Va Bene

VA BENE left the Kees Cornelissen yard in the Netherlands in 1992, and her owners have brought her forward through several refits since, the latest in 2023. She makes no claim to be new. What sets her apart is how practically she has been arranged for parents travelling with small children.

The best example is next to the full-beam master suite on the main deck. Its private study converts into a children’s room with a Pullman berth and a sofa, so the youngest sleep one door away rather than a deck below. There is a Pullman in the twin cabin as well, and that one usually ends up as the cousins’ room. Each guest cabin is named after an Italian harbour, Portofino and Porto Cervo among them, and the interior styling is by H2 Yacht Design.

The days revolve around the water. Teenagers and adults who want to ride the jet skis can take the RYA course with the crew and finish the week with a certificate, because she holds approval to teach it. When the sun goes down, the sun deck changes role: the six-seat jacuzzi gives way to lighting and a sound system for dancing, and dinner can be formal in the separate dining room or relaxed on the aft deck.

One practical point for Greece. Her main tender is a 9.8-metre Intrepid, but the Greek authorities do not allow it to work as a chase boat there; if you want one in Greek waters, the broker can arrange a local boat, rented separately at your expense. In 2009 she was a finalist for Best Refitted Yacht at the World Superyacht Awards.

She suits two or three related families, or parents with children of different ages, who want a crew used to keeping young guests busy. She is a weaker match for a group of adults after a sleek contemporary yacht, or for anyone who wants to cover long distances fast: at about 12 knots she is at her best on short hops between anchorages.