, Allied Marine is an authorized dealer of bespoke  CRN Megayachts on the east coast and sells more new and used CRN megayachts than any other dealer. Call 954.462.5557 today to speak to a CRN Specialist and to receive information about all the CRN megayachts for sale in today’s market.