The Cannes Yacht Show is only a couple of months away, followed closely by the jewel in the yacht show annual calendar, Monaco. This means yacht builders, naval architects and interior design houses are all hurriedly getting news out before they take their summer break.
This year Monaco will feature a record number of superyacht debuts, with over half of the 120 vessels already committed to the show. Equally Cannes will feature dozens of new boats too, but while Monaco is focused on the super and mega-yachts, Cannes is a little more down to earth. Everything from water toys and small rib craft to 80m luxury yachts and beyond will be mooring alongside the French Riviera town.
The list of debuts at Cannes is already rather long and interestingly includes not just boats and yachts, but also new brands. One is Aiata, which is emerging from the stable of the Turkish Anadolu Group. Its first vessel is the 38ft Wayfinder 38, which will be available as a Suntop, Cabin or Fishing version. Turkey continues to be a major hub for yacht manufacturing, providing as it does easy access to the Mediterranean, but Aiata is the first yacht operator for Anadolu, which traditionally operates in automotive and agriculture.
The much more established Arcadia Yachts brand is following the trend for raised pilot house vessels with the debut of its 24m A80new. Five cabins, including a master suite, accommodation for four crew and a design that hints at new adventures are further complemented by a vast, 80m2 upper deck for entertaining. The A80new also showcases the latest trend in neutral colours and materials, all of which are tailored to deliver luxury and practicality.
Italian yacht builder Cantiere delle Marche recently won awards for its stunning Maverick explorer yacht, but the company is enjoying something of a launch frenzy at the moment. Its new 46.9m RJ vessel will debut at Cannes, but it has launched three other yachts in the past month alone, including the impressive Nasiba, the latest in its Flexplorer 146 series. Looking like a smaller sibling of Maverick, the Nasiba is aimed at younger owners with a sense of adventure, those who want all the luxury in a yacht that can really take them places rather than just moor in a beautiful lagoon, although of course it can do that too.
“The owner envisioned a yacht that could take his family anywhere in the world without compromising comfort, privacy, or environmental responsibility,” says Cantiere delle Marche’s founder, Vasco Buonpensiere. “Nasiba is a perfect reflection of their approach to life. She is a bold yet refined interpretation of what the modern explorer yacht can be, one that fuses performance, comfort and sustainability into a vessel designed to embrace the world’s most remote destinations with family at its core.”
Another yacht brand with a strong sustainability focus is Sunreef, which will be showcasing its new 100 Power model in Monaco. Behind its style and luxury are some interesting materials, including a bar and braai made from natural fibre composites that use a flax fibre combined with bio-based recyclable resin. The braai itself is the main talking point, especially as Sunreef claims it is the first time this material has been used in yacht design.
Elsewhere, Gulf-based Majesty Yachts will unveil its new Majesty 100 Terrace in Cannes, a 32.25m vessel with cabins for up to five guests and three crew. It’s the latest from the brand that is expanding its sales network around the world as it seeks customers beyond its traditional market of the Gulf region. Having looked at a couple of its main models, the 100 Terrace is likely to continue to offer luxury and space at a price below that of some of its major rivals.
After going through some financial difficulties in 2024, Silent Yachts has a new owner and is also going through an expansion phase. The Italian yacht builder will showcase its new SY80 in Cannes, a vessel that has a solar array to keep its huge battery packs of up to 696kWh topped up. Not surprisingly, many are still unsure about electric yachts; after all, the prospect of being stuck on the side of the road in an electric car is manageable but being marooned in the ocean is much less so. Solar charging does dilute the anxiety somewhat and we could be seeing more solutions like the SY80 in the coming years.
It is likely that there will be a major focus on environment and sustainability at both the Cannes and Monaco shows again this year, especially when it comes to reducing emissions around coastlines and in protected areas. These are probably the biggest topics in the industry right now, but for many, it will just be a case of dreaming of the beautiful new yachts that continue to cruise out of the world’s famous yacht yards.
