Best of 2018

2018 has been another good year for the nautical industry, it is though not all roses and flowers with some parts of the sector doing great, others good, and a part just managing to keep going.  The winner in recent years has been the 24 meter plus super yacht industry.  Another sector which has seen impressive growth is that for large tenders, day cruisers, and centre consoles, with these last becoming the boat of the most important North American sub fifty feet segment.  Still recovering is that of cruisers and yachts from ten to twenty meters, far away from the numbers it had ten years ago.  It might also be a change of demand, so it is possible that the flybridge motor and sport cruiser and yacht will never see the sales it had, at least in the near future.  Sportfish boats are doing good, stable, with this repeated formula dominated by a few names, and a handful of custom builders building on demand.  This again a market reserved for the most part to the East Coast of North America.  The coming year looks difficult to predict, with clouds on the horizon, mostly in the old continent, and three major countries having a set of different circumstances that will create uncertainties in the European Union and beyond.  Obviously the important one will be Brexit, which not only means a cloud on the British boat builders, but also to the United Kingdom boat owners using them in the EU. 

PowerYacht 2018 best is the Maritimo X60. Aft cabin was the standard for Italian made sport yachts in the nineties but today are a thing of the past, which is unfortunate as this layout has its benefits including optimum engine positioning for balance and shaft angle, and the privacy an aft cabin usually gives.  From down under Maritimo decides to follow balanced engineering first with its new X range, debuting this nineteen meter European looks inspired sport yacht.  Although it will be a big mistake to think the X60 is just about balance with the aft area being the main innovation, available in four different versions; aft cabin, beach club, and tender garage, or other custom requirements from the customer.  The nice day is shown in the morning, with Maritimo already working on a smaller X50. 

The others.

Baltic M78. This Finnish yacht builder famous for high end custom or semi-custom sailing yachts is reportedly close in buying out an Italian super yacht builder.  In the meantime with the help of German Frers they present this medium range unusual looking low profiled explorer yacht. 

Cayman F920. Cayman launches its largest 27 meter build to date.  With Ferragni on design duty the F920 is an innovative super yacht, although its stand out feature is its light to the eye super structure which makes her look sportier to any similar sized and styled yacht. 

Ferretti 670. The famous Italian name celebrated fifty years in 2018 with a party held in Venice, and the presentation of the new 670 which starts the Filippo Salvetti style era, who replaces Zuccon after 28 years.

ISA Yachts Extra 76. The Extra is Palumbo's shake up since taking over the Ancona super yacht builder in 2016.  With innovator designer of the times Francesco Guida, the Extra is a product for those wanting endless aft deck space.  The first SX competitor.  

Overmarine Mangusta 54 Gransport. This new flagship and Gransport line from Overmarine Mangusta defies convention, able of a top speed up to 29 knots or be a globe trotter at twelve knots.

Palm Beach GT50. Mark Richards is a master of high-tech light weight construction and hull efficiency, and with the GT50 he delivers unthinkable low fuel consumption in fifteen meters of length. 

Princess R35. The usual conservative Princess breaks its mould of doing things for its first ever runabout sport cruiser designed by BAR with styling by Pininfarina.  R for revolution and runabout.

Sanlorenzo SL102 Asymmetric. In 2015 Sanlorenzo announced a cooperation with Chris Bangle famous for changing the car industry.  The result is asymmetry, fully body to port side on the Sanlorenzo SL102, which adds ten per cent of interior space and undisturbed sea views.  

Line shafts. Sunseeker 50 Predator. With this new entry level Predator 50 Sunseeker take a step back, to itself and the competition in this size, returning to traditional line shaft propulsion.  It is an interesting turn of events with Sunseeker being among the first with the Portofino 48 in 2008 which was then updated into the 50 San Remo in 2014 to jump in the IPS propulsion and large midships cabin layout.  But do not be mistaken thanks to aft located engines with U-drive line shafts the Predator 50 midships master cabin is still there, and with Sunseeker magic is even more spacious to that of the San Remo model it replaces.  

PowerYacht wishes to all its followers, friends, readers, and visitors a Healthy and Prosperous 2019 year.