GB54, the latest addition to the Grand Bank’s range, will make its German debut at Boot Dusseldorf 2022. The show will take place from January 22 till January 30. With a semi-displacement hull that owes its inspiration to ocean racing yachts, the GB54 offers a great combination of speed, comfort and efficiency.
The new Grand Banks hull form provides a stable platform that is both safe and comfortable in all sea states, while still offering exceptional performance numbers at any speed. Starting with the low-end of 10 knots running on a pair of 725-horsepower Volvo Penta D11s, expect a modest fuel burn of 7 gallons per hour and a range exceeding 1200 nautical miles. At the upper end, but well shy of wide-open throttle, the yacht burns just 57 gallons (216 litres) per hour cruising at 25 knots.
“The new Grand Banks 54 is an incredibly versatile platform, with quality and performance second to none. It encapsulates our commitment to building the ultimate yachts on the water today, and with our focus on fuel-efficiency and sustainability, I think it will come to define what is expected of yachting in the years to come,” says Mark Richards, CEO of Grand Banks “Driven in large part from my experience and involvement in high-end sail racing – from the America’s Cup to the Sydney To Hobart – and the tacit knowledge and passion of our team at the factory yards, we’ve worked really hard to ensure our build techniques, designs and material selection are cutting-edge.”
Like her big sister, the GB54 also features advanced composite construction techniques, including a fully infused fiberglass hull and infused carbon fiber decks and superstructure.
The first hull of the GB54 features a two-stateroom, galley-down layout in its standard configuration. Owners will have the option to bring the galley up to the salon which would add a third stateroom on the accommodations level. As with all newer Grand Banks, interior design is contemporary without trending modern, blending a warm color palette and fabrics that complement the company’s signature teak joinery.
The two-stateroom layout has a galley down and features a starboard master stateroom amidships. The galley is just a few steps down the companionway from the main deck. Located to port, the galley has an atrium-like feel beneath the raked windshield, creating an airy space with natural light for the chef. The master has a private head with a walk-in shower and a dressing area with a hanging locker and enough stowage for extended cruising. A forward guest stateroom has use of a Jack-and-Jill head, located to port, which also serves as the boat’s day head.
The three-stateroom layout places the galley on the main deck on the port side, opposite the helm. The master is located in the bow, with a private head to port. A pair of double guest staterooms are amidships in a side-by-side configuration, separated by the centerline passageway. The starboard guest stateroom has private access to the second head, which is shared through passageway access with the second guest stateroom to port. This second head also serves as a day head in the three-stateroom configuration.
“A yacht that can cruise efficiently for a thousand nautical miles should have an interior suited to the task as well,” says Mark Richards, CEO of Grand Banks. “Just as the hull is built both for long passages and shorter jaunts, so the interior can welcome family and friends aboard in comfort, for the day, the weekend, or the month. There’s plenty of storage, and we’ve designed the layouts to be easy to get around – The cockpit and salon are a single step apart, and the accommodation level is just 3 steps down from the salon. Easy, comfortable, and enjoyable; that’s the name of the game.”
Grand Banks Yachts' story begins seventy years ago in Hong Kong by Robert Newton, an American expatriate. By 1962, Robert had moved the flourishing enterprise to Junk Bay. Under the name ‘American Marine’, he and his sons were building heavy sailboats and big motor yachts. In 1995 the production facility moved to Malaysia. The expanded and revamped factory now employs the most sophisticated systems and technology in the boat-building industry.
Credits: Grand Banks Yachts
Azimut’s new Low Emission Yacht, presented at Cannes Yachting Festival 2022, offers all the features of a superyacht in a length of 26 meters and introduces two novelties: the Deck 2 Deck™ terrace and the first Large POD propulsion system. The market rewards innovations in style and technology, with 22 units sold in the first two months since the launch.The Grande 26M, inspired by the desire to amaze again by offering solutions designed for superyachts on a 26-meter boat and introducing an innovative propulsion system to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20%. Azimut has been investing in research for over ten years to develop innovative solutions that reduce the environmental impact of its boats and was the first brand to believe in POD propulsion systems. Drawing on its extensive experience, the Yard developed the new Large POD 4600 propulsion system for the Grande 26M in partnership with ZF. The system, combined with a 30% lighter superstructure achieved through the extensive use of carbon fiber, delivers 20% lower fuel consumption at the most frequent speeds. Main saloonThe PODs pivot, eliminating the need for a rudder and the associated drag to achieve unrivaled performance for maneuvering and reaching high speeds, and the Grande 26M accelerates effortlessly to 28 knots. CockpitCompared with the POD systems already available on the market, the new ZF POD 4600 system was developed to increase efficiency on larger boats for the first time, with top speeds between 20 and 30 knots. An additional benefit of the system is higher torque at low speeds for easier maneuvering. External ViewGrande 26M has a five cabins configuration, including the full-beam owner’s suite on the main deck, and completely separated guest and crew flows. She also features the huge flybridge – 50 sq. m all on the same level. Owner SuiteThe Deck2Deck™ Terrace, the first of its kind created using a transom extension system. The Deck2Deck™ Terrace is formed by raising the teak-clad garage door to expand the size of the cockpit to over 18 sq. m. The walkaround table, when extended, seats up to eight guests in an al fresco dining room with a view out over the water. FlybridgeThe interior was drawn by Achille Salvagni and expresses his vision of organic architecture, in which the elements created by the designer are in complete harmony with the natural environment. Flybridge“The project was driven by the enthusiasm to create a compact superyacht, with five cabins, an enormous flybridge and a larger cockpit than usual for the category, which we wanted to extend to give the yacht a fully-fledged dining area overlooking the water,” comments Alberto Mancini, the designer of the Grande 26M’s exteriors.Azimut Yachts is an Azimut Benetti Group brand. With its Atlantis, Magellano Flybridge, S, Verve and Grande collections, Azimut offers the widest range of 10 to 40 meters.Credits: Azimut Yachts
December 5, 2022
Nautor Swan appointed Hong Kong based Asiamarine as its new agent for Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam as a part of strategy to reinforce the Asia Pacific market. Asiamarine, founded in 2012 in Hong Kong by Eric Noyel, has been a fast-growing company and has acquired the representation of many brands over the years and played a significant role in the development of yachting in Asia.Eric Noyel, Founder & CEO of Asiamarine, said “we are absolutely delighted to be associated with Nautor Swan both for sailing and motor yachts. Nautor Swan is one of the most renowned of all the premier boating brands and known worldwide for performance, quality, elegance, and innovative design. Asiamarine is proud to be an integral part of this, in Asia. “ Vicsail – already representing Nautor Swan sailing yachts in Australia and New Zealand – is broadening its offer adding Swan Shadow and Swan OverShadow to its portfolio. Vicsail, founded in 1983 and agent for Nautor Swan sailing yachts since 2010, has now become the representative for Swan Shadow and Swan OverShadow in Australia and New Zealand, confirming another essential presence in the APAC Region.“Nautor Swan has always been a very highly respected yacht company in our market and we are thrilled to also represent her motor boat division to develop and grow Nautor Swan brand awareness in our region,” says Brendan Hunt, Vicsail founder and director.Swan Shadow"We believe the Asian territory offers great opportunities to Nautor Swan, for all the lines of the fleet, either for sailing yachts as well as for power models, like the Swan Shadow and Swan OverShadow and I look forward to assisting them in this important mission," said Olivier Decamps, Nautor Swan Asia Pacific Regional Director.Nautor’s Swan was founded in 1966 in Pietarsaari, Finland. The builder entered the superyacht market in 1999. Since then, the yard has continued building high-performance sailing yachts in three different lines; ClubSwan, Swan Yachts and Maxi Swan Yachts. Credits: Nautor’s Swan; Unsplash
December 5, 2022
Bilgin Yacht has shared the interior renderings of the second 49.9 meter Bilgin 163. With exterior design and naval architecture by Unique Yacht Design and interior design by Hot Lab, the 50-meter Bilgin 163 series is the brand-new project which has 20 percent larger areas compared to 48m yachts. The first hull of the series received a technical launch at Bilgin Yachts’ facilities in Istanbul in March 2022. The delivery is planned for 2023.Enrico Lumini, Partner and Head of Design in Hot Lab says, “Bilgin 163 follows the studio’s new philosophy ‘Architecture for Voyagers’ and focuses on cleanliness of architectural volumes, and a renewed sense for a softness of lines. A plastic minimalism, sober, but rich in details.”The aim of the interior of the second hull is to create a ‘modern, rich, yet warm’ atmosphere. That's why it will have a mix of materials such as exposed woods, laminated glass, and chrome finishes.Bilgin 163 has a six-cabin layout, and offers spacious, modern and stylish living areas. The interior lines are strengthened with the powerful exterior living areas of the yacht. Emrecan Özgün of Unique Yacht Design underlines that particularly exterior areas will be larger than the yacht’s predecessors. The yacht is equipped with twin 1,450 CAT engines, the Bilgin 163 is going to have a top speed of around 17 knots. The second hull is scheduled for delivery in spring 2024. Bilgin Yachts is a boutique shipyard on the European side of Istanbul, building 50 to 120m luxury superyachts. It has been a family-run business for five generations since the early 1900s.Credits: Bilgin Yachts
December 5, 2022
Heesen has announced the sale of a full-custom all aluminum motor yacht to a former shipyard’s clients. Project YN 20857, code-named Project Setteesettanta with an internal volume of 920 GT fits perfectly into the shipyard’s production portfolio. Frank Laupman of Omega Architects has been tasked with the design of the exterior lines of this new project, while Cristiano Gatto Design is responsible for the interior. “This new project possesses all the characteristics to become the crown jewel in Heesen’s fleet, and I’m sure it will create many ripples, just like M/Y Crazy Me did ten years ago!” comments Cristiano Gatto. Twelve guests will be accommodated in six large cabins. The owners have reserved the upper deck as their own private place, where the master stateroom is located forward with a 180-degree view and also enjoys private access to a huge terrace of nearly 200 sq. m – which can also serve as a touch-and-go helipad. The VIP cabin is situated forward on the starboard side of the main deck, adjacent to a fully equipped gym. Four large guest cabins, two twins and two doubles, can be found on the lower deck. An elegant oval staircase ascends through all four decks, running back-to-back with the crew staircase for perfect space optimization. The dining area on the main deck is located towards the stern, adjacent to the aft terrace. Thanks to wide sliding doors, this space seamlessly connects with the outdoors. The transom area is one of the key spaces on board Project Setteesettanta. Symmetrical sets of steps flank the four-meter infinity pool and lead the guests down to the swimming terrace, which features a hydraulic transformer platform for easy access to the water. With tenders and toys unobtrusively stowed in the forward garage behind gull-wing doors, the lazarette aft provides storage space for additional water toys. A draft of just 2.3 meters will allow Project Setteesettanta to cruise in shallow water. The yacht’s lightweight aluminum construction, combined with its advanced hull design, allow for the installation of two compact and fuel-efficient MTU 16V2000M72 (1,440 kW) diesel engines, which are very modest power plants for a yacht of 57m and 920GT. Project Setteesettanta will reach a top speed of 18 knots, with a transatlantic range of 3,900 nautical miles at 12 knots. “We are extremely honored that our clients have entrusted us with the build of a new yacht for the second time. YN 20857 will be a quintessential Heesen. Lightweight aluminum construction requires very specific skills. A full-custom, 57-meter motor yacht cannot be anything other than perfect, and there isn’t a shipyard in the world with a better knowledge of the techniques and disciplines needed to reach these heights. This will be a memorable journey that will lead to the creation of a dream, and we can’t wait to enjoy it with the owners of YN 20857 and their team,” comments Friso Visser, Heesen’s CCO.Tank testing will take place at the Wolfson Unit in Southampton on December 20 and 21, and construction will officially commence with the laying of the keel in August 2023.The yard has no fewer than 14 yachts currently in build, ranging from 50 to 80 meters, in both steel and aluminum. Deliveries run through 2026. Heesen Yachts is a Dutch ship building company that specializes in custom-built superyachts in aluminum and steel from 30m to 70m in size. Founded in 1978, it has launched more than 170 yachts since its inception.Credits: Heesen Yachts
December 2, 2022
The superyacht Elandess was sold by Seattle Yachts broker Glenn Runyan representing the buyer and Dominic Millman of Burgess representing the seller.The 74m Elandess was built by Abeking & Rasmussen in 2018. In 2019 she received four awards at the Boat International Design & Innovation Awards. Elandess boasts interior and exterior design from the award-winning Harrison Eidsgaard of London and is built from steel and aluminum. Her naval architecture was made in-house. She features a modern interior with large lounging areas suitable for informal family time and entertaining on social occasions. She can welcome 14 guests across seven well-appointed staterooms, including a master suite, which is located at the bow. The 8-meter swimming pool on the sun deck is one of her most notable features.Thanks to twin Caterpillar engines she can reach 16 knots and cruise at 14 knots. Her last known asking price was EUR130,000,000.Abeking & Rasmussen was founded in October 1907. The German based shipyard is looking back to 114 years of ship and yacht building. A&R is now able to launch yachts of up to 125 meters length. Credits: Yacht Harbour archive
December 2, 2022