Yachting stars set to debut in Cannes

If time can be measured by how quickly the Cannes Yachting Festival comes around each year, then it feels like the hour hand is moving rather rapidly. The largest in-water boat show in Europe takes place in the famous French Riviera town in September and attracts the most glamorous boats, as well as the elite of the luxury yachting world.

This year the show is expected to feature as many as 700 boats measuring anything from 5m to 50m. Many will be existing vessels, but among the 600 exhibitors at the event we could see as many as 160 yacht debuts or new products. It’s big business for the industry and includes one of the most exclusive preowned “showrooms” in the world, as 50 yachts measuring longer than 24m are presented in the Sailing and Yacht Brokerage area.

That’s all well and good if you happen to be in Cannes and are planning to attend, but what you really like to see here are the glitzy new yachts, so here’s what we know.

Before we get to the really glitzy stuff, Cannes is also about smaller boats and yachts, and there will be lots of new trends on show. Cantieri Magazzu will show the latest in its walkaround range, the MX-16 and M-16, both measuring 16.7m. They might be small, but they have lots of exterior space and below deck are two cabins with double beds, two bathrooms and a dinette. Even smaller is the new Sacs Tecnorib Strider 13. It is every bit the sporty rib boat, but it also features luxurious finishes and a cabin below deck with a bathroom and separate shower. Don’t ask me how they fitted that in, but we are assured it’s there.

If these all seem too small then Pearl Yachts will debut its new 25m Pearl 82. The renowned yacht builder has worked extensively on design and layout to create a raised pilothouse that provides more interior space. It also allows for a larger garage with room for a tender, jet skis and other water toys.

French yard Prestige yachts will debut its new F-Line F5.7, the latest in its flybridge range. As well as the covered flybridge on top, it features a sumptuous owner’s suite finished in natural tones. These are echoed in the main lounge with its c-shaped sofa and vast glazing providing superb views out to sea.

Princess Yachts will debut the latest in its S Class sports series, the stunning new S80 and S65. Both have sleek and sporty looks, and the S80 has a very cool sportbridge with seating, a wetbar, braai and even a TV that can be summoned from within a cabinet when you need to watch your favourite sports.

Then there are the explorer yachts. There’s a real trend at the moment for superyachts that can be used for super adventures rather than simply anchoring in exotic lagoons and drinking champagne. The recently launched Maverick from Cantiere delle Marche is a fine example of the genre. It has to be, because it was built by the yard for its majority shareholder.

Slightly smaller at 34.86m is the explorer yacht, Fox, which has been built by Pendennis in the UK. An explorer that stands out from the crowd, especially among dozens of other luxury yachts, is the Mereley. Built by AES in Turkey, with design by Hot Lab, its electric blue hull with bright red water line paintwork is not for those who want to cruise incommunicado, or as incommunicado as you can be in a superyacht.

Catamarans continue to be popular, with the classic twin-hull construction featuring the latest in luxury and technology. One of the catamarans debuting at Cannes is the new Lagoon 60 with its large terraces and classic sailing configuration. It might measure only 19.77m, but its interior has lots of space and accommodation for up to 14 guests. If you want your catamaran without sails, then the Wider Cat 92 might fit the bill. This 28m vessel has two VIP cabins, a double guest cabin and an owner’s suite that covers half of the main deck. It also uses hybrid propulsion, reflecting the move towards greener and more innovative systems.

Being greener and addressing environmental challenges is on the minds of most yacht designers and a focus of many of the yacht shows, whether looking at technology, marine conservation or decarbonisation. Cannes is no exception and will host what it calls an Innovation Route to promote sustainability initiatives.

“Like others, the marine industry cannot avoid environmental challenges, and has understood that it has to evolve to meet the sector’s decarbonisation needs and the new requirements of boaters,” says Sylvie Ernoult, director of the Cannes Yachting Festival.

“It seemed vital to us to make our contribution to the effort by recognising the efforts our exhibitors are making and the energy they are putting into building the future of the nautical sector. Work on composites, recyclable resins, more respectful engines, but also design for aerodynamics or connectivity for better efficiency, there are certainly lots of initiatives. We are happy to showcase them, as our goal for all is to preserve our seas and oceans, especially for future generations.”

Cannes will again be a showcase of the world’s best yachts and the trends in design and luxury, but for those who still find the yachts on display a bit small, the Monaco Yacht Show with its massive superyachts, will be following hot on its stern at the end of September.

The Cannes Yachting Festival happens from September 10-15.