Size does matter, it turns out, at least when it comes to a certain type of boat. What started off as a gradual trend to squeeze ever more volume from a sub-24-metre category hull has evolved into a full-blown space race.

Sunseeker, Ferretti, Pearl and Azimut are all at it, building upwards and outwards to maximise internal capacity, particularly in the key 80-100ft sector, but it’s Princess that really seems to have nailed it, first with its controversially styled but very successful Princess X95 ‘superfly’ and latterly with its slightly shorter but arguably even more impressive Princess X80.

For a while, Sunseeker was left looking a little flat-footed. Its beamy Sunseeker Ocean 90 may have offered impressive space on its main and lower decks, but without a raised pilothouse or fully enclosed upper deck, it couldn’t match the X95’s sheer volume.

The hastily conceived Sunseeker Ocean 182 was a decent attempt at bridging the gap, but adding a roof to a top deck that was originally designed as an open flybridge was never going to be as effective as a purpose-built tri-deck design.

That’s where this new Sunseeker Ocean 156 comes in. A clean-sheet design on an 82ft platform with internal accommodation on all three decks, it takes full advantage of the layout to create one of the most spacious and versatile 80-85ft craft the world has ever seen.

There’s no disguising the 156’s height but it’s not unattractive

If that sounds like hyperbole, take a look at some of these photographs or better still have a peek on board one at a boat show and we defy you to disagree. It is astounding how big it feels for a boat of this length.

Some of this is down to its physical dimensions; with a maximum beam of 21ft 6in (6.56m) it is 18in wider than a Princess X80 and only 12in narrower than the vastly longer Sunseeker 100 Yacht. It’s also tall. Very tall – the air draft is a towering 30ft 6in (9.6m) above water level.

And unlike most ‘wedding cake’ designs where the decks get progressively smaller the higher up you go, the Sunseeker Ocean 156’s main and upper decks are almost as long as each other. The result is not the prettiest profile in the marina but it certainly achieves its goal with a huge volume (for an 82-footer) of 156 gross tonnes – hence the 156 model name.

The maxbeam of 21ft 6in is exceptionally wide for an 80-footer

Beach Club Class

It’s not just about the numbers though; it’s the versatility of the layout and the impact it has on guests and crew. The most obvious win is that by moving the helm to the enclosed upper deck, the main deck can be given over entirely to entertaining. And how.

The original Ocean 90’s beach club stern was always one of its strongest assets and the Sunseeker Ocean 156 offers all that and more. Its stern platform is so wide it can carry a Williams 435 and a jetski on it as well as four Seabobs in the lockers under the steps to the cockpit (two per side).

There’s also a flip-up grill recessed into the starboard coaming and Sunseeker’s brilliant (if expensive) optional X-Tend seating system that provides a sunlounger facing out to sea on the aft platform but rises up to become an inward-facing extension to the cockpit at main deck level.

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The cockpit itself has free-standing furniture that can be arranged how you like and a built-in wet bar with a fridge and icemaker but there’s also an ‘outside’ day heads tucked into the starboard corner, meaning guests can nip in here in their wet swimming gear without having to traipse through the saloon.

However, the real wow factor is reserved for the moment you step through the sliding glass doors into the saloon. Or galley. Or dining area. It could be any of the above because Sunseeker offers no less than four different layout options for the main deck.

There’s a surprising amount of exterior deck space in addition to all that interior volume

The one you see here has the main lounging area aft, the galley amidships and the dining area forward but you can also have the lounge forward and the dining area aft, or the galley aft with a dining table alongside it and a larger seating area forward. Last but by no means least, you can close off the forward section to create a main deck owner’s cabin.

Massive Main Deck

Sunseeker is able to offer all these different solutions because the main deck is all on one level with no steps, bulkheads or fixed points other than the internal stairs up to the skydeck and down to the cabins. As well as the versatility this offers, it makes for an exceptionally open space that feels even bigger for being surrounded on all sides by floor to ceiling windows.

The large central galley option looks out onto the aft saloon and the forward dining area

It also has four different access points – two sliding glass doors amidships opening onto the side decks and a further pair forwards giving access to the foredeck – allowing a free flow of people and air right through the interior.

Factor in the extra width of the hull, that prevents the long, thin corridor effect some saloons suffer from, and it all adds up to an extraordinarily light, spacious, well-proportioned and well-ventilated main deck that feels more like a luxury beachside apartment than the usual 80ft motor yacht.

The galley is worth a special mention as, in the test boat’s layout, it is the physical and social centre of the main deck. As a family boat this works a treat but given that most owners are likely to have at least one or two crew to help with cleaning, docking and catering duties, some may find this a little too intrusive.

The main deck is exceptionally light, open, spacious and versatile, with views from end to end and four different entry points

You can screen the galley off, to give you and your crew more privacy, but this would spoil the end-to-end vista through the yacht. We’d also pass on the main deck cabin option for the same reason, unless you really need five ensuite cabins.

The one gripe we have is the large fixed television in the port corner of the aft lounge. It’s only blocking a relatively small part of the window but we can’t help feeling they should find a way of concealing it and, if possible, reducing the size of the aft bulwarks to make more of the view through those full-height windows.

The forward end of the main deck can be fitted out as a dining area, lounge or a master cabin. All three options include doors out to the foredeck terrace

Top Deck Treats

Although our test boat only had an internal staircase to the upper deck, you can add an external one in the port side of the cockpit. The foredeck lounge also merits a mention, because although it’s relatively short by 80ft standards, the asymmetric layout of the two opposing corner dinettes and the decision to hide all the anchor gear under deck hatches means it’s a surprisingly useful, sheltered space. There’s another wet bar and fridge here too.

The trouble with the Ocean 182 is that you sacrifice quite a lot of outside space in return for an enclosed upper deck. On the Sunseeker Ocean 156 you get to have your cake and eat it. Its upper deck still has a fully enclosed helm and lounge area but the open aft deck is considerably longer than the 182’s and there’s a second open forward deck ahead of the bridge.

Opening sunroof, side window and two sets of sliding glass doors ensure the upper deck is just as light and airy as the main deck

The aft deck has more freestanding furniture and another wet bar, while the forward one comes fitted with a large C-shaped dinette or an optional hot tub.

Admittedly the helm station and sky lounge are slightly smaller than the 182’s but the addition of an opening sunroof above the helm, a sliding glass door to port, a drop-down window to starboard and another big skylight above the lounge actually make it a more pleasant place to be.

The sky lounge can also be fitted out as an indoor dining area if you opt for the main deck master cabin

Lower Deck Luxury

Another reason for not specifying the main deck cabin option is because the four cabins on the lower deck are special enough as they are.

Once again that extra-wide beam makes all the difference, creating valuable extra floor space in the two guest suites (one twin, one double) that difference, creating valuable extra floor space in the two guest suites (one twin, one double) that share the beam amidships as well as the full-beam master further aft. But it’s the forward VIP that impresses most, because thanks to an unusually big entrance lobby, it actually lives up to its billing as a second master cabin.

Design Unlimited’s subtle colour palette makes full use of both natural and artificial light in the lavish owner’s cabin

The main owner’s cabin is bigger still with the benefit of a desk/vanity area to starboard as well as a walk-in wardrobe and twin-basin ensuite behind the bed. All four cabins enjoy large hull windows, unusually generous ensuite bathrooms and a very high standard of fit, finish and fittings courtesy of Design Unlimited’s stylish new colour palette.

The only potential fly in the ointment is the rather cramped crew space sandwiched between the owner’s cabin and the engineroom. It does have its own access from the side deck and the two separate cabins do have some natural light and ventilation but they are pretty small and the shared heads and mess/laundry area can feel a bit airless at sea. Then again, it is ‘only’ an 82-footer so perhaps that’s to be expected.

No shortage of light, space or views in the stylish forward VIP suite

Performance and Seakeeping

The Sunseeker Ocean 156 is a big boat by any standards. At 74.6 tonnes it displaces almost 12 tonnes more than a Princess X80 yet it is fitted as standard with relatively modest 1,300hp MAN V8s.

You can, however, upgrade these to the same 1,650hp V12s fitted as standard to the X80, as our test boat had been.

The extra- wide beam ensures the guest double has plenty of floor space

These felt ideally suited to the hull, delivering effortless and efficient displacement cruising at 9-10 knots, solid mid-range acceleration and comfortable planing performance of 20-22 knots, albeit at the cost of tripling the fuel consumption from 8 litres per nautical mile to 23.

It’s neither as quick flat-out as the X80 we tested in 2023 with the largest 1,900hp engine option (25.1 knots vs 30.8 knots) nor as fuel-efficient (460lph at 20 knots vs 400lph) but that’s unlikely to prove a decisive factor on this type of boat.

The owner’s ensuite is located behind the bed

The range is probably of more interest to most potential owners, which according to our figures should be around 1,000nm at 9 knots or 300nm at 20 knots from its 8,500-litre tank with 20% still in reserve.

Perhaps more surprising is how well it coped in the messy Solent sea conditions of our test. With all that weight and windage up top we had been concerned that it might feel top heavy during turns or in a beam sea but the hull’s natural stability at speed combined with the electric Humphree fin stabilisers and auto trim interceptors did a fine job of keeping it all in check.

Even during full-lock turns at 20 knots, it behaved impeccably, leaning into the turn just enough to feel natural while maintaining a tighter turning circle than expected at 3-4 boat lengths. Technically these electronic aids are optional but I don’t think even Sunseeker would recommend buying one without them as the difference was immediately apparent when we switched them off in the marina to come alongside.

1,000nm range at 9 knots and a top speed of 25 knots suits a wide range of cruising styles

The view from the bridge is very good for a boat this big and there are additional optional wing helm stations on the upper port deck and the starboard side of the cockpit for berthing duties. It’s also exceptionally quiet up here, largely because it’s so far removed from the hull and engine noise, and remarkably dry and comfortable given that rather bluff looking bow.

Sunseeker Ocean 156 specifications

LOA: 82ft 6in (25.14m)
BEAM: 21ft 6in (6.56m)
DRAFT: 6ft 1in (1.86m)
AIR DRAFT: 30ft 6in (9.6m)
DISPLACEMENT: 74.6 tonnes
FUEL CAPACITY: 8,500 litres
WATER CAPACITY: 1,500 litres
ENGINES: 2 x 1,300hp MAN V8 or 1,650hp MAN V12
PRICE: from £5.58 million (with MAN V12s)
CONTACT: sunseeker.com

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Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

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This article Sunseeker Ocean 156 review: See inside this spectacular 82ft superyacht appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Sunseeker is moving back into the big league with the formation of a new Superyacht Division and three stunning new models over 100ft.

The first to arrive will be the Sunseeker 120 Yacht. An evolution of the successful Sunseeker 116 Yacht, rather than an all-new boat, it has been substantially updated with new deck and superstructure mouldings as well as a fresh interior.

As with the latest Sunseeker Manhattan 68, the 116’s distinctive shark-fin hardtop supports have been replaced by slimmer, more modern looking forward raked ones. However, it’s the new design of the foredeck lounge that is likely to hold the biggest appeal.

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Not only does this feature a larger, more sociable hexagonal outdoor seating area with twin tables and matching hot tub and sunloungers but crucially it also has direct access from the flybridge via a raised starboard side-deck. Accommodation for up to 10 guests will include a full-beam main-deck owner’s cabin underneath that lounge.

Certified by RINA, and capable of being MCA and Tier III compliant, the new 120 Yacht will be powered by twin MTU 12V or 16V 2000 Series diesels for a top speed of around 24 knots. There will also be a tender garage big enough for a 21ft (6.5m) RIB, as well as a pair of big three-seat PWCs. The first 120 is due to start lamination later this year and launch in late 2026/early 2027.

The Sunseeker 135 Yacht

Next up should be the Sunseeker 135 Yacht, a full trideck model based on broadly the same technical platform as the former 131/40M Yacht models. However, instead of the big 4000 Series MTUs used in the older craft, the 135 will use the smaller and less thirsty 2000 Series.

Expect to see the first of those splash some time later in 2027. Less is known about the details of this but early renderings show a completely new beach club stern with folding platforms either side of a glass walled hot tub and tiered steps leading down to a sunbed just above water level.

The Sunseeker Ocean 460

The most exciting new model but also furthest from production is the all-new Sunseeker Ocean 460, currently scheduled to launch in 2028. With an LOA of around 150ft and a volume of just under 500GT, it will push the limits of composite motor yacht construction and almost certainly require a new facility being built at its Osprey Quay site in Portland.

Notable for its vertical bow – a first for Sunseeker – and a huge asymmetric beach club featuring a large folding terrace to port and a side-mounted tender garage to starboard, it will introduce a striking new aesthetic for the brand.

Although Sunseeker is no stranger to this market segment, having delivered 149 yachts over 100ft since it first breached the threshold in 2000, it has shied away from announcing new models in recent years. Now thanks to renewed confidence in the market and fresh funding from its Italian and American investors, it is once again venturing back above the 100ft mark.

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article Sunseeker Announces Three New Superyachts appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Much like the famous chocolate factory in Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, the Feadship ‘C’ concept features a glass lift that bursts out of the roof. Thankfully, in this case it stays firmly attached to the yacht’s central mast as a latter day crow’s nest, rather than flying off into space!

In fact, Feadship says the true inspiration was diamonds because this year marks the brand’s 75th anniversary – its diamond jubilee. This connection was explored in such depth that one senior designer spent time with gem cutters in Amsterdam to understand how facet patterns can be used to draw in and reflect light.

Hexagonal pools, furniture and glass lift are inspired by the facets of a cut diamond

Glazing plays a key role in the aesthetics of the design, from its aft beach club to a full- height central atrium, through which the glass elevator runs. As with several other elements, including the two plunge pools, the lift is hexagonal, mirroring the facets of a gemstone.

The new concept yacht is simply referred to as ‘C’, partly as a play on the words sea and see, but also because diamonds are composed of carbon – C in the periodic table.

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An elevator that pops out through the roof to become a crow’s nest is the centrepiece of this new megayacht concept

There’s much more to this 75m (246ft) megayacht than its shining centrepiece. It uses methanol fuel cells to power its steerable electric thrusters. Other innovations include fold-out ‘hammerhead’ stabilisers that not only reduce roll but also generate power.

Although designed to showcase what Feadship can do, this concept yacht stands out from other pie-in-the-sky projects because it could actually be built if a wealthy buyer commissioned it.

If you enjoyed this….

Motor Boat & Yachting is the world’s leading magazine for Motoryacht enthusiasts. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams, as well as tests and news of all the latest motorboats.

Plus you’ll get our quarterly Custom Yachting supplement where we share the last on offer in the superyacht world and at the luxury end of the market.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

This article New Feadship megayacht Concept 'could actually be built' appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Naval architect, and founder of Pastrovich Studio, Stefano Pastrovich has revealed a new 90m megayacht design concept that challenges conventional thinking by including an expandable area to allow for increased space when not underway.

The yacht concept is currently named the 90m X-Kid Stuff motor yacht and is designed for adventurers and what the company terms as ‘sophisticated explorers’. That would certainly tie with the clear twin aims of providing superyacht luxury and possibly one of the most accessible launching facilities on the market.

Underway the motor yacht should offer a sleek outline with high topsides gradually trailing towards a huge sugar scoop transom. The innovative feature of this concept is that the sides of the yacht from the transom forward to almost halfway along the yacht can then fold away to provide a completely open platform from which a variety of craft can be launched.

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Pastrovich Studio explains X-R-Evolution superyacht concept

The Monaco-based studio insists that this ambitious superyacht design is based on real world technologies

Pastrovich Studio say that this will mean the 90m X-Kid Stuff expands her boundaries while at anchor, ensuring space for exploration equipment, from jet skis to 15m RIBs. Ambitiously the concept renderings even show a fully rigged sailing yacht onboard.

The press information also alludes to the option to create ‘meticulously curated furniture layouts’ thanks to the expanding sides.

Like cars, yacht concepts are many and built concepts relatively few. But they do often provide and interesting glance into the direction of travel in the industry and this concept clearly looks to capitalise on the ever-growing adventure portion of the market.

And while this one may never be built, it does come from a reputable design house with a history of involvement on cutting-edge and ambitious projects. Stefano Pastrovich was one part of the wider design teams that came up with the Wallypower 118 – Wally’s first foray into the motor yacht world. That boat stands out as a unique, and innovative superyacht. That yacht was conceived as a production yacht, though reportedly only one was ever built.

It’s also true to say that this is not an entirely new concept, and has been announced 10 years after a similar concept yacht was release by the same design studio, the X-R-Evolution superyacht.

When the X-R-Evolution was announced back in 2014, Pastrovich Studio told MBY that all of the elements of the radical design were based on real-world technologies, so we can assume the same is true of this similar design. Of course to the best of our knowledge, the X-R-Evolution remains just a concept.

This article The new 'Transformer' megayacht concept that expands at anchor appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Have you ever heard the saying, “If you need to ask the cost, you can’t afford it”? Trite as it may sound, there is a grain of truth in it, especially when it comes to buying and running a superyacht.

But there are ways of offsetting the costs, which is exactly why the owners of Kefi, a 2004 Sunseeker 105 based in Florida, ended up buying a pre-owned superyacht rather than their original idea of buying a brand new 60ft sportscruiser.

By chartering out Kefi during the weeks they weren’t using it themselves, they hoped to offset the costs of running such a big vessel while enjoying the benefits of a much more palatial crewed yacht when they were able to use it.

We covered their original buying journey in the October 2022 issue of Custom Yachting. Now they have owned Kefi for over a year, they have agreed to share what it actually cost them to run and how much revenue it earns in charter fees to see whether the sums add up.

Captain and crew are integral to Kefi’s success as a charter operation. Photo: Elliott Maurice and Kefi Charters

The rather scary-looking answer to the first question is just over $1.1 million per annum, but that includes all the costs of running a charter boat – a privately run boat would cost a fair bit less.

The answer to the second question is rather more complicated because their goal was to end up with a profitable charter business with personal use costs the same as if they were running a brand new 60ft sportscruiser privately.

To go through the numbers and show me all the work they have done to make it a successful charter business, Scott, one of the co-owners, invited me to experience a short cruise aboard Kefi from the Bahamas to the Exumas and back.

Moving between the Bahamas and Rhode Island helps extend the charter season. Photo: Elliott Maurice and Kefi Charters

Crunching the numbers

A 40-minute flight from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the past year with Scott. Having owned several boats over the past three decades, including a 44ft flybridge that he still keeps for his own private use on Lake Erie, Scott is no stranger to the costs of running a boat but even he was surprised at the step up.

“It has been a learning curve,” admits Scott. “This is a whole different level financially. The costs are exponential compared to an owner-run smaller boat but we did go into it with our eyes wide open. It is a business with lifestyle implications, not a lifestyle with business implications. We didn’t want to be the alcoholic who buys a bar and drinks all the profits with his friends”.

Even so, ensuring the business model works is no easy task and a key part of that is finding the right people to run it. They tried four different captains and made several changes of crew before settling on the perfect team.

A wide array of tenders and toys keeps guests happy. Photo: Elliott Maurice and Kefi Charters

One prime example is Kefi’s liveaboard engineer, who saved nearly $200,000 in engine rebuild work alone. He’s not the only one, when we arrive at the yacht, Captain Richard Perez, his three crew and the chef, all dressed immaculately in the yacht’s formal uniform immediately make us feel at home.

Like any business, the best investment is in the quality of its people.

Scott and his co-owner only have time to use the yacht four weeks each per year, which leaves a maximum 44 weeks free for charter. However, eight weeks of those are given over to annual maintenance and refit work, and at least as many are lost to transit and turnaround times between charters.

In their first full year Kefi was chartered for 18 weeks, and a realistic goal for the future would be between 20-25 weeks. To reach that level, Scott knew Kefi needed to stand out in a crowded market so his first priority was to bring her up to the standard of a brand new boat.

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When they purchased her in 2022 she was already 18 years old so a number of the systems desperately needed updating, along with many of the fixtures and fittings.

This was all factored into their original purchase and refit budget of around $3 million. A year down the line, she looks fantastic. With her clipper bow, sharp raked glasshouse and swooping lines, Kefi is classic Sunseeker through and through. In fact, at the time of our visit she was still only halfway through a two-year $600,000 refit plan.

Stepping onboard, Scott points out the freshly restored teak on the bathing platform. Progressing through the saloon doors reveals an entirely new composite wood sole in a light maple colour. The original solid walnut floor had bowed over time and looked rather dark and dated. Some of the woodwork at the rear of the saloon and wheelhouse had also faded and clouded due to sun damage and has now been replaced or re-veneered. Now it all looks, feels and smells like new.

Moving up to the wheelhouse, a very businesslike and modern glass bridge helm now takes pride of place. “We updated the entire navigation suite,” explains Captain Dan. “Only the NAVTEX weather warning system is legacy”.

An appealing cruising itinerary is almost as vital as a well presented boat. Photo: Elliott Maurice and Kefi Charters

It’s the same story up on the flybridge. The navigation gear is all brand new and the original flybridge teak decking has been replaced with artificial teak to better withstand the humidity and sunlight of the tropics. All the lighting has also been replaced with LEDs to reduce the load and bulb replacement costs – there are more than 150 downlights alone.

Moving down to the accommodation deck, Scott explains that the reason they chose the Sunseeker 105 was because it’s a four-stateroom boat with two full-beam guest suites, both of which are almost comparable in size with the owner’s suite on the main deck. “The only notable difference is the jacuzzi bath in the owner’s suite and a slightly better, more elevated view.”

All four cabins have sizable ensuite heads and the port and starboard have two generous single berths with an infill to create a king-size berth. The 105 also has an unusually large crew cabin. “A well accommodated, happy crew is as important as the guests’ comfort on a charter yacht,” explains Scott.

Photo: Elliott Maurice and Kefi Charters

Location, location, location

Kefi’s schedule is certainly a busy one. She spends six months chartering in the Bahamas each winter, two months in the yard being fettled, and then four months in Rhode Island over summer.

“This is done for several reasons,” explains Scott. “Firstly, it avoids the hurricane season, reducing the insurance premium from $70,000 to just over $30,000 per year. Also, high season in Rhode Island is June to September and high season in the Bahamas is November to April, so we optimise our charter rate by moving between the two”.

The next part of the equation is maximising the guest experience. “I think of the yacht as a substantial villa, complete with a speed boat, watersports toys and staff so it’s vital to make sure all those elements are first rate.”

The famous swimming pigs of the Exumas make a popular excursion for charter guests. Photo: Elliott Maurice and Kefi Charters

The yacht’s purchase inventory included a 27ft Sea Hunt tender and two jet skis to which Scott has recently added a pair of new Sea Bobs and charging racks.

The weekly charter rate for all this comes to $65,000 including an agreed fuel allowance but not food, drink, docking fees, local taxes or crew tips. “Most of these costs are met by the charter guests,” explains Captain Richard. “A party wanting to drink vintage Dom Perignon and eat caviar and lobster will require a very different budget to those eating burgers and drinking Bud.”

It’s the same story with the cruising itinerary. “We can usually create an itinerary that perfectly suits the client’s wishes without exceeding the fuel allowance,” assures the Captain.

Photo: Elliott Maurice and Kefi Charters

Counting the cost of owning a superyacht

During 2022 Kefi was chartered for a total of 18 weeks, bringing in a revenue of $1,170,000. Offsetting this against the annual running costs of $1,149,100 actually resulted in a small profit of $20,900.

If they can increase the number of weeks chartered from 18 to 20 weeks, the sums will look even better. Clearly, this does not account for the capital outlay to buy Kefi or the annual refit costs ($177,000 in 2022 and $174,000 in 2023), but since an annual depreciation allowance as well as the maintenance and upgrade costs can be set against the revenue, this can also prove quite a tax-efficient way of running a boat.

However, Scott is very clear that buying a yacht with charter revenue attached is by no means a foolproof business model. The risks involved are simply too substantial. If the charters drop off or something major goes wrong with the boat, the financial picture would look very different.

So far, though, buying Kefi has worked out well for them, with personal costs restricted only to the time they spend on board. So well in fact that they are now considering upgrading to a bigger yacht.

“We are looking at a 2012 Sunseeker 111. Being a five-cabin yacht, this can demand over $75,000 per week in charter fees,” Scott tells me. So has it all been worth it? “Absolutely. It is the stuff of dreams, creating memories, it’s incredible”.

This article Revealed: The true cost of running a $3 million superyacht appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Filling-up the dock at the Miami show’s Yacht Haven Grande superyacht display, Victorious is from the Turkish yard AKYacht, and currently owned by supercar-loving Turkish entrepreneur Vural Ak.

Ak, who owns the racetrack that stages the Turkish Formula 1 grand prix, bought the half-completed explorer-style superyacht in 2016 from New Zealand billionaire Graeme Hunt, and had it towed back to Istanbul for completion.

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And that’s only part of the story. The yacht started life in Chile at Marco Yachts where it was launched as Gin Tonic II. When the original owner ran out of cash, Hunt bought the unfinished project and had it towed to New Zealand. As Mr. Ak likes to say: “The yacht traveled half way around the world without running its engines”.

Finally completed in 2021, with a sumptuous interior by Britain’s H2 Yacht Design, she has space for 24 guests across 12 staterooms. Mod cons include a massive wellness center with a beauty salon and steam room, a wine cellar, cinema, two wood-burning fireplaces, and expansive playroom for the kiddies. Her small armada of tenders includes a 41-ft custom aluminum catamaran that sits high on the huge back deck, and a 38-foot go-fast Fountain powerboat.

On the foredeck there’s a touch-and-go helipad that can double as a massive dance floor, while bathers can enjoy one of three pools. The vast owner’s suite on the bridge deck has its own terrace with jacuzzi and sun loungers. A favourite with well-healed charterers, until recently Victorious has been renting at up to $950,000 a week.

And she can go anywhere. Twin 1,475 hp Caterpillar diesels give her a top speed of 17 knots, a cruising speed of 13 and an astonishing 14,000 nautical-mile range.

AKYacht Victorious specification

LOA: 278ft 11ins (85m)
Beam: 46ft (14.2m)
Engines: 2 x Caterpillar 1,475-hp
Top speed: 17 knots
Asking price: $129 million

This article The massive 278-foot explorer Victorious will be the star at this year's Miami Boat Show 2024 appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

How did you come to own Latitude?

After owning several smaller boats – a 48ft Imago and three Pershing yachts (64ft, 80ft and 92ft) – I had pretty much had my fill of cruising around in Phuket and Malaysia, and diving in those waters. I wanted something with a bit more range, which would make it possible to go further.

I started looking at yachting magazines and then contacted a couple of brokers. Simon Goldsworthy at Camper & Nicholsons understood most clearly what I was looking for, and he started showing me boats, both on paper and with actual visits to the South of France and Italy.

I looked at 27 boats for sale but there was always something missing. Latitude was the first boat I saw that ticked all the boxes – build quality, age, facilities, size, range and, of course, price!

Was it always your intention to cruise adventurously?

I enjoy photography and my favourite subject is wildlife. I also enjoy being in the wilderness and going to places that have not been frequented by many. What I was clear about in my mind was that I did not want to use the boat to cruise the Mediterranean and Caribbean.

I wanted to go to places where I would not otherwise have gone. Of course, the extent to which we actually fulfilled this desire for adventure went far beyond what I had expected but it was basically a combination of the enthusiasm of [Captain] Sean [Meagher] and myself, and a young and eager crew that was willing to try anything.

What have been your favourite aspects of the yacht?

The thing that impressed me most about Latitude the minute I first boarded her was the build quality. It felt like a yacht that had been built for heavy-duty use. The way it has performed through three summers in the Arctic Circle has confirmed my original impressions. There are several other features that I liked.

The bridge has a large seating area so there is plenty of room for guests to hang out there while the yacht is under way – the bridge is the most interesting place to be, so this is a nice feature. I like the fact that there is a day head on every level – from the garage to the bridge deck.

I thought the crew quarters were well designed and relatively comfortable for a 45m superyacht. Finally, the sundeck is uncharacteristically large for a yacht of this size – this will be a very useful feature once we get to warmer climates.

What have been your most memorable moments on board Latitude?

Considering how we have used the yacht, you’ll realise that there have been too many memorable moments for me to list here. However, a few that come to mind are these:

• Whale watching in Newfoundland.
• Dodging icebergs and large floes of ice while trying to get into the harbour in Ilulissat, Greenland. That is a 5-7 mile journey that will stay with all of us forever.
• Seeing our first polar bear on the cliffs of Scotts Island.
• Sailing around Beechey Island and Devon Island in the Canadian Arctic are some of the most graphic memories I have. We had clear blue sky days with the water surface like glass. Absolutely perfect yachting conditions with the most spectacular landscapes that you can imagine.
• A four-hour up-close encounter with a polar bear we named Jerome and a two-hour encounter with a polar bear mother with two cubs on an ice-floe. We learned a lot about these incredible creatures.
• Being stuck in the tender in ice for about seven hours in a snowstorm in the Bellot Strait with polar bears around us.
• Being hit by a 30-40ft rogue wave at 5am while sailing from Dublin to London. I was knocked out of bed and landed on the floor. The sofas in the main salon were thrown across the room and ended up on top of each other. A big photo printer was thrown off its stand, flew across the room, and ended up going right through the wooden door of a cabinet in the library.

First published on SuperYachtWorld.com on February 3, 2017

This article Latitude: Owner Anil Thadani on his 45m globetrotting superyacht appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The Bellot Strait is a 20-mile-long, mile-wide shallow and winding canyon separating Somerset Island from the northernmost part of North America. It’s an alarming leg of the Northwest Passage, where the changeable current can rip through at up to eight knots, hurtling down ice on anyone crazy enough to be there.

If National Geographic ever produce a series called ‘Northwest Passage Nightmares’, it could do worse than start here. And yet, at one end of the strait, sat Latitude, a 45-metre steel and aluminium Vripack superyacht, with Captain Sean Meagher weighing up the options.

He needed to take a look in the tender at what was up ahead, so off he went, along with the yacht’s owner Anil Thadani, Anil’s cousin Ravi and son-in-law Lappo, and wildlife photographer John Issac.

Docking was sometimes a case of improvising

The conditions started to close in, and soon they realised that there they weren’t getting back to the mothership any time soon, with the ice gathering around them. They were now stuck on the opposite side of the canyon to Latitude. It was blizzard conditions.

“We were there for seven hours, with polar bears running around and staring at us,” Sean says, with a disarming nonchalance. “All we could do was wait and watch the current and the ice-floe.” Then he noticed that the ice around him was starting to compact.

“That meant the edge on the other side a quarter of a mile away was opening up. A little corridor appeared, about as wide as the tender. I told everyone to hold on and we went for the gap,” he says.

The tender – a 35ft Everglades in Kevlar with triple 350s (“that boat is a tank!”) – punched through the gap at 40 knots. It was just another chapter in the extraordinary voyages of Latitude.

Captain Sean on bear watch on Ragged Island

Even aboard a 21st-Century superyacht, there’s something very 19th Century about cruising at these latitudes. At least Sean and his guests were well prepared: “We were properly dressed, armed, we had food, and an Iridium sat phone.”

He recalls “a phenomenal piece of advice” from Captain Phil Walsh – a veteran of the Northwest Passage: “When you step into the tender, assume you are spending the night there, and equip yourself accordingly”.

It was, adds Sean, “something we lived by”, and it proved its worth in the Bellot Strait, when their only option was to wait it out and watch the polar bears.

Locals on a family outing

For centuries in the minds of mariners, the Northwest Passage was one of those mythological ocean regions that fired the imagination and chilled the blood in equal measure – a mare incognitum on the margins of the early charts, where there really might be dragons and sea serpents.

History books credit Sir John Franklin with the discovery of a route from the North Atlantic to the North Pacific in the 1840s, although neither he nor a single soul from his 120-strong party made it home. Roald Amundsen was the first to get through in 1905. Since then, only a handful of private craft have made the treacherous passage.

Latitude‘s sundeck became the ice deck at times

It takes a special captain and crew to get a superyacht with guests on board to successfully cruise the region, but also an owner with a vision and a sense of exploration. Sean joined the yacht in December 2013, when the current owner bought the yacht. Anil had come to Latitude in a number of steps, the last of which was a 92ft Pershing.

“He wanted to pull the trigger on something a little bigger, and was looking for a captain. A mutual friend recommended me, and that started the conversation with the owner.

Had he said: ‘I want to go to St Tropez and drink cocktails’, I wouldn’t have taken the job. What he actually said was: ‘I want to go on adventures and photograph wildlife’. That was it. I was in!”

There were stunning landscapes on the Northwest Passage

The planning for the Northwest Passage began in Latitude’s salon, with the nearest ‘chart’ available – an Ikea map of the world. “We were discussing where to take Latitude with the owner, and he suggested Alaska,” Sean says.

“I told him we could go via the Panama Canal, or I pointed to the Northwest Passage and said we could go this way. He looked at the map, looked at me, and said: ‘Yes! We have to do that!’”

There was plenty of time for fun…

With the decision taken, the only question now was planning and prep. “We were mid-refit,” says Sean. “We’d just replaced the sauna with a dive-room. Then we decided to go to the Arctic. After ten hours in sub-zero temperatures, I’d often ask myself: ‘Why on earth did we rip the sauna out?’”

…but a constant lookout was kept for real polar bears

Even though Latitude was a little rusty on the cruising front, the early impressions were good. “Our first cruise with the owner on board was out of New York, and we were heavily tested by the weather, but the yacht handled well.

After a couple weeks’ running around New England, I knew a couple of things needed sorting. We went into Delta in Seattle and sorted out a steering issue, and into Bay Ship & Yacht in California to realign the shafts. After this, we were a knot-and-a-half faster.”

Latitude in the ice at Ilullisat on Greenland

With the ship ready, the personal preparation could begin. “I looked around for guys who’d done this trip before. I found Captain Phil Walsh, formerly of Turmoil and now of Mogambo. I had a couple of hours chatting with him on the phone, and ended up flying to see him for a weekend,” Sean says.

“The equipment list I had prepared was pretty good, but he was able to suggest better Arctic suits, and recommended putting a bag filter over our watermakers because there is a lot of plankton and krill.”

The Northern Lights put on a show in Iceland

Another source of great advice was an experienced commercial ice pilot, Patrick Toomey. “He’s 81 years and full of experience. I called him, and explained what I wanted to do, and he asked me if I’d ever read the book Ice Navigation in Canadian Waters.

“I told him that I had, and that it was extremely well written. He said: ‘Good. I wrote it.’ I knew I’d found the right guy!”

The rugged 35ft Everglades tender was a highly practical tool

Patrick provided Sean with a wealth of experience. “You learn pretty quickly to instinctively appreciate how ice is moving,” says Sean. “But sometimes I needed Patrick’s advice because the best approach might be counter-intuitive. He was great at strategising a course through the ice-field.

“When we got back to Latitude in the Bellot Strait we had six to eight knots of current, and huge chunks of ice whipping at us. At the end, it was frozen solid, and I saw a gap in the ice by the cliff and was thinking about heading to break the ice there, but Patrick told me to aim for the centre of the channel, even though the ice is thicker at that point.

“Too close in and we ran the risk of being run up onto the land, he told me. You can pick up all sorts of techniques, like using your bow wave to push a chunk of ice out of the way. I even used to wedge a piece of ice the size of the yacht’s beam between the bow and the bulb, using it is a battering ram.”

Walruses in Dundas Harbour

What Latitude achieved in that first east-west run was one of the most remarkable superyacht adventures ever undertaken, in a season when despite the general reduction of ice in the region, the ice was at its worst for decades.

“It never occurred to be me that we wouldn’t make it. One of the fortunate things in this industry is that you get to work for guys who’ve beaten the odds and don’t take no for an answer. I guess that kind of rubs off,” says Sean.

Latitude had to take on some difficult waters

But cruising somewhere as alien and unfamiliar as this did have an effect on the crew. “We did 126 days straight. We were looking after guests, and the engineering guys were kept busy.

“By Vancouver, we were fried. I looked at everyone around the table in the mess, and it was like a scene from Das Boot! A friend asked me if I’d just got back from Iraq!”

Captain Sean with a humpback off Nova Scotia

Fried they may have been, but the adventures weren’t about to stop there. “At San Francisco, I was putting some itineraries together for the owner and it suddenly occurred to me that we had to go back.

“The owner’s response when I called him was: ‘What? Are you crazy?’ He went for it though, and so did the crew, and the experience we had gained the first time made it a lot less painful. We were veterans now, and it also helped that there was less ice.”

A polar bear on patrol

The available charts are “real sketchy”, according to Sean, with whole areas left blank. One part of the passage meant cruising along Amundsen’s original route (the planned route was full of ice). It needed some improvisation.

“We were using charts from the 1930s. Captain Phil Walsh reckoned that they were a thousand metres out. There was very little data to be had off them, but I thought that what little there was must have been surveyed close to land, where there were more likely to be reference points.

“So we went closer to land and we were able to make use of that small amount of reliable data.” Navigation was a case of using all the wheelhouse tools. “We had three chart plotting systems and the paper charts. Sometimes all four would disagree!” says Sean.

A reminder of how things can go wrong – a wreck on Bear Island

Latitude’s historic passage-making is continuing. This year they have become one of the only vessels to circumnavigate Svalbard, and the only superyacht to reach 82˚ North. Had Sean learned any lessons from the Northwest Passage that fed into the Svalbard cruise?

“Certainly, but there was a big difference, too. There were places to hide in the Northwest Passage, but Svalbard was just rough, nasty seas.”

Fifty knots of wind off Devon Island

When we talked to Sean last September he was on the brink of heading back to Boston for some much-anticipated R&R.

So is that it for adventuring? You can sense the excitement in his voice as he says: “I’ve just got off the phone with the owner. We’ve agreed on Antarctica.”

• A version of this story appeared in SuperYacht World Issue 52 and on SuperYachtWorld.com on January 20, 2017

This article Our historic Northwest Passage adventure on 45m superyacht Latitude appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Azimut’s biggest yacht yet, the Azimut Grande Trideck is a voluminous and distinctive wide-body design of more than 300 Gross Tons. The styling is by Alberto Mancini, who recently made quite a splash in the UK with his work on Fairline’s fab little F-Line 33, and the hull is from Pierluigi Ausonio, complete with wave-piercer to lengthen the waterline.

The design is intended to blur the boundaries between displacement and planing, and introduce efficiencies at transitional speeds for more flexible and practical cruising.

The Azimut Grande Trideck certainly makes a powerful first impression, as you arrive up the gangway and step onto a raised mezzanine-style aft deck, which is set slightly above main deck level and has the feel of a private viewing terrace.

Its pleasing elevation also prevents those awful people on the 50-metre superyacht next door from looking down at you.

There are several choices available in the layout, but essentially the Azimut Grande Trideck offers four ensuite cabins on the lower deck, a substantial, full-beam owner’s suite on the main deck, and a captain’s cabin, or a much larger optional VIP cabin, on the upper deck.

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As a fully-realised wide body design, the foredeck is a spacious and viable extension of the outdoor spaces, while that raised mezzanine not only allows for an unusually generous beach club beneath, but also shelters an attractive, low-level open-air space immediately forward, which Azimut describes as a private patio.

Power comes courtesy of MTU, with a choice of two engine models, and a claimed maximum speed of 25 knots.

All of which is very sober, sensible and reassuring, but it is the interior design by Achille Salvagni which will probably cause the biggest kerfuffle.

Just look at all that fantastic globular blobbiness, with nary a straight line in sight – if you like this sort of thing, this is just the sort of thing you’ll like.

Enjoy the tour…

Azimut Grande Trideck specifications

LOA: 125ft 5in (38.22m)
Beam: 26ft 2in (7.98m)
Engines: Twin MTU 2,600hp
Top speed: 25 knots
Fuel capacity: 22,600L (5,790 US gal)
Starting price: €18,000,000 (ex. VAT)

This article Azimut Grande Trideck tour: Mind-blowing tour of Azimut's biggest boat ever! appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

“When the doors slide open on the main deck, every time I come in there it just blows me away!” says Jimmy John Liautaud. Words spoken by a proud owner show just how 60.34-metre ROCK.IT has more than lived up to expectations after her first year on the water.

“ROCK.IT is very sleek and bold without being pretentious,” says exterior and interior designer Sander Sinot of Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design. “A natural flow of lines and surfaces makes the yacht breathe speed and exude elegance.”

A marriage of cool Dutch design and hot American passion has given the yacht a unique soul, and, after her first year of cruising, ROCK.IT has taken on a personality of her own.

“The owner wanted to have a yacht that was fast from the outside and cosy from the inside,” says Sipke Halbertsma, sales manager at Feadship. “ROCK.IT has a classic Feadship hull from the front, but if you look at her profile you’ll see the exterior lines work to make her look fast.”

This was an important factor for an inspired and excited owner who wanted to do a lot of cruising, and the whole package is tied up neatly in the name, ‘rocking it’ being a longtime motto for Liautaud in his business life.

However, the aggressive, forward movement of the exterior is softened by the interior, also by Sinot: a marriage of old Americana mahogany and modern Dutch minimalism. A surprising pairing, perhaps, but one that works hard to earn its keep as both a cosy family retreat and a raring-to-go party space.

Nothing is out of place, and the rooms don’t feel busy, but there is a warmth that pervades above all. It manages to be both contemporary and comfortable.

Perhaps one reason the two themes blend so effortlessly is to be found in the quality of the work. It is cosy, yes, but not rustic. Glossy and veneered wood extends throughout the yacht, and is the dominant theme, with mahogany being the most prevalent.

However, this is not just any mahogany. The highest quality crotched mahogany was sourced and then ‘folded’ out, so that the panels all match symmetrically, a difficult and lengthy process. Lavish use of glass throughout means the interior benefits from lots of natural light, stopping the wood from feeling too heavy.

In the bridge deck salon, wood also plays a major theme. Light sycamore panelling clads the walls in a unique diagonal veneer, and a custom weaved teak ceiling is an impressive touch. Mahogany accents throughout draw the room together and link it to the rest of the spaces on board.

A well-stocked bar with backlit white onyx proves the focal part of the room, from which the spaces divide out into individual lounging areas, each made distinct by their own soft cream carpet.

ROCK.IT feels voluminous, and while the high ceilings certainly aid this, so does the interior design, which allows for spaces to flow from one designated area to the next, creating capsule environments. Rather than having the feeling of a bridge deck salon, the room is separated into useful and efficient spaces, which makes it feel much larger.

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Bars are a recurring theme on board, with each deck hosting a unique and ample-sized offering. On the main deck, the bar, complete with full-height wine chiller, is the first thing you see when you walk through the sliding doors.

Resplendent in backlit onyx and glossy mahogany and based in a circular ante-chamber, it separates the formal dining space, with a stunning table by Pollaro, and the outside entertaining space, immediately imparting the good-time vibe felt throughout ROCK.IT.

On the sundeck, the more informal outdoor bar faces both fore and aft, allowing the whole deck to be used efficiently for entertaining. Furthest forward is a Jacuzzi surrounded by sunpads and sofas.

In the centre is a table and chairs, made in-house by Feadship, and drawing the whole area together as a relaxed lounging space that accommodates all twelve guests. Aft of the central bar is a row of deckchairs and a large tender and two Yamaha Waverunners.

“We have some owners that want two or three tenders and lots of toys, but the owner of ROCK.IT is really about yachting and diving, so the guest tender we store up top and the rescue tender is in a big hatch forward of the bridge,” says Halbertsma.

Not having the tenders stored in the beach club gives a feeling of more space elsewhere on the yacht, especially in the guest and crew accommodation.

As a yard, Feadship is known for focusing its efforts on offering bespoke superyachts, where there is no ordinary and exceptional is the new normal. And exceptional is no hyperbole. Liautaud took the ability to create a custom superyacht and ran with it.

“During his many visits to the yard, we had terrific fun with this unconventional and no-compromise client,” says CEO Henk de Vries. “His between-your-eyes honesty and tremendous respect for and appreciation of Feadship craftsmanship pushed us to new heights.”

ROCK.IT is one of the quietest yachts Feadship has ever made, and also was the first to utilise an intuitive control and manoeuvring system, commonly used on navy ships. The system allows ROCK.IT to keep her heading at anchor by hovering on the main engine and thrusters.

“I was willing to accept this new system because it comes from a proven military background,” says ROCK.IT’s build captain. “The manoeuvring system represents a real step towards the future. To make it happen took real vision and considerable skill.”

The interior layout is also a far cry from the conventional. The four guest cabins on the lower deck are all similar in size and aesthetic, doing away with the usual large VIP cabin.

This allows all the guest cabins, consisting of two large doubles, a smaller double and a twin, to be large and well-appointed, keeping a democratic harmony and reinforcing the feel of the yacht as a family home away from home.

Unsurprisingly, however, the owner’s cabin is pretty spectacular. Full beam and located on the main deck, the suite is accessed via an opulent marble lobby, past the dramatic mahogany-panelled staircase which links the guest areas.

A private study opens out into the full-beam cabin, which is characterised by the same deep mahogany as seen throughout the rest of the yacht, and soft furnishings in creams and whites. Huge windows ensure the room is always full of light.

Forward are large his’n’hers bathrooms, gleaming with marble and backlit stone. The sink in Liautaud’s bathroom is crafted from a single block of black Portoro marble, weighing almost 500 kilograms.

His wife Leslie’s side boasts a large French-style free standing bath, a rarity on a superyacht, as well as a wealth of Staturio marble and an elegant vanity unit.

With so much effort put into creating such a homely space, it would be easy to expect the owners to never leave their suite, however this is far from the case. There is no favourite space on board: “You know what, I love them all,” says Liautaud.

“We spend least time on the main deck, we spend most of our time on the swim platform and the sundeck, and we live in the bridge deck.”

The bridge deck is a compromise between the formal main deck and the relaxed sundeck. An al fresco dining table aft can be sheltered from a breeze by sliding glass panels, and the large doors into the salon create an easy inside/outside entertaining space.

Further aft, two smaller tables surrounded by sofas move up and down to serve either as coffee tables or dining tables, and match the larger table to create a symbiosis between the areas.

This deck is also home to some of the yacht’s unique and interesting art work, some of which was given to the owners as gifts and the rest which was commissioned specially for the yacht. The art work ranges from pop art sculptures to modern illustrations and more traditional landscapes, and imparts a lived-in feel to the spaces it occupies.

“Sander Sinot and Leslie did all of the art on board,” says the owner. “A couple of friends and musicians gave us a couple of pieces. I did the hardscape and Leslie did all the soft and the colour. That’s our deal.” The art makes the rooms feel personal, and adds a vitality to the otherwise flawless walls.

“Each Feadship is totally unique and no two Feadship owners are the same,” says De Vries. “It is our privilege to create the most amazing yachts on the oceans for the most fascinating people on the planet, and it has been a great experience to partner with the owner of ROCK.IT.”

The experience is, of course, of an owner involving himself in every aspect of the creation of his yacht, which, although perhaps not always easy, is what allows it to come alive in such a palpable way.

ROCK.IT was a labour of love for her owner, and she hasn’t disappointed: “When I’m on board and I just look around at everything, it’s so stimulating and it’s just so awesome. I love it!” he says.

This is perhaps what gives her such a tangible soul, the passion that went into creating something that would still excite so much after so many days spent aboard. ROCK.IT is an apt name for a yacht that makes an owner’s heart soar, like a rocket into outer space.

First published on SuperYachtWorld.com on April 20, 2016

This article Owner of 60m Feadship superyacht ROCK.IT owner explains his design choices appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

If you had to conjure up a classic motor yacht from fundamental elements, you wouldn’t be far away from creating Talitha.

Those funnels, that stylishly flared clipper bow, the traditional counter stern – all that’s needed is Noel Coward in pressed whites and a reefer jacket, smoking a pipe and directing crew operations from the bridge.

Launched between the wars from the Krupp yard in Kiel to designs by Cox & Stephens of New York, after being commissioned by Russell Alger of the Packard Car Company, this superyacht has had a wandering life.

She started life with the suitably Jazz Age name of MV Reveler, soon passing into the hands of Charles McCann of the F. W. Woolworth retail firm (and renamed Chalena).

She served as gunboat in World War II as USS Beaumont, with armaments mounted fore and aft, providing a rare Krupp contribution the Allied effort.

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After the war she went back to private use as Elpital, until music and film producer and all-round empresario Robert Stigwood bought her and renamed her Jezebel. J.

Paul Getty bought her in 1988 and had her restored at Devonport under Jon Bannenberg’s guidance in 1993 (he added the second funnel to winning effect), and she has been immaculately maintained since.

The yacht is still owned by the Getty family and is used for family holidays. “We have a lot of fun on Talitha,” Tara Getty told us in 2010.

Where is she now?

Cruising the French Riviera and always a popular charter choice.

Talitha specifications

Yard: Krupp Germania Werft
Year: 1930
LOA: 75.3m
Designer: Cox & Stephens

First published in 2016 as part of Super Yacht World’s Hall of Fame

This article Talitha: Why this classic motor yacht is an all-time great appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Despite her status as the largest superyacht ever built at a British yard, Vava II’s owner-inspired exterior styling by Redman Whiteley Dixon is not only beautiful but makes the yacht look balanced and sleek.

She’s mainly a yacht of straight lines – the plumb bow, the angle of the superstructure and transom aft to the water, the vertical windows forward – but the sudden kinks of the top deck are a devilish touch.

The interior is by Rémi Tessier. The yacht, refitted at Amels in 2015, has been a regular in cruising hotspots around the world – and she spent the summer of 2016 cruising the Mediterranean.

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“Conceived as a ‘world travelling yacht’, Vava II has exceeded expectations in her extended travels to remote locations and such geographically diverse places as the Indian Ocean islands, Indonesia, Alaska, Polynesia, Patagonia and Antarctica, travelling more than 100,000 nautical miles in a little over four years since delivery,” says Captain Richard Bridge.

“The helicopter deck has been used extensively for the embarked Eurocopter AS350B3 for a mix of transfers, sightseeing, heli-skiing and fishing trips, as well as numerous scientific missions. It will shortly be strengthened to be able to operate the larger twin-engined EC 145 T2.

“The main-deck salon with its glass sliding wall opening to become a part of the main-deck aft pool area has proved extremely popular and gives an option of opening the whole indoor/outdoor area for events and parties.

“Another area that has been used extensively is the expansive beach club – adding a large additional deck space, as well as a platform from which to operate the selection of tenders on board.

“The tender garages themselves have doubled as logistics platforms when operating in remote areas such as the Antarctic peninsula and during scientific missions in the Indian Ocean.”

Where is she now? Cruising privately.

VAVA II specifications

Yard: Devonport/Pendennis
Year: 2012
LOA: 96.0m
Designer: Redman Whiteley Dixon

First published in 2016 as part of Super Yacht World’s Hall of Fame.

This article Vava II: What makes the UK's largest yacht an all-time great appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

A new superyacht project presents its designers with the most desirable of blank canvases.

When you get up to the 90-metre-plus mark, it’s more than a mere canvas, it’s a landscape – as empty landscapes go, this is Kentucky in the late 1600s.

But it’s not just a matter of filling the acres of virgin territory with novelties: there’s sometimes a backstory, too, which brings its own constraints.

Kismet has been cruising almost non-stop since launch. All photos: Guillaume Plisson

“The stakes were high,” as exterior designer Espen Øino puts it bluntly about the initial design phase of the Lürssen Kismet.

He was also the designer of the owner’s previous Kismet (a 68-metre built at Lürssen in 2007, sold by Moran Yacht & Ship in 2013, and now named Global).

A year after launch the owner realised he wanted something bigger. “The brief was clear: the new yacht had to be superior in all respects,” says Espen.

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Screens can shelter this part of the sundeck. The spiral staircase leads to the observation deck

One’s initial impression is that there are some similarities in the look of the two Kismets – the groupings of vertical windows on the lower deck, and the rising kink from main deck level.

But the size and scale of the latest Kismet draws attention to the differences. There’s the sharper-nose and the distinctive bowsprit, as well as prominent overhangs over the wheelhouse and owner’s deck.

The dark windows stand out, too, and at a distance it is hard to define where the deck supports are, making it appear as if the decks are floating. She is a bigger beast, of course, but she actually looks more of an athlete than her sister.

A sea terrace opens up the lobby and gym spaces

“The client was very much involved in the external design of the yacht.

“The external design appearance as she appears today was penned in Chicago, in his half-finished penthouse near the top of a skyscraper,” says Espen.

“Some elements of the exterior were inspired by the Chicago skyline, such as the stainless steel air inlets aft of the funnels.”

An excellent evening retreat – the main deck cinema room

A particular emphasis from the owner’s side was on Kismet’s potential not just as a family cruising yacht but as a charter yacht and as somewhere that could be used for corporate entertaining.

These aren’t necessarily incompatible drives, but it does sharpen the design focus, and it means that the outside spaces and the inside guest areas have to brook no compromise, with relaxed and sociable areas alongside more intimate and curated spaces – what’s required is nothing less than the best of all possible worlds.

“The floorplan was very carefully laid out,” says Espen. There was, he says, “very valuable input” not only from the owner himself but also his captain Kyle Fultz and purser Geraldine Fultz, and project manager Rob Moran of Moran Yacht & Ship, who have been working for the owner for a long time. The interior design team at Reymond Langton also worked on the previous Kismet.

The first step was something of a back-to-basics approach: we know that guests on charter will favour external areas, but in what ways do they really use them?

“During the design phase of Kismet, considerable time was spent analysing the way guests would want to spend time on deck during a typical week’s cruise,” says Espen. What this research produced was an emphasis on “a number of entertainment and hang-out areas”, he adds.

This part of the sundeck, which can be screened, leads to the pool, with a run-off area if there is resonance

Since launch, the yacht has had a busy couple of years, cruising with her owner and his family, chartering for ten weeks last year, and hosting a number of large-scale parties in Florida and London.

She’s made four crossings of the Atlantic, a run to the Pacific and back, and cruised 40,000 cruising miles. There are 27 crew in all, and Kismet feels like a very happy ship.

The entertainment and hangout areas reach their exemplification in the top decks of the yacht. Espen calls the sundeck Kismet’s pièce-de-résistance, as it demonstrates the overriding theme of guest choice.

There’s an informalish dining table, close to the barbecue, with comfortable bar chairs that make it possible to linger for a meal rather than just pick at finger food. Protective screens make it possible to protect this high-up area vulnerable to sea breezes as the heat of the sun wears off.

A superbly detailed spa area

Forward of this is the huge elliptical pool with a cosier hot-tub forward further still. What you might miss at first glance is that at the after end of the pool is a cascading ‘rock garden’ feature that serves as an overflow from the pool, and integrates with the skylight of the elevator.

It’s an inspired touch that keys the whole of the sundeck’s exterior design together nicely.

AV equipment in the dining area means it can be used for business meetings

The helideck on the bridge deck below transforms into another great guest area, with occasional furniture and sunshades that allow a large group of people to gather, and it can be set up as an outdoor cinema.

There’s a shaded bar area, which transforms in the evening to a disco. The wheelhouse is forward, and in front of this there is a seating area. The whole deck exemplifies the many faces of Kismet – you can gather with a group of friends on the aft deck, or inside around the bar, while if you want to escape with a book, the hanging seats provide some shade and seclusion.

Up top, the observation deck has the best views in the house

Back on the sundeck, the spiral staircase provides an elegant intro to what Espen calls “possibly my favourite spot on the yacht” – a private observation deck and sunbathing area. You can lock yourself away in silent contemplation as you relax on the sunpad.

It’s a remarkable spot that also provides a DJ station during parties. The corporate entertaining face of the yacht is shown with the comprehensive RGB lighting system that can generate sponsor’s colours. Taken together, these three upper decks are a good example of how that “balance between awesome and welcoming” has been achieved.

A deck below on the owner’s deck, full use has been made of Kismet’s vastness, with the outside spaces offering something that continues the option-heavy choices of the decks above. There’s a formal dining table shaded by the overhang from the deck above and more glass screens, and served by a bar and buffet to port and starboard.

On sunny days the screens keep the wind off, but they extend right round the space. Once enclosed, guests can be suitably air-conditioned in what had been dubbed the yacht’s ‘winter garden’, and there’s certainly a relaxed, end-of-day and out-of-office feel to the place. There’s more seating aft.

The bridge deck helipad transforms into a magical hangout space

Forward, the owner has access to a private deck area that offers a hot-tub and sunpads. The owner gets a great view from this private space over the clean expanse of foredeck. With the mooring gear fully enclosed on the main deck below, there was an opportunity to utilise this space in as many ways possible.

It can serve as a demi-basketball court once a hoop is erected (there are court markings on deck) and nets go up to keep the ball inboard. And it also serves as a second touch-and-go helipad. Finally, it can be shaded and tented to create an informal evening dining area.

Right forward at the stainless steel bowsprit there’s a base for the imposing 6ft tall and 15ft long removable sculpture of a jaguar – a reference to one of the owner’s sporting interests, the Jacksonville Jaguars (there are jaguar motifs everywhere on board).

This beast was created on the world’s largest 3D printer in Belgium, and is mostly deployed on match days. The eyes of the jaguar can be lit, which is presumably a feature employed on winning match days. The cat lives alongside the rescue tender when not in use.

The main deck seating aft – a ‘firepit’ feature

The main deck has its own space aft, which serves as a spacious welcoming area with bars either side of a dining table. But the real attraction is aft, often a main deck area that becomes lined with seating inside the guardrails. On Kismet, there are semi-circles of seating either side of a firepit that converts to a coffee table. Once again, Kismet has myriad options for guests.

For the yacht’s interior, Reymond Langton Design’s brief was to answer two needs – to create something that gave a sense of perspective on the new 95-metre vessel, and (as with the exterior spaces) to let the yacht function as a family retreat and an entertainment hub for larger groups.

Once again, the demands aren’t necessarily conflicting, but they need to be managed if they are to be fulfilled successfully. It’s the set-piece spaces of Kismet’s interior that really impress – particularly the architectural drama of the double-height spaces on the main and owner’s deck entertainment spaces.

The bar on the main deck leads to a piano bar

Pascale Reymond calls the overall design philosophy “a rich contemporary interpretation of Art Deco themes”. The bold geometric shapes and vivid contrasts of Art Deco have been successfully used for a generation of modern superyacht interiors.

It’s a flexible form, capable of reinterpretation in a contemporary style, with a modern art vibe that never tends towards abstraction. It works for the small stuff, and the big stuff, too – and it doesn’t get much bigger than the sweeping staircase between the salons on the main and owner’s decks.

If it weren’t for the monster video walls either side, you might have been whisked back for a moment to the first-class lounge of a 1930s liner. The ornately decorated glass walkway with a view down to the main deck is an inspired touch.

Decoish styling and video walls around the main deck piano lounge

There is another staircase too (opposite which is a lift to take you from the main deck to the sundeck), which frames the elegant lobby areas on the main and owner’s decks, but it’s the main staircase that serves as not only a visual feast but as a division point of the different areas.

The staircase rises over a piano bar, with a more formal lounge and bar, and a welcoming lobby, aft of that. Between the main deck foyer and the piano lounge there is a cinema room with overhead projector and semi-circle of seating. The space also doubles as a cigar room and sports bar – a further example of Kismet’s Protean charms.

An owner’s suite inspired by Chanel

Immediately above this space on the owner’s deck is the formal dining area. It makes grand use of the full beam of the yacht, and there is a further lounge aft. The owner benefits from a superbly appointed office to starboard off a centreline corridor.

There is plenty of space to play with and it has been put to good use, with a separate boudoir. Styling in the bedroom is inspired by Coco Chanel, which fits the Decoish vibe nicely, while the centreline gas fireplace adds a reassuringly homely vibe. Pascale Reymond calls the suite a “self-contained retreat at the heart of the yacht”.

Guest cabins on the main deck continue the styling theme

The main-deck guest suites are divided into three twins (that convert to doubles) and two VIPs forward, with the VIPs having more of an Art Nouveau styling theme. On the lower deck, there is an occasional guest cabin, as well as a gym and superb wellness areas for guests, including an ice fountain.

Mosaics and styling details add a touch of Zen and of the mystical east to the yacht, while a sea terrace to starboard opens up the guest space. The spa is one of Kismet’s standout areas, and is proving particularly popular with charter guests.

There are so many places for guests to lose themselves here. Among Kismet’s crew is a masseuse and beautician, a hair stylist (there’s a hair and beauty parlour), and a yoga teacher.

Guests have so many great places to choose from aboard Kismet

“Walt Disney once famously said, ‘If you can dream it, you can do it’. When you experience Kismet, you know this to be true. And for that, Lürssen should be extremely proud,” owner Shahid Khan says.

The latest instalment of Kismet’s story with an Atlantic crossing after a summer in Europe that has included a cruise of Norway. Another season of dreaming and doing awaits.

• A version of this story appeared in SuperYacht World Issue 50, July/August 2016

This article On board the 95m Lürssen superyacht Kismet appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Part of the Sirena Superyachts concept range that was launched at the 2022 Monaco Yacht Show, the Sirena 42M features exterior design and layouts by Luca Vallebona and interior design by Hot Lab.

No details have been released about the owner, engines, range, price or target completion date, but this design should attract a lot of interest thanks to a wealth of innovative ideas.

Most striking of which is the foredeck patio, which can be directly accessed from the owner’s suite. This area includes a plunge pool, a pergola and a curved staircase leading to the upper deck.

Breaking down barriers between the interior and exterior spaces was a key theme for the designers, and this can also be seen in the saloon, which is just a few steps away from the aft deck infinity pool flanked by folding balconies.

“Often, reference is made to large windows as a method to enhance the relationship between the interior and exterior,” comments Vallebona.

“In the case of Sirena Superyachts, I wanted to take this concept a step further, ensuring not only expansive views of the landscape but also the possibility of physically stepping outside of the usually enclosed interior.”

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Below decks the guest accommodation is comprised of four cabins, two of which feature en-suite bathrooms and walk-in wardrobes that will ensure excellent noise insulation from the adjacent crew and machinery spaces.

“In these cabins, the use of curved elements alternating with more rectilinear lines is evident,” Vallebona adds. “In general, through the use of curves, large fillets, and dynamic walls, I wanted to create the opportunity for an interior where there is always an element that can stand out from the rest, clear and not redundant.”

In terms of decor, Hot Lab’s choice of oak, beech, cotton, chenille and titanium aims to evoke both Nordic and Mediterranean styles.

Antonio Romano, commercial director and partner of The Viken Group and co-founder of Hot Lab explains: “We developed with the yard various stylistic solutions that could satisfy owners with very different needs while allowing the shipyard to standardise production as much as possible.”

The Sirena 42M will be the Turkish yard’s flagship by quite some distance, eclipsing the Sirena 88 by a good 50ft.

“The interiors are simply stunning, with stylishly realised options that allow for highly personalised finishing coupled to design flexibility in layout that ties in perfectly with Sirena’s forward-thinking approach to general arrangements without impacting on engineering elements,” says Cagin Genc, CEO of Sirena Yachts.

“Hot Lab captured the essence of Sirena’s unique superyachts and their innovative and inviting layouts, and we are confident our enthusiasm will be shared by our clients.”

This article Sirena 42M first look: Why this new superyacht marks a huge leap forward for the Turkish yard appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The only rules were that they couldn’t pick one of their own and they had to be luxury superyachts over 30 metres. With the votes counted, we can now reveal our definitive rundown of the most beautiful yachts in the world.

We’ve even enlisted some of those same designers to explain what makes the final ten yachts so special. Scroll down to see the full top 10 and read more about each model.

10 of the most beautiful superyachts of all time

10. Limitless

James Roy, managing director of BMT Nigel Gee believes her to be one of the most beautiful superyachts in the world and writes:

“One of the earlier breed of superyachts Limitless is in my opinion from a period when the volume of superstructures were not over imposing producing a well balanced yacht. These proportions coupled with the sheer line and well matched angles of bow profile and rake of superstructure ends all work together.”

Certainly with her dark blue hull and glistening white superstructure she cuts quite a dash and at night her comprehensive array of on deck illumination and underwater lighting make her look nothing short of spectacular proving that yachts can have beauty 24 hours a day.

Year: 1997 – LOA: 96.25m – Builder: Lürssen – Exterior: Jon Bannenburg – Interior: Catroux

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9. Skat

“It’s a great pleasure to pay tribute to an iconic thoroughbred such as Skat, still standing tall on the horizon,” says Tim Saunders of Rainsford Saunders Design. “Despite her military looks, this is a true superyacht, engineered as a ship at heart and built from the keel up, with every square metre fulfilling the owner’s brief. Skat is a unique design but has not broken traditional yachting rules for the sake of it.

She is a superyacht that has been devised to offer the owner a well-considered relationship between external and internal living spaces, and unlike many of her sisters, she doesn’t opt for maximum density. Skat’s combination of poise, elegance and balance comes from a clever use of straight, angular lines, facetted surfaces and enhanced ship details.

Each component comes together in a harmonious relationship to offer a daring and bold statement that from a distance has the grace and elegance of something far more organic. She is a yacht that catches your eye from all angles.”

Year: 2002 – LOA: 70.7m – Builder: Lürssen – Exterior: Espin Oeino – Interior: Marco Zanini

8. Alfa Nero

“When we first saw Alfa Nero we were impressed by her smooth exterior lines,” say Mareid Moosbrugger and Georg Decker of Egg and Dart Design. “The superstructure is sleek and elegant without any angular or hard corners. We consider her to be one of the most beautiful yachts afloat today, and we can easily understand why our colleagues agree.

“Walking around her at the 2007 Monaco Yacht Show, we felt the three-dimensional use of space was harmonious with the elements, and there was a true balance between the inside and outside areas of the yacht, with the exterior spaces maintaining a close connection with the natural environment of the sea and sky.

“The decks are open and airy, yet there is a feeling of being safely cocooned, and the superb aft deck in particular maintains a feeling of being at one with the ocean, which is emphasised by the huge pool. The yacht impressed us as a gentle giant: on the one hand huge, voluminous and technically advanced; on the other, stylish, glossy and surprisingly cosy.

“The beautiful interior features a timeless but modern design with elements of Art Deco, and everywhere you can see that the smallest details have been attended to. This yacht is a perfect combination of design, functionality and vision, and offers a unique ambience.”

Year: 2007 – LOA: 81.27m – Builder: Oceanco – Exterior: Nuvolari-Lenard – Interior: Alberto Pinto

7. Aviva

Designer Reymond Langton says: “At the time of her creation, she was the largest yacht that we had signed and would be the largest the yard had built. The client is a very experienced yacht owner and for him to have put his trust in us when we had nothing of our own in the water at the time was a massive vote of confidence.

“He allowed us to be a little experimental with the design – this was the first large yacht with a plumb bow. It was fantastic to have landed another contract where we were able to design the exterior and interior as it gave us much more control over the whole project, and gave us the scope to really harmonise the spaces.

“It also allowed us to work hand in hand together, which we thoroughly enjoy and believe delivers the best results for the client. We think she stands out because she has a very striking profile that is easily recognisable from a distance.

“She has a lot of presence on the water due to her powerful lines. Anyone who has been on board will tell you that the high-volume interior feels incredibly luxurious.”

Year: 2007 – LOA: 68.0m – Builder: Abeking & Rasmussen – Exterior: Reymond Langton Design – Interior: Reymond Langton Design

6. Carinthia VII

The Austrian supermarket heiress Heidi Horten replaced Carinthia VI (see below) with this very secret yacht rumoured to run at 26 knots. Voting her as his most beautiful yacht, Rupert Mann of Rainsford Mann Design said, “97m is a good length for a designer to work with, as it gives an opportunity to design longitudinally not vertically and therefore create an elegant yacht which appears low and sleek.

“What makes the design of Carinthia VII so successful is the enhancement of this due to the pure and elegant sheer line that draws your eye from the bow to stern so effortlessly. The clever trick of dropping the sheer line one deck down aft, gives it a dynamic and purposeful bow shape forward, as if carving its path with consummate ease.

The horizontal lines of the super structure are equally uncomplicated, in this instance resisting the addition of unnecessary detail such as fashion plates that often complicate a design. Ultimately I think the strength of the design manifests through its simplicity. It is the most successful of designs, which can be called a ‘timeless classic’.

“A design that will be successful in every genre modern or classic and in every decade, that even 7 years later still is relevant and pleasing to the eye. I would suspect it is this timeless styling and the sheer simplicity, coupled with the poise and balance of the whole composition, that is so appealing to so many of us.”

Year: 2002 – LOA: 97m – Builder: Lürssen – Exterior: Tim Heywood – Interior: Tim Heywood

5. Maltese Falcon

The designer Ken Freivoch, responsible for the way this beautiful yacht looks says, “We are delighted that our fellow designers should have included Maltese Falcon within their shortlist. She was designed without any attempt to be ostentatious or to conform to a set style – it was very much a case of “form follows function”, albeit with very careful attention to essential design principles, balanced proportions and uncluttered and purposeful shapes totally derived from the function they are designed to perform.

The yacht is significant in her innovative sailing system, and our studio took this as a clue to develop the design around such technology, with every effort to develop beautiful and unique solutions aimed at highlighting her unique rig. I can only surmise that a reason why she may have been selected by designers is that she is not a “trendy” design, but the result of going back to first principles, coming out with original and unique solutions, and achieve continuity of concept through from the external styling to the interior design.

A case in point would be the design of the “spider” feature at the aft deck – originally the result of a last minute request from the naval architects to achieve optimum separation between the bearings at the mizzen mast, the announcement from Gerry Dijkstra came something like: “Hey Ken, if we had to place the top bearing for the aft mast 1m above the deck, in the middle of the aft deck – would that be a problem?

“Can you come up with a way to do this, which Tom will not object to? We took this as a clue to design an elegant and purposeful set of arches or buttresses to shore up the bearing in question, and at the same time underline what a unique “machine” the Falcon is – express such function very much along the lines of a watchmaker showing the inner workings of a beautifully crafted watch. Maltese Falcon was a great challenge, exactly the type of challenge that our design team relishes.

For us, the thrill, the excitement and the ultimate satisfaction is to come up with totally unique, “out-of-the-box” solutions, and achieve a design which the owner can feel was truly conceived and executed in response to his brief, to his preferences and to the very specific requirements set out for the project.”

Year: 2006 – LOA: 88m – Builder: Perini Navi – Exterior: Gerard Dijstra – Interior: Ken Freivoch

4. Enigma

Espen Oenio was at the time of the design working with Martin Francis and describes the commissioning owner – Mexican media magnate Emilio Azcarraga – as a wonderfully charismatic man. He remembers one meeting in particular early on in the project.

They were at the time sitting on board the owner’s then yacht Lady Azteca (now Achilles), when he laid out what was to become the mission statement for the whole design process. He told the design team: “I am a very private man. I never spend time in port, I am always cruising. But when I do go into port, I want my presence to be felt through my boat.”

James Roy of BMT Nigel Gee is one designer who voted for Enigma. “It was not until I set eyes on her in the flesh at Cowes Week in 1999 that I really came to appreciate her beauty,” he says.

“The reverse sheer, the sweeping aft deck and those iconic windows – they all meld together to produce a yacht that visually works to perfection and is thoroughly striking even today, 18 years after her launch. It’s very different from anything else that is around.”

Theo Werner of Werner Yacht Design is equally enthusiastic. “When the design of this yacht was first published, I was stunned,” he says. “And when the first photographs appeared in the magazines, I was even more stunned.

“She introduced a new way of thinking that even surpassed the designs of Bannenberg, who I admire very much. Eco included many aspects that are foreign to other ships and yachts, yet Martin Francis managed to combine these with everything that make a ship pretty, such as sleekness, the suggestion of a low freeboard a small superstructure.”

She was subsequently sold to Larry Ellison and is now owned by the British businessman Aidan Barclay and his brother.

Year: 1991 – LOA: 74.5m – Builder: Blomhm & Voss – Exterior: Martin Francis – Interior: Francois Zuretti

3. Endeavour

“Endeavour is one of my favourite yachts for a number of reasons,” Ed Dubois told SuperYacht World. “Firstly, she is a J Class yacht – one of only a few ever built. This class epitomised the very peak of yacht design before World War II and remains still, in technical terms, a class apart. These yachts were extreme in every way and demanded technology that was then in its infancy.

“They were superb yachts to sail upwind, but they were also fast reaching and downwind. They demanded a very high level of sailing skill, and indeed a high level of boatbuilding skill.

“Endeavour, I believe, is the most beautiful of all the Js built. Her purity of line is exquisite and I think the shape of the sheer is slightly better than any of the others including Velsheda (by the same designer).

“Charles Nicholson designed Endeavour in 1933 and she was used to challenge for the America’s Cup in 1934. It was universally acknowledged that she was faster than the defender Rainbow, and she won the first two races, but better sailing by the Americans allowed them to win overall.

“She has captured the imagination of so many people including, happily, Elizabeth Meyer, who acquired the yacht in the seventies and rebuilt her almost from scratch.

“I believe there is some original plate still present but the hull was rebuilt in the UK and then taken to Royal Huisman Shipyard to be fitted out. The interior, by John Munford, is beautiful – obviously not what was fitted originally when she was a pure racing yacht, but Munford created something that is entirely fitting.

“Endeavour is not a practical yacht to own. She can only be sailed in reasonable conditions, she requires a large crew to race her, most of whom by necessity must sleep ashore, and maintaining a yacht of this type, particularly with regard to sails, rigging, etc is not inexpensive. However, for sheer sailing performance, romantic appeal and beauty I believe she is second to none.”

Year: 1934 – LOA: 39.6m – Builder: Camper & Nicholson – Exterior: C & N – Interior: C & N

2. Pelorus

Designer Tim Heywood says: “When a client gives you carte blanche to create a design, it is a blessing and a curse, if you do not rise to the challenge, you will not gain the approval of your client or, eventually, the respect of your peers.

“Pelorus was a great project for us and we are extremely pleased with the end result, as was the client. I was able to develop the internal general arrangement plan, the external global styling themes and the practical engineering details to a level I had not achieved before.

The organic curves & forms of the superstructure are echoed in the lines of the hull, tying the two forms together, to produce a harmony that is easy on the eye, was quite unique at the time and, hopefully, will not date.

“The belt line that runs forward from the stern and sweeps down towards the anchor pocket, is inspired by the armour plating of the light cruiser HMS Belfast, which still lives just up stream from our old London studio.

“If I succeeded in creating a yacht that is thought of as attractive, by my brothers in arms of the design world, I am very pleased. Informed comments from professional, talented designers and client, means more than from any other source, especially if they are not negative!

“My partner, Vanessa, came up with our project name, we always give a name to our yachts, rather than a sterile number, and the client liked the name so much that he confirmed Pelorus as the yacht’s eventual name. The yacht has changed hands, but we are very pleased to see that she has retained her original name.”

“If I succeeded in creating a yacht that is thought of as attractive by my brothers-in-arms of the design world, I am very pleased. Informed comment from professional, talented designers and clients means more than from any other source – especially when they are positive!”

Year: 2003 – LOA: 115m – Builder: Lürssen – Exterior: Tim Heywood – Interior: Terrence Disdale

1. Carinthia VI

Dickie Bannenburg of Bannenburg Designs say: “Famously, and perhaps notoriously, Carinthia VI owes her existence to the fact that her elder sibling Carinthia V survived for only a few months before ending her days several fathoms down in Greek waters.

:The unfortunate captain struggled ashore to find a phone to have an awkward phone conversation with Helmut Horten, his Owner. Mr Horten rang my father up almost the following day and told him to start work on her replacement which has now become, in an often over used phrase, a yachting icon.

“She certainly wasn’t an icon when she appeared out of the Lürssen shed for the first time. With dramatic superstructure on a slim frigate-based hull, grilles and that distinctive blue windshield forward of the wheelhouse, my father’s design scared the pants off people and the perception of him hardened amongst conventional designers and naval architects as a dangerous radical. But now her pared down lines and slender masculinity scream good taste, restraint and a sense of suave style that is rarely seen these days.

“Certainly her interior was purposeful, code for slightly austere, and by today’s standards there was not much interior volume for lavish living, not least due to the presence of three mighty MTU diesels. There are no swoops, no complicated fashion plates and absolutely no ability to walk down steps at the transom to a nice bathing platform.

“But all the better for it. Life on board was, I understand, conducted with a certain Austrian precision and Carinthia’s elegant and taut exterior, with deep blue paintwork and her gold coachwork stripe cut an unmistakeable dash in the harbours of the Cote d’Azur as she still does today.

“My father was very proud of her. Of course I’m even more proud that his design of almost forty years ago has such an enduring impact.”

Year: 2003 – LOA: 115m – Builder: Lürssen – Exterior: Bannenberg – Interior: Bannenberg

First published in the January 2015 issue of Superyacht World.

This article Most beautiful superyachts: 10 of the best as chosen by top designers appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Whether you’re looking at the 23m entry point, the 40m flagship or the 30m motor cat, Extra Yachts is all about efficient long-range platforms with seductive but practical superyacht-inspired day spaces and cruising facilities. The new Extra X99 Fast is no exception.

With naval architecture by Palumbo Superyachts, exteriors by Guida Design and interiors by Luca Dini, Extra describes the style as “modern Mediterranean flair” and that translates into a layout that majors on alfresco entertainment.

The 75m² aft deck features an unusual semi-external dining zone, which straddles the internal saloon and the expandable open-air cockpit, with an extendable 12-man table and a well placed multi-purpose bar area.

From here, another pair of convivial zones slope down towards the sea – a lounge area with low-slung settees and fold down balconies, and a spacious aft sunpad perched above a big swim platform.

While the 4m Williams Sportjet has a dedicated tender garage on the starboard side, those who want the extra versatility of a pair of jet skis will appreciate the fact that the bow also features a hydraulic crane.

On the inside, the saloon features an aft galley with a drop-down glass partition for extra privacy. It also provides a relaxed bar, plus an L-shaped sofa with armchairs – and rather cleverly, the low-level coffee tables can be raised, creating a second internal dining area.

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Below deck, there is space for up to ten guests in four large cabins, thanks to a pullman bed in each of the two twin cabins, plus a VIP cabin forward and an amidships owner’s cabin that takes full advantage of the 24ft beam.

Given the scale of all these spaces, the flybridge seems surprisingly short, with a deck that encompasses little more than a quarter of the overall length. Accessed via a stairwell from the starboard side deck, it provides a distinctly intimate relaxation zone with sun loungers, a dining table and a bar.

But while it’s certainly more compact than most upper decks, the reason for that revolves around the driving dynamics. After all, this is not some vast, ponderous floating hotel.

As the name suggests, the Extra X99 Fast is a genuinely sporting motoryacht and, in spite of a length just shy of 100ft, it backs that up with a top speed not far short of 40 knots, thanks to a lightweight carbon-fibre-infused planing hull and a trio of MAN V12-2000s or a pair of MTU 2,600hp units hooked up to waterjets.

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Extra X99 Fast specifications

LOA: 99ft 1in (30.20m)
Beam: 24ft 0in (7.3m)
Engines: Twin 2,600hp MTU / Triple 2,000hp MAN V12s
Top speed: 37-45 knots
Price: Available upon application

This article Extra X99 Fast yacht tour: On board a jet-powered 45-knot superyacht appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Seen here are cruising pictures of Jubilee on her maiden voyage. Oceanco’s largest ever yacht has been delivered and is now in the Mediterranean after her February launch. At 110-metres, the superyacht also claims the title of being the largest ever built in the Netherlands.

Her striking exterior design is by Lobanov design. Clever use of glass in the superstructure blends the deck levels, tricking the eye into believing she is 10 decks high as opposed to five. The interior design is by Sam Sorgiovanni, and the yard says it is “both spacious and rich, offering accommodation for up to 30 guests in 15 staterooms including an entirely private owner’s deck.”

Forward there is a fully certified helicopter deck with a concealed hangar below. As with many of the largest superyachts, Jubilee is built to the Passenger Yacht Code, allowing her to carry more guests. There is a large pool aft with a built-in aquarium and a large beach club at water level.

“Our plans for Jubilee’s first season are to cruise the Western Med,” says build captain Roy Dance. “But after that, who knows, this yacht is certainly capable of going anywhere in the world.” On her maiden voyage from the Netherlands the yacht stopped in Gibraltar for fuel, and is now underway again on her way to Cannes.

The yacht is for sale through Burgess, who also brought the owner and managed the build. “Burgess introduced this project to Oceanco and we provided technical consultancy and project management as owner’s representative throughout the entire build process,” says Burgess’s Joe Cic.

The yacht is a turn-key project and has already been outfitted with all her toys and accessories, including tenders, watersports equipment, china, crystal, silverware, table linen, sheets, loose furniture and cushions. The 110-metre yacht has a beam of 16.4-metres and displaces over 4,500 gross tons, with a top speed of 18.5 knots.

Photos Francisco Martinez Photography

First published on SuperYachtWorld.com on July 12, 2017

This article 110-metre Jubilee delivered and on the move appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Rich and fierce, and with an athletic poise, the astonishing red-hulled 50m yacht Ipanema, launched by Mondomarine last year, occupies the water with the confidence of an enormous floating Ferrari. And what a red that hull colour is! Not a cloudy burgundy of some understated elegance if a little dullness; it’s a brash, screaming, high-gloss scarlet.

Once you’ve recovered from the endearing shock of the exterior, a whole new world of enigma awaits inside. You’d expect something that matched the contemporary flair of the exterior with a calculated coolness, something masculine and mechanical perhaps.

What you get is an eclectic mix of the traditional and modern that brazenly nods to so many art and design styles. It’s a bold approach – as bold as the yacht’s exterior styling – and it gives a hint of the all-inclusive philosophy with which Ipanema has been put together.

Ipanema began life as a concept on paper, a standard member of Mondomarine’s M50 all-aluminium, semi-displacement range. Designed by Hot Lab, the M50 – created in 2013 – echoes the youthful boldness of the design house, and there was clearly a meeting of minds when the owner came on board with the project.

“We started talking to the owner [in 2013],” says Antonio Romano, one of Hot Lab’s founding partners. “He liked the exterior styling of the concept and didn’t make any major changes.

“But he did want to change the beach club. Privacy was important to him and his family, and he didn’t like the idea of a large open area at the back of the yacht.”

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A beach club is generally something you wouldn’t want to get rid of in a modern superyacht, and would represent a substantial loss to guests, but aboard Ipanema there is a distinctive gain: a huge tender in the extended garage.

The 7.4m Monterey unit is substantial beast for a 50-metre yacht to digest, but it has been achieved by the judicious movement of a bulkhead. A further complication comes because the owner wanted a petrol-driven tender, which created a world of engineering, fuel supply and fire-risk-assessment pain for the yard to overcome.

A second change the owner insisted on was in the owner’s suite windows on the main deck. “He had seen another 50-metre Hot Lab project and wanted the same windows. We were happy to copy ourselves!” says Antonio.

The early design had a very straight window line heading towards the bow; what has been developed for Ipanema is a scooped cut-out forward, which is more in keeping with the energetic superstructure styling elsewhere.

That forward window also suggests an owner who is not afraid of visual drama, which brings us back to the hull colour. After the initial renderings were produced, Hot Lab’s colour scheme hadn’t changed from “standard grey, white and black”, says Antonio.

“But the owner wanted to shock and so we came up with the idea of a striking red. It is also a colour associated with good luck. It’s a very intense experience to see this colour, but we were careful that the red never touches the white of the superstructure.

“One of our design partners, Michele Dragoni, has a background in car design and really understands how surfaces and colours interact. By keeping the red and white apart, the human eye better sees the whole vessel.”

Antonio describes Ipanema as “the world’s biggest yacht ever in red”, and it’s clearly something he is proud to have in the portfolio.

“Ipanema is a yacht with her make-up on. She’s a yacht that’s wearing her lipstick!” he says.

So how did that very eclectic interior come about, and that unusual juxtaposition between the exterior and interior styling? “We had some initial interior renderings for the M50 that were minimalistic, but it was clear that Ipanema’s owner wanted something different. The first point was that he liked traditional, classical architectural features.”

Hot Lab’s immediate response was, says Antonio, “to consult some books!”. “All of our interiors so far have been minimalist, modern in style. Now we started to study 17th-Century architecture.

“We had to understand Renaissance styles. In fact, the flower patterns you can see at the top of many of the columns are directly inspired by a Renaissance palace in Florence.”

The owner was communicating with the design team several times a week, emailing clippings for the mood board and his own design ideas. Out of this grew the designers’ sense of an interior that would suit. “It was a challenge for us because it was something unknown, but the client was very clear, very precise about what he liked.

“A key thing was that he wanted everything bespoke. We couldn’t simply pick a pattern of carpet. He wanted something unique, designed just for Ipanema. Everything you see is custom made, right down to the hand-made porcelain switches. It was a massive amount of work.”

Even the main-deck galley has the feel of a country kitchen, with a personal vibe rather than the austere exhibition of metal and Miele that characterises most superyacht galleys.

It’s not only the sense of contrast between the exterior and the interior that is striking; it’s also the richness and vividness inside – the colours, the mirrors, the brew of elements. Marble is a key material – there are 14 different types used on board.

“There are also over 20 different fabric patterns,” says Antonio. And there’s that recurring flaming-red flower motif, too, which you see attached to columns at eye-height throughout the yacht, in suites, bathrooms and corridors. “We produced these on a 3D printer – over 100 of them,” says Antonio.

There’s a further surprise in this yacht of surprises: Ipanema has seven guest cabins, with two single suites on the bridge deck (which share a bathroom), an enormous main-deck master with lots of natural light, and four colour-themed guest cabins on the lower deck.

Though certified for charter, this is a yacht designed for private cruising with a large family, and in that respect she is precisely fit for purpose.

“We are very proud of the yacht,” says Antonio. “We are particularly proud of the teamwork, and of delivering just what the client wanted. It was exactly the yacht he desired.”

So does he have a favourite area of the yacht? “I am most proud of the master cabin and bathroom. There is so much marble in the bathroom! And I really like the skylight from above bringing in natural light. Mondomarine did an amazing job with the marble.”

After the 2016 Monaco Yacht Show, the owner has based the yacht in Turkey, from where Ipanema has been doing just what she has been designed for: providing the perfect base for extended family cruising. And, of course, an engaging talking point for anyone on shore who happens to see the red beast on the water.

First published in 2017 for Super Yacht World.

This article Ipanema: Inside the world's biggest red yacht appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Sunseeker used the 2023 Monaco Yacht Show to unveil its latest superyacht concept in the form of the Sunseeker 120 Yacht.

Slotting into the range between the Sunseeker 116 Yacht and the Sunseeker 130 Yacht, this raised pilothouse design is characterised by “bold geometry, an athletic silhouette, immaculate style and effortless functionality” the yard explains.

Key features include a foredeck seating area that slides forward to reveal a hot tub, as well as a main deck owner’s suite with full-height windows.

Meanwhile, the transom features a gull-wing door that conceals a day head and shower, as well as enough storage space for a 6m tender and two jet skis.

The hull design has been optimised for fuel efficiency, meaning that the Sunseeker 120 Yacht can hit a top speed of 20 knots powered by a pair of 2,000hp MTU V12 engines – relatively small for a yacht of this size.

Dial that speed back to 10 knots and a cruising range of 1,730nm will be possible, the yard estimates.

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Andrea Frabetti, Chief Executive Officer at Sunseeker International, commented: “We have worked very closely with Design Unlimited to realise a spectacular interior design for the 120 Yacht. Immediately we want owners to be met with a very special interior space that has high impact but with the comfort and practicalities of home.”

Sean Robertson, Sales and Marketing Director at Sunseeker International, added:  “For over 20 years, we have launched 14 superyacht lines and over 147 yachts over 100 feet [have been] sold worldwide. The 120 Yacht is a stunning new concept that, to the right owner, will fulfil their yachting dreams.”

The Monaco Yacht Show runs until Saturday (October 30) and Sunseeker has three yachts on display: the Sunseeker 90 Ocean, Sunseeker 95 Yacht and Sunseeker 100 Yacht.

Sunseeker 120 Yacht specifications

LOA: 120ft / 36.6m
Beam: 24ft 1in / 7.3m
Draft (full load): 8ft 3in / 2.5m
Fuel capacity: 19,500L / 5,151 US Gal
Water capacity: 4,400L / 1,162 US Gal
Engines: 2 x 2,000hp MTU 12V M97L
Top speed: 20 knots
Range: 1,730 nautical miles @ 10 knots
Price: Available upon application

This article Sunseeker 120 Yacht concept revealed at 2023 Monaco Yacht Show appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

The Italian yard’s most radical new boat in years, the Pershing GTX116 is best classified as a sportfly, although the futuristic styling and unusual layout suggest a crossover label may be more appropriate.

The GTX116 certainly has a very different look to the 50-knot sportscruisers we’re used to seeing from Pershing, with a near vertical windscreen positioned much further forward than usual and a snub-nosed bow like the flagship Pershing 140.

The stern is also quite different with a trio of terraces that cascade down to sea level culminating in a pair of transom doors that swing up and out to create a beach club effect. This cab-forward design frees up space for a much more even split between indoor and outdoor entertaining zones.

The main deck cockpit is almost as long as the saloon, with room for an aft-facing sofa and chairs, a ten-person dining table and a cocktail bar with stools.

The Pershing GTX116 also features an unusual asymmetric layout. Although the open plan saloon is zoned conventionally with a lounge aft, galley and dining area amidships, and bridge forward – the whole area is offset to starboard so that it takes in the space usually reserved for the side deck.

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This makes it wider than would otherwise be the case and avoids the corridor-like feel some long, thin performance boats suffer from. There’s also an optional fold-down terrace on the port side which connects to the saloon with the aid of a sliding glass side door to create another indoor/outdoor lounge area.

Two smaller side doors on either side of the bridge give access to the bow cockpit where a pair of big sunbeds flank an optional circular spa pool. The lower-deck accommodation consists of four or five ensuite cabins for up to 10 guests. The full-beam owner’s cabin is amidships and features twin ensuite shower-rooms.

The other guest cabins have inward-facing transverse beds – two doubles and two slightly smaller twin-bed cabins – or the fourth can be specified as a lower dinette. Plus there’s crew space for five in three ensuite cabins forward.

Although the Pershing GTX116 is a voluminous boat with 125m² of living space, it’s still a Pershing so power options are prodigious. The standard set up is triple 1,800hp MANs on KaMeWa waterjets, only the outer two of which steer, but these can be uprated to 2,000hp MANs, which was the option chosen by the owner of hull no1.

The preliminary quoted top speeds are 32.5 or 35.5 knots respectively, with a range of around 400nm at a cruising speed of 25 knots.

Following her launch in February 2023, Pershing GTX116 hull no1 was named Caffeine by her American owner.

“I spent years searching for a yacht that’s perfect for Miami but could never find one,” he added. “Now my ideal model is finally a reality thanks to Pershing GTX116.

“Five suites, a sunroof on the upper deck, a huge Jacuzzi, plenty of space for the crew, a large garage for tenders, and the best silver paintwork of all time. Not only beauty and comfort, but also the quality and safety that only a Pershing can provide.”

Prices have not yet been released. More GTX fast-cruisers are expected to join the range in the coming years spanning sizes from 80-130ft (24-40m).

Enjoy the tour…

Pershing GTX116 specifications

LOA: 114ft 10in / 35m
Beam: 25ft 3in / 7.7m
Draft: 4ft 9in / 1.45m
Power: Triple 2,000hp MAN V12
Top speed: 35.5 knots
Cruising speed: 25 knots
Range: 400nm
Price: Available on application

This article Pershing GTX116 yacht tour: Inside a brand new 6,000hp luxury super cruiser appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Where Sanlorenzo’s SP110 showed the influence of radical Bluegame design thinking in its low aft saloon and two-storey atrium, the new Sanlorenzo SX100 goes the whole hog with bold superstructure styling that is clearly another conscious homage to its sister Sanlorenzo brand.

A two-decker with several layout options, including a three- or four-cabin lower-deck layout, the Sanlorenzo SX100 retains the SP110’s superb stern arrangement, where you descend from the broad cockpit into a low-level space that can be fitted out as either a secluded, waterline saloon or as a master suite.

In either case, the bulwarks fold down to let light in from the sides as well as aft.

Ascend via the other cockpit companionway and you find yourself up on the main deck, with its spacious midships seating area and the option of a spectacular cabin forward, which could serve as either a VIP or master, or a bright open-plan dining area with excellent views on three sides.

The wheelhouse sits up top, with further seating and an extra dining table for elevated breakfasts.

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The interior design is as adventurous as we have come to expect from this yard, with daring open tread companionways, cantilevered stairs, and plenty of glass to lend this classy cruising yacht the look of a very superior loft apartment.

Sanlorenzo has opted for an unusual machinery package involving no fewer than four Volvo D13s, totalling and impressive-sounding 3,200hp – although the such is the size and weight of the yacht, its top speed is estimated at a modest 23 knots, with 20 knots as a good fast cruising speed and ten knots as a relatively economical rate for actually going places.

Unexpected it may be on such a vessel, but of course the IPS propulsion system is key to the entire concept, allowing the engines to be set low down and right aft, clearing space for the SX100’s innovative accommodation arrangements.

Enjoy the tour…

Sanlorenzo SX100 specifications

LOA: 100ft 1in (30.50m)
Beam: 24ft 11in (7.60m)
Engines: 4x 800hp Volvo D13 IPS
Top speed: 23 knots
Starting price: €11million (ex. VAT)

This article Sanlorenzo SX100 yacht tour: Inside an €11m superyacht sensation appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

We’ve seen shadow boats for carrying superyacht toys and helicopters, amphibious tenders that can drive up the beach to avoid soggy feet, and golfballs made of fish food to allow driving practice from the deck.

Today we turn our attention to the urgent question of foredeck basketball – a solution for all those poor billionaires whose only wish in life is to shoot some hoops whilst aboard.

Owner of MY Ocean charters, Jonny Dodge, initially commissioned Superyacht Inflatables to create a basketball court for guests to enjoy aboard the company’s 46m Pina Marine superyacht Navis One, but now they can be custom made to order.

They can be produced in any shape and size, and as a single unit or divided into separate panels, enabling configuration for almost any sport, including football.

The inflatable supports are produced using a 10cm drop-stitch material ensuring a safe, rigid structure. All netting is integrated, as are all D-loop tie points and straps. Zip doors allow for easy access and goals are available in any size.

This is very much a custom item, so prices will vary depending on the size of your boat, but if you want to charter Navis One for the week, that will set you back $200,000 in the off season and €200,000 in the summer.

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This article Toy of the month: Inflatable games deck brings basketball to the high seas appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

With exterior styling by British studio, RWD, and interior design by New York-based architects, Bonetti/Kozerski, the Benetti Oasis 34m follows closely in the footsteps of the Oasis 40m.

Like its big sister, it adopts a clear commitment to informal conviviality, big views and a close connection with the sea – and at the heart of that concept sits Benetti’s ‘Oasis Deck’.

It all revolves around a dramatic infinity pool, set low in the centre of the transom with a glass aft bulkhead. Sunbeds orbit the pool’s forward edge leading to a large open cockpit with drop down bulwarks – and the way that space interacts with the saloon is equally satisfying.

Vast patio doors curve in a semi-circle around the aft end of the saloon, opening up an enormous aperture to integrate inside and outside spaces and provide 270-degree views toward the Oasis Deck from the sheltered seating.

Further forward, divided from the lounge by the galley, there’s a main deck owner’s cabin. Benetti likes to describe this as an “intimate cocoon” but its sheer scale warrants much greater fanfare than that.

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The upper deck extends all the way above the owner’s cabin to the forepeak, where a bow lounge with sunshade provides a more private relaxation zone.

Head aft from here, beyond the bridge, the captain’s quarters and the second day heads, and you find yourself in a sheltered sky lounge with a dining table for ten plus doors leading out to a big open aft deck. And above all of this, the sundeck provides yet more alfresco party space.

In terms of the fit-out, there are of course options but, like the external form, the luxury here is deliberately understated. It comprises parquet and teak alongside bleached Canaletto walnut, ivory-coloured leather and custom Italian furnishings that take their inspiration from the sea.

And in terms of performance, the priority is again about quality and substance rather than crowd-pleasing flamboyance. Equipped with twin 1,380hp MTUs, you can expect a top speed of 16 knots and a range at 10 knots that will comfortably take you (and up to eight guests) across the Atlantic.

Update: The Benetti Oasis 34m is due to make its US debut at the 2023 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show.

Benetti Oasis 34m specifications

LOA: 112ft 9in (34.36m)
Beam: 25ft 2in (7.70m)
Engines: Twin 1,380hp MTU 10V 2000M86
Top speed: 16 knots
Starting price: Available upon application

This article Benetti Oasis 34m first look: World’s biggest superyacht yard plots Cannes debut appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

MY Ohana offers a departure from the norm, delivering a superyacht experience at a fraction of the cost. Josip Serka is in a rare position of being both the captain and the owner, which means he can personally assure the quality control of both the vessel and the crew.

The captain’s vested interest is evident in the meticulous care displayed throughout the yacht. With 14 guest cabins and 8 crew cabins, MY Ohana can accommodate up to 30 guests and 11 crew members. The vessel also boasts an array of amenities including a private cinema and a playroom.

Lavish cabins offer panoramic views of the Adriatic through large windows, along with indulgent amenities such as baths with stunning vistas. The upper deck provides ample outdoor relaxation areas, with a hot tub and sun pads.

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MY Ohana took about one and a half years at a cost of around €3.5 million. This is a relatively modest budget for a yacht of this size and Josip explains this has been achieved due to the lower costs of materials in Croatia.

And being based in Croatia and captained by a local, MY Ohana is perfectly set up to explore the many hidden gems dotted around the Dalmatian coast.

Enjoy the tour…

MY Ohana specifications

LOA: 160ft 9in / 49m
Beam: 27ft 11in / 8.5m
Draft: 9ft 10in / 3m
Charter rate: From €90,000-€120,000 per week

This article MY Ohana superyacht tour: Captain/owner shows us around his €100,000p/w charter yacht appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

Until now Volvo Penta’s ability to power larger craft has been limited by the size of the engines in its portfolio. The most powerful of these is the 1,000hp IPS 1350, which when used in multiples of three or four can handle craft up to around 90ft but even then it eventually runs out of steam.

Now Volvo has come up with a new solution that not only doubles the size of craft it can handle (up to 55m) without increasing the size of its engines but offers a much wider variety of power sources, including diesel engines, electric motors or even a combination of both.

Volvo IPS 40: A hybrid solution

The secret to this breakthrough is a new IPS platform with two separate input shafts. Called IPS 40, it allows two different engines to be connected to a single, larger pod drive unit.

At a stroke this doubles the maximum power output available from a single pod drive installation from 1,000hp to 2,000hp but also makes it possible to mix and match power sources. The simplest option is to fit a pair of 1,000hp D13 diesel engines but twin electric motors or one diesel and one electric motor are also envisaged.

The latter is perhaps the most interesting idea as it offers a quick-fix solution for boat builders looking to add a hybrid diesel electric drivetrain to its range of larger craft. In all cases, the engines/motors are situated in line but on opposite sides of the pod, one in front and one behind, helping to keep the overall footprint as compact as possible.

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One of the many cited benefits is that by using two smaller engines instead of one bigger one, it will free up more space for guests and crew.

In fact because the D13s are relatively low by big boat standards and the IPS 40s can be installed further aft than traditional shaftdrive solutions, the entire drivetrain could be fitted under a yacht’s beach club or tender garage rather than in a separate engineroom amidships.

Speed and efficiency

The other big win of mounting the engines in line is that a twin-engined Volvo IPS 40 package is no wider than a single-engined IPS1350, meaning triple and even quad installations are possible.

That raises the intriguing prospect of superyachts powered by as many as eight engines driving four IPS pods and delivering speeds of 40 knots from a combined 8,000hp!

What makes all this possible is a clever new freewheeling hub on each input shaft. Like the hub on a bicycle wheel, this allows it to transfer drive to the gearbox when the engine or motor is running but spins freely as soon as it’s switched off or the other engine takes over.

It can also balance the load between the engines reducing the stress on each one during cruising and enabling a less powerful electric motor to act as the sole source of propulsion when manoeuvring in or out of port but also to deliver extra boost under acceleration once the diesel engine kicks in.

Even when fitted with two diesel engines the Volvo IPS 40 package still offers a number of claimed benefits over a single larger combustion engine.

Firstly, it is said to be more efficient, partly because of the reduced hydrodynamic drag of a pod drive over a conventional exposed shaft and p-bracket arrangement especially at higher speeds (Volvo reckons a 2,000hp IPS 40 will deliver the same performance as a 2,700hp shaft drive), but also because at lower speeds you can switch off one engine completely.

This not only saves any fuel being burnt in the unused engine but allows the remaining one to run closer to peak efficiency.

Reduced engine hours

The other win is that by alternating the use of both engines at lower running speeds, it will reduce the number of engine hours accumulated on each one, cutting servicing costs and extending warranty and rebuild intervals.

With a single bigger engine, all those hours are accrued on that engine, even when simply ticking along at idle speed. Volvo’s own data shows that most yachts this size spend at least 50% of the time running at low enough speeds for one of the two engines to power it.

The third possible benefit is the extra redundancy offered by having two engines on each pod – even if one fails, the other should still be able to get you home. Lastly, the smaller engines and superior damping of the through hull-mounted pod drives and exhausts make for a quieter drive with less vibration.

Volvo IPS 40 economies of scale

Volvo hasn’t yet released pricing for the new IPS 40 drives but with over 100,000 D13 engine blocks produced every year for its truck and marine divisions (the highest volume engine in its range), we’d like to think the economies of scale will enable it to offer a competitive alternative to higher powered MANs, MTUs and CATs when it comes to market in 2025.

After all, who doesn’t relish the idea of a Pershing 140 powered by eight 1,000hp engines?

This article Seeing double? Volvo IPS 40 could power everything from hybrid boats to superyachts appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

You know you’re in for a special boating experience when you step through customs to find a suited and booted chauffeur waiting to whisk you straight from the airport to Split’s main harbour in a spanking new Mercedes limousine.

Then again when our home for the next few days is a 50m superyacht that will be cruising languidly through some of Croatia’s prettiest islands, squeezing into the back of a 20-year-old Toyota Camry driven by a chain-smoking cabbie isn’t really going to cut it.

It’s this level of service that helps to justify charter company Goolets’ claim that it offers guests the full superyacht experience in one of the world’s finest cruising destinations for a fraction of the usual price.

If this sounds a little too good to be true (and I have to admit to having the same concerns myself), there is a perfectly valid explanation for how they are able to make the sums add up.

Instead of acting as charter brokers for privately owned superyachts built by world-renowned European yards and staffed by highly paid crew, it rents out locally built and crewed craft designed purely for commercial charter operations in their own home waters.

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The one we are about to join, the 49m motor yacht, Ohana, forms part of Goolets’ select fleet of 40m plus Dalmatico Super Yachts (DS Yachts). It was commissioned in 2020 from a local Croatian shipyard by a chap called Josip Šerka to run as a business and refitted in 2022 to keep it in peak shape.

He captains it himself and hires his own crew, partly to keep costs down but also to ensure guests experience Croatia’s famously welcoming hospitality and cuisine.

It’s still not a cheap holiday (you have to charter the whole yacht, not just individual cabins) but instead of the usual €250,000 per week that a top notch 50m superyacht would cost, prices for Ohana start at €80,000 per week.

What’s more, rather than the usual 10 guests in five cabins, most privately owned superyachts accommodate, Ohana sleeps up to 30 guests in 14 cabins. This brings the cost down to as little as €4,000 per head – not much more than you’d pay for a fully catered holiday in a smart hotel or smaller crewed yacht.

Read Hugo’s full report on chartering Ohana in the October 2023 issue of MBY, out September 7.

This article Cruising Croatia on a 160ft stunner: €100,000 per week superyacht charter appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

This year’s Palma Boat Show saw a brand new Sunseeker 95 Yacht unveiled, and this one was specifically built for Meros, a co-ownership company. The heavily customised vessel boasts several modifications to suit its co-ownership purpose, both in terms of exterior styling and interior features.

The Meros co-ownership concept revolves around providing a fully equipped yacht with all the necessary toys and crew, allowing owners to simply arrive and enjoy their time on board. The yacht offers an array of amenities, including a Williams 460 Sportjet, ideal for watersports enthusiasts who can ski and wakeboard behind it.

The yacht also features a large hydraulic platform that lowers into the sea for launching and recovering the Sportjet. Additionally, there are other toys such as Seabobs and an e-foil electric surfboard for guests’ entertainment.

The yacht’s exterior spaces include a spacious cockpit area with flexible seating. The flybridge features glass panels with built-in infrared heating elements, providing radiant heat during colder months without warming the surrounding air. This feature enhances year-round usability, which is particularly important for shared ownership yachts.

Moving to the interior, the yacht offers an open-plan main deck saloon and dining area with a low-level seating zone and a large Hi-Lo TV. The interior design features neutral colours, allowing owners to personalise the space with their own scatter cushions, decorations, and personal effects. The dining area connects to a balcony that drops down over the sea, creating a refreshing atmosphere for guests.

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The yacht’s main deck master cabin is a standout feature – glass inserts in the bulwarks allow for panoramic vistas from the bed, and the master cabin also includes a dressing area, a two-tier apartment-like layout, and an elegant curved staircase leading to a private office space. An additional door allows for direct access to a separate toilet during the night, providing convenience and privacy for the owner.

The lower deck is where you’ll find the guest cabins, providing comfortable accommodation for additional passengers. This Sunseeker 95 Yacht’s combination of luxurious features and the Meros co-ownership scheme offers a unique opportunity for boaters to enjoy the superyacht lifestyle without the associated hassles of ownership responsibilities.

Enjoy the tour…

Sunseeker 95 Meros specifications

LOA: 92ft 1in / 28.06m
Beam: 21ft 6in / 6.55m
Engine: 2x MTU 12V
Top speed: 26.5 knots
Fuel capacity: 12,000L
Co-ownership starting price: €1,062,000 (ex. VAT)

This article Sunseeker 95 Meros shared ownership yacht tour: Superyacht lifestyle for £1m? appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

One of the nicest things about boating is that you can have two things for the price of one. Obviously you have all the fun of being at sea with friends and family but also you have the chance from time to time to analyse the huge range of craft available and make a personal choice, and perhaps even specify or build your own perfect boat.

I had immense fun commissioning two semi-custom Fairline Squadron 78s, but that was in 2011 and 2013, so a change was due. I learned a lot in 11 fabulous Mediterranean seasons aboard Squadron 78s, based in the South of France but cruising also to Corsica, Sardinia, the Balearics and Italy. I loved every single day on board and was never let down by the boats.

If there was a guest book, it would have a couple of hundred names in it, while the second Squadron 78 was on Top Gear driven by Jeremy Clarkson and featured in a movie with YouTubers Joe Sugg and Caspar Lee. So I’m very keen to retain all the great features of those two boats while improving things even more on the next boat.

Anyone’s list of essential features in a new boat would be too long to write here but mine included high build quality and reliability, duplication of critical equipment, as professional a galley as possible, fabulous helm stations, enough cabins for family and friends (with laundry facilities to cope), good crew accommodation, fin stabilisation, comfortable places to have lunch, a big swim platform, great mooring gear and much more.

With larger boats it is worthwhile pausing to consider the regulatory rules and the implications for equipment and crewing. Summarising some rather complex regulations very briefly: a boat that is under both the 24m LLL (Load Line Length) and 24m LH (Length of Hull) limits means it can have a captain with only a straightforward licence such as Yachtmaster and be exempt from a number of additional legal requirements.

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Due to the rather odd way these figures are measured, this typically translates to an actual LOA of 95-100ft. Anything bigger requires an upgraded captain’s licence and for most recreational boaters the only feasible upgrade is from a Yachtmaster to a 200GT (Gross Ton) licence (in this context ‘tons’ refers to interior volume rather than weight).

A 200GT boat will typically only be 6-10ft longer than a sub-24m craft yet requires much more regulation such as minimum crew levels and more complex rescue equipment.

Keep it simple

The answer for me was simple: I will have crew but I want to be the captain; I could get a 200GT licence but would not have the time for anything higher; and the extra boat size of a 200GT boat is so marginal that the hassle to benefit comparison doesn’t make sense to me. Having thought it through I therefore decided to choose a boat within the 24m LLL and LH limits, which meant an LOA of around 95-100ft.

That LOA opens up a very wide choice of boats, so it was time to eliminate some. I wanted a five-cabin planing boat with a raised pilothouse design and main deck owner’s cabin, which narrowed the field nicely.

I would also like three crew cabins if possible, so that I could borrow one occasionally when I had too many guests. For practical reasons I didn’t want to travel to Asia to see it being built, which eliminated Ocean Alexander, Horizon and the excellent Pearl 95.

I want to love the look and feel of the boat – very subjective matters of course – and this drew me to European boats more than, say, American ones. I prefer more deck space relative to interior volume so that eliminated the Princess X95 and other similar boats.

No to a cat

I considered a big catamaran such as the Sunreef 80 Power but ultimately couldn’t love catamarans enough; they have fabulous upper deck spaces but more cramped lower decks, and finding two adjacent stern-to berths in a Mediterranean summer isn’t going to be easy.

Also, while they are inherently stable in a way that is useful for a sailing catamaran, they will always roll when one hull is lifted by a wave and that type of roll can’t be cured by stabilisation.

Fairly quickly therefore, the contenders were whittled down to a Sunseeker Yacht 95, Princess Y95, Ferretti 920, Van der Valk, Riva Argo, Riva Corsaro Super, and Sanlorenzo SL96A. All great boats but that was still too many, so I had to eliminate some more.

The Sunseeker and Princess are very fine yachts but ultimately neither builder would agree to the level of customisation I wanted. The Ferretti is also excellent but only offers four bathrooms in a five-cabin boat.

Van der Valk would build a beautiful completely custom-built yacht but I felt that I would be the problem, not them, in that I would not have the time to oversee a project of this complexity, at least not on this occasion. The Riva Corsaro’s extra metre or so of length would force me to relocate to a new berth, which I didn’t want to do.

The process so far had consumed a few months of cogitation, many hours of internet research and several factory visits. The result was two beautiful boats to choose between: the Riva Argo and the Sanlorenzo SL96A.

The Sanlorenzo factory in Ameglia, Italy

I got into very detailed discussions with both builders and their UK dealers, exchanged specification ideas and drawings and spent time at both factories, which conveniently are only a few miles apart in Tuscany, Italy.

Both were incredibly helpful and welcoming throughout and had a delivery slot in early 2024. This part of the process is always fun but has the rather awkward aspect that one party will fail to get the nod and I didn’t wish to waste anyone’s time. I therefore candidly told both builders early on that this was a two-horse race, naming the other horse.

My final choice was the Sanlorenzo, with much sadness at having to reject the beautiful Riva. The decision was based on features such as the SL96A’s larger galley, a growing appreciation on my part of its asymmetric layout, a larger tender garage (albeit at the cost of a smaller engineroom), three ensuite crew cabins rather than two and the offer of customisation throughout, almost without limits.

Sanlorenzo builds only 50 boats per year (three or four of which are SL96As)

I honestly had no idea at the start of this project just how much customisation Sanlorenzo would offer on this size of boat. As just one example, most builders offer their interior furniture in a choice of three or four veneers with either a matt or gloss finish.

When I asked Sanlorenzo for their menu, the answer was: “Any sustainably produced veneer available anywhere on the planet, with the grain direction at any angle and any degree of matt/gloss from 0% to 100% in 5% increments.

“Alternatively, any surface can be spray-painted in any colour or leather covered or mirrored along with any surface effect like fluting or fielding. And this applies to the ceilings as well as the walls and furniture.”

Choosing from Sanlorenzo’s vast selection of marble and wood finishes

Team effort

Gosh, an infinite menu. I needed to research a million things but help was at hand. First, I am buying the boat through Sanlorenzo’s UK dealer, Nick Hatfield at Sanlorenzo UK (part of Ancasta), who has been incredibly patient since our first contact a year and a half ago, an excellent source of advice, and much fun to work with.

Second, Sanlorenzo assigned me an excellent project team of four advisers based at their factory in Ameglia covering design and technical aspects as well as décor. They have thousands of samples in their showroom of veneers, fabrics, marbles and paints, and offer lots of great advice, yet they still give customers carte blanche to apply their own materials and ideas. They also produce amazingly life-like renderings of the boat’s interior, a big help when choosing colours and layouts.

In the end, I specified an Alpi wood veneer made in Italy from fast growing Scandinavian softwood (to reduce consumption of precious hardwoods) but stained and formed into a digitally created perfect copy of American walnut, and never before used in any other SL96A.

Detailed renderings show exactly how the interior of John’s boat will look

And that was just the veneer – the same infinite choice is available for marbles, granites, carpets, soft furnishings, window dressings, leathers, lighting, light switches, bathroom taps, door handles and countless other items.

In the bulkhead across at the forward end of the saloon, Sanlorenzo will build almost any feature you ask for so I specified a bronze-framed custom Mondrian mirror wall with LED lighting and a hidden TV.

When I read on Sanlorenzo’s website that they build only 50 boats per year (three or four of which are SL96As) and that each one is individual and unique, I wondered at first if they were exaggerating but they absolutely are not. For a boating enthusiast this is ‘kid in a candy store’ stuff and, as you can tell, I’m loving the opportunity to create my perfect boat.

The main deck owner’s cabin was one of John’s must-have features

Moving away from interior finishes, the boat will have an interesting technical specification. An obvious area of research was hybrid drive using alternator/motors on each shaft linked to a lithium-ion battery pack.

This would allow the boat to be docked using only batteries, to run slowly on generators, and to run at moderate cruising speeds with only one main engine powering both shafts and the hotel load.

Although these systems have been talked about in the yachting press, the reality is that they are still in their infancy. No doubt things will be different in a few years but right now a customer like me cannot simply tick an option box to have one of these systems installed.

There’s no shortage of sociable deck space on the Sanlorenzo SL96A

SL96As are powered by MTU 2000-series engines, invariably the 36-litre V16 2,216hp version but mine will be the first one built with the 2,400hp version, a choice made to give a couple of knots more top speed when needed but more importantly the comfort of slightly lower RPM at any given cruising speed.

There will be a pair of Kohler 45 kVA generators, which have John Deere 4045 engines, the 4.5-litre 4-cylinder version of the legendary 6068 engine fitted to many trawler yachts.

Generators and shorepower will be 3-phase 230/400 volts AC and all the big motors on board will be 3-phase. Stabilisation will be provided by a pair of Sleipner Vector fins, 1.65m2 each and powered hydraulically, which is quite a big change to the standard specification of 1m2 electrically powered CMC fins that have been fitted to all other SL96As.

The standard fins would be fine under way but I am seeking more powerful stabilisation at anchor. Air conditioning will run on chilled water provided by a triple Condaria chiller set with inverter-driven variable speed motors and 180,000Btu/h of cooling capacity.

John’s custom designed wheelhouse will have five Garmin screens

Gadget heaven

Navigation hardware is fast moving and each year the manufacturers release more gadgetry, some of which seems unnecessary but is still fun to play with. I have specified 11 large Garmin touchscreens (plus several smaller screens and iPads); five in a bespoke curved array in the wheelhouse, three at the flybridge helm, one each in the crew area and owner’s cabin, and a final one in the aft cockpit, mainly to view the docking cameras when manoeuvring into or out of a berth using the throttle and thruster controls situated there.

There will be two doppler radars, a FLIR night-vision camera, an electric fly-by-wire steering system, and Kahlenberg horns. All the boat’s switching will be digital, so that lighting, tank management, generator control, fire alarms and security can be controlled from the Garmin touchscreens or iPads.

I like to run a boat with two people on watch in complex situations or at night, so the pilothouse will have a custom second seat and the standard flybridge helm bench will be replaced by two Besenzoni pilot chairs with electric height adjustment and joysticks in the armrests to control the autopilot and nav gear.

“Sanlorenzo assigned me an excellent project team of four advisers based at their factory in Ameglia”

The flybridge helm is being custom-built inverted left to right, so the helm is close to the centreline of the boat rather than on the starboard side.

Foredeck gear will consist of two 125kg anchors in pockets with 140m of 14mm stainless steel chain each side. As well as the usual capstans mounted on top of the anchor windlasses, there will be two additional capstans dedicated to hauling up groundlines when Med mooring, to avoid having to use the anchor windlass clutches, making the whole operation faster.

Having four powered winches on the foredeck (3-phase electric, by the way) also gives plenty of redundancy. Both anchor pockets will be fitted with cameras and night lighting – a gadget I found very useful on my last Squadron 78.

John has decided not to have the sunbeds at the bow shown in this rendering to give easier access to the forward mooring gear

The boat will be used for cruising with family and friends, never chartered. Guests often come for a few days, then are replaced by others, and we often have guests for the day or for lunch in addition to those sleeping on board. So it’s rather like running a hotel.

To make all this work requires several things, of which perhaps the most important is serving great meals; a big consideration in the design of this boat. There will be a fabulous oversized dining table on the flybridge that seats 12 and converts electrically to lower and smaller cocktail tables for daytime and evening use.

The custom galley will have two ovens, two dishwashers, an American double fridge, Sub-Zero freezer drawers, Dekton worktops and a large window to give the chef a view. Also there is fast-routing for plates to move between galley and dining table, in the form of a custom serving hatch that connects the galley and pilothouse.

The boat will have three icemakers, including two commercial Hoshizakis. For party evenings the flybridge will have a Pioneer DJ deck with serious speakers and amplifiers – Ibiza nightclub material – designed and supplied by Amptec in Belgium, whose owner is a serious boater.

Storing the Williams 435 in the tender garage keeps the bathing platform clear

Tenders are a compromise on this size of boat. They can live on the bathing platform, which makes for a much less clean look but permits something like a 5.6m RIB with a 115hp outboard – this is how Sunseeker do it on their 95 Yacht.

Italian builders prefer to hide tenders in garages and the biggest that will fit in the SL96A’s garage is a Williams 435 Sportjet. I generally prefer an outboard to a jetdrive boat but I’m going to go with the Italian flow and try the Williams 435 – it’s a beautiful boat and big enough.

For those occasions when we need something bigger, my brother and I (we keep our boats in the same marina) have also ordered a custom-built Ribeye Prime 821 to use as a chase boat.

We love their boats and working with the Ribeye team – it would be hard to find a more enthusiastic and creative bunch – and crucially, on our first visit to their Dartmouth factory, Ross Chivers, one of Ribeye’s owners, texted me when we were 15 minutes away to ask how we liked our bacon sandwiches and duly delivered them to our exact specification on arrival!

The chase boat will have a hardtop, heads compartment, a colour scheme matched to the Williams 435, Garmin navigation, a bow thruster, and a white-painted Yamaha 300hp engine with autopilot and joystick manoeuvring.

Drop down bulwark makes for a better view from the saloon

Champagne moment

Projects like this require a fair bit of patience – I spent the first half of 2022 in negotiations and research and signed the order in July 2022. The build started in February 2023 with delivery scheduled for April 2024 and by the time this article is published should be a third of the way to completion.

The project is also a huge learning process, which I enjoy immensely, and while the build process itself is of course fun (I visit the factory as often as I can and receive regular photographic updates), I can’t wait to see a smashed bottle of champagne as she is lowered into the sea in Ameglia next year.

First published in the June 2023 issue of MBY. You can read more about John’s project on the MBY forum and in future issues.

This article Going large: How I specced out my "perfect" 96ft custom motor yacht appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

German newcomer Alva Yachts is building what is claimed to be the first zero-emissions supercat. Unlike existing solar-powered motor catamarans that rely on diesel-powered generators to boost speed and range, the Alva Ocean Eco 90 H2 will carry no fossil fuels whatsoever.

For the few occasions when neither the extensive solar panels nor the battery pack can cope with the demand of the yacht’s electric motors and hotel loads, it will use hydrogen-powered fuel cells to generate electricity while emitting nothing but water. It also boasts a pair of automated wingsails to increase cruising speeds and range yet further.

Remarkably, this isn’t some futuristic pipedream but a real electric boat that is already in build at Alva’s production facility in Turkey, with an expected launch date of late 2024.

Safety in numbers

Central to the Alva Ocean Eco 90 H2’s ability to cope without an internal combustion engine is the fact that it doesn’t rely on any one source of power.

When the sun is shining, the 200m2 of photovoltaic panels integrated into the flybridge hardtop and coachroof generate enough electrical energy (up to 40kWp) to power the yacht’s two electric motors at 3-4 knots and run all the ship’s systems (air con included).

For faster cruising speeds or cloudier conditions, a vast 500kWh reserve of lithium ion batteries (10 x the power of a standard Tesla 3 car battery) should still give a cruising range of at least 50nm at 5-7 knots.

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Flat out, the twin 480kW electric motors are capable of up to 12 knots, but this does come at the cost of a considerably reduced range. Only when demand exceeds the combined output of both the solar panels and the battery pack will the hydrogen fuel cells kick in.

These are being supplied by EODev, which has real-world experience of using hydrogen fuel cells to propel boats thanks to Energy Observer, the experimental catamaran that has already cruised around the world using a combination of solar and hydrogen power.

The Alva Ocean Eco 90 H2 will use EODev’s latest REX H2 fuel cells, which have been developed jointly with Toyota for use in marine applications. These work by passing hydrogen through a fuel cell that uses a platinum catalyst anode to split the hydrogen into positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons.

A computer decides which power source to use

A polymer electrolyte membrane allows the positive ions to flow directly through to the cathode while the negatively charged electrons have to travel round an external circuit to the anode where they recombine with oxygen to create water (H2O), electricity and a small amount of heat. Each of these fuel cells develops up to 70kW and can be stacked to deliver more power.

Alva hasn’t yet confirmed how many of these fuel cells or how much hydrogen the yacht will carry, or what cruising range this will allow, but we do know the hydrogen will be stored in high-pressure tanks to minimise the amount of space required. Refuelling is likely to take place from specially adapted road tankers at a pre-arranged dockside location.

Wings not sails

The addition of wingsails to the Alva Ocean Eco 90 H2 are not considered a strict necessity but will deliver faster cruising speeds and/or reduced power consumption even in light winds. Unlike conventional sails, these are semi-rigid double-skinned wing-shaped structures that require no additional rigging and no previous sailing knowledge to operate.

Going Eco doesn’t mean skimping on luxuries

Consisting of two independently rotating sections to adjust the angle of attack and camber of the wing, they work by creating high pressure on one side and low pressure on the other as the wind flows past them, helping drive the yacht forwards regardless of where the wind is coming from.

The beauty of wingsails, in this case a pair of Ayro Oceanwings, is that the whole system can be automated. Sensors on the wings measure the wind speed and direction, a computer analyses the data then instructs the motors to adjust the wings accordingly.

This makes them more efficient than conventional sails (Ayro claims double the performance) but also far less hassle. They can also be raised, lowered and reefed at the touch of a button when the winds are too weak or strong to deploy them.

Guests can relax in the palatial main deck saloon

Computer says yes

Controlling all these systems is Alva Connect, the yard’s in-house software that continuously monitors the ship’s power requirements and seamlessly juggles the four different power sources (solar, battery, fuel cell and wing sails). The captain selects the speed and heading and the computer works out the rest, leaving guests to revel in the carbon-free, near-silent progress.

The first Alva Ocean Eco 90 H2 is being fitted out for both private and commercial use as a fully coded charter yacht. Based in the Med, it will feature a lavish owners’ suite with a study, walk-in wardrobe and bathroom, and three further double guest cabins, all with their own ensuites.

The exact price of the build remains confidential but a standard Alva Ocean 90 with a solar electric drivetrain and diesel range-extenders starts at around €7 million ex taxes.

Alva Ocean Eco 90 specifications

LOA: 90ft 1in (27.50m)
Beam: 35ft 9in (13.98m)
Draft: 3ft 10in (1.2m)
Displacement: 85 tonnes (light)
Motors: 2 x 480kW electric
Battery: 500kWh lithium ion
Solar panels: 40kWp
Fuel cell: 70kW hydrogen
Wingsails: Ayro Oceanwings
Max speed: 12 knots
Range: Unlimited @ 3-4 knots

This article Alva Ocean Eco 90 H2: The 90ft superyacht that uses no fossil fuels at all appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.

One of the largest production-built boats at the 2023 Palma International Boat Show was the impressive Custom Line Navetta 33, and we had the rare opportunity to explore every aspect of this superyacht, including crew quarters, guest accommodation and the engine room.

The Custom Line Navetta 33 has a base price of approximately €12.85million, but that price can rise significantly depending on how it’s specced out – and there are a lot of options in that regard.

It can be equipped with twin MAN V12 engines, ranging from 1,400 to 1,600hp, with the latter enabling a top speed of around 16 knots. As part of the Navetta range, this yacht features a semi-planing hull that emphasises comfortable cruising over high performance. With a weight of approximately 180 tons, the Custom Line Navetta 33 can carry 18,700 litres of fuel and 3,100 litres of water.

The boat’s exterior boasts several notable features – the extending passerelle, with solid rails for added stability, provides secure access to the cockpit. Meanwhile the transom panel, which is hinged at both the top and bottom, can provide space for relaxation or it can be used as a launch pad for a plethora of watersports toys.

Moving indoors and the Custom Line Navetta 33 boasts a spacious and luxurious interior. The saloon impresses with its cool atmosphere, dark neutral colours, and a storage unit that reveals a large widescreen television.

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The asymmetrical design of the boat means different deck heights on each side, but there’s still a full-beam owner’s cabin forward – one particular standout feature here is the folding balcony, which extends over the sea, offering a unique terrace-like experience. What’s more, the ensuite bathroom features beautiful marble finishes and a spacious shower.

The lower deck is dedicated to the guest accommodation, featuring four identical cabins with ensuite bathrooms, ample storage space, and large windows.

The yacht also includes a fully equipped galley and crew area. The galley features professional-grade appliances, ample storage, and a dining area. The crew area consists of crew cabins, a mess area, laundry facilities, and a captain’s cabin with a private toilet and shower.

The bridge offers a comprehensive control system with multiple screens for monitoring and managing various aspects of the yacht. Furthermore, the yacht is equipped with stabilization systems, including Seakeepers and fins, to ensure a comfortable and stable cruising experience.

Overall, the Custom Line Navetta 33 presents an enticing combination of luxury, performance, and functionality, making it an impressive option for those wanting to cruise offshore in style.

Enjoy the tour…

Custom Line Navetta 33 specifications

LOA: 108ft 3in / 33m
Beam: 24ft 8in / 7.52m
Engine: 2x MAN V12
Top speed: 15 knots
Fuel capacity: 18,700L
Starting price: €12.85million (ex. VAT)

This article Custom Line Navetta 33 yacht tour: Inside a stunning €12.8m Italian superyacht appeared first on Motor Boat & Yachting.