2020 is on the horizon and the year ahead is sure to produce some impressive and innovative designs from the world of luxury yachts. As we bid goodbye to 2019, we take a look back at some of the biggest superyachts launched this year, which began with 100m+/328ft+ mega yachts launched by world-renowned shipyards…
FLYING FOX
Mega yacht FLYING FOX measures an impressive 136m/446.2ft and boasts an exterior by renowned designer Espen Oeino and interiors from Mark Berryman. Her ample size translates into ample amenities and accommodation on board, with 25 guests across 11 en-suite cabins enjoying the swimming pool, beach club and sundeck Jacuzzi. Most notable is the two-tier spa, which contains a hammam, sauna, cyro sauna, a spa massage room and a gym. Two helipads allow guests to come and go as they please as luxury yacht FLYING FOX cruises from one sensational destination to the next at a top speed of 20 knots.
FLYING FOX 136m yacht – top view
PROJECT LIGHTNING
Lurssen shipyard have kept secret details on M/Y PROJECT LIGHTNING, however what is known is that the Espen Oeino-designed 130m/426.5ft mega yacht has a Jacuzzi, a touch-n-go helipad on the foredeck and bridge deck aft, plus a spacious beach club with spa facilities. She was spotted on sea trials in November showcasing her many side terraces and hatches, and more details are expected following her delivery.
Mega Yacht PROJECT LIGHTNING on sea trials
IJE
Benetti mega yacht IJE is among the first mega yacht produced by the Italian shipyard as part of their ‘giga yacht season’ which began in late 2018 and saw the launch of three luxury yachts over 100m/328ft. The exterior styling comes from British studio RWD while the interiors are the work of the Benetti in-house team.
Benetti motor yacht IJE
The accommodation sleeps 22 guests and the large capacity of IJE makes her a sensational choice for dockside events. Her known amenities include a beach club, a sauna, a heated swimming pool, Jacuzzi and a theatre. There is a crew of 25 on board for professional service throughout every cruise.
BENETTI FB272
Another of the mega yachts from the Benetti ‘giga yacht season’, as-yet unnamed 105m/344ft FB272 boasts exterior styling from Hugo van Wieringen of Azure Naval Architects, with Giorgio Cassetta of Benetti’s in-house team adding the final touches. The interiors come from Zaniz Jakubowski of Zaniz Interiors, and notable features on board include 800m²/8611ft² of glazing across the decks, a fully-certified helipad with a fuelling/de-fuelling station, and 12 hours of battery life for silent, reduced-vibration cruising.
Giga yacht FB272. Photo credit Benetti
MADSUMMER
Previously known as PROJECT FIJI, superyacht MADSUMMER is just short of the mega yacht title at 95m/311.7ft but she is just as lavish: Her beach club comes with a swimming pool and dedicated spa, while above there is a swimming pool and a sundeck Jacuzzi. The foredeck doubles as a helipad and the upper deck aft boasts a fire pit for alfresco living on cooler nights and during the off-season.
Superyacht Madsummer. Photo credit ®KlausJordan
Her exterior styling from Harrison Eidsgaard has resulted in a robust form and while the interior styling from Studio Laura Sessa has yet to be revealed, it is known that M/Y MADSUMMER accommodates up to 20 guests over 10 beautifully-finished en-suite cabins.
LADY S
This elegant luxury yacht brings together timeless elements and contemporary styling to create a sensational vessel that is just as accomplished in her engineering and on board amenities, which include a glass-bottomed pool, a spa centre with sauna and steam room, a duplex IMAX cinema, a fully-certified helipad and a basketball court.
Lady S – exterior profile. Copyright Feadship
The high attention to detail comes from Michael Leach for the exteriors, while the interiors are the work of Reymond Langton Design. The accommodation sleeps up to 12 guests over six en-suite cabins, of which there is a Master cabin and five VIP staterooms, all with 8K HDTVs for entertainment without having to leave the cabin.
She has a top speed of 18 knots and a cruising speed of 14 knots, taking her guests on a steady journey through the night to their next destination.
DREAMBOAT
The angle of the raked bow gives 90m/295ft Oceanco superyacht DREAMBOAT a dynamic look that gives a modern update to classic motor yacht design. Large black-tinted windows contrast with the crisp white hull and superstructure from designer Espen Oeino, while elements such as the balustrades only enhance the powerful design.
DreAMBoat. Photo credit Marquis Palmer
Terence Disdale chose for the interiors natural-coloured wood, limestone floors, parchment, leather and mother-of-pearl, with semi-precious stone used in the vanities in the accommodation to sleep 23 guests. The Owner has a deck all to themselves with a private Jacuzzi, while a second Jacuzzi can be found on the sundeck and a swimming pool on the main deck aft.
BOLD
Explorer yacht BOLD from Australian shipbuilders Silver Yachts has styling features reminiscent of 20th-century naval vessels, yet her on-board technology is cutting-edge.
Superyacht BOLD. Photo credit Ron Raffety
She has a top speed of 23 knots and a range of 5,000 nautical miles, and while expedition yacht BOLD cruises to distant islands such as the Galapagos, guests on board can indulge in the sundeck Jacuzzi, the winter garden for all-weather dining and lounging, the convertible disco on the helideck, the outdoor cinema or the main salon with its media wall.
Once at the destination, there is a large selection of modern water toys for the 16 guests and a draft of only 2.8m/9ft takes her closer to the best spots in the region.
DRAGON
Columbus Yachts‘ flagship 79.90m/262’ motor yacht DRAGON has a long svelte form that takes inspiration from cruise liners at the height of their popularity in the 1950s and 60s.
Superyacht Dragon
The beach club comes with fold-down terraces and up on the sundeck there is a swimming pool and hydro-massage area. There are also 6 cabins to sleep up to 12 guests. Sunbathing spots are abundant on board and the styling from Hydrotec and Francesco Guida produces spacious environments in a calming contemporary theme.
Her top speed and cruising speed don’t differ much at 12.5 knots and 12 knots respectively, but she has an exhaustive range of 6,000 nautical miles and when there are so many amenities on board, guests can enjoy the journey.
ARTEFACT
M/Y ARTEFACT from Nobiskrug was launched around the mid-point of 2019 and is one of the first luxury yachts to be built to IMO Tier III regulations, allowing her to cruise in environmentally sensitive regions. Her state-of-the-art technology also provides the very latest in navigation, safety and comfort on board, with a Dynamic Positioning System to keep her in place without dropping anchor and solar panels efficiently charge the battery systems on board.
Artefact – Nobiskrug
The cut-out windows in the 80m/262ft hull and in the two-tier salon have a distinctly 80s feel and the large white hull from Gregory C. Marshall has cut-out sections for fold-down terraces and a tender garage hatch. Reymond Langton Design created her interior styling, about which more details have yet to be released.
EXCELLENCE
80m/262ft luxury yacht EXCELLENCE from Abeking & Rasmussen is worthy of her name, boasting interior and exterior styling from award-winning British studio Winch Design has an extensive list of water toys and gym equipment to suit outdoors-types and fitness fanatics, who after a workout can relax in the sundeck Jacuzzi or press on with a couple of laps in the swimming pool.
Excellence – Exterior. Photo credit © Guillaume Plisson
The generous beach club provides a space to lounge close to the water, and the accommodation provides for 12 guests over seven en-suite cabins.
MIMTEE
79m/259.2ft superyacht MIMTEE from CRN Spa has an almost classic appearance with modern elements carefully integrated by Zuccon International Project. Life on board is filled with contemporary comforts, from the Jacuzzis on the sundeck and private Owner’s deck to the opulent interiors from Studio Laura Sessa.
CRN superyacht 135
PI
Previously known as motor yacht SYZYGY 818, luxury yacht PI from Feadship measures 77.3m/253.6ft and has exterior styling from Jarkko Jämsén and interiors by Sinot Yacht Architecture & Design. Her top speed is 16 knots and she has a faster than average cruising speed of 18.5 knots. The rest of her details have so far been kept a secret by the shipyard.
Feadship superyacht PI (ex Syzygy 818)
AURORA BOREALIS
Superyacht AURORA BOREALIS (ex.PROJECT WAKA) from Amels is a sturdy vessel exterior featuring an ice-white paint scheme and styling from Tim Heywood. The alfresco living spaces come furnished with plenty of sunbeds, a massive sundeck Jacuzzi that seats seven and a beach club that connects to a swim platform with a shower and a ladder into the sea.
AURORA BOREALIS – aerial view
Winch Design produced an earth-toned palette for her interiors, which contain two VIP staterooms on the bridge deck, a skylounge and a beach club.
Her top speed of 17 knots and range of 5,000 nautical miles at economical speed show that she is a balanced vessel in all aspects ready to take on whatever the future may bring.
