new yacht design

672 Wine Club

• Motorcycles
• Car of the Month
• Destinations
• Men’s Fashion
• Watch Collector
• Art & Collectibles
• Vacation Homes
• Celebrity Homes
• New Construction
• Home Design
• Electronics
• Fine Dining
• Benchmark Wines
• Brian Fox Art
• Disneyland Resort
• Ka La’I Wakiki Beach
• Kalamazoo Grill
• Raffles Hotels & Resorts
• Sports & Leisure
• Health & Wellness
• Best of the Best
• The Ultimate Gift Guide

The 10 Best Superyacht Concepts of 2023

Blue-sky superyacht concepts range from pure fantasy to easily buildable. here are our 10 favorites in the last year., howard walker, howard walker's most recent stories.

• Rolls-Royce Debuted the New Phantom Scintilla at Monterey Car Week. Here’s Everything We Know.
• This Speedy 70-Foot Power Catamaran Is Designed to Cut Through Rough Waters
• These Slim New Catamarans Are Redefining the Category. Here’s How.
• Share This Article

To stand out from the crowd, more and more superyacht buyers—many new to the market—are challenging designers to break molds, go extreme, and think way outside of the traditional box. And they’re doing it with head-spinning bow designs, huge windows, and much larger interior and exterior spaces.

They’re also trading traditional monohulls for big-volume catamarans and trimarans, taking inspiration from oddball places—an aircraft carrier or 1930s Hollywood-style automobile—and, at the same time, future-proofing them with new propulsion systems, including hydrogen fuel cells, solar power, and advanced battery power.

These 10 concepts, from a range of designers and studios, show that the future of superyacht design has never been more exciting—if at times a little bizarre.

Sinot, ‘Aware’

Not all superyachts need to look like multi-tiered wedding cakes. That’s according to Dutch studio Sinot Yacht, which has just penned conceptual renderings for a sleek, almost-minimalist cruiser called Aware . Yes, the 262-footer does have the look of some super-stylish European river boat from the likes of Viking or Uniworld. But the aim here is to optimize the spaces experienced owners tend to use the most. Like the owner’s suite on the main deck, which in Aware spans the full beam and totals over 860 square feet. Then there’s the super-size beach club with its twin fold-out terraces, gym, bar, cinema, 36-foot-long pool, and glass-sided dining area. As for power, Sinot envisions a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system good for a 21 mph max, and a 4,000 nautical mile range at 14 mph.

Icon Yachts, ‘Mission’

Ice-breaking, globe-trotting expedition yachts are nothing new for Holland’s Icon Yachts. Its rugged, 224-foot, converted ice-breaker Ragnar literally wrote the rule-book on building high-latitude-friendly luxury superyachts. But Icon’s concept for a brand-new, ultimate explorer it’s calling Mission adds Indiana Jones–levels of off-the-grid exploration. Designed by Dutch explorer-yacht specialist Bernd Weel, Mission is all towering, ice-crushing bow, trademark geometric hull sides, and endless space for all that adventure-seeking gear. Here we’re talking six tenders of all sizes, a three-person submersible, an Airbus H130 helicopter, and space midships for a multitude of shipping containers for when you want to become the next Jacques Cousteau. As for range, Icon would target over 6,000 nautical miles.

Andy Waugh Yacht Design, ‘Decadence’

Flick through the pages of any automotive history book and you’ll notice that 1930s design is dominated by the outrageous, teardrop-fendered creations of the French duo of Figoni et Falaschi. Their designs look to be the inspiration behind London-based designer Andy Waugh’s jaw-dropping concept for a 264-foot catamaran he quite aptly calls Decadence . Featuring a central hull flanked by four teardrop-like pods, the concept evolves the idea of so-called SWATH catamaran hull design used in a number of oil-platform support, research vessels, and even some superyachts. Providing immense stability through reduced roll and pitch, the design makes perfect sense for a superyacht. One drawback: the yacht’s massive, marina-unfriendly 98-foot beam. Though that becomes a positive when you consider Decadence ‘s vast owner’s suite measures 66 feet wide and almost 100 feet long.

Oceanco, ‘Aeolus’

When the Dutch superyacht maestros at Oceanco release a blue-sky design, the concept is likely just a few steps away from reality. Fresh from delivering the 410-foot Koru , the world’s largest sailing yacht, to new owner Jeff Bezos, and the 357-foot Seven Seas to Steven Spielberg, Oceanco has unveiled Aeolus , a concept for a highly sustainable 430-foot gigayacht. Drawn by former Rolls-Royce head of design Giles Taylor, this curvaceous, quad-deck world cruiser looks to the future by incorporating Oceanco’s Energy Transition Platform (ETP) philosophy. The propulsion could start with diesel-electric power, with battery banks charged by twin MTU V16 diesel generators. Then, as technologies advance, it could more to more advanced fuel types such as methanol or other, even wilder technologies like nuclear power.

Anthony Glasson, ‘Star Trek’

Designed to boldly go across oceans, this concept for a massive 275-foot trimaran i s said to have been inspired by Hong Kong–based designer Anthony Glasson’s love of the TV show “Star Trek”—especially the Starship Enterprise . Viewed bow-on, you can see why: The slender, wave-piercing bow, the twin side hulls, and rounded glass upper observation deck have USS Enterprise written all over it. But the trimaran form definitely adds to its function, with the wide beam creating an expansive “courtyard” that’s part enclosed and part open, housing a hot tub—one of three aboard—a gym, a bar, sunpads galore and even a helipad-turned-dancefloor. Glasson envisions the trimaran to be built of lightweight aluminum, with a 5,000-nautical-mile range. Captain Kirk would be impressed.

Jozeph Forakis, ‘Pegasus’

Until now, arguably the ultimate stealth boat was the one in the 1997 James Bond romp Tomorrow Never Dies , owned by tyrannical media mogul Elliot Carver. That would change if the 289-foot concept Pegasus , from the computer screen of N.Y.C.-born and now Milan-based designer Jozeph Forakis, gets a production go-ahead. It features a superstructure comprising three over-lapping “wings” with metallic surfaces designed to reflect the sky and the clouds, rendering the superyacht near-invisible. The “wings” also do double duty as solar panels generating energy that would be used to convert sea water to hydrogen. Fuel cells would then turn the hydrogen into electricity that would be then stored in banks of lithium-ion batteries, making Pegasus essentially emissions-free with a virtually infinite cruising range.

Lazzarini, ‘Plectrum’

Why fly through the water when you can fly on top? That’s the thinking behind Rome-based Lazzarini Design’s radical 243-foot hydrofoiling superyacht concept named Plectrum . Massive foils deploy from the sides of the yacht’s rounded carbon-fiber hull, while a trio of 5,000 hp engines would elevate the yacht out of the water and punch it to a top speed of over 80 mph. It’s a similar concept used in the latest America’s Cup AC75 foiling monohull sailboats, along with a crop of electric powerboats and surfboards. Applying the technology to a 243-foot superyacht is what’s new and possibly technically impossible, at least for now. Other stand-out features of this bright-orange flyer include a helicopter garage beneath the mile-long foredeck and a garage for your supercar at the stern.

Phantom and Golden Yachts, ‘Vesper’

When it comes to next-generation superyacht design, it seems glass is fast becoming the new steel. Take the collaboration between the design team at Holland’s Phantom Studios and Athens-based superyacht builder Golden Yachts. The 213-foot concept they’re calling Vesper features five levels of floor-to-ceiling structural glass, a glass floor in the yacht’s upper deck lounge, and a glass-sided swimming pool. Connecting the beach club to the pool is a huge, high-lifting hatch that’s, what else, all glass. Now head to the owner’s “suite”—it’s more like a two-level penthouse in a Miami skyscraper—and it features floor-to-very-high-ceiling glass that floods the space with light. To catch some real rays, the full-deck suite features not one, but two outdoor terraces.

DeBasto Design, MED

Think of this as a 301-foot dayboat with the emphasis on outdoor, alfresco, lounge-in-the-sun, Mediterranean living. From the drawing board of Miami-based designer Luiz de Basto, Project MED features uninterrupted, bow-to-stern open teak decks topped with a huge upper superstructure supported by just four columns. And to ensure the superstructure doesn’t dominate the superyacht’s sleek lines, de Basto covered it in reflective glass so that it almost disappears from view by mirroring its surroundings. The designer says his inspiration came from the idea of “Agora,” named after the squares in Ancient Greek villages where everyone congregated. Aboard Project MED, that could be on the main deck, around the oversized pool at the stern, or on the vast open foredeck.

Enzo Manca, ‘UAE One’

There are superyachts designed to look like military warships. Some even are shaped to look like navy submarines. But here’s a first; a superyacht inspired by the lines of an aircraft carrier. The 459-foot UAE One is from the fertile mind of Milan-based designer Enzo Manca who created the concept for an unnamed United Arab Emirates sheikh looking to create an official UAE flagship. Without a doubt, the design highlight is the yacht’s runway-like main deck. It features not one, but three helipads, a conning tower-like, four-level structure on the starboard side, a geometric-shaped pool and a huge circular “conversation pit” right on the bow, complete with cozy sofas and a firepit. Accommodations over nine decks include five “super suites”, eight master cabins, 14 mini apartments, and 35 cabins for the crew of 65. 

Read More On:

• Superyacht Design
• Superyachts

More Marine

The Shipyard That Built the ‘Titanic’ Has Filed for Bankruptcy

This New Catamaran Concept Was Designed to Carry Your Bugatti Across the High Seas

Meet Spitfire, a New 164-Foot Superyacht Based on a High-Performance Patrol Boat

What It’s Like to Watch an America’s Cup Race Right on the Water

Meet the Wine Club That Thinks Differently.

Receive editor-curated reds from boutique California producers four times a year.

Give the Gift of Luxury

Latest Galleries in Marine

Spitfire Superyacht in Photos

The AX/E 22 and AX/E 25 in Photos

More from our brands, bulgari joins 2025 watches and wonders lineup, coffey talk: ares sports chiefs affolter, miller on nfl investing, antón álvarez – aka c. tangana – directorial debut ‘la guitarra flamenca de yerai cortés’ pounced on by latido films (exclusive), a new edition of john elderfield’s ‘frankenthaler’ shows an artist with real new york chutzpah, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors.

• THE PRINCESS PASSPORT
• Email Newsletter
• Yacht Walkthroughs
• Destinations
• Electronics
• Boating Safety
• Ultimate Boating Giveaway

Eight Builders Debut New Yacht Designs

• By Kim Kavin
• Updated: May 26, 2021

Looking ahead to the next boating season is everyone’s favorite hobby at this time of year, with the last gasps of winter starting to fade and the warm summer sun just a few months away. Boatbuilders around the globe are encouraging this daydreaming in a major way, with some bold new designs that add style and spice to the imagination.

In the following pages, we offer a look at new builds and concepts from mega-yachts to catamarans, with everything from traditional propulsion to solar power, as well as design elements that run the gamut from classic to modern. Some of these yachts are already under construction, while others are concepts awaiting owners to bring them to life.

No matter how you see yourself in your own boating daydreams, there’s a yacht that can get you there in the real world.

The 180-foot Project Gemini has an interior decor by Luca Dini, who focused on tay wood, mirrors, and accents of metal, marble and glass. Part of Heesen’s 55-meter Steel class, Project Gemini is a sistership to several other builds—most recently Solemates, which was delivered in 2020.

Creature comforts abound in the design; the wellness area aboard Project Gemini is accessed via the beach club, and the owner’s stateroom spans more than 880 square feet on the main deck. Sole-to-ceiling glass doors connect the indoor and outdoor guest spaces, and the sky lounge extends across the yacht’s full beam. VIP guests have a stateroom on the sky-lounge level, which also has a dining area with a bird’s-eye view.

Bernardo Zuccon is credited with the design creativity that makes the Sanlorenzo SD118 a unique offering in its size range. This yacht has an asymmetrical design that previously was incorporated only on Sanlorenzo’s SL line of yachts. To port is a side deck that leads from the stern to the bow, while the starboard-side has, in essence, a widebody hull.

The stern on the SD118 also has been revised from previous SD models; this one has an expanded space of more than 200 square feet, thanks to port and starboard drop-down platforms. As of late 2020, Sanlorenzo was reporting four hulls of the SD118 already sold. Look for the boat to make an appearance at the Cannes Yachting Festival later this year.

Many long-distance and Great Loop cruisers are fans of the Fleming Yachts brand. While the builder does not offer new models very often, its boats are known for being comfortable, sturdy, go-anywhere vessels. The Fleming 85 is the new flagship in the builder’s lineup, which also includes a 55, 58, 65 and 78. The 85 is a new design from the keel up, and it’s available in open- or enclosed-pilothouse versions.

The yacht carries 3,170 gallons of fuel and has twin 1,550 hp MAN V-12 engines, along with Humphree stabilizers. Bow and stern thrusters are by Twin Disc. The yacht’s 5-foot-5-inch draft—along with its 20-foot air draft—make it a candidate for passagemaking in most parts of the world.

Rossinavi delivered the 160-foot EIV from the shipyard in Viareggio, Italy, at the end of 2020. Previously known as Project Vector 50, the yacht has interior and exterior design by Venice-based Enrico Gobbi and Team for Design. Electrical and mechanical components are made in the United States, with the yacht expected to cruise in US and Caribbean waters.

The shipyard is calling EIV a “little sister” to Utopia IV , combining the elements of a sport design with the space of a full-displacement yacht. Some of the design elements are inspired by the automotive world, making them reminiscent of the air-vent grilles on a sports coupe. The master stateroom is full beam on the main deck with a private terrace.

Azimut Yachts in Italy says its 53 Fly will be ready to debut in early 2021. The exterior is by Alberto Mancini, with interiors by Azimut’s in-house team. Power will be a pair of 725 hp Volvo Penta IPS950-D11s, which the builder expects to provide a top speed of 31 knots and a cruise speed of 27 knots. Inside, the layout is intended for families to stay aboard for days at a time.

The master stateroom is amidships with a walk-in closet. The VIP stateroom is forward, and there’s a twin-berth cabin for the kids. A space for a washer/dryer is nearby, and extra stowage is built into each stateroom. Up on deck, the cockpit can be fitted with a bar and ice maker, while the flybridge dinette converts into a sun lounge.

The 60 Sunreef Power Eco is an evolution of the builder’s 60 Sunreef Power, which was awarded “Best Power Driven Catamaran” at the 2020 World Yacht Trophies. The Eco version is all about environmentally friendly cruising, with nearly 740 square feet of solar panels incorporated into the design. The energy those panels collect gets stored in an ultralight battery bank, which in turn powers the yacht’s electric engines.

The result, according to Sunreef, is vibration-free and silent cruising, in addition to the knowledge that the yacht is engaging in eco-friendly exploration. As with all Sunreefs, owners have a choice of layout and decor. Features built into the design include a flybridge and bow terrace.

The team at Bravo Yacht Design Group in Spain took inspiration from sailing yachts when creating this 249-foot motoryacht concept. The Bravo 75 would have a triple hybrid propulsion package, including diesel, hydrogen and electric engines with Azipods.

BYD co-founders and partners Tià Simó and Raúl Gonzalo say: “Another strong point of this concept, which represents the very heart of the yacht, is its flybridge. The space of the Jacuzzi is modular and offers a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape. Thanks to sliding glass walls, guests can enjoy the view without the unpredictability of the weather.” The idea is for guests to feel as if they’re in an open space, even when it’s closed.

Italy’s Canados shipyard is expected to launch Hull No. 1 of the Gladiator 631 in April, with an owner ready and waiting. Naval architect and race-boat builder Simone Cesati set out to create a fastest-in-class yacht that could hit 50 knots but also cruise all day at 35 knots with reduced fuel consumption. Those are the targets Canados expects the yacht to achieve, powered by twin 1,000 hp Volvo Penta D13s.

The shipyard estimates that fuel consumption at 35 knots will be just 1.5 gallons per nautical mile, thanks in part to lightweight construction materials such as Kevlar, carbon fiber and E-glass. The yacht also has what Canados describes as a futuristic helm that incorporates a pair of Garmin displays.

• More: Azimut Yachts , Canados , Catamarans , Express Cruisers , Fleming Yachts , Heesen Yachts , Motoryachts , Rossinavi , Sanlorenzo , Sunreef Yachts , Superyachts , Yacht List , Yachts
• More Yachts

Top Nine Fishing Tenders For 2024

First Look: Meet the Apreamare 88 Motoryacht Flagship

Holterman Shipyard Debuts Xtreme X-65

Unveiling the Tiara Yachts EX 54: A Comprehensive Review

Unforgettable Caribbean Voyage: Sailing Through St. Maarten and Dominica

Next-Level Cruising: 2022 Palm Beach PB70 For Sale

For Sale: 2014 Sabre 42 Salon Express

• Digital Edition
• Customer Service
• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Email Newsletters
• Cruising World
• Sailing World
• Salt Water Sportsman
• Sport Fishing
• Wakeboarding