New Benetti Tradition 105 Is Launched

The Benetti yard in Viareggio launched their 25th hull in the successful 105 tradition series on the 23rd of February. The traditional breaking of the bottle on the hull was one of the customary steps involved the launch, that was witnessed by a very proud owner and all Benetti staff who were involved in the construction over the past several months.

The Tradition 105 maintains the traditional classic lines with a completely updated new interior layout that will provide the owner and guests with the comfort and functionality that is associated with Benetti Yachts. She will be able to accommodate 10 guests in 1 owners master suite forward on the main deck, 2 double cabins and 2 twin cabins on the lower deck.

The technical launch marks the beginning of a long series of sea trials and tests that will cover the hull, the engines and the on-board systems. The outfitting of the yacht will proceed after the tests and before she is officially handed over to her new owners.

Superyacht 360 Catches Fire in Nice

Photo by: Q Luxury Media

The 47m (154ft) Superyacht 360 launched in 2003 by ISA caught fire earlier today in Nice, France. Dozens of fire fighters battled the fire which is thought to have started due to an electrical fault. No one was injured in the fire, but the yachts spring charter season might be disrupted due to the damage. Mega Yacht Global will bring you more information as it comes.

Photo by: Q Luxury Media

Gulf Craft Launch The Majesty 135 & Deliver A Majesty 121

Majesty 135

Gulf Craft have successfully launched its first hull of the highly anticipated Majesty 135 design. She is Gulf Craft's largest Majesty yacht built to date, showing that they are becoming a major player in the global Superyacht market.

The Majesty 135 is 41m (135ft) in length and has 3 decks in which the owner can semi customize to their taste. The interior design which is provided by CDB Yacht Design focuses on comfort enhancing features such as an on board elevator and a spacious interior which features a bamboo veneer theme, gold plated fittings and a splendor of marble and granite throughout the yacht.

She will be able to accommodate up to 10 guests including the owner in 4 guest staterooms and the owners stateroom which boasts an office, walk in wardrobe and an en suite bathroom.

Her initial sea trials have already been conducted successfully with the delivery of the yacht to her owner scheduled for April.

Majesty 121

Recently Gulf Craft have have delivered another of their most successful and popular models the Majesty 121 which has an overall length of 37m (121ft).

Over her 2 decks she has a great range of features which include a main saloon, dining area, pantry and a lobby on the main deck, and a spacious flybridge with seating area and jacuzzi. She will be able to accommodate 10 guests in 2 double and 2 twin cabins on the lower deck, and a full beam owners stateroom forward on the main deck.

She is now on the dock in the Emirates Palace Hotel Marina in Abu Dhabi as seen in the above photo, and will be on display to the public at the up coming Dubai International Boat Show which runs from the 13th to 17th of March.

Holland Jachtbouw Launch New J Class 'Rainbow'

A new addition to the renowned J Class fleet was launched during the week at the Dutch yard Holland Jachtbouw. Rainbow is 40m (131ft) and is a replica of the famed 1934 America's Cup Winner Rainbow. The J Class fleet of yachts include some of the most iconic and beautiful yachts on the water today. The fleet includes such yachts as Ranger, Velsheda and Hanuman just to name a few and these yachts will be taking part in the J Class Regatta in June and July of this year in Cowes, England.

Rainbow has taken over two years to build compared to her predecessor which was completed in 100 days. This does not mean that the yard is slower it is just a reflection of the incredible craftsmanship, perfection and sophistication that you find in modern yacht building. Another reason that the original only took 100 days is that it was empty inside for racing purposes and didn't have the luxurious interior of the current Rainbow (which all J Class yacht have to have to be compliant with JCA rules).

One of Rainbow's special features that stands her apart from the other J Class yachts is her hybrid propulsion system. This system was developed between Holland Jachtbouw and WhisperPower especially for this project. Rainbow can be operated entirely on her Hy-Store Li-ion batteries, including sailing, navigation and hotel load. This also meets the owner’s request for silent periods onboard, without generators running, from 11 pm to 7 am. The batteries can also be charged while sailing without losing more than 1.5 kts of speed. A key benefit of this system is that it will reduce the carbon footprint by using 30 percent less fuel.

Her rig includes a Southern Spars carbon mast, boom and spinnaker pole, continuous carbon fibre rigging, North Sails 3Di racing sails and Lewmar high-speed hydraulic winches. Her interior was designed by Dutch designers deVosdeVries, which features raised and fielded mahogany panelling with art deco details. She will be able to accommodate up to 8 guests in the owner’s stateroom which is aft and 2 ensuite twin guest cabins, each with a Pullman berth.

She will be undergoing sea trials in March before she sets off to the North Sea with her crew and professional racing team for 7 days of extensive training. After her summer of J Class racing she will head to the Monaco Yacht Show where she can be viewed by the public.

Superyachts Hetairos & Marie side by side in Antigua

New photos from the top of Superyacht Marie's main mast have just been posted in the photos page. The photos show a top down view of Marie (180ft) and Hetairos (214ft) side by side in Antigua 2 weeks ago. These spectacular photos were taken by RSB Rigging Solutions in Palma.

Feadships "Helix" Arrives in Asia

Feadship is taking a brand new Superyacht to Asia this spring. A dedicated tour by Helix 45m (147ft) will take in Hong Kong in March and the Hainan Rendezvous in early April before heading off to the Singapore boat show at the end of the month.

Feadship has an unrivalled pedigree in the Superyacht market and a history that goes back to 1849. Although the Dutch experts were building large yachts for Middle Eastern and European royalty in the 1930s, many maritime historians point to the 1951 New York Boat Show as the defining moment in the Feadship success story. This was the first time that Feadship had displayed its yachts to the American public, which expressed immediate admiration for the quality and craftsmanship. More than half of the 250 Feadships launched have been created for owners in the United States. Now with the arrival of Helix in China, Feadship is set to embark on a new phase in superyacht history.

Feadship director Dick van Lent, who will be among the senior Feadship managers accompanying Helix on this Asian tour comments;“Each Feadship is totally unique and each reflects our commitment to set new standards in terms of perfect craftsmanship and superior technology.”

Helix can accommodate 10 guests in 4 guest suites and a master suite which is forward on the main deck. All guests enjoy phenomenal views from their cabins which will be seen by invited guests and potential clients who will be given personal tours of the yacht. She will be on tour in Asia from 18th March through 29th April and will be staying at the Gold Coast Marina in Hong Kong from March 18 to 31. She will then head for the third Hainan Rendezvous, which is being held at the Visun Royal Yacht Club from April 5th to 8th. She will also attend the Singapore yacht show from April 27th to 29th.

For more information or to arrange a private viewing, or a meeting with the Feadship directors, please email Jan-Bart Verkuyl at jbverkuyl@lentyard.feadship.nl.

Princess Yacht's 40M Close To Completion

Princess Yachts new 40m (131ft) is in its final stages and close to completion at their purpose built assembly hangar in Plymouth’s historic South Yard. Imperial Princess will be the longest production yacht ever made in Britain when she is launched in the spring of this year.

Owners will be able to fully customize their yacht to create the yacht of their dreams, no two will ever be alike. There is an impressive variety of layout options to choose from either four or five guest cabin option, for example and you can choose to have a cinema instead of one of the midships cabins down below, and a gym in place of the other one.

The owner of hull No.1 has chosen the five cabin option with two VIP double cabins and two twin cabins all en suite, which are situated on the lower deck. These cabins will have large side windows to let in plenty of natural light as seen in the image above. The fifth cabin is the owners full beam cabin which is forward on the main deck and is accessed through a versatile room which can be specified as an office, private TV room or a reading room to suit the owner’s personal requirements.

The main deck will include the main saloon, formal dining area, a professional galley which was designed to the exact brief of a professional chef and hydraulically folding balconies on both sides of the saloon.

On the third deck there is an elegant sky lounge and an exterior dining area for private drinks and al fresco dining. A curved stairway leads up to the sun deck complete with bar, seating, sunbathing and a jacuzzi.

Her interior was designed by Princess in collaboration with the London studio of Bannenberg & Rowell. Her interior will have a variety of different woods, granites, stones, and fabrics to give a classic look of contrasting tones, textures and surfaces.

Princess Yachts say that:
"It is truly a landmark project – not just for Princess Yachts, but for British yacht-building."

J Class Yacht Britannia Arrives in Cowes

"On King George V's death in January 1936, what should happen to his massive (120ft) and famous J Class yacht Britannia. He'd left instructions that she was to follow him to the grave. She was stripped of all her spars and fittings and her hull was towed out from Cowes and sunk off St Catherine's Deep, somewhere west of the Ventnor and south of the Needles on July 1st 1936."

Arriving at Cowes, Photo by Hamo Thornycroft - www.yacht-photos.co.uk

On the 4th of February 2012 J Class yacht Britannia arrived at the dock at her new home in Cowes, England after her long journey through some hash weather conditions from Norway. She started life in 1993 where her hull was built at a frozen shipyard north of the Arctic Circle, in Russia's port of Arkhangelsk, and financed by a Norwegian magnate she moved to Norway in 2009. Britannia and the rebuilding project have been acquired by Minicast Holdings Ltd, Gibraltar, which upon her completion will be donating the use of the yacht for a minimum of 10 years to the Britannia Trust.

The plan for her is that she will be used as a flagship for charity, reaching out to underprivileged children, war veterans and to be used as a fundraising venue for upcoming charities in the UK and across the globe. Her completion is set to commence and the Britannia Trust that owns her are set to invest in the fitting of new deck ware, restoring her interior, her mast, rigging and sails back to what they were in the classic days of Cowes yachting.

Leaving Son, Norway, Photo by Badi Batchelor www.lokalmagasinet.no

An amount of 2.3 million pounds has been budgeted for the full reconstruction process to be completed as well as for the various related costs. The reconstruction team has already approached a number of companies to assist in sponsoring the capital required, and is confident that the reconstruction work can be completed in budget and on time.

Mr Giuseppe Longo has agreed to project manage Britannia's reconstruction process and Stefano Faggioni from Studio Faggioni Yacht Design will be in charge to fully restore her interior to pristine condition. Her new interior will have the same look and feel as the original but with modern additives, giving a wonderful fusion of modern and old.

Her full reconstruction process will be documented via video and digital media, from her arrival at Cowes to her final unveiling as a finished yacht. A live video steam via webcam can be used by anyone in the world to track the progress of her reconstruction.

More information can be found on the Britannia web site www.k1britannia.org

Megayacht "Yogi" Sinks Off The Coast of Greece

News Alert

The 60m Yogi Built and launched in 2011 by the Turkish Shipyard Porteksan Turquoise has sunk of the coast of Greece in bad weather conditions. All on board have been rescued by a Hellenic Coast Guard Helicopter. A major tragedy for the Superyacht industry but a special praise has to go out to the emergency response teams involved for their life saving heroics.

Mariotti Yachts Project "GEO"

Italian shipyard Mariotti Yachts, has combined its heritage, knowledge and skills to create the GEO project, a 55m (180ft) expedition style Superyacht with strong muscular lines that are combined with a modern Italian style to give us this modern day explorer. President of Mariotti Yachts Marco Bisango was quoted saying that,

“GEO is a world first, breaking new boundaries in every respect. With the unrivalled build quality of an ocean-going cruise ship capable of carrying 12 guests at a cruising speed of 14 knots, and a design that beautifully captures the spirit of an explorer vessel, GEO is the ultimate fusion of form and function.”


The interior and exterior was designed by Luca Dini, with the interior having a contemporary style using high-quality, traditional materials. Oak and light-lacquered wood creates fine detailing on the walls, while sumptuous floorings and a luxurious blend of wengé furniture transforms the saloon into a modern sanctuary.

One of the yachts main features is the innovative design of the indoor- outdoor area on the upper deck that has never been seen before on a Superyacht. The 22-metre long flybridge is generously covered with a high-performance aluminium roof and features electric sliding windows to create a seamless transformation.


GEO will be able to accommodate 12 guests that include 3 double cabins and 2 twin cabins forward on the main deck and then the owners suite which is located aft of the bridge. She will have a crew of 13 and a maximum speed of 16kts with a range of 5,000nm while at a cruising speed of 14kts.

Superyachts in Lanzarote for RC 44 Event

Two Superyachts were spotted attending the RC 44 sailing event in Lanzarote last week, the first event of the season for these high performance racing boats. The Superyachts that were spotted were Heesen's 55m (180ft) Quinta Essentia and Royal Husiman's 49m (160ft) Ketch Kamaxitha. This leads to speculation that the owners of these Superyachts enjoy high performance sailing in the RC 44 Class as well as they enjoy relaxing on their yachts. Pictures below were taken at the event for Mega Yacht Global.

"Quinta Essentia"

"Kamaxitha"

McDiarmid Design's New 87m "Iwana"

This is the stunning and modern new 3D design from British designer Alex McDiarmid, who is based in the south of France. Following on from the international media coverage generated by the Iwana 85m concept in 2011 and the success at the Monaco Yacht Show the project has now been taken into 3D and has an extra 2ft, showing a fresh thinking approach to the styling of the 87m (288ft) Superyacht while maintaining a classic bow shape. The Iwana project was inspired by marine iguanas, lizards and water dragons and these inspirations can be seen throughout the yacht especially in the windows and angled lines through the superstructure.

The superstructure integrates a full length, panoramic roof window running over the yacht. This incorporates a solar panel system in the "Magic Smart Glass". All of the glass used on the yacht is electronically and colour switchable for instant privacy, sun/glare protection and visual entertainment. The huge usage of glass windows throughout this yacht will let large amounts of natural light to enter the decks and emphasize the interior design.

To maximise the aft deck space the hull opens into two fold down, role out and wrap around swimming platforms/beach clubs that can be seen in the below image. The inspiration for this feature came from the sun loving, lizards in hot tropical countries that have frill and hood expanding necks. The platforms incorporate part of the aft hull windows that turn into a partial glass bottomed floor allowing guests to see the marine life and habitats in the turquoise waters below.

The main deck will consist of a social and relaxation area and an aft swimming pool that has spectacular views of the sea and surrounding area for guests. There will be a jacuzzi located on the owners private dinning deck which also has plenty of room for dinning guests and the upper most deck has a private retreat area for the owner in addition to the private dinning deck.

The aft garage will include water toys such as tenders, wave runners, sea scooters, windsurfers, kayaks, waterskis, wake boards and a whole range of scuba and fishing gear. These custom tenders and toys are under development to match the exterior styling of the yacht.

"McDiarmid Design have pushed the boundaries of yacht design to produce one of the most innovative and creative designs to date, one word sums it up Stunning."

For more information on other McDiarmid Designs follow the link below

www.mcdiarmid-design.com

Trinity Yachts First Launch of 2012, 164ft "Tsumat"

Trinity Yachts in Gulfport, Mississippi launched their first yacht of 2012 last week, the stunning two-toned Tsumat a 164ft tri-deck custom built superyacht with aluminum hull and superstructure. Tsumat is the stuff dreams are made of for her owner, a repeat Trinity customer whose family has enjoyed yachting for many years. From her layout which includes six staterooms and a tender garage, allowing for an oversized sundeck compete with workout stations and ample relaxation options. Tsumat is intended to provide all the functions needed for her active owners family and their guests.

Her stunning exterior lines are the work of Trinity's in house team and the interior was designed by J.C. Espinosa of Espinosa Inc. The main deck has wonderful open spaces in the main and dining saloons which include seating for up to 12 guests, a complete bar and wine cellar, a spacious galley with island bar seating for enjoying the preparation of elegant cuisine and a full beam al fresco lounge.

One of her main features include a massive sundeck with hot tub, bar, dining for eight, quad chaise lounging, treadmills, weights, twin sun pads and still room for the rescue tender. She will be able to accommodate 12 guests in 6 cabins that include the owners master suite which is forward on the main deck with a study and his and her bathrooms, two queen and two twin suites amidships on the lower deck and the fifth guest cabin is on the pilothouse deck which features breathtaking views of the surrounding area. She will be run by a crew of 11 and have a maximum speed of 22.5kts, or a range of 3,700nm at a cruising speed of 10kts.

More pictures can be seen in the Photos tab at the top of the page.

OCEA Yachts Classic 115ft Explorer

This is OCEA Yachts largest explorer in their classic series which includes four different yachts, the 72ft, 85ft, 100ft and the largest seen in the above image the 115ft. These yachts are built to take on the Oceans and explorer. OCEA Yachts have said;

"The OCEA Classic yachts are designed for family navigation and long range cruises. They offer a timeless and elegant design with great comfort, reliability and high security at sea. The OCEA Classic yachts comply with professional standards for transoceanic yachts. With a full displacement hull, a high profile, and a bulbous bow, designed for the open seas."

She will be able to accommodate 10 guests in 1 owners full beam suite, 3 double cabins and 1 twin cabin, she will be run be a crew of 8. She will have a maximum speed of 13kts and a cruising speed of 10kts.

36.4m "Lars" Designed by Felix Buytendijk is Launched

On a bitterly cold day last week the 36.4m Lars was launched at the Neptune Shipyards in Holland, where the shipyard have converted her into a luxury expedition yacht with the help of Felix Buytendijk Yacht Design who took the job of the interior and exterior design . She started life in 1995 as an ice classed sea going tug built by the Dutch shipyard Made but was never completed. The shipyard and designers great teamwork along with the owners ambition have given this rugged tug "lars" a new lease of life to begin a lifetime of exploration and adventure.

She will be delivered to her owners in March 2012 and leave for her maiden voyage to Spitsbergen an island in the Svalbard archipelago in Norway in April 2012. She will remain in Northern waters afterwards and will be available for charter.

The major changes that she encountered during her conversion was the addition of a swimming platform aft and a re-designed superstructure that incorporates a sun deck. She will be able to accommodate 8 guests in the owners master suite and three guest cabins, and she will be managed by a crew of 5. She will have a speed of 13kts and a range of 6420nm at 10kts.