Saudade was built for a very experienced yachtsman who wanted to combine in his new yacht the reliability of an open seas cruiser and the performance of a fast cruiser. Esense, one of the previous Wallys, with a length of 143 feet, was chosen as the prototype. Her lines became the basis for the Saudade, as well as some other solutions, such as the water ballast. Titanium is used extensively, not only in the structural parts but also in the supporting-decorative parts such as the bimini stanchions that reach the coamings of the cockpit. (Curiously enough, the original design did not have any bimini, but only a hull deckhouse. ) Bimini appeared later when "realized" that it would be useless to cross the oceans without it, so it looks absolutely inappropriate - a rare "gaffe" for Wally, who usually is strict about clean lines. The noise level in the owner's cabin and saloon is a mere 48dB(A) when the engine is running, an exceptionally low value for a yacht.
