Here Are the Best New Yachts at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show
The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) kicked off with new yacht launches and superyacht concepts. The largest in-water boat show in the world, FLIBS is typically the dumping ground for “U.S. premieres” of yachts that were first shown at the European shows in September.
But this year featured multiple global premieres, including the Gulfcraft Majesty 111 from the UAE, Sunseeker Ocean 182 from the U.K., the Prestige M80 from France, and Maritimo’s M60 from Australia. But perhaps more important were announcements of upcoming models that included superyachts designed around sustainability such as CRN’s Sup-Y series and Oceanco’s Simply Custom lineup.
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The Ferretti Group, during its annual press conference at its tony in-water showroom along a Fort Lauderdale canal, said it has increased revenues consistently for the last nine years, from 309 million Euros in 2014 to 1.1 billion in its latest fiscal year. “For the first six months, we are way above where we were in 2022,” said Stefano de Vivo, Ferretti’s chief commercial officer.
One of the big growth drivers among the group has been its Wally brand, a cultural icon in yachting but a small custom builder before the Ferretti Group acquired it in 2019. The Italian firm plans to bring Wally’s annual revenues from 2 million euros to 300 million euros in 10 years.
The wally150why is making its American debut at FLIBS, but the company also announced a smaller wally100why that will be launched next year. The wide-bodied series are a departure for Wally and have created copycats among rival builders. “Basically, we’re trying to pack as much volume as possible inside a much shorter boat,” said de Vivo. “What’s happening in Europe and in America is that new regulations are starting to penalize boats as they get longer. The regulations won’t let you get as close to shore in larger boats. We think these shorter lengths are the best solutions.”
The brand also announced new Wally Power 50 and 50X versions that join its 58-footers. De Vivo also announced new models in its Ferretti Yachts, Custom Line, Riva, Pershing, and CRN brands. The new Riva and Pershing models include superyacht versions of the two brands, while CRN is building Project 144. At 279 feet, the vessel will be its largest superyacht ever.
Dutch builder Oceanco, responsible for groundbreaking custom yachts like Jeff Bezos’s 417-foot sailing vessel, Koru, announced a new project that features 17 of the world’s leading yacht and residential designers unveiling their versions of an 80-meter (262-foot) yacht for the brand’s new “Simply Custom” lineup. Worried about being known solely for its one-of-a-kind gigayachts, Oceanco’s new program focuses on the smaller category but offers a wide range of styles for owners. It’s the first program of its kind in yachting.
Behind the exteriors, says Oceanco’s Paris Baloumis, is a focus on sustainable propulsion, with each yacht powered by hybrid diesel-electric systems. “This architecture will be the one common thread across all the designs,” he tells Robb Report. “We’re also designing it so that future propulsion technologies, when they become available, can be retrofitted into the design.”
Another bold superyacht concept at FLIBS is the 206-foot Project Stardust from boutique Italian builder Tankoa Yachts. An unusual twist in the design process was that instead of calling on an established yacht design studio to create the lines of its latest project, Tankoa held a competition among lesser-known designers.
For the exterior the company picked Azerbaijan-based Ucal Abbasli, which gave Stardust a towering, arch-like, glass-filled top section with an open, forward-facing observation deck. For the interior, it chose Miami-based Italian designer Giuseppina Arena, who came up with layouts for sleek, light-filled, mostly stark-white spaces.
Tankoa is currently looking for a buyer for Project Stardust, saying from start to finish the yacht would likely take around four years to complete. “It is certainly a yacht we would love to build, and an exciting one for a customer,” Giuseppe Mazza, Tankoa’s sales manager, tells Robb Report.
FLIBS will continue through Sunday.
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