Grey's foredeck is home to the biggest outdoor TV in the world and an incredible surround system for epic movie nights under the stars.
The S501 is well suited to charter with four luxurious guest suites on the lower deck and both the VIP and Owner’s staterooms situated forward on the main deck. The owner’s cabin has a pair of private balconies that drop down at the touch of a button, too. Read on to find out more.
Tankoa Yachts S501 Evo Key Facts
- LOA 163' 9"
- Model Year 2023
- Cabins 6
- Crew 7
- Max Speed 18 knots
- Status In Production
- Generations 2
- Yacht Type Superyacht
- Use Type Cruising
- Vessel M/Y Jimmy
Review Video
Tankoa was founded in Genoa in 2007 and quickly carved out a niche as a boutique yard, building custom and semi-custom yachts above 45 metres. The S501 series, launched in 2017 with Vertige, is the core of that story: a 50-metre, sub-500GT platform built in aluminium, designed for long-range efficiency and adaptable enough for owners to shape around their own ideas.
Grey is the fifth hull and the first in the S501 Evo line. That “Evo” tag reflects a set of measured upgrades rather than wholesale change. The tri-deck layout remains, but several structural adjustments stand out, for example in the main and upper decks fitted with larger single-pane glazing, replacing multiple mullions for cleaner sightlines; or the sundeck extended by 10 square metres, creating more space for loungers and dining; and the lower-deck guest cabins reworked with one large window per cabin, in place of two small portlights, to bring in more light.
Exterior design is by Francesco Paszkowski (known for the 44m (145ft) Maverick and the Baglietto T52 model) , who gave Grey her distinctive "whisper-grey" hull and black superstructure. The look is sharper than earlier S501s, but still carries the muscular stance of the series. Naval architecture was handled in-house, with an all-aluminium semi-displacement hull, a beam of 9.4 metres and a draft of 2.4 metres, engineered for a range of 4,000nm at 11 knots.
Inside, Giorgio M. Cassetta (known for the 107.6m (353ft) Luminosity) was commissioned for the interiors - the first time in this series that Paszkowski has stepped aside. Cassetta moved away from the clean monochrome seen on earlier hulls and built an eclectic mix of natural woods and stones: flamed Indian rosewood, European oak, eucalyptus, and Palissandro Bluette marble, offset with Striato Olimpico and Breccia Oniciata marbles, and a striking Blue Macaubas quartzite. The craftsmanship is detailed - woven saddle leather, acoustic leather wallpapers, and custom soles, paired with high-end fabrics from Armani, Rubelli, Dedar, Filippo Uecher and Mariaflora. The light fittings are bespoke, designed by Luce5, with a lighting scheme that highlights contrasts in colour and texture.
The build itself shows how Tankoa prefers to work. Hull #5 began as a speculative project, but once a first-time European owner stepped in during 2021 with a detailed brief, the specification shifted substantially. TWW Yachts were appointed as project managers, coordinating between owner and yard from contract to delivery in May 2023. It’s a good example of Tankoa’s boutique method: use a proven series foundation for efficiency, but keep the process flexible enough that the finished yacht feels entirely bespoke.
Inside on the main deck is Grey’s main saloon, a large open-plan space that balances lounging and dining. The first detail you notice is the wine fridge tucked neatly by the entrance – a small touch, but it sets the tone of a space geared around entertaining.
Cassetta’s interior here plays with contrasts: light oak wall panelling offset by a high-gloss rosewood ceiling and bold natural stones. At the centre is the 12-seat dining table, fronted by a striking blue marble slab that adds a real focal point. Around it, large sofas face each other in the lounge, with full-height glazing either side so the space feels bright and connected to the decks outside.
And yes, there’s another screen. A television is built into the cabinetry, designed to fold away when it’s not wanted. That means the saloon can be a pure social space without the distraction, or turn into a media room at the touch of a button.
The main saloon also links cleanly to the exterior: sliding glass doors aft open onto the cockpit, while forward the central staircase continues up to the skylounge or down to the guest cabins. A pantry is positioned off to port, with dumbwaiter service down to the galley – a layout tweak unique to Grey compared with other S501s.
It’s a flexible, welcoming room – formal enough for dining, but relaxed in atmosphere, with big windows, bold finishes, and enough space for guests to spread out without losing the sense of being together.
Skylounge
Step inside from the bridge deck aft and you land in the upper deck lounge – cosier retreat compared to the main saloon below. There’s no dining table here; instead it’s set up purely for relaxing. Deep sofas face a 65-inch LG Signature rollable TV, one of the cleverest pieces of kit on board, as it rolls neatly into a cassette beneath the cabinet. Folded away, it leaves the view clean; rolled up, it turns the lounge into a private cinema.
To starboard is a neat bar unit finished in marble, with fridge and coffee machine built in so the crew can serve drinks without needing to run back to the galley. What’s smart is the circulation: a discreet door forward leads down into the crew spaces, so service happens quietly in the background. Guests will gravitate here in the evening - quieter than the foredeck, more private than the sundeck, and still tied neatly into the outdoor dining area aft.
Main Deck VIP
Forward of the saloon, Grey does something unusual for a 50-metre: the VIP cabin sits up here on the main deck, behind the owner’s suite. On earlier S501s this space was often taken by a galley, but Grey’s galley has been moved down to the lower deck, freeing this prime spot for a guest cabin.
The result is a very generous room. A king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) sits beneath a big hull window, with space to walk around comfortably on all sides. There’s a proper seating area, a bureau finished in the same high-gloss rosewood used elsewhere in the interior, and plenty of headroom.
The ensuite is equally well considered, lined with striped marble detailing that wraps right around into the shower. It’s wide, luxurious, and designed to feel more like a second master than a standard guest stateroom.
Having the VIP here gives it a real sense of occasion. Guests in this cabin enjoy a larger footprint and better views and also gain the convenience of being on the main deck, close to the saloon and dining area.
Owner's Cabin
Push forward from the VIP and you arrive at Grey’s full-beam owner’s suite, and it’s a stunner. The cabin stretches right across the yacht, with an emperor-sized bed in the middle. There’s so much space around it and so much headroom and clearance above - it feels airy, and not boxed in.
On either side of the bed sit the real party trick: two fold-down balconies. They’re asymmetrical (one slightly further aft than the other) but both open out to create private terraces at the water’s edge. The floors are glass-bottomed, so when you’re standing there you can actually see the sea passing underfoot. It’s the sort of feature that changes the whole atmosphere of the cabin: morning coffee in the open air, evening drinks with the sound of the water running past, natural breeze cutting through the suite.
The fit-out reflects the eclectic interior palette chosen with Giorgio Cassetta. You see the mix of light oak panelling, high-gloss rosewood, and bold marble finishes, accented with Armani and Rubelli fabrics. To starboard, a bureau and seating area give the cabin proper working and lounging options. Behind the bed bulkhead, a plush walk-in wardrobe and a very large ensuite are tucked neatly out of sight.
Technology is everywhere but discreet: a 55-inch TV built flush into the forward bulkhead, AV run through the Crestron system, and control by iPad. It means the suite can go from quiet retreat to a private media lounge in seconds.
Lower Deck Guest Accommodation
Drop down the central staircase and you reach the four guest cabins on the lower deck. Grey’s Evo upgrades are obvious here as instead of the smaller split windows seen on earlier S501s, each cabin now has one large hull window, so even below the waterline the rooms feel lighter and more open.
Forward are a pair of identical twin cabins. Each has two single beds that can slide together to make a queen, giving flexibility depending on the guest mix. There is still so much space overhead even on the lower level – and each cabin has its own 43-inch TV, closet space, and ensuite bathroom with smart use of sliding doors to save room.
Aft are two double cabins, laid out much like the twins but with full king beds. Again, the finish matches the rest of Cassetta’s interior scheme: oak panelling, high-gloss details, and custom fabrics. The bathrooms here echo the striped marble detailing seen upstairs in the VIP.
All four cabins are hooked into the yacht’s Crestron-controlled AV system, so guests can manage lighting, blinds, and media from iPads in their rooms. It makes the cabins feel connected to the rest of the yacht’s technology, not like second-tier spaces.
Together with the VIP and owner suite on the main deck, these cabins bring Grey’s total accommodation to six staterooms for 12 guests, each with its own generous footprint and all benefitting from the Evo changes to glazing and layout.
Crew Accommodation
Grey’s layout also shows a lot of thought for the crew. Unlike some of the earlier S501s, the galley has been moved down to the lower deck, alongside the crew quarters. It means the whole main deck can be dedicated to guest use, while service still works smoothly through dumbwaiters and pantries linking back up to the dining areas.
The crew accommodation is forward, with berths for nine, and a dedicated mess so they’ve got their own space away from guest areas. Stairs and passageways are completely separate from guest circulation, so the crew can move around the yacht without disturbing anyone. There are doors and discrete staircases in key places, like off the upper lounge and at the lower guest lobby, so crew can get where they need to be without being seen.
Right forward on the upper deck is the bridge, and this is where the skipper really commands the yacht. There's a tiny steering wheel on a leading post, throttles at hand, and a near wraparound view created by five large navigation screens. Close-quarters work is usually handled from the wing stations outside, but once Grey is clear of the harbour, she’ll be running on autopilot, with those screens giving the captain full oversight of radar, cameras, and charting.
The captain’s Recaro helm chairs are built for long passages, and the glazing has been reworked in the Evo version to reduce mullions, giving a cleaner forward view. Above, communications are bang up to date - Grey is fitted with Starlink and 5G connectivity alongside conventional satcoms, so crew and guests alike stay connected at sea.
It’s a professional space, but not oversized. Everything is laid out within easy reach, reflecting the fact that Grey was designed for range and reliability as much as spectacle.
At the transom, Grey opens out into a proper beach club. The big hatch folds down to create a teak platform right at the waterline, complete with a wide boarding ladder – a simple setup but a great place to swim, board tenders, or just sit with your feet in the water.
Step inside and it becomes clear why this isn’t the token ‘beach club’ we often see on production boats. Here it’s a full space in its own right. There’s a Technogym bike set up, a bar tucked to one side, and even a television mounted on the wall – the first of many screens you’ll encounter on board. A separate bathroom is built in here as well, fitted with a hammam, perfectly placed for showering straight off the swim platform or unwinding after a dip.
The tender garage lies directly alongside. Through a watertight door the crew can roll out the 5.65-metre Williams, jet skis or Seabobs, so the beach club doubles as a working area when toys are being launched. That mix of exercise kit, spa-style facilities, and direct toy access makes the stern a hub of activity – part relaxation zone, part watersports base.
Cockpit
The main deck aft works as a relaxed outdoor lounge with sofas tucked beneath the overhang and plenty of space for freestanding furniture. In Grey’s case, the area was set up with loose seating for brokers and clients, but the arrangement can be tailored - sun loungers, extra tables, or a different mix of sofas, depending on how the owner wants to use it.
What makes this area useful is how it connects. Side decks lead forward to the foredeck, a sliding door gives direct access into the main saloon, and the central stairway drops down to the beach club. It’s a crossroads between water-level life at the stern, the social main deck saloon, and the open-air spaces further forward.
While not the showpiece deck on Grey, it’s an everyday space that gets constant use - shaded, comfortable, and versatile, with enough volume to handle anything from casual breakfasts to cocktail hours.
Side Decks & Foredeck
From the main deck aft you can head forward along the side decks. To port, the passage leads into the crew areas, while starboard has a sliding door that opens straight into the main saloon beside the central stairway. It’s a neat bit of design, good access for guests, but still allowing crew to move discreetly between their quarters and working areas without getting in the way.
But it’s the foredeck that really steals the show. Up here Grey has what is, by any measure, a headline act: a 200-inch C-Seed foldable cinema screen, the largest outdoor TV on any yacht of this size. When it’s not in use, the whole structure disappears into the deck, and even the speakers around it retract into flush housings. When raised, though, it towers over the space, facing an elegant glass-fronted pool with submerged seating built in.
It’s easy to picture how it all comes together - a movie night under the stars, sport on the big screen, or even just the fun of watching cartoons while the kids cool off in the pool. The combination of scale and setting is unlike anything else on a 50-metre.
Move further forward and the character shifts. Tucked around the TV structure is toy storage - Seabobs under covers, jet skis lifted by the foredeck crane, and then right at the bow a proper working area with the twin anchors and mooring gear set out cleanly. From this spot you also get a sense of just how big that cinema screen is, looming above the foredeck fittings. It’s an area that can swing quickly from party zone to working deck, which is exactly what you want on a yacht designed for both fun and passage-making.
Bridge Deck Aft
Step back from the drama of the foredeck and you arrive at something altogether calmer - the bridge deck aft. It’s a proper outdoor dining and lounging space, sheltered under the overhang so it works in shade as well as sun.
The setup here is simple but inviting: an L-shaped sofa wraps around the stern, there’s a bar to starboard, and the centrepiece is a custom wooden and marble dining table with seating for 12. Shade panels can be added or taken down depending on whether you want full sun, but either way it feels warm and comfortable, an easy spot to linger over meals.
This is a custom yacht so if the owner wants freestanding sun loungers aft, or a different configuration of seating, it can be done. In Grey’s case, it’s set up as a dinner terrace that links straight into the skylounge. That connection is important: slide the glass doors back and the whole deck becomes one big social zone, inside and out.
Sundeck
Climb one more level and you reach the sundeck, which feels every bit as spectacular as the foredeck. Aft are four loungers set out in the open, the pure sun-worshipping part of the yacht. Move forward and you step under the hardtop where the deck takes on more of a social feel.
Here a big U-shaped seating area wraps around twin tables. They’re cleverly designed – height-adjustable and fold-out – so they work just as well for coffee in the morning as for a full dining setup at night. On either side, the vane sunroofs tilt open, letting shafts of sunlight cut through the shade if you want to brighten the space.
Opposite sits one of the best deck bars you’ll find on a 50-metre. The marble counter, three stools lined up, the TV that rises out of the bar top and the front of the bar is finished in painted aluminium and black-stained teak, inset with a backlit slab of black agate. In fact, it’s said to be the largest slab ever fitted on a yacht at the time.
Just forward is the second hot tub, this time protected by a hardtop. It’s a big, raised pool with room for several people to soak, and a strip of sunpads laid ahead of it so you can dry off in the sun. And because the cinema screen on the foredeck is so vast, you can still see it clearly from up here and catch the soundtrack on the integrated sound system.
Step through from the tender garage and you’re into the engine room, and it’s an eye-opener. For a 50-metre, you might expect big MTUs dominating the space, but Grey runs on a pair of MAN V12 1400s. These are engines you’d usually find in production yachts rather than a full-blown superyacht.
Flat out she’ll make 17-18 knots, but the sweet spot is a steady 12 knots, giving her a 4,000nm range and the ability to cross oceans. With a fuel capacity of 57,000 litres, she carries enough for long passages while still keeping her draft shallow at 2.4m, so she can tuck close to shorelines where other 50-metres might hesitate.
There’s masses of space around each engine, and everything is labelled - valves, handles, fuel transfer lines - with arrows showing flow direction. It means crew can trace and operate systems quickly, which is vital in a space that doubles as the yacht’s heartbeat. On either side sit the gensets, providing hotel power and backing up the main engines.
What comes across, both in person and on paper, is how seaworthiness and reliability have been prioritised here. Grey’s all-aluminium semi-displacement hull and stabiliser package keep her steady, while the machinery space is designed as much for the engineers as for the specifications sheet.
Our Verdict
Grey shows what Tankoa set out to do with the S501 Evo - take a proven 50-metre platform and make it feel new again. The sharper glazing, the extra deck space, the larger cabin windows, all those refinements add light and openness, but it’s the custom brief that really defines her. A foredeck with a fold-away cinema and glass-fronted pool, a sundeck bar wrapped in backlit black agate, six generous staterooms including a main-deck VIP - these are all owner-driven choices brought to life by a yard willing to adapt, and for a first-time owner, it’s quite a statement.
Reasons to Buy
- Foredeck cinema like no other
- Expansive outdoor living spaces
- Main deck VIP feels special
Things to Consider
- Modest top speed for size
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Rivals to Consider
The Benetti B.Now 50M Oasis takes a very direction to the S501 Evo. Instead of loading its wow factor forward, it draws you right to the stern with the Oasis Deck - fold-out wings at the waterline, a glass-front infinity pool, and a huge 90-square-metre terrace that feels like an outdoor living room at sea. It’s a five-cabin layout for 12 guests, with the master enjoying its own private balcony, and performance is steady rather than fast: 16 knots flat out and a range of around 4,500nm at 11-12 knots. Hybrid propulsion is also on the options list. Compared with the S501 Evo, it’s more about the social beach-club lifestyle than big-screen spectacle, but both clearly put outdoor living at the top of the brief.
The Bilgin 163-I Eternal Spark is another six-cabin, 12-guest yacht but leans hard into the charter scene. Hot Lab’s interiors are paired with Unique Yacht Design exteriors, and the whole boat feels built to entertain - five bars, seven distinct social zones, a 22-metre sundeck with its own hot tub, plus a sauna and private cinema tucked inside. Under the hood she’ll run at 17 knots and stretch to 5,000nm at 10.5 knots, so the range is there to back up the fun. Set against S501 Evo, it’s the more overtly party-focused yacht - cabins and social hubs designed for turnover and big gatherings - where the Tankoa plays more with custom detailing and technology like the foredeck cinema.
The Mangusta Oceano 50 slots in with a different feel again. This is Mangusta’s steel-hulled long-range entry, and it can be specced with five or six cabins for 10 to 12 guests depending on the brief. It’s about the same on performance - 16 knots max, 12 knots cruise, roughly 4,000nm range - but the tone of the design is all about space and flow. There’s a full beach club across three decks, pools both forward and aft, and smart touches like a dedicated day head and flexible stateroom that can double as a gym or spa. Compared to the S501 Evo, it’s less about the show-stopping cinema moments and more about creating open, adaptable spaces, though both share the same commitment to making the outdoors the star attraction.
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Specifications
- Builder Tankoa Yachts
- Model S501 Evo
- Length Overall 163' 9"
- Beam 30' 10"
- Draft(full load) 7' 10"
- Hull Aluminum 5083
- Cabins 6
- Berths 8
- Crew 7
- Yacht Type (Primary) Superyacht
- Use Type (Primary) Cruising
- Cruising Speed
- Max Speed
- Fuel Capacity 15,058 Gallons
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