Encounters that Mark the Trends of International Navigation

For events of such large international scale, like yachting festivals everywhere in the world, there are always high expectations and emotions involved—more so with the exhibition that begins the presentation of the new models from all over the industry: the Cannes Yachting Festival. This is why this festival is the main reference of the direction and momentum that pleasure yachting will gain at an international level.

 

 

FESTIVAL DE CANNES 2017

 

The city of Cannes is the perfect scenery for the celebration of this extraordinary event that exudes glamour from every corner, with the Promenade de la Croisette, and the ideal weather, which was the best yet for this year’s 40th edition of the Yachting Festival. Each edition takes place in an atmosphere of complete refinement, dressing up to extend the experience all through the night, when each shipyard hosts a sophisticated soiree to celebrate owners and future prospects on board their fleet.

Besides having the opportunity to appreciate this formidable amount of ships, one of the best benefits that the boat show offers is the opportunity guests have to go on sea trials on board the yachts—an original idea that improves decision-making when it comes to purchasing a vessel.

This year, the environment was very positive. An outstanding aspect of it was the presence of European buyers, who lead ship sales once more. This is significant for the industry because clients from other nationalities will benefit from the shipyards’ more organized and solid effort to create improved yachts and more competitive projects, and that is a win-win situation for everyone.

 

 

 

PASSION FOR YACHTING

 

This is an event that brings together buyers of large and small yachts, sail ships, motorboats, multihulls, toys, day boats, tenders, new ships, and secondhand ships.

We witnessed how shipyards leading the market are investing in development, design and technology to present innovative models that complement their production lines. This is a testament to the confidence they have for a prosperous future of the history of navigation. The automotive industry sets trends, influences design and the standardization of yacht building processes. Another evident factor is the high level of customization, as well as the involvement of designers who specialize in other industries; these facts promote a prominently advancing evolution.

In contrast to this good news, there is a situation that prolongs delivery of new ships. The most significant brands are at the top of their orders and the waiting list for successful models is being delayed considerably.

For example, delivery of 80ft ships may take more than a year.

 

 

INSPIRING YACHTS IN EXHIBITION

 

The biggest shipping companies with distributors in Mexico released the Azimut 60, Ferretti 780 and 920, Lagoon 78', Monte Carlo Yachts 96', Sunseeker Manhattan 66', and Sanlorenzo SX88.

And among the shipyards that work in Mexico nonexclusively, Custom Line presented the Navetta 33m, while Riva launched the Corsaro 100'. Benetti did not present new releases, but exhibited its fiberglass fleet in Cannes.

 

 

 

Sanlorenzo SX 88’

Without a doubt, the most innovative and disruptive proposal was the Sanlorenzo SX 88'. This yacht introduces the new "crossover" category, a boat concept designed to enjoy a perfect balance between the exterior and the interiors, to preserve a connection in these areas thanks to its floor-to-ceiling glass on the main deck. As the president of San Lorenzo, Max Perotti, explains, “it is a superyacht that feels like an open loft.” The mega platform in the stern has the versatility to house a 4m tender or larger, a wave runner and a jetski. In addition, when anchored, you can relax in the excellent area by the sea. It has a single wheelhouse on the flybridge, which can be easily transformed into an enclosed space with air conditioning thanks to the glass panels that slide up like car windows. It can be customized with up to five  cabins and has the advantage of very low fuel consumption due to its innovative engineering. It reaches a top speed of 23 knots and is powered by three Volvo IPS engines. Luca Santella (Design Development Manager of Sanlorenzo) came with me on the sea trial, and I could see that, at a technical level, comfort and design, it is a yacht that demonstrates innovation. The San Lorenzo SX 88’ debuted triumphantly at Cannes, and by the time the show came to an end, 11 hulls had already been sold.

 

 

 

Navetta 33’   CUSTOM  LINE

For its part, the Custom Line Navetta 33’, designed by Bernardo Zuccon, is a vessel with a simple exterior line, easy to appreciate. The yacht offers generous spaces that give you the feeling of being onboard a larger boat. This is the smallest tri-deck, with which the shipping company managed to represent all the features of a larger boat, compromising few aspects of it. Karin Piaggi (Custom Line’s Brand Manager) guided me through all the details of the ship; it is really an excellent result of the shipyard’s teamwork. Due to the success of Narvetta 33', deliveries of new models are foreseen for 2019.

 

 

Seventy 8 flagship LAGOON

Catamarans are another market niche that is growing exponentially, mainly due to its competitive prices, generous spaces, and low maintenance costs. This year, undoubtedly, the focus of this category was captured by the Seventy 8, the new Lagoon flagship. The French shipyard from Beneteau group presents this motoryacht, with 11 different interior configurations that accommodates up to five comfortable cabins. All of this success is a result of the talented collaboration between Patrick Le Quément, Nauta Design for the interiors, and VPLP for the project’s naval architecture. Some of the features that caught my attention the most—uncommon in other vessels—include the balcony in the main cabin at sea level, the door that connects the main room with the bow area, which also allows excellent passage for the breeze to the whole boat, avoiding the need for air conditioning. Finally, the bow area between the pontoons is a formidable teak deck, which can be used for different purposes.

It is an absolute pleasure to visit so many yachts, to witness so many innovations, to feel this positive and enthusiastic atmosphere in all segments of yachting. It is an experience that every future buyer should have.

 

 

 

MONACO YACHT SHOW 2017

The yachting show in Monaco is an event of a different scale, and all the boats (or almost all of them) exhibited here provide a one-off chance for experienced clients of the highest sophistication and extravagance.

This is a market led by the north European shipyards (Germany and the Netherlands), unlike the 40m-and-below boat segment, where Italy is the undisputed leader.

Due to the nature of the product, it is very difficult to have access to the boats. This is a boat show planned for only a few customers, represented by their trusted brokers. Also, for brands it is very difficult to show the boats, because by definition, they are not part of a production line; they are customized boat projects that already have owners.

 

 

THE PRIVILEGE OF SAILING

 

Something that is becoming increasingly common is the creation of hull platforms that share naval engineering, and the buyer can choose the superstructure with the style they prefer. Thus, the customer enjoys better prices and faster delivery, as well as tested engineering that will provide greater reliability, something the crew will also appreciate.

 

 

Lürssen, Oceanco, Abeking and Rasmusen, Nobiskrug, Amels, Heesen and Feadship are the most representative examples of shipyards in Germany and Holland. While Benetti, CRN, Fincantieri, Sanlorenzo, Perini Navi, along with Codecasa, Rossinavi and Tankoa are among the leading competitors in Italy.

The Turkish shipyards also occupy a portion of this market because they offer lower prices (due to low costs of workforce in the country), which does not affect the quality of their products; Turquise and Sarp Yachts are some examples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seven Sins 52 m 2017 SANLORENZO

Visiting yachts in this boat show is a delight and an exercise to renew your capacity for amazement. From the boats that I personally visited (a total of 29), I highlight the 52m Sanlorenzo Seven Sins 2017, winner of the 2017 “MYS Interior Design Award”; this ship has all the benefits of abiding by the regulations of a 500 GRT vessel, especially because the rules of navigation and security make operating the yacht much easier, more agile and less expensive. And at the same time, it has the volume and space of a much larger ship. This is thanks to Sanlorenzo’s efficiency of design and the time they invested in their work; it has materialized extraordinarily. The beach club is an impressive area, with openings at sea level on both sides, a transparent roof, which is the bottom of a 5m pool on the main deck that features counter current. This yacht is available for charter and for sale.

 

 

 

 

 

Jubilie  OCEANCO

I enjoyed the privilege of having access to the boat show before they opened it to the public, traveling on a tender to visit the largest yacht that has been built in Holland: the 110m Oceanco Jubilee. When you lay eyes on it, you fall into the optical game that designer Igor Lobanov accomplished by adding "more bridges," or at least that’s what it appears to be the case; it makes the boat look much more stylized. This proved a very difficult task that Oceanco achieved perfectly. At night, watching the boat from the outside, illuminated by 2km of LED strips, is a true spectacle.

The layout is magnificent, with four suites on the main deck; the wheelhouse is located above, and the main cabin occupies the entire upper bridge with magnificent views; it gives you the feeling of absolute control. Luxury is present in every detail and in every fragment of the carrara marble that turns the interiors into a fusion of two worlds: Arabic and European. The expressions of the design and the complexity of the realization are evident in every detail.

 

Every year, the Tenders & Toys sector grows in the Monaco Yacht Show. As we know, the entertainment factor is one of the main criteria when selecting the yacht you are going to buy. But many times this is achieved with gadgets and toys that the boat is able to house or take along.

As a complement to all these great boats, the tender garage is very extensive and ideal to store the best options—whether they are additional vessels inside the megayachts, or those used as companions or for towing. These boats can be 100% personalized or from production lines; either way, they will include a wide range of features and specialties that will please the most eccentric customers. These toys are currently used the most, because they improve the fun of sailing. Many times, these dayboats have double the hours of use than the ships themselves, because once the yacht is anchored, the owner and guests spend the day on the smaller ones to explore coves and discover beaches. Many owners extend this practice to complement their villas by the sea with a 30'-50’ boat that allows them to enjoy their stay and entertainment to the fullest.

 

 

 

36Xpress FJORD

 

Fjord launched the 36Xpress worldwide, an agile vessel of avant-garde design with outboard motors; it can be towed by a yacht and offers a comfortable space to accommodate up to 12 people, which is the average number of guests that travel in megayachts. It is capable of cruising in the shallowest waters and crossing the bay, due to its capacity to reach up to 40 knots.

 

 

Once September is over, which is, in my opinion, the ideal month to visit Europe, when the best boat shows of the year take place, I will return with so much enthusiasm and energy to prepare for the next event in America: the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show.O

 

 

 

Texto: Javier Navarro ± Photo: Abracadabra Studios / ROMANENKO TARAS / 2017 MONACO YACHT SHOW - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED / THE SIGNS / SAN LORENZO / FERRETTI CUSTOM LINE / LAGOON / PTY / ENTREPRENEURSHIP / OCEANCO YACHT / PANORAMIO / FJOR D