January 1, 2018

Best of 2017

2017 has been another good year for the nautical industry and since couple years the market is settling itself to a stable growth. The second decade of the second millennium started low and slow, with all sort of problems created by the largest recession in decades, and other outside forces as governments over taxing the segment. Now that things are settling down nicely, some names are returning, and the innovation which is the focal point of the boating industry is again very spirited.

PowerYacht best of 2017 is Sanlorenzo SX88.  With Massimo Perotti Sanlorenzo has ventured into new pastures, but what it does with the SX is well beyond what the usual conservative name has done before with the SD, Alloy, and Exp lines he introduced into his twelve years at the helm.  The SX is first and foremost a new type of yacht, with a layout which offers double spaces outside in its size, uniting the exterior into the interior living areas in a new un-edited way.  

The others.

Apreamare 11m Gozzo.  Cataldo Aprea revolutionised the traditional Italian fishing gozzo boat in the early nineties, transforming it into a cruiser with the Smeraldo series.  In 2017 helped by Brunello Acampora he does it again turning the classic Italian fishing boat style into that of a fast runabout.

Azimut Grande 27 Metri. While the rest is focusing on putting 28-29 meters super yachts with a 23.9 load line, Azimut pulls a trick from its sleeve and puts the space of a thirty meters in a 27.  A lesson in using and redefining spaces in yacht design. 

Baglietto MV19. Inspired by WWI and WWII MAS torpedo boats, which Baglietto used to build, this fully custom, alloy constructed, is a bigger custom build inspired by the MV13 launched in 2013.  Six more meters in size, give accommodation for six plus one crew. 

Canados 428 Gladiator. Its over thirty years since Cantieri Navali di Ostia offered anything smaller then fifteen meters.  In this sporty configuration probably never.  Yet the small thirteen meter Gladiator is Canados at its best form, build to order and able to be customised as it can be.  

Dominator D28 Ilumen. Three years in the making the Ilumen represents a big change from Dominator who move into volume a plenty, explorer inspired super yachts.   
 
Fairline Targa 63 GTO. The first totally new Fairline of the new ownership and in four years, which represents a changed way of working, in an Italian type system, with exterior styling by Alberto Mancini who has taken full design duties from now onwards, and hull design by Vripack.

Grand Banks 60. Mark Richards first fully new 60 model reinvents Grand Banks, now being all about efficiency, light weight, and speed.  Challenging an iconic look is a big ask, even for Grand Banks.

Pardo 43. A return to motor boating after twenty years absent.  Pardo enter in the genre of the moment, with a thirteen meter centre console walk-around with four berths accommodation below designed by Zuccheri.  A big hot seller in the fall 2017 boat shows.   

Custom production. Bayliss GameBoat 60. Custom sportfish yachts are the ultimate machine to build, own, captain or crew in the sport fishing realm.  Founded in 2002 Bayliss has risen very fast to the top of the custom sportfish addresses to look if you want a new build, and in 2017 presented this custom-production platform called GameBoat.  While still a custom build to order in cold moulding the GameBoat reduces build time, thanks to a confinement of layouts.  The result was approved by the Sportfisherman with a further GameBoat ordered, albeit in a larger 62 size and a bit fatter beam.

PowerYacht wishes to all its followers, friends, readers, and visitors a Healthy and Prosperous 2018 year.  

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