October 24, 2024

Improve-it = Mulder Favorite 2200

Mulder have recently launched hull number three of the Favorite 2200 semi-production series.  Carrying yard number 24142 and titled m/y Olaf the third Favorite 2200 is a very bespoke build, which thanks to a length extension of ninety centimetres to accomodate a larger up down bathing platform aft, making the longest to date of Mulder's classic looking semi production series which today starts from fifteen meters.  The third Favorite 2200 is also unique for having a crew cabin for two persons.  Build all in aluminium to a design of Guido de Groot with naval architecture by Vripack, the third Favorite 2200 is powered by twin Cat 1150hp, unlike the two previous 2020 and 2022 launched units both of which were powered by Volvo 1000hp.

October 23, 2024

New Model: Silent Yachts 62 3-Deck Open

Solar power front runner Silent-Yachts has launched its first Silent 62 3-Deck solar electric catamaran at its facility in Fano, Italy. Based on the bestselling Silent 60 but increasing the overall length of the hull, the Silent 62 3-Deck offers an additional third deck instead of the regular flybridge. The result is a thrilling combination of the superyacht flair of the top-of-the-range Silent 80 3-Deck and the compact dimensions of the Silent 60. The best of both worlds, in other words. The Silent 62 3-Deck third deck is available in three different versions: an open sky lounge, a closed sky lounge, as well as a closed owner's suite variation. All versions are available with a “front exit” on the main deck, which allows guests to directly step onto the foredeck from the main saloon. The first Silent 62 3-Deck has an additional open deck instead of the flybridge, offering a fantastic outdoor community space equipped with full dining facilities, panoramic views and a superyacht atmosphere. With five plus one guest cabins and six bathrooms the yacht can sleep up to 12 guests in quiet comfort. The Silent 62 3-Deck shares the same new ultra-efficient drivetrain as the two flybridge Silent 62 catamarans launched at the end of last year. This next-generation drivetrain implements the latest liquid cooled batteries, with higher energy density, greater capacity and faster charging rates, thanks to optimised thermal management. Equipped with a solar array of 16.8 kW, twin 180 kW E-motors and a 286 kW Lithium-ion battery pack, plus a range extender of 145kW Peak, the Silent 62 3-Deck has a cruising speed of 6-8 knots and trans-ocean range.
Technical Data:
LOA - 18.88 m (62ft)
Beam - 8.99 m
Draft - 1.34 m
Displacement - 42.6 t light
Fuel Capacity - 2 x 950 l
Water Capacity - 2 x 1000 l
Accommodation - twelve guests in six cabins
Engines - 2 x E-motors 340kw (peak) 180 kw (continus)
Speed - eight knots cruise, six knots long range
Certification - CE A

October 22, 2024

Fort Lauderdale 2024 Boat Show Preview

Fort Lauderdale, Florida the Yachting Capital of the World arrives into its 65th International boat show edition in 2024, to be held from October 30 up to November third. Fort Lauderdale is the largest floating water show since a few years and for the 65th is very upbeat, coming from the record success of recent editions which had over 100,000 plus of visitors, over one thousand brands, and 1300 plus of boats and yachts.  As in some years the 2024 edition is divided into seven show locations; the Broward County Convention Centre, Bahia Mar Yachting Centre, Hall Of Fame Marina, Las Olas Marina, 17th Street Yacht Basin, Pier 66 Marina, and Superyacht Village at Pier 66 South which together will cover an area of over three million square foot.  As is with Fort Lauderdale the show offers a wide variety of boats and sea vessels from runabouts, sport fisherman, high performance boats, centre consoles, cabin cruisers, flats boats, skiffs, express cruisers, sailing yachts, motor yachts, bowriders, catamarans, ski boats, jet boats, trawlers, inflatables, canoes, and superyachts. The Fort Lauderdale Boat show will feature the following World previews; Cantiere delle Marche Darwin 106, Cruisers Yachts 55 Fly, Galeon 480 Fly, Jarrett Bay 64 Sportfisherman Hull#65, Maritimo M55 Black Edition, Ocean Alexander 28L, Rivera 6800 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition, Viking 74 Convertible and 82 Convertible, and the Zeelander 8.
Fort Lauderdale boat show debuted in 1959, the first edition was organized by a group of Florida boat builders and dealers as a free to enter voluntary organized exhibition at the new Lauderdale Marina with only thirteen boats on show. Fort Lauderdale though rapidly expanded in its second year doubling exhibitors and visitors, and in its tenth year anniversary it received over 50,000 visitors with a 53 foot its largest yacht on display.  By 1971 Fort Lauderdale boat show had 115 exhibitors and recorded one million US$ in vessel sales.  In 1974 its makes important changes from moving to Bahia Mar which is till today the current home, and updates its dates from Summer to the mid-Fall which still mark the calendar today.  In the 1990's Fort Lauderdale boat show becomes the USA primary large yacht show and starts adding additional locations, with two hundred yachts above fifty foot in the water by 1996.  In the sixtieth 2019 Fort Lauderdale edition, the boat show will add its latest seventh location with the new Superyacht Village which will feature ten yachts over sixty meters in length.  Fort Lauderdale was one of the few boat shows which was organized even during the 2020 and 21 pandemic years.
1963 Fort Lauderdale Boat Show

Project: Steeler Enigma 50

Steeler introduce the Enigma 50, a fifteen meter steel explorer yacht that sets new standards in design, comfort, and usability. The lower deck’s ‘villa-mode’ offers a master bedroom, seating area, and office space for a luxurious ‘Suite’ feeling for the owners. For guests, sliding doors transform the space into three bedrooms. The main deck features a centrally placed galley and extensive seating areas, while the front deck adds a dedicated lounge and a second helm station. The Enigma 50 will also be available with an optional flybridge, which enhances the luxurious experience. The Steeler Enigma 50 is to be powered by twin John Deere 160hp as standard.  The Steeler Enigma is also set to be range with larger eighteen and twenty meter series already being on the design board.

October 21, 2024

New Model: Sessa F60

For 2024 Sessa returned to the Cannes Yachting Festival with the World Premiere of the long-awaited F60. Attending the world's main Boat Shows and debuting the new fly model are essential to Sessa's at progressing its global goals and enhancing the prestige of the brand on the world stage. The outstanding feedback received from the public during the events guides encourages the brand to continue innovating in order to meet customer expectations.  Following her stunning and unexpected debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival, the F60 made a second Italian unveiling at the 2024 Genoa Boat Show, one of the oldest and most prestigious boat shows in the world. Designed by Davide Cipriani from Centrostile Design, the F60 stands out for its modern, graceful, and elegant design, a flybridge motor yacht with a sport  flair and excellent performance and customization options, providing owners with a unique boating experience.  The Sessa F60 also offers a spacious interior with astern integrated main deck layout all surrounded by view windows offering excellent natural light and visibility. On the lower deck, there are three spacious and elegantly furnished suites promoting comfort and privacy for guests.  A crew cabin is located at midships to port side.  The Sessa F60 is powered by twin Volvo 725hp with IPS pod drives for top speeds up to 32 knots and a cruise of 24.
Technical Data:
LOA - 18.30 m (60ft)
Beam - 4.98 m
Draft - 1.45 m
Displacement - 27t dry, 30t loaded
Fuel Capacity - 2100 l
Water Capacity - 750 l
Max Persons - fourteen
Accommodation - six berths in three cabins, one crew cabin berth
Engines - 2 x Volvo D11 725hp
Propulsion - Volvo forward looking IPS950 dual propeller pod drives
Speed - 32 knots max 24 cruise
Project - Davide Cipriani Centrostile Design
Certification - CE B

October 20, 2024

Improve-it = Ocea Commuter 108

Ocea has in the end of 2023 and fully completed in 2024 launched its fourth Commuter 108 unit, for a series which debuted in 2004 with m/y Abely Wheeler.  Titled m/y Araok II the fourth Commuter 108, has many distinct features tailored to the owner’s expectations and incorporates the latest technological developments. She is also the first Ocea yacht with engines that meet IMO Tier III emission standards, giving it free access to current and future Emissions Control Areas defined by the International Maritime Organization. This new Commuter 108 is also equipped with the latest generation of batteries to keep the main on-board comfort features running at night without the need for generators. The shipowners dedicated considerable effort into the interior design, which was supervised by Pierre Frutschi.  The fourth Ocea Commuter 108 is powered by twin 600hp for a top speed up to fifteen knots, a cruise of twelve, and a range up to four thousand nautical miles at ten knots.  Accommodation is for eight guests in four suites.

October 19, 2024

Ten Rescued as Sea Ray Boat Ends Powerless Near Vero Beach Florida

The US Coast Guard has rescued ten boaters as an eight meter in length Sea Ray sport cruiser titled m/y Incommunicado ended powerless and disabled about twenty nautical miles to Vero Beach, Florida at about 23:00 of Friday eighteen October.  The Sea Ray cruiser went powerless as its found itself in a rough sea state with two to three meters waves height.  Five of the people rescued needed medical assistance.  Ultimately the powerless Sea Ray cruiser ended beached the following day at Vero Beach.
The Sea Ray in this incident is a 270 Sundancer as produced from 1994 to 1998.  The 270 Sundancer came out as a replacement to the 250 Sundancer and was replaced by the more spacious second generation version in 1998.

37th Americas Cup - Emirates Team New Zealand Win It Again

Emirates Team New Zealand have won the 37th Americas Cup, for the third time in a row in a dominating 7-2 score line over INEOS Britannia.  With this hat-trick triple back-to-back wins, the defending Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has become the most successful defender but also the one with the highest number of wins which now total five of the Americas Cup modern era.  This new Americas Cup era started when Alan Bond's Australia II took away the cup from the clutches of the New York Yacht Club in 1983 after 132 years of dominion and 24 defences of the 100£ Trophy, awarded first to America after its fleet race around the Isle of Wight in August 1851 versus fifteen yachts of the Royal Yacht Squadron.
The 37th Americas Cup final was held in Barcelona from 12 October, following the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger selection series which started on the 29 August and ended on fourth October.  Five syndicates took part in the challenger series; Orient Express Team, Alinghi Red Bull Racing, NYYC American Magic, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, and INEOS Britannia.  Ultimately Luna Rossa and Britannia won the semi finals and competed in the challenger best of thirteen final of the Louis Vuitton Cup, which was very much in balance up until October 1 and the fifth day of the series and a nail biting 4-4 score line.  That is until Britannia scored a double on the sixth day, and then won the first race of the final seventh day on October four to win and conclude the challenger series at 7-4.
The 37th Americas Cup final started on Saturday October twelfth, with the yacht Taihoro helmed by Peter Burling showing its dominance on Ben Ainslie's Britannia in the first two races by winning them both. Much of the same was made on the two races held the following day and on Monday fourteen October, as the second Sunday race was cancelled due to lack of wind.  On sixteen October Britannia put itself on the score board, by winning not one but both races of the day.  Following these two wins on the fourth racing day Britannia hopes for a come back looked possible, only for the defender to come faster and leaner on the following two days and win the cup in a convincing and dominating 7-2 score line.  
The faster boat always wins sports most coveted trophy, and those into technical details might have noticed that Taihoro had about half a knot more speed up wind Velocity-Made-Good pace, with the boats having similar performance down-wind.  
Although the cup saying is that their is no second, for the British Royal Yacht Squadron and Challenger of Record in this 37th edition, the final was not all doom and gloom, as it was since sixty years and 1964 that a British syndicate actually competed in the Americas Cup final, and ninety years and 1934 that they actually put a number on that score board, that time Endeavour losing 4-2 to Rainbow.

Project: Palm Beach PB107 Skylounge

Palm Beach present the project for a new 107 flagship model.  This new flagship which is reported sold and under construction, comes a few months following the announcement of the upcoming 85 model.  The Palm Beach 107 embodies the core values, with the signature timeless Down East lobster boat inspired aesthetics, exceptional craftsmanship, performance, and unrivalled fuel efficiency that have defined the brand since its inception in 1995. As the company’s newest flagship, the PB107 will be built using Palm Beach proprietary V-Warp hull shape technology and is to powered by the upcoming Volvo IPS 40 propulsion set up, which is able to set two engines on one drives.  For the the Palm Beach 107 this will be a quadruple 1000hp engines but with two drives set ups.  The first Palm Beach 107 is a Skylounge version, which seems to be the only one available so far, although I am sure that this lobster boat inspired super yacht is available in both open flybridge and hard-top versions if one wanted to go in that direction for a new build.

October 18, 2024

New Model: Ocean Alexander 28L

Ocean Alexander is proud to announce the debut of the 28L, the newest addition to its acclaimed Legend series. Set to launch at the 2024 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show and designed by the renowned Evan Marshall, this 29 meter super yacht offers a blend of innovative design, spacious comfort, and luxurious finishes, setting a new standard for the entry-level yacht into the Legend series. The 28L was inspired by the desire to offer a yacht that combines the signature features and styling of the successful 32L with a more accessible smaller entry point to the Ocean Alexander brand. A standout feature of the 28L is its main deck forward dining room, which is seamlessly connected to a spacious and open galley. This unique arrangement allows for both a formal and informal dining experience when desired and can be partitioned with the use of an elegant pocket door system. The 28L boasts an ample main salon complete with a stunning entertaining bar area, perfect for socializing and entertaining guests. The expansive sky lounge provides spectacular visibility and direct access to the yacht’s large exterior aft deck, which features an alfresco dining/lounge area, a buffet bar and BBQ, with ample space for sun loungers. In terms of materials and finishes, the 28L introduces Ocean Alexander’s new Eden Dusk and Eden Mist interior styling. This luxurious design includes real wood veneers, exclusive Italian leathers, and premium loose furniture from internationally renowned brands such as Poltrona Frau, Piliform, Loom, Foglizzo leathers, and Cambria Stones. Sustainability is also in order in the 28L construction emphasizes eco-friendly materials, including Tabu wood veneer, which is carbon-neutral. Additionally, this is true with their collaborators, like Poltrona Frau’s furniture production using renewable energy and adhering to a “Zero Waste” initiative. The 28L offers a four double guest lower deck layout, sleeping eight in four en-suited rooms, with a master stateroom located at midships.  Crew quarters are located aft and feature a two cabins sleeping four, two heads, and a lobby with L-shaped dinette and mini-galley to port side.  The Ocean Alexander 28 Legend is powered by twin 1600hp MTU engines. 
Technical Data:
LOA - 29 m (95.1ft)
Waterline Length - 25.2 m
Beam - 7.05 m
Draft - 1.84 m
Displacement - 113,400 kg loaded, 168GT *volume
Fuel Capacity - 14,594 l
Water Capacity - 2460 l
Accommodation - eight guests in four cabins, four crew in two cabins
Engines - 2 x MTU 10V 2000 M96L 1600hp
Propulsion - line shaft
Speed - 
Project - Evan K. Marshall exterior and interior