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Haze², the Darwin 102 shaped around its owner

At 30.8 metres, Haze² brings together a steel hull, contemporary interiors and long-range capability in an explorer yacht by Cantiere delle Marche

Haze² interprets Cantiere delle Marche’s Darwin 102 through a highly customised project, ocean-going range and interiors by Lawson Robb

Haze² is based on a well-established platform, the Darwin Class 102 by Cantiere delle Marche, yet the finished yacht demonstrates how far an experienced owner can shape a proven design without erasing its identity. The 30.8-metre explorer retains the solidity, generous volumes and long-range capabilities associated with the Darwin family, while introducing substantial changes to the layout, styling and way the yacht is experienced on board.

This balance between continuity and customisation is what makes Haze² particularly interesting. It does not attempt to reinvent the explorer yacht. Instead, it adapts the concept very precisely to the way its owner intends to use it.

From a Darwin 102 to a highly personal yacht

The decision to work with Cantiere delle Marche followed the owner’s visit to a Darwin 106 at the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival. What attracted him was the quality of construction, the depth and volume of the hull and the possibility of undertaking extended voyages without constantly depending on ports and resupply.

The technical foundation is the Darwin Class 102, a model built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure. Haze² belongs directly to this family, as confirmed by Cantiere delle Marche’s official fleet.

From that starting point, however, an extensive customisation programme began. Having previously owned both motor and sailing yachts, the owner played an active role in the process, working closely with the shipyard and designers to adapt the yacht to his requirements.

An explorer evolves without losing its character

The exterior design is by Sergio Cutolo/Hydro Tec, which has overseen the stylistic development of the Darwin Class since its inception. On Haze², a number of elements were revised to bring the design forward while preserving the model’s essential character.

The wheelhouse windscreen was redesigned to improve visibility, while the tender crane was integrated and concealed in the aft section of the Sun Deck. The colour scheme also gives the yacht a distinct personality, pairing a metallic grey hull with a blue superstructure.

The substantial, purposeful presence of a genuine explorer remains clearly visible, but the overall impression goes beyond a purely technical interpretation of the type.

Spaces shaped by life on board

The owner’s previous yachting experience had a direct influence on the layout. Priorities included a quiet main-deck owner’s cabin, a dedicated workspace and generous exterior areas for spending extended periods on board.

Customisation therefore extends beyond finishes and materials to the organisation of daily life aboard the yacht.

One of the most distinctive features described by BOAT International is the approximately 17-cubic-metre saltwater pool positioned aft. Integrated into the hull and surrounded by glass walls, it also allows natural light to reach the beach club and gym below.

It illustrates how a feature designed for leisure can also become part of the yacht’s wider architectural solution.

Lawson Robb creates an interior worth exploring in detail

The interiors were developed by London-based Lawson Robb. The brief focused on tactile surfaces, low-gloss finishes, light open-grain woods, natural tones, brushed bronze and mosaic details.

The resulting contemporary environment does not rely on a single dramatic statement. Woods, metals, leather, wall coverings and lighting instead create a layered composition, combining neutral shades with carefully placed stronger accents.

Lighting is also an integral part of the design, with indirect elements following architectural curves and bespoke fixtures engaging with the geometry of the interiors.

Haze² can accommodate up to 10 guests in addition to the owners, with dedicated accommodation for the crew.

More than 5,000 nautical miles to keep the route open

While the interiors express the yacht’s most personal side, the technical platform preserves its explorer character.

Haze² measures 30.8 metres overall, with a beam of approximately 7.43 metres, a declared displacement of 250 tonnes and a gross tonnage of 245 GT. Propulsion comes from two Caterpillar C18 ACERT engines rated at 500 kW each.

According to the figures issued specifically for Haze² by Cantiere delle Marche, the yacht carries around 40,000 litres of fuel and offers a range of more than 5,000 nautical miles at 9 knots.

This figure differs from the standard performance data published for the Darwin 102 platform and underlines the extent to which the individual yacht has been configured for long-distance cruising.

A proven platform rather than a rigid formula

Cantiere delle Marche introduced the Darwin Class in 2010 with the aim of combining ocean-going capability, robust construction and superyacht volumes within relatively compact dimensions.

Haze² demonstrates how that philosophy can continue to evolve. The underlying platform remains recognisable, as does its explorer character, but every major decision has been filtered through the owner’s experience.

Perhaps this is the most contemporary aspect of the yacht. Rather than making an explorer less purposeful in order to increase comfort, Haze² uses design, materials and customisation to bring serious range and seagoing capability together with a much more personal approach to life on board.

For a yacht designed to cross different seas and spend extended periods away from its home port, the destination clearly matters. Haze² also suggests that the way the journey is lived matters just as much.

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Cantiere delle Marche

24 August 2026
© MED Yachting Editorial Team
Haze², the Darwin 102 shaped around its owner
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The information in this article has been sourced from and adapted from official sources and/or press releases, in accordance with our editorial code of ethics.