Best of 2012

Its been another difficult year for the pleasure boating industry, something ongoing since 2009. The good news is that 2012 confirmed the Super Yacht upward swing which started to show in the previous year, with the Dutch, most famous for thirty meter plus also competing in smaller sizes. The big known brands are also more stable, managing to ride the ongoing long economic storms better to others, with the reason being an international well laid portfolio of dealers makes selling a production of boats more easier then in one country.  Unfortunately there is still suffering in most of the usual pleasure boating and yachting centric countries, where most boutique builders with small production numbers and build to order custom exist.  Countries like USA, Italy, Holland, UK, and Scandinavia have these small, medium sized builders which always deserve attention from any buyer, especially if one wants a yacht to his demands rather to one following an important market research.   

PowerYacht best of 2012 is the Azimut 55S.  In Spring 2003 Azimut entered the sport yacht segment with the 68S, challenging and changing the genre in every way from the design to the finishing's of yacht interiors.  Nine years after Azimut challenges again, itself and the sport yacht genre with this new triple Volvo IPS powered 55S, which is again a big evolution to the species.  The Stefano Righini designed 55S is full of surprises from its use of carbon fibre, the vertical bow with steel grill, transformative aft beach club worthy of a super yacht, unseen spaces inside, and the triple Volvo engines which can be twin used for fuel economy at under 25 knots. Another game changer!   

The others.

Absolute 72 Fly. Absolute expansion in just ten years has been something outstanding.  Just saying the 72 Fly is a new flagship, for all Absolute and the flybridge range which debuted in 2010 with the 50 Fly model. 

Cheoy Lee 76 Alpha. This Hong Kong ship builder is well known for commercial vessels and super yachts.  Now it enters production yachting with this 23 meter sport yacht, helped by Luiz de Basto for exterior styling and Michael Peters for hull design.

Couach 5000 Fly. Its been five years in the making for Couach fifty meters largest build to date new flagship.  As is usual for the French builder, hull design takes high importance with the 5000 good to go at thirty knots or at twelve for a four thousand nautical miles range. 

Princess 40M. It took just fifteen months for Princess to expand on the 32M, the first unit to come from the Super Yacht dedicated facility called the South Yard, with the 40M flagship going to 131 feet.  Things are getting big, bigger extremely fast. 

Riviera 445 SUV. The famous down under boat builder mixes its Offshore Express, Sport yacht, and Open Flybridge lines and cooks its first 445 Sport Utility Vessel.  The first of a new range according to news from the Gold Coast.   

Sanlorenzo SL94. A Sanlorenzo with the usual conventional design, but look at the specification and that load line length of 23.9 meters.  Enters the first super yacht at ninety feet plus, with a sub 24 meters length and the benefits of this.  Clever use of rules, the competition will notice.

Sunseeker 40 Portofino. The known British name returns in the twelve meter sport cruiser size, full of style, including a Ken Freivokh interior.  It is getting crowded in this size for quality production hard-top sport cruisers, with other new offers coming from both Britain and Italy in 2012.

Wally 26M Ace. Mr. Luca Bassani is always on the attention of new trends, and how his vision will work.  Enters the Ace, Wally's explorer long range super yacht with spacious volumes and a range up to 5,000 nautical miles at nine knots cruise.  Wally does it, it's own way.

Expanding range. Tiara 3600 Coronet. The Tiara's Coronet has been the entry model and range of this quality renowned USA builder, offering day cruiser amenities with some fishing details.  Now this totally new 3600 takes the Coronet range to a larger size, and follows the luxurious design and detailing as presented in 2011 with the 3100.  Tiara will expand size in the Coronet range further with a larger 3900 currently in project stages.   

PowerYacht wishes to all its followers, friends, readers, and visitors a Healthy and Prosperous 2013 year.