For the Monaco Yacht Show, 2021 was, a very good year. Having survived many challenges and changes since its inception in 1991, the latest tweaks have the yachting community nodding approval for the new version that put people back into a happy, well-organized, and very social scene.
Coming back strong after skipping a beat in 2020 due to Covid, this year’s list of yachts on display numbered close to 100, with a combined worth of more than $3.5 billion. The show saw solid attendance numbers with productive results across the board. Private gala events, superb dinners, and lots of luxury diversions aside, the main focus was still on the yachts, so let’s get to it.
Lürssen
The news from German yacht builder Lürssen focused on new deliveries for 2021 as well as a demonstration facility dubbed Innovation Laboratory. The lab at the yard in Bremen simulates and tests the integration and operation of a Marine Hybrid Fuel Cell System powered by methanol. Should all go well with mid-October test runs, the lab will confirm the yard’s use of fuel cells in building a CO2 emission-free yacht.
The February delivery of the 142-meter Nord added an icon to the list of Lürssen masterpieces. Looking part military vessel and part stylish Italian couture designer, with huge arcs gracefully reaching the length of the superstructure, sweeping to stern Nord is stunning, both in daylight and dark of night. Dan Lenard, co-founder of Nord’s Nuvolari Lenard design group, aptly described her as “a warship wearing a tuxedo.” Six decks, two helipads, pool, sports and diving center, and room for 24 guests and 40 crew, she is ready to roar.
Additionally, Lürssen launched Moonsand in September of this year, reestablishing the yard’s ability to develop yachts in the 55-80 meter niche. Designed by Bannenberg & Rowell, the 56-meter Moonsand exhibits Lürssen’s skill in translating craftsmanship and style to a wide range of sizes and specifications.
Lürssen also displayed ALICE, a climate-neutral concept yacht offering a peek into the future. Powered by methanol fuel cells and using energy-saving technologies to recover heat emissions, the yacht embraces high respect for its environment, illustrating Lürssen’s commitment to leadership in design, engineering, sustainability, and client needs.
Feadship
Feadship’s fabulous concept yacht Pure may have future in the name, but Feadship states that the yacht could actually be built tomorrow. Pure is not a fanciful build, but a deep dive into how owners want to spend time on board. Designed to deliver joy at sea, Pure uses uncluttered lines to sculpt the yacht’s profile, while interiors are open, spacious, and inviting. Think three-deck atrium, large expanses of structural glass inside and out, and a main deck command center that drives via radar, AIS, maps, depth sounders, and cameras woven into an augmented reality visualization.
Feadship’s respected yachting brain trust of designers and engineers put their collective expertise and ideas on the table with extensive client feedback. The result is a yacht designed for movers, shakers, and disruptors of today and yacht owners of tomorrow.
Also, at the show, Feadship proudly presented its June 2021 delivery, Viva. At 94 meters, she is also the 94th largest yacht in the world, yet her emissions are the same as the owner’s previous yacht, 32 meters shorter than Viva. She uses a hybrid propulsion system to travel comfortably at 12 knots. Expansive wraps of glazing keep the interior light and beachy, without interruption in the design flow, bow to stern.
One of her features is the very large “Seed” television screen, a folding LED TV by Porsche that folds up and disappears when not in use. Amazingly, it can be viewed in bright sunlight.
Baltic Yachts
Javier Judenes has reason to celebrate. Gaining notoriety for the design of Finnish yacht builder Baltic with WinWin in 2014, he continues to design exciting, groundbreaking, simple to sail, beautiful sailing yachts, like Pink Gin Verde, featured in this edition of NAVIS. That was the first of Baltic’s 68-foot Café Racer series. At the show, Baltic signed a contract for the second hull of the series.
The Café Racer embraces a number of innovative details pointing to sustainability. Eco-electric propulsion paired with a hydrogeneration system, along with naturally-grown, strong, lightweight flax fiber-infused hull and structural materials give here sustainability points. Her plug-and-play, get out on the water right away technology makes her easy to sail doublehanded. It also helps that her profile is simply stunning.
Baltic’s 146 supercruiser Path earned her share of long looks in Monaco with exterior design and naval architecture by Judel/Vrolijk. Outfitted in chic, grey livery charged with bright orange dots and dashes, Path sports a solid bimini over the deck saloon topped with 60 square meters of solar panels. A second separate bimini shades the dual helms, giving a good look at the sail plan through clear panels.
In a new twist, Path has a tender well sculpted out of the bow that doubles as a pool when not occupied. She has a 2.7-meter long video wall, a fold-over anchor system, lifting keel that shrinks draft to 3.4 meters, and a 405 kW/550 hp main engine that rotates 340 degrees, fitted with a Selected Catalytic Conversion kit to clean exhaust. Path has the capacity to keep 10 guests including owner (5 cabins) and 8 crew (4 cabins) comfortable and happy on long crossings.
Benetti Yachts
The majestic Benetti flagship IJE, at 108 meters, was the biggest yacht at the show. Boasting 1,000 square meters of exteriors brilliantly arranged over five decks, RWD ensured there were ways to relax and be entertained on every level.
RWD gave IJE some fabulous gifts, like the main deck pool, outdoor bridge deck fireplace, sunset-worthy observation deck, nightclub, Technogym workout space, elevator, and beauty salon.
VanDutch 40 tenders stand ready to assist guests with excursions. Eight jet skis provide alternative water fun.
Her clean, simple lines are elegant and stately, punctuated by rhythmic rows of windows below and a long swipes of glazing on the upper decks. Carrying 22 guests and 28 crew, IJE cruises in casual comfort with a 6500 nm range at 14 knots.
It was fitting that the 65-meter Zazou made her debut in this stylish scene, displaying the dynamic lines from the hand of Giorgio M. Cassetta. A standout with a Corinthia blue hull, Zazou features a 90 square meter sky lounge, accommodations for 12 guests, and one of the largest sun decks in her class, boasting a five-meter infinity pool. Posh interiors with custom built-ins and delightfully designed accessories grace indoor spaces from Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design.
The Diamond 44 series, also with exterior design by Giorgio M. Cassetta, displays the talent of the Benetti Interior Design Department. An effortless classic with timeless appeal, Benetti’s Diamond series thoughtfully embraces their mission of Obviettivo 50: yachts built to high standards of style and quality that maintain their allure 50 years into the future.
Heesen Yachts
From the CEO viewpoint at Heesen Yachts, Arthur Brouwer offered his knowledge in a nutshell: positivity. Stocks are up. Global GDP is expected to surpass pre-Covid levels by the first half of 2022.
The number of billionaires increased by 32 percent, and their wealth grew by 24 percent. SYBASS says the “fog has dispersed,” and order books are full to the brim, believing that the healthy superyacht market should continue to trend positively for some time, especially for those building 50-55 meter yachts on speculation to fill orders for clients who are “cash-rich and time-poor.”
Illustrating those points, Heesen debuted the 55-meter steel class yacht, Moskito. Brouwer stated, “The 55-meter is a very popular class and we are the only Northern European shipyard to offer such a yacht on spec,” adding that not only does Moskito own the Heesen DNA, she is “sporty, sleek, and timelessly elegant in design while offering the best in performance and efficiency.”
Her lines drawn by Frank Laupman of Omega Architects, are notable for the “shark-tooth” superstructure overhangs and vertical windows. Displaying Van Oossanen’s efficient Fast Displacement Hull Form, Moskito’s combination of high cruise speed, length of range, and hydrodynamic efficiency yield low fuel consumption of 150 liters per hour when running at 11 knots.
Interiors by the UK’s Bannenberg & Rowell take on a posh palette combining smoked oak parquet, exquisite marble, gleaming bronze accents, and fine craftsmanship. The intended effect, says Bannenberg, aims to be breathtaking, “without being aesthetically intimidating. Something cool and interesting, but subtle.”
The sum total of 250 square meters of exterior space puts the punctuation mark on outdoor living, with gorgeous spaces for swimming, dining, entertaining, and sunbathing. Moskito’s wellness area is an extraordinary stretch of teak, textured limestone panels, reeded glass, sauna, shower, and shade within a heartbeat of a refreshing seawater swim.
Embracing the launch of BlueNautech, Heesen committed to long-term, comprehensive sustainability that examines the complete lifecycle of a yacht, working to reduce manufacturing footprints and environmental impacts. Heesen pledged to uphold the company’s six pillars of sustainability as they do their part to care for the ocean resources so crucial to enjoying the yachting lifestyle.
Oceanco
While Oceanco did not have yachts in the water, their plans created excitement and interest for the brand. Oceanco, partnering with Pininfarina design studio and Lateral Naval Architects, combined expertise to develop KAIROS, a yacht that expresses the most advanced thinking for an elevated yachting lifestyle, enhanced by Oceanco’s NXT endorsement.
An exterior shaped by the vision of a peaceful oasis, the yacht’s symmetrical profile extends the choice to live in the moment. Paolo Pininfarina notes, “Our passion as designers is to imagine new concepts of space that are capable of bringing enchantment to every moment of the experience.” Further, Pininfarina states, “On KAIROS, time, space, and people connect to be one in the moment.
The owners and their guests are at the epicenter of the onboard experience, and the surrounding space adapts to their every desire.”
An e-Hybrid system with all-electric propulsion incorporates batteries, ensuring extended operation sans noise, minimizing vibration with zero local emissions. James Roy, Managing Director of Lateral, explains, “KAIROS is the first project undertaken within the Oceanco NXT initiative. Via collaboration with uniquely creative minds, the key elements of NXT have been brought into focus to deliver a next-generation-of-user experience.”
Seeking to connect with young owners that are a good fit with the company culture, this forward-thinking strategy asks what those owners will want tomorrow in order to offer solutions today. In a word, it is all about perspective: fresh, future-oriented, and focused on delivering inspiring yachts that appeal to owners.
Rossinavi
Delivered this past summer, Rossinavi presented the 70-meter Polaris at Monaco this year. This full displacement yacht has a steel hull and aluminum superstructure powered by a pair of 1866 kW Marelli motors with two Rolls Royce Azipull AZP085 FP. Her cruising speed of 15 knots offers a 6500 nm range, with a maximum speed of 18 knots. Exterior and interior design were completed by Enrico Gobbi – Team for Design. Naval architecture was by Arrabito Naval Architects.
Tankoa
Think dream-like and airy, with an effortless light and an easy approach. That is Tankoa’s new 70.20-meter concept yacht Apache, complete with a master suite flying pool, a floodable beach club swimming pool, and a brand new technical platform. With unique new luxury features by Alberto Mancini, the innovative, contemporary design of Apache is inspired by modern architecture, with clean lines that convey a dreamy, relaxing environment.
Wally
Raising the bar on performance and cruising capabilities, the Wally 93 Nahita was on display, accelerating the pace with advanced naval architecture, ultra-clean deck, generous interior spaces, and superb comfort. This featherweight is mighty, owning a sail area/displacement ratio that would make a Cento envious. Weight is centered, minimizing pitching. A lifting keel provides the proper broad reach righting moment and upwind lift, moving between 4.4 and 6.2 meters. Optimized performance in light/medium winds enables Nahita to beat wind speed. And, she does all this with style.
Composite technology provides increased rigidity. High and intermediate modulus unidirectional carbon fiber and CNC female carbon fiber mold give her credibility among America’s Cup boats.
Yacht Club de Monaco
As a catalyst for all yachting-related activities in Monaco, Yacht Club de Monaco contributes to promoting the Principality and its influence abroad, as it pursues a policy focused on protecting the environment.
As a platform promoting any initiative that targets sustainable yachting, and keen to support development not only of propulsion systems and good practices, but also virtuous marinas, YCM hosted the first Monaco Smart and Sustainable Marina rendezvous organised last September by M3 (Monaco Marina Management). The rendezvous selecting and connecting 55 international startups and brought together an ecosystem of 250 people (in-person and online), representing all key players in the sector (owners, shipyards, startups, industrialists, investors), to provide a collective response to climate challenges and promote responsible innovation.
Attendees included HSH Prince Albert II, President of the Yacht Club de Monaco, and HRH Princess Haifa Al-Saud, Director of Maritime Development at the Academy of Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Monaco Marina Management (M3) and SELA have just signed an agreement of collaboration. It is based on operational management and promotion of Jeddah Yacht Club & Marina to deliver the first superyacht marina on the Saudi Coast of the Red Sea. M3 will support SELA in the process of obtaining the ‘’La Belle Classe Destinations’’ label from the Yacht Club de Monaco, whose vocation is to identify and federate Yacht Clubs of excellence in order to transform marinas into places to live a yacht lifestyle.
Doyle Design
A cooperative project between Rob Doyle Design and Van Geest Design, Fury 63 met with success that begged the duo to work on a sub-500GT version. Ask and you shall receive, as the Fury 500 responds to those seeking a truly green yacht. Zero-emission and unlimited range with maximized performance offer silent running, cruising, and blistering racecourse performance, putting this design solidly on the map. Add an extremely safe deck layout and advanced rig layout that makes the most of a smaller crew, plus a hydrogen fuel cell option, and you have a future-proof yacht that will be able to sail anywhere, including the Norwegian Fjords, which go emission-free in 2026.
Benetti Media, JobDV, Oceanco Media, Malgarini, Tankoa Media, Wally Media - Words: KL Turner