If you are going to start a new brand of yachts, you might as well make them stand out. Veteran boatbuilder Michael Schmidt’s new Brenta 80DC Cool Breeze certainly does that. We sailed her with him off Palma.

From the eye-catching paintjob to the novel deck design, to the sensational interior and the full carbon build, the Brenta 80DC is a yacht with enough fresh thinking to strike you, firmly yet rather enjoyably, around the chops.

Brenta’s Lorenzo Argento drew her novel shape, including a three-level deck with low coachroof hiding behind a high bulwark. And renowned architect Sir David Chipperfield created a strikingly different interior to mark his first foray into yacht design.

The Brenta 80DC is the first yacht conceived for Michael Schmidt’s new boat building business, and Cool Breeze is his personal yacht. Schmidt sold Hanse Yachts four years ago, having built it up in just two decades to become one of the world’s leading production boatbuilders.

Schmidt’s idea for this new yacht came from outgrowing his Hanse 630, which he felt was too heavy and slow. Schmidt wanted a fast yacht that is easy to handle. The Brenta 80DC is therefore an all-carbon machine that is kept deceptively simple throughout.

The Brenta 80DC has a lightship displacement of just 30 tonnes – which is more comparable to a 60ft glassfibre displacement cruiser. The prime benefit of a lightweight build was succinctly shown during our trials, when we were able to maximise a Force 3 breeze off Palma.

Cool Breeze is easily the most refreshing design of the year. It is a yacht that is all about simple, easy, fast sailing.