ICE 62 TARGA, the Italian Blue Water Cruiser Revolution

It’s hard not to be enchanted when admiring the new Ice 62 Targa. This sailing yacht, admirably built by Ice Yachts who push the bar of quality ever higher, arrives and redefines in one fell swoop the concepts of “Blue water cruiser” and “Easy sailing”.

With the launch of this unit, Ice also shakes up the cards in a market which, without a doubt, sees high-end Nordic and Italian shipyards lagging more than a little behind in the race for innovation and performance. Capable of exceptional performance, made possible by the genius of the legendary Umberto Felci and a construction studied down to the last detail, the new Ice 62 Targa is also distinguished by a resolutely intriguing design.

Onboard comfort is the watchword. On the other hand, this boat was designed to be operated by a single person, so it&#8217s no surprise that everything can be controlled directly from the control console.

From here, it’s possible to make turns, fine-tune the jib, mainsail, gennaker, backstay, downhaul and the various parameters (to be set according to the type of sailing chosen).

And let’s not forget the quality of the materials. The glass-carbon hull is simply a sight to behold, enhanced by an all-carbon deck and T-Top, also in carbon, which gives the livery a decidedly sporty, yet streamlined look.

And then there&#8217s the Weldox double-steel fin with very high mechanical performance, or the hydraulic lifting system (by the Cariboni company) with variable draft 2.30/ 3.90, which provides sporty sailing performance while guaranteeing agile entry into port.

In short, in the Ice 62 Targa, all the best of the shipyard&#8217s production has been synthesized with the precise aim of offering a unique experience at sea in terms of performance and comfort, combined with a touch of class and elegance that makes this boat simply splendid.

The sea trial

There are two of us, the owner and me, and it&#8217s only because I already know it&#8217s possible that I&#8217m not surprised that one person is enough to drive this boat. And yet it is, in the most natural way possible.

We start testing the engine, a 195 hp Yanmar, which I immediately rev up to 1800 rpm to reach 9.2 knots, an appreciable economical cruising speed for a boat of this size. At 2400 rpm, the speed is 10.8 knots. The Ice 62 Targa sails really well, linear and clean, cutting through the waves with great purity, without the slightest trace of drag. Accelerating further, at 2900 rpm, I hit 12 knots. But then we look at each other, the wind has picked up and I can&#8217t wait to sail.

We’re sailing into the wind, and I’m doing it all on my own by simply operating the buttons on the console in front of me.

Of course, it takes a little time to get used to using the large control panel, but once the commands have been memorized, it&#8217s invaluable to be able to move around with such simplicity, which is also an important safety factor.

The Ice 62 Targa is constantly moving faster than the wind. With 6 knots of real wind, we are doing almost 7 knots, most blue water cruisers are stationary in these conditions …

Then the wind picks up a little, and with it our speeds. What doesn&#8217t change, however, is the boat&#8217s behavior, always predictable, never nervous. With a true wind of 8/10 knots, we’re constantly sailing above 9, with peaks of 10 upwind: what a boat, guys!
We extend and deploy Code Zero, always without moving from the console. The 360 square meters open up to the wind … and it’s like turning on the turbo. The boat takes off and, in no time, we’re flying at over 13 knots. The wake at the stern is that of a motorboat, and up to 90/100 degrees, we always travel like this.
As we get further in, we go back to more normal speeds, 9/10 knots even though we get a lot in, but it&#8217s clear that here you need an A2 to go fast. Yes, I know it’s not a racing boat, but hey, it feels like one …
I reluctantly leave the helm and go below deck, there’s no creaking, just the wind and the sound of the bow splitting the waves. Poetry.

The ICE 62 Targa in detail

Let’s move on to the technical aspects and try to describe the main features of this boat.

Let’s start with the design absolutely modern, splendid in the chromed colors of the glass-carbon hull, with an inverted prow (scimitar-shaped) with a 1.3-meter-long carbon delphinière, which leaves room for the water lines and appendages characterized by a variable draft, from 2.30 to 3.80 meters.

In addition, the boat is equipped with double rudders, retractable bow and stern thrusters for easy docking, which is essential for solo sailors. The engine, a 195 hp Yammar, enabled us to sail up to 12 knots. Not bad at all.

Carbon is the watchword. It’s found in the hull, as we said, to make it solid and withstand the stresses of the sea (albeit in combination with fiberglass, which softens the structure), and again in the deck, to lighten the structure and lower the center of gravity, or in the hardtop, on which are installed, among other things, a solar panel support and the electrically operated mainsail traveler. And again in the sails, rudders, rigging and bimini, which together with the maxi dodger create a perfect synthesis of how the deck of a sailboat should always be designed.

When sailing, we can exploit a 240-square-meter sail and a 360-square-meter gennaker, all designed to “catch” the wind immediately and without compromise, which means all the thrust needed for high speeds but also minimal displacement upwind, thanks to the Cariboni company’s hydraulic system.

The aft section houses two seats dedicated to the helmsman, with precisely two carbon-fiber rudders that help maintain control while defying the heavy aerodynamic loads to which the boat is subjected while sailing: under the seats there’s a handy locker to stow everything you need within easy reach, and a raft.

It’s precisely when you’re at the helm that you realize the beauty of this sailboat. Elegant, refined, absolutely practical both solo and with large crews, it has everything you need. Wide bench seating, very comfortable side backrests, and the size of the cockpit itself, absolutely spacious and therefore livable, yet attractive thanks to the design. Felci Yacht embellishing an already unrivalled line.

This quality The owner&#8217s cabin is also found below deck, with no less than three cabins, two bathrooms and a large galley. Here, too, the attention to detail is maniacal: the idea is to reduce the weight of the hull thanks to lightened panels and innovative solutions, without ever setting aside the meticulous finishes or refined woodwork.

It&#8217s hard to imagine setting limits to this boat, which also has room for 1040 liters of water and 800 liters of fuel, which, if you&#8217re thinking of a long sail alone or in company, is fundamental, as is the large garage, comparable to that of a 70-foot boat, where you can accommodate a 3.1-metre tender. In other words, it’s fantastically oversized.

Fast, exciting, practical, beautiful. This yacht marked a turning point in the “blue water cruiser” highlighting the Italian character of a product that has always seemed the preserve of other countries, and making Ice Yachts a new international benchmark.

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