Yacht news

This year Design & Innovation Awards were held in person in Milan on 22 June. Al Waab scoops triple win. Coming in just below the 500 gross-tonnage mark, despite a generous length of 55m, Vripack-designed Al Waab, built by Alia Yachts, scooping ‘Outstanding Exterior Design, Motor Yachts 40m to 59.9m’, ‘Best Interior Design, Motor Yachts 499GT and Below’ and ‘Best Naval Architecture, Displacement Motor Yachts’, the judges singled Al Waab out for her holistic interior, exterior and naval architecture. It’s a design approach that Vripack has long championed and places Al Waab at the forefront of yacht design.“Al Waab pulled ahead as a solid, smart design that’s slightly more efficient than its fellow nominees,” commented the judges. “Further tipping the balance in her favor was the holistic element of her naval architecture, exterior styling and interior arrangement.”Commenting on the awards wins, Vripack’s co-creative director Bart M. Bouwhuis, says: “Since 1961, Vripack’s design ethos has been underpinned by our holistic vision. Creating world-class interior and exterior designs that are conceived with expert naval architecture in mind not only delivers a yacht that comprehensively answers an owner’s brief, but one that gains worldwide industry recognition too.” Al Waab was delivered in 2021 for an owner, represented by SF Yachts, who sought a family home at sea. Despite her generous volume and a top speed of 13.5-14 knots, Al Waab’s twin Caterpillar C18 (725hp/533 kW) diesel engines burn 35% less fuel than similar-sized yachts. The Dutch design firm Vripack’s expertise comes to the fore with an optimized interior that accommodates a split-level master suite forward, six large cabins and a glass-walled convertible gym-cabin aft. Key design features include multiple drop-down terraces – with two in the master suite – a luminous glass staircase that connects the three decks, and a ‘breakfast nook’ where the family can share a convivial morning meal together. On the exterior, 286 sq. m of deck space gives a life outdoors. Inside, a natural, muted color scheme is accented with eye-catching details, such as a glittering gold-studded acrylic bulkhead, floor-to-ceiling windows and the advanced use of indirect lighting to seamlessly transition the yacht interior from day to night mode.Alia Yachts was founded in 2008 by Gokhan Çelik and Omer Koray. Located in the port of Antalya on the beautiful Turkish Riviera, Alia Yachts shipyard currently occupies approximately 8,000 sq. m, including three construction halls with their suites of specialist workshops and a dedicated interiors facility. With an additional 16,000 sq. m under development for 2019, Alia Yachts will rank among the top facilities in the region.​​Vripack is a yacht-design studio with a portfolio that represents over 7400 designs, made strong through its extensive naval architecture and engineering experience. From the moment they opened their doors in 1961, Vripack studio’s approach to design has been governed by the playful interaction between form and function.Credits: Vripack

The design of MAKO with its silver colour and fluid exterior lines has been inspired by the Mako species of shark. Mako will be powered by a propulsion system that combines hydrogen, fuel cells and electric engines to be able to operate with a zero-carbon footprint. You will also be able to find battery storage system and solar panels which contribute to the yacht’s sustainable design.A key feature of Mako is a wide beach club platform for sports and activities with an aft garage door nearby for tender storage and manoeuvres. The wraparound aft deck also features a large seating area conceived as a soft “island” sunken into the teak aft deck that offers 270-degree views.Another main interior area is the "pavilion". Situated above the top deck, this space is intended to be used as an observatory, panoramic lounge, fitness studio or yoga space. Further inside the yacht is the "studio", where a double-height ceiling and large windows provide uninterrupted views and a greater connection to the sun, sea and sky and not only.State of Craft is now branching out into the superyacht industry with MAKO being its first nautical design.Credits: State of Craft

Nauta Design has been at the leading edge of a four-year project that ended on 23 June with the proud launch of the first ever ClubSwan 80 racer. As well as kickstarting a new one-design class, the rocket ship is the fifth incarnation of Pier Luigi Loro Piana’s famous My Song.It marks 35 years of collaboration between Nauta Design and this dedicated owner. But it is the first time that Nauta and Nautor’s Swan have worked together. The Finnish boat builder coordinated the project with Juan Kouyoumdjian on the naval architecture, Nauta for the interior and cockpit design and Persico Marine as build partner.Exposed carbon fibre, wafer-thin mahogany veneer and artful lighting will turn the first ClubSwan 80 yacht into a super stylish cruiser. The brief for Milan’s Nauta Design studio was to give a thoroughbred one-design racer a second character as daysailer and a super sporty cruiser. It was a fascinating project from the off, with the client intent on establishing the best approach for an 80ft racing monohull. The final choice went for a canting keel and a forward rotating canard that would provide the best compromise between performance and usability. This evolved into the ClubSwan 80 one design, where the goal is to recruit further owners to develop a competitive racing circuit.“The priority was speed, performance and fun, but the owner always likes to be able to use the yacht for a cruise with the family or with friends as well,” explained Nauta co-founder Mario Pedol. “He wanted to have good performance upwind as well as downwind - a rocket in both directions. After all, the first round the upwind mark has the advantage.”Once the key design features had been established, Persico Marine was selected to build the high-tech carbon fibre hull and structures, cleverly engineered by Pure Design & Engineering. The second stage of the challenge for Nauta was to design an interior for this first yacht which took nothing away from the purity of the racing experience, while adding some welcome finesse and comfort for cruising with the family. “We turned technology into elegance, thanks to Pigi’s inputs – inside it is all carbon,” says Pedol. “We worked in the base comforts for permitting cruising use of the boat: fridge, galley, some sort of aircon and showers.”The solution was to create a modular interior that drew on lightweight furniture and fabric bags that could be quickly and easily detached and taken ashore. Almost all the interior elements can be removed, from the gimbled oven and saloon tables to the carbon-fibre toilets in the three bathrooms. Just the bench seats in the saloon are built in, serving a structural purpose and doubling as watch berths when racing offshore. Even the simple aircon system is removable.The king size bed in the master cabin can be split in two then flipped to create a twin cabin. The bed here, as in the aft cabins, can be quickly unfastened and removed entirely for racing. Lighting was a major part of the design, which includes spot lighting and about 100 m of LED strings, mostly concealed inside the removable furnishings. In total it added just 4.5kg to the boat, after Nauta conducted a detailed analysis of the impact of different wattages. “Lighting was a massive topic on this boat,” says Martino Majno, sales and project manager. “Being a black hull, we’ve really played with three separate levels of lighting, starting with those needed just for racing, with discrete red lighting for night racing. For cruising, there are longitudinal indirect rope lights. We also played with functional, architectural lighting – focused on some specific areas.” “Mahogany veneer is used sparingly around spotlights and in strips throughout the accommodation to provide a touch of elegance, and a welcome gleam that contrasts with the carbon fibre. “Mahogany highlights are one of the client’s signatures,” says Pedol. “The boat also showcases laminated linen counters and tables – where flax fibres are laminated into resin”. Pedol says of the design: “It has been a real four-way project with our great friend Pigi. Since 1986 and our first My Song design, we have shared the love for both racing and enjoying life at sea in general!”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: Nauta Design

The new construction sale has been announced by FGI Yacht Group – the Oasis 34M Benetti was sold by vice president and sales broker Frank Grzeszczak, Jr. The yacht became the second new construction of 10 total Benettis sold by Frank Grzeszczak, Jr. over the past three years. The new unit of Benetti Oasis 34m series is scheduled for delivery in 2024. Benetti’s new Oasis 34M fiberglass superyacht, the younger sister of successful Oasis 40M, brings the Oasis Deck® solution in a length of just 34 meters. The yacht features opening wings extending the deck close to the water but safe from the waves; a magnificent pool close to the sea and within the social area; an obstructed 270-degree view off the stern; a mixture of sun and shade to let guests enjoy the deck at every time of the day; and a design that weaves the entire deck into a vast convivial oasis from the main saloon to the sea. The yacht’s exterior styling is the work of UK firm RWD and the interiors are by Bonetti/Kozerski, the New York based architects specializing in residential and hôtellerie projects, chosen by the shipyard for their international and cosmopolitan approach to design that values the aesthetics of discrete luxury. She can accommodate 10 guests across five cabins and seven crew members. The owner’s suite with full-height windows occupies the entire forward section of the main deck and can be fitted with a terrace that opens out on the starboard side. Thanks to two MTU engines the yacht can cruise at 14.5 knots and reach a top speed of 16 knots. Founded in 1873, Benetti is the oldest Italian shipyard specializing in luxury yachts. Benetti designs, builds and sells composite vessels from 29 to 44m and steel and aluminium boats from 37 to over 100m. The fleet consists of five categories: Class, Oasis, B.Yond, B.Now and Custom to meet all the needs of the market. Benetti belongs to the Azimut|Benetti Group, the largest privately owned luxury yachting group in the world.Credits: Benetti

Sunreef Yachts has announced the launch of a new range of 40m and 50m Explorers with internationally renowned adventurer and professional explorer, one of the most experienced hikers and adventurers in the world, Mike Horn as its ambassador. The Sunreef Explorer line is a versatile luxury vessel designed to explore new routes. Their innovative design provides a unique combination of seaworthiness, reliability and long cruising range on long voyages. With shallow draft, unrivaled capacity and huge entertainment areas, the Sunreef Explorer Line is the next generation of expedition superyachts. Fully customizable, the Sunreef Explorer Line will offer the safest circumnavigation platform with custom-designed interiors and a fleet of watersports and entertainment on board.“The definition of luxury has changed over the years. Today, real luxury is a feeling, a feeling, an experience. Our activities as a shipyard go far beyond the construction of ships. We create emotions, we create magical moments at sea and make dreams come true. Our new Explorer Line is about living in the moment,” says Francis Lapp, founder and president Sunreef Yachts.Sunreef Yachts was founded by Francis Lapp in 2002 in Gdansk, Poland, and the shipyard has been designing and manufacturing luxury sailing and power multihulls ever since. Credits: Sunreef Yachts