Yacht news

The fourth edition of the Venice Boat Show opens today and will be held till the 4th of June once more in the historic Arsenal, which for centuries functioned as the beating heart of the Serenissima’s naval power. This edition will last for five days, following the trends of the other most important national and international exhibitions. The sailing sector shows consistent growth, with an increase in attendance of over 50% from last year’s edition, much like that of electric propulsion vessels, which has itself grown 30% and reaffirms its green mission. The five-day event will also coincide with the start of the Biennale of Sustainability. The Show — which in 2022 received the BEA- Best Event Awards prize as best exhibition of the year — is organized by Vela spa, on behalf of the Municipality of Venice, and features the essential collaboration of the Italian Navy. The Arsenal is composed of 55,000 sqm of water basins, inside of which 1,100 linear meters of piers will be installed, alongside 30,000 meters of external exhibition spaces. The large warehouses, which in the past would have housed the construction facilities of Venetian galleys, will now host the best elements of Venetian nautical design and furnishing, as well as its artisanal shipbuilding, for a total of 5,000 sqm. More than 220 exhibitors will be present (180 being Italian, with the rest joining from the United Kingdom, Croatia, Slovenia, Poland, Spain, Germany, France, Austria, Montecarlo, Sweden, Denmark and Finland) who will in turn bring 300 vessels to Venice, 250 of which will be in the water, creating a total ship length of 2.7 kilometers.The large groups have confirmed their presence – Ferretti Group, Azimut Benetti and Sanlorenzo are returning. Sanlorenzo has chosen the contemporary SL78, entry-level of the iconic line that made the brand successful. The company also displayed a new hydrogen-powered tender with foils that will accompany American Magic during the America’s Cup 2024. Ferretti Group brought a fleet of seven yachts, including wallywhy 150, which will have its world premiere. Ocean King decided to showcase its 36-meter Ducale 120. Azimut makes a European debut for its Verve 42. The motorized boat selection is completed by the exhibitors Sunseeker, Beneteau, Rizzardi, Absolute, FIM, Pardo, Loy Explorer, Green Line,Sirena and Arcadia. First time exhibitors in Venice include the shipyards Invictus, Fountaine Pajot, Nautor Swan, Solaris Power, Prestige, Rio Yacht, Sense Yach and Omikron.The sailing boat section consists of 30 boats ranging between 10 and 30 meters. Flagship of the contemporary production sailing line will be the Swan 65 constructed by the Nautor Swan shipyard, with the pier also displaying the 30 meter Whimsea built by the CNB shipyard and designed by Studio Brenta. Also attendees include the shipyards Beneteau, Lagoon, Dufour, More, Jeaneau e Pegasus e Italia Yacht, while first time attendees to the Arsenal consist of Elan, Bavaria, Solaris, Neo Yacht, Felci, Kufner e Hallberg-Rassy.The electrical sector has over 50 electrical vessels being exhibited, a 30% increase compared to the previous edition. Returning to the Arsenal are X Shore, Candela, Green Line 40, Alfastreet Marine, Fap (Falegnameria Artigianale Pesce) and Rand Boats. New attendees include Free Power, Propel, Laneva, Green Dream Boats, and Amperetta. Boats powered by the energy reaped from hydrogen fuel will also be present: the French catamaran Sea Bubble and the Hydrocell project dedicated to this transformation. Sustainable ocean going will also feature a competitive event in the third edition of the E-regatta, the scenic parade on the Grand Canal and the sporting events held inside the Arsenal’s basin.The five days of the exhibition will also provide for entertainment with regattas and trophies, along with an incredibly rich program which features, amongst other events, the arrival of the Pavia Venezia, the Palio delle Repubbliche Marinare (Maritime Republics Regatta) on Saturday the 3rd of June, and, the following day, the second edition of the Venice Boat Show Cup. Moreover, there will be many opportunities for families and children to relax with activities, catering services, laboratories and a rediscovery of the sites of the Arsenal.Credits: Venice Boat Show

Since last summer when Silent-Yachts became the sole owner of its Italian shipyard in Fano, the privately owned company has streamlined the production process and continues to increase the size of its team to handle the growth in sales. The shipyard is ideally placed to take advantage of a well-established network of local subcontractors and key suppliers.With 22,000 sqm of covered space and a similar exterior surface area, production is focused on the Silent 60 series of solar-powered, full-electric catamarans. The Silent 80 series, the Silent 120 and a few more Silent 60 series yachts are being built in Turkey.Silent 60“The GRP hulls and superstructures are produced and assembled in one shed, then transferred to another for installation of the technical equipment and interior furniture,” explains Founder and CEO Michael Köhler. “Next door to the outfitting shed we have a large warehouse for storing components and materials. Since fully acquiring the facility, the focus has been on establishing a thoroughly reliable and efficient series production process.”The next delivery in June will be a two-deck version of the Silent 62 to the US owner, who plans to make the yacht available for charter to corporate clients. This particular model is a special one-off project with two dedicated conference rooms, two guest cabins and accommodation for crew. Several other launches are scheduled to leave the Italian yard this year, including the first Silent 62 3-deck (hull #4) in late summer. Based on the bestselling Silent 60, this version of the Silent 62 offers an additional deck instead of the regular flybridge, while also increasing the overall length of the hull by two feet.Over 15 Silent 60 yachts have been assigned for construction in Italy with the next available delivery in early 2025. Silent 60“Moving forward, in 2024 we are aiming to launch one new unit per month and production of the fully electric Silent Tender series will also be based in Fano,” says Köhler. “The first prototype tender unveiled at the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival was fitted with an electric outboard motor. The range now includes three models – the Silent Tender 400, 450 and 520 – available with electric jet propulsion.”Silent-Yachts is producing the world’s first fully solar-sustainable oceangoing production catamaran yachts. They are powered exclusively by solar energy and capable of cruising up to 100 miles per day. In 2009, founders Heike and Michael Köhler, who have spent 6,000 days cruising more than 75,000 miles all around the world, launched the Solarwave 46, the first fully self-sufficient blue-water catamaran after years of testing solar-powered propulsion, and they have been building boats ever since. Credits: Silent-Yachts

From May 31 to June 4, Bluegame will participate in the upcoming Venice Boat Show to be held in the Venice Arsenal, together with Sanlorenzo. SL78The Ameglia shipyard will showcase the BG42 and BG54 together with the parent company's SL78 and will welcome visitors to the stretch of water right under the large hands of the work "Building bridges" by the contemporary Italian Artist Lorenzo Quinn; a work known all over the world, 6 pairs of monumental hands carrying universal values: hope, help, love, wisdom, faith and friendship, bridge the basin of the Arsenale.BG42 Also the visitors will be able to see the large-scale model of the BGH, the tender that Bluegame is building to flank American Magic, challenger to the 37th edition of the America's Cup in November 2024 in Barcelona, which will be launched in August. A vessel that represents the ultimate expression of sustainability: a 10-meter multihull, with dynamic foils, powered exclusively by hydrogen fuel cells, that will literally "fly" at 50 knots with zero emissions, releasing no more than a drop of water.BGHBGH will be presented, along with the group's high sustainability projects, which see it as an absolute forerunner on the path to carbon neutrality, during "Sanlorenzo: hydrogen, (our) road to 2030" that will take place on June 1 at the Venice Arsenale (Sala Squadratori/Squadrators Hall), on the day of the Biennale dedicated to Sustainability.BG54Bluegame is part of Sanlorenzo. The Sanlorenzo shipyard has been building high-quality motor yachts since 1958. It is a boutique firm in the yachting industry, building only a limited number of made-to-measure units per year. Each yacht is designed and produced according to the specific requests, style, and desires of the individual owner.Credits: Bluegame

The Italian Sea Group attended with two Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 motor yachts the Formula 1 Grand Prix held in Monaco on May 28, 2023. The two yachts, recognizable by their ultra-sporty silhouette, arrived from the most important harbors in the Mediterranean Sea and moored in "pitch view" among the most luxurious yachts of the industry and on the world's most famous and glamorous urban circuit, displayed from practice races to Sunday's official race."The high-performing and innovative Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 motor yacht with its 63 knots of speed represents the avant-garde of luxury speed boats," states Giovanni Costantino, Founder and CEO of The Italian Sea Group. "Perfectly in line with the mood of the Monaco event, it allowed owners and guests to enjoy a unique experience”."Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 is an incredible yacht; a true Lamborghini in all her design, speed and sporty performance. We had a great time on board for the entire period of the Monaco Grand Prix," says the owner L.E.The Italian Sea Group’s Tecnomar brand produces and commercializes yachts in steel and aluminum up to 50 meters. Founded in 1987 and acquired by the Italian Sea Group in 2009, Tecnomar has launched 289 yachts through the years, also thanks to the Tecnomar Evo line, which has earned a great success in the Asian market. Credits: The Italian Sea Group; Unsplash

The iconic sailing yacht Maltese Falcon has been revitalized through an extensive refit. This 88-meter superyacht, commissioned by Tom Perkins and built in 2006 by renowned Perini Navi, with naval architecture by Gerard Dijkstra and interior design by Ken Freivokh, has undergone an impressive transformation at Lusben Shipyard. The meticulous refit, involving over 80 dedicated professionals collaborating seamlessly with the yacht's crew, spanned more than six months.“It was a challenging project for all of us, not least because the sheer size of this sailing yacht required us to design and build a special system to accommodate the vessel in dry dock. We worked in synergy with the various teams involved in the refit work and with the customer, satisfying their wishes and at the same time suggesting improvements with a view to increasing efficiency and energy savings. It was an honor for all of us to be able to carry out this modernisation work on such an iconic boat, one that has made international yachting history,” said Gianni Paladino, Lusben Commercial Director.Lusben successfully transformed the owner's vision into reality by orchestrating a range of aesthetic and functional enhancements. One of the most challenging tasks was the meticulous repainting of the entire hull, restoring the distinctive 'Perini Blue' color to its former glory.Following the hull's transformation, Lusben's expert teams meticulously carried out maintenance work on the yacht's intricate onboard systems, including generators, main engines, and propellers. Notably, the mast handling system received careful attention and a delicate overhaul.Embracing the growing significance of sustainability in the boating industry, Lusben prioritized eco-conscious upgrades during the refit process. The generators were replaced with superior-class units that boast enhanced efficiency and reduced fuel consumption. Additionally, the main engine mufflers were exchanged, resulting in considerable environmental benefits and reduced noise levels for the comfort of guests. The propellers were inspected, with the shafts, blades, and bearings disassembled and serviced to optimize fuel efficiency for years to come, reflecting the collaborative efforts between Lusben, the captain, and the crew.The most vital and delicate system of the Maltese Falcon, its sail rig, underwent extensive work to ensure optimal performance. Developed by UK-based Insensys, the pioneering Dynarig system features three rotating carbon fiber masts capable of deploying an impressive 2,396 sqm of sail. This remarkable rig allows the yacht to reach top speeds of 25 knots with a displacement of 1,240 tonnes. During the refit, the teak deck was replaced, and the interiors were refurbished, with a particular focus on the cabins and bathrooms to enhance comfort and provide a more welcoming night area. The galley was also fully appointed to meet the highest standards. Energy-efficient LED lighting was installed, resulting in substantial energy savings. Routine maintenance, including hull cleaning and valve overhauls, was also diligently executed as part of the commission.The yacht now returns to its captain and crew as a testament to exceptional craftsmanship and a commitment to sustainability in the yachting industry. “It was a challenging job and an effort that involved everyone, because of the high expectations around the project and the complexity of its planning and execution, but the result is more than satisfactory thanks to the support of the yard and Lusben’s team. The Maltese Falcon can now return to the sea in all her splendor, regaling her guests with new and unforgettable experiences,” said Pierfrancesco Cafaro, captain of Maltese Falcon.Lusben was founded in 1958 in Viareggio. The shipyard has over 60 years of experience in the yacht refit sector. Credits: Lusben