Project: Crosswait Badco 50 Gameboat

Crosswait is currently building its largest build to date, with the Badco 50 Gameboat.  A hardcore sportfish yacht commissioned by Bad Company Fishing Adventures, Badco 50 Gameboat will be a tender fishing yacht of sorts to be carried by a Damen BC 175 53 meters support super yacht.  Nothing has been left to chance on the Crosswait Badco 50 Gameboat, with design fully focused on sportfishing coming from Blunt and advisory coming from custom boat specialist Brooks Smith.  Constructed in light weight composite with extensive use of carbon fibre the Crosswait Badco 50 Gameboat is to weight in around fifteen tons, and powered by twin Man 850hp is estimated to have a top speed up to 44 knots.  Badco 50 Gameboat will have an interior designed for simplicity with a functional salon and split galley, and lower deck with single split bunks to each side, single head and shower all the way forward and dedicated massive storage room for rods and tackle. Fair to say the Crosswait Badco 50 Gameboat is a weapon dedicated to fishing performance without compromise.

www.crosswait.com

Karim Aga Khan IV 1936 - 2025

Prince Karim Al-Husseini better know as the Aga Khan IV or Karim Aga Khan has left for the better World in Lisbon, Portugal, on 4 February 2025, at the age of 88.  The billionaire philanthropist and spiritual was reported to have passed away peacefully surrounded by his family, his charity the Aga Khan Development Network announced.  Aga Khan IV was the 49th imam of Isma'ilism from 1957 until his death in 2025.  He held the position of imam and the title of Aga Khan after succeeding to the position at the age of twenty upon the death of his grandfather, Aga Khan III.  Aga Khan IV was also known by the religious title Mawlānā Hazar Imam by his Isma'ili followers.  Beside being a multiple yacht owner, Aga Khan yachting feats are his Blue Ribbin record, sponsoring Italy's first America's Cup challenge, and creating one of the most beautiful important Mediterranean yacht marinas with Porto Cervo in Sardinia.  Aga Khan debuted Italy in the Americas Cup when he challenged for the Old Cup in the 25th edition of 1983, co-sponsoring the challenge with Giovanni Agnelli and under the tutelage of his 1967 founded Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.  With Azzurra boat number I-4 the Italian debuted will take fourth position in the Louis Cup, and start the love of Italy and Italians for the Americas Cup.   Azzurra challenged again for the cup in 1987, with Azzurra III boat I-10 and Azurra IV boat I-11, arriving seventh in the round robin stage.  His Americas Cup Challenge will be the inspiration to further Italian Americas Cup challenges, but most important three Italian Americas Cup finalists in 1991, 2000, and 2021.  Aga Khan also created and founded Porto Cervo, with five other partners, considered since the sixties as one of most luxurious and natural settled marinas in the World.  Porto Cervo started its construction in 1962 and in 1964 was completed in its first phase, and was followed by other important investments from Aga Khan IV in Sardinia, from the re-opening of the old Venafiorita airport then renamed to Costa Smeralda, to the founding of Alisarda airline in 1963 which will become Meridiana in 1991 and then Air Italy in 2018.  For us motor boaters though Aga Khan biggest feat is Destriero which was specifically build to beat the Atlantic Ocean record of three days and secure the Blue Riband.  In 1992 Destriero crossed the Atlantic, without refuelling, twice, first westbound and then east-bound.  Her eastbound voyage from the Ambrose Light to Bishop Rock, Isles of Scilly, a distance of 3,106 nautical miles which Destriero will do at an average speed of 53.09 knots, will be held in the record time of 58 hours, 34 minutes and 5 seconds.  Despite this Destriero was denied the Hales Trophy, because she was classed as a private yacht and not a "commercial passenger vessel". Destriero did, however receive the Virgin Atlantic Challenge Trophy, awarded by former record-holder Richard Branson for the fastest crossing by any vessel, and the Columbus Atlantic Trophy sponsored by the Costa Smeralda and New York Yacht Club for the fastest trans-Atlantic round-trip.  Destriero still holds the fastest Atlantic crossing record till today.  Unfortunately the faith of the Fincantieri build Donald L. Blount designed 68.19 meters triple 20,000hp gas turbine engines powered super ship will get lonely as she was laid up in HMNB Devonport dockyard, Plymouth, England for ten years, and then removed in February 2009, taken to Lürssen ship yard and then unfortunately scrapped on second May 2023.  Aga Khan IV owned various yachts over the years, with these having one thing in common, being fast and named for his horses, the rest was different with his yachting ownership starting with three Baglietto's and then going into various Donald L. Blount designs.  One of his first yachts was a 1963 Baglietto Majorca 22-meter titled m/y Amaloun and this being the fastest of three Majorca's made which was unfortunately lost to a yard fire.  Following this Aga Khan will commission two other Baglietto's a Minorca 20m in 1964, and 14m in 1967 titled m/y Silver Shark what was the first Italian pleasure boat commissioned with turbine jets.  Current Aga Khan yachts include the 1983 Lurrsen 46.6 meter m/y Shergar, the 2010 Hodgdon 26 meter m/y Zarkava as designed by Donald L. Blount, her slightly smaller 25 meter 2013 build sister-ship titled m/y Valyra, and his latest build the m/y Alamshar the 2014 delivered Devonport 49.9 meter as designed by Pininfarina and naval architecture by Donald L. Blount and Associates.

Owner Refuses Help as Classic Boat Ends Aground in Latisana

A classic twelve meter Italian build flybridge cruiser with one man aboard ended aground in the Lagoon of Marano, near Latisana, not so far from Aprilia Marittima to the North East of Italy at about 17:00 hours of Wednesday fifth February.  Advised of the accident the Porto Captaincy of Lignano Sabbiadoro and Vigili dell Fuoco went to the area.  But when the response squads arrived on the spot, the German owner refused the help, advising that he was in good health and will wait for high tide, for which the boat will remove itself with less damage then eventual towing.

The classic boat in this grounding is a Camuffo 40 Fly as designed by Marco Camuffo and build in wood lamellar method in the mid seventies.  Camuffo is the most long standing dynasty of boat builders having its origins since 1438, with the current Porto Gruaro near to Venice premises existing since 1843.

Two Men Saved from Burning Yacht Near Cagliari Sardinia

Two men where saved as a seventeen meter flybridge yacht had an onboard fire as it was cruising two miles off Porto Columbo, in the Gulf of Cagliari to the South of Sardinia on 14:30 hours of Wednesday fifth February.  Following the may-day call the two 55 year old Sardinian men jumped in the water and where later picked up by the Port Captaincy CP320 boat.  After this the Guardia Costiera and Vigili del Fuoco squads tended to the fire, as the yacht eventually sunk in about thirty meters of water depth.  The fire was reported to have started from the engine room, as the yacht was cruising from Portoscuso to Capitana.

The yacht in this fire is a Conam 54 Chorum a project of Giuseppe Cimino, and produced from 1994 up to 2002.  The Conam 54 Chorum was replaced by the 60 Wide Body, a direct evolution with an extended bathing platform and larger rounded port-hole windows. Cimino apart being the naval architect was also the founder and owner of Conam, which he founded in 1980 and sold in 2002 to the Gruppo Rodriguez, with Conam closing in 2010.

New Model: Albatro Ordigno 70

The season for speed is back as some Italian boat builders are really going into offering sport yachts which go sixty knots plus.  Speed equals efficiency which also means less consumption at cruise and sustainability in its raw form.  The Italian Albatro who is located in Milan, Italy is one of those builders which has always made high speeds its main identity, and for its new 21 meter flagship it presents a 75 knots monster.  Called the Ordigno 70, with its model name translating to device, Albatro new flagship is a super speed device slash sport yacht which with its top engine configuration titled Race of four Scania 900hp engines and Jolly Drive surface drives reaches maximum speed up to 75 knots.  It is mostly about this but not only as the first Ordigno 70 also featured a lithium battery pack which allows domestic load and usage without the use of generator.  Accommodation wise the first Albatro Oridigno 70 featured a three cabins configuration which is not bad considering that is has a beam of less to five meters, which is something a fifteen meter yacht usually has.

Technical Data:

LOA - 21.30 m (69.88ft)

Hull Length - 20.4 m

Beam - 4.78 m

Draft - 1 m

Displacement - 

Fuel Capacity - 3600 l

Water Capacity - 120 l

Max Persons - fourteen

Accommodation - six berths in three cabins

Engines - 4 x Scania 900hp, smaller engine options available

Propulsion - Jolly Drive Special surface drives

Speed - seventy knots max with quadruple Scania 900hp and Jolly Drive surface drives

Project - Simone Cesati

Certification - CE A

www.albatro.eu

Viking Sportfish Destroyed by Fire in Playa Flamingo Costa Rica

A fifteen meter Viking sportfish yacht was destroyed by a fire in Playa Flamingo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica with the blaze starting just after 13:00 hours local time of Monday third February.  The cause of the fire is not reported and how many people were onboard the sportfish yacht, with the Bomberos de Cruz Roja attending to the blaze and turning it off.  The news of the Viking yacht fire was reported by Noticias Repretel de Costa Rica, who posted a short video clip on its Facebook page.

The Viking in this fire is a 50 Convertible as produced from 1991 to 2000 in about 120 units.  The Viking 50 Convertible came out as a replacement to the 48 Convertible Sport Fisher and was replaced by the 52 Convertible. 

Miami 2025 Boat Show Preview

The 2025 Miami International Boat Show is to be held between Wednesday twelve and Sunday sixteen February.  Considered as one of the largest boat and yacht show in the world, the Miami boat show offers everything water related, from kayaks to superyachts to the latest aquatic innovations. The on-land portion of the event will take place at the newly reimagined Miami Beach Convention Centre and Pride Park. The in-water components of the show will take place at Venetian Marina, Herald Plaza, Museum Park Marina, and Yacht Haven Grande Miami. Historically, the Miami International Boat Show and Miami Yacht Show have attracted hundreds of thousands of attendees to South Florida and generated an estimated combined annual economic impact of $1.34 billion. The Miami boat show is located in six locations. Miami Beach Convention Center: Find boats up to 49 feet, engine manufacturers, marine accessories, electronics, and retail pavilions. The Progressive Boat Show Experience at Pride Park: Discover a collection of experiential boating lifestyle activations, entertainment, innovative cuisine, and educational seminars. Herald Plaza: Explore powerboats, motor yachts 30' to 125', yacht tenders, engines, marine accessories, and retail pavilions. Venetian Marina: Test drive over 150 sea trial vessels and find additional new and brokerage boats and engine manufacturers. Museum Park Marina: Check out the latest sailboats, catamarans, and sailing accessories. SuperYacht Miami at Yacht Haven Grande Miami: Experience an enclave for superyachts. This exclusive marina will feature the world's largest and most spectacular yachts. As World firsts go the 2024 Miami boat show will see the following debuts; Aquila 42 Coupe and 46 Coupe, Ocean Alexander 37L, and Viking 82 Skybridge.  The largest yacht of the show will be the brokerage offer of m/y Laurel a 2006 73 meters Delta Marina 236-01 as designed by Donald Starkey.  

www.miamiboatshow.com

The Miami boat show is the longest ongoing boat show in the World, an exhibition which has survived a World War, several recessions, and the luxury tax on boating of the nineties.  The show debuted in 1941 with the Biscayne Boat Show name as organized by the Miami Junior Chamber of Commerce and Marine Industries Association.  The 1947 edition saw the show move to the Municipal Auditorium at Bayfront Park. In 1950 the show had 92 exhibitors, with these becoming 143 by 1951, while 1953 saw the show reach a record breaking 50,000 of attendants.  The 26th edition of 1967 set the still unbeaten attendants record of 171,495 even though the show was asked to move its date to January so as not to collide with the New York boat show.  In 1968 the show gets named the Miami International Boat Show, returns to it's February calendar dates and debuts at the Miami Beach Convention Centre venue, which it will keep up till 2015. In 2016 the Miami Boat Show returned to where it started in Biscayne Bay.  During the seventies, eighties, and nineties the show expanded its size many times till we arrive to the six locations of today. 

Miami Boat Show circa 1950's

Projects: Aquila 42 Coupe, Aquila 46 Coupe

Aquila is excited to announce that at the 2025 Miami Boat Show which opens its doors on twelfth February 2025, it will debut the new 42 Coupe and 46 Coupe power catamarans. Building on the success of the recently launched 50 Yacht, the new Coupe series combines all the fun of an open-air sport boat with the cabin comforts of a hard-top sport cruiser, offering unprecedented usable space rarely found in vessels of this size range. The Aquila 42 Coupe and 46 Coupe are similar vessels with both offering sleeping accommodation for four persons, couple with two en-suite heads. The difference here is that the larger 46 Coupe offers two separate cabins, for the four berths, with a larger cabin on the starboard hull having the double berth positioned to the beam. Both Aquila 42 Coupe and 46 Coupe are to be available with both inboard and outboard propulsion and standard Aquila Hydro Glide Foil System. Inboard power of twin Volvo 440hp with stern drive propulsion is the same for both 42 Coupe and 46 Coupe, while the outboard choice is different as the Aquila 42 Coupe is powered by twin Mercury 400hp against the 600s of the 46 Coupe.

www.aquilaboats.com

Margaret Whittaker OBE 1949 - 2025

It is with deep sadness that Pearl Yachts announces the passing of its esteemed owner, Margaret Whittaker OBE, who passed away on second February in Palma de Mallorca at the age of 76.  A remarkable entrepreneur, Margaret founded Slimming World in 1969 and became the owner of Pearl Yachts in 2003. Since 2007, she owned and revitalised Son Amar, one of Mallorca’s most iconic cultural venues. Her visionary leadership shaped each of these ventures, leaving a lasting legacy of success and innovation.  Margaret’s journey with Pearl Yachts began when she and her husband, Tony Whittaker, invested in the company, bringing their vast experience and passion for motor cruising. Margaret’s values and pioneering spirit were a great source of inspiration in the growth and success of Pearl. Under her influence, the company evolved into a renowned boutique yacht builder, producing a range of high-quality yachts admired worldwide.  In 2022, Margaret was honoured with The Norns Award for Business Woman in the Yachting Industry of the year, recognising her unwavering belief, vision, and passion.  Margaret leaves Pearl in an enviable position as one of the most respected brands in the industry, her legacy will endure in every yacht bearing the Pearl name, and her example and values will continue to inspire the Pearl Yachts family.  Pearl Yachts Managing Director Iain Smallridge, together with the Board of Directors and all employees, extends the company’s deepest sympathies to her family and loved ones during this difficult time.

Prestige Yacht Crashes Into Haulover Inlet Bridge

An eighteen meter Prestige flybridge yacht collided with one of the Haulover Bridge arms, at Haulover Inlet, Miami on the afternoon of Sunday second February.  The scene was filmed by Wavy Boats, as he showed the yacht already collided with the bridge, and then as it left the scene and zooming to show its not so big damage to its midship starboard ship-side.  The reason of the collision is not reported.  This is the second collision in less to a year with Haulover Bridge, as a 32 meter Azimut super yacht collided in the same spot on 31 March 2024.

The Prestige in this accident is a 590 F as designed by Garroni and produced since 2018.  The Prestige 590 F came out as a replacement to the 560 Flybridge.