Christmas didn’t last long at Mylius last year.
Work stopped for the shortest time possible, and the yard saw out 2014 with the launch of the Mylius 60 number 3 on 30th December.
An excellent year’s end, and 2015 promises to be equally busy, with a number of yachts under construction - the Mylius 60 number 4 (the first with the four-cabin layout) to be launched in spring, the Mylius 65, which will take to the water at the end of the year, and the three new 76-foot models.
We’ll see the first of these at the autumn shows and the other two in 2016.
The Mylius fleet is currently concentrated in the 50 to 76 foot range, although the yard has a potential for even bigger craft - the new production centre is equipped to handle 100-foot yachts.
The latest Mylius we tested is the baby of the yard. Like the other models in production, the 50-foot model shows a clear link to the Mylius 65 launched in 2011.
That year marked a change of gear for the company, with an increasing emphasis on an unmistakable style and the clear expression of a high quality Made in Italy philosophy.
While not an extreme racer, the Mylius 50 is a 15-metre pure carbon yacht (hull, deck, mast, helm and bulkheads) made in select, well-finished materials. It has modern lines - but no exaggeratedly so - a sizeable sail plan and customizable interiors with three double cabins and two heads.
As always, the design is by Alberto Simeone (one of the brand’s three founding partners). A top level dinghy racer, he never neglects sailing qualities, often giving them first priority.
The result is that the yacht is fast, seaworthy and a real pleasure to manage.
The ideal situation for a Mylius 50 is a loose close-haul and a broad reach, both of which generate plenty of excitement. This is one of the most entertaining yachts we have tried out recently - especially for the helmsman, who is holding the reins of a living craft, reactive and easy to manage.
The helm position is good whether standing or sitting to the side, as is the position of the maintrimmer, seated just in front of the wheel with the two main winches and mainsheet traveller in easy reach.
The layout of the sheets with the two winches set close together is the perfect solution for a cockpit where an effort has been made to create separate areas for guests and those sailing the yacht.
The only fault we noticed was also linked to the carbon fibre - in a strong wind, lower deck all that stiffness is transformed into a noise that can become irritating.
