Construction

Demand for superyacht refit is booming, and yards in the Mediterranean region are rising to the occasion.

A partnership between Vripack and Pieter Beeldsnijder produced the design for the latest yacht to launch from the Bloemsma Van Breemen yard in The Netherlands. Built for Dutch owners, this 144-footer (44-meter) includes a dedicated owner’s area on the upper deck including master suite, lounge and private forward terrace.

Tecnomar purchased the Admiral brand two years ago, and the 131-foot (40-meter) Cacos V is the first yacht to launch from the Admiral yard under the new management.

In May, Perini Navi successfully turned the hull of a 230-foot (70-meter) aluminum ketch under construction at the builder’s Istanbul-Yildiz yard in Turkey.

Italian businessman Carmelo Zocco had plans for a new performance cruiser steeped in his homeland’s style-focused culture. He called on Sarasota, Florida’s Michael Peters Yacht Design and asked succinctly for “balance between elegance and aggression—a boat that was dynamic, functional and unique.” Five years later, in 2011, the Revolver 42 made its debut.

Whether she's in the water already or still to come, here's a look at what's new from Amels, Baglietto, Dykstra Naval Architects and Damen Shipyards as well as Weaver Boatworks.

We did a little snooping around a few shipyards to find out what they’re hiding. What we found were extraordinary designers and amazing craftsmen laboring in the shadows of the big yachts. We have the inside scoop.

Spring is here and yards all over the world are unveiling new launches and new projects. Follow us as we check in with Amels, Benetti, Codecasa, Cantiere delle Marche, and Heesen.

This is no myth. The next Riva to set the tone for years to come will be a 27-knot, 122-foot aluminum planing yacht, and it will be built in Ancona, Italy, at the CRN shipyard.

We recently brought you an inside look at Cantiere delle Marche’s (CdM) Darwin 86. Aside from that series, the Italian shipyard, represented in the United States by Worth Avenue Yachts has worked with noted design firm Nauta Yachts.

Benetti had a busy 2012. One of the numerous projects under way at its various shipyards is this 207-foot (63-meter) custom yacht in Livorno.

The launch of a new yacht is always a big event. But the launch of Chopi Chopi at CRN in Ancona, Italy, on January 12, 2013 was bigger than most. At 262 feet 3 inches and 2,400 tons, Chopi Chopi is very big, but she also is the largest yacht yet to be built by CRN, the largest yacht to be built on Italy’s Adriatic coast and one of the largest yachts launched in Italy to date.

A technically advanced long-range cruising yacht with a detailed, luxurious interior, the new Princess is a production yacht with all the allure and trimmings of a custom build. She was the perfect step forward for a long-time Princess owner.

Sessa is a relative newcomer to the flybridge market. A year ago it introduced in Miami its first flybridge yacht, the Fly 45. Then came the Fly 40. In Miami this year Sessa unveils its 54 in part to meet the demands of its US dealer Total Marine.

This year, the builder, represented in the United States by the energetic team at Denison Yachts, is expected to make a big splash. The company plans to present the MCY 76, a new MCY 70 and the MCY 65; all are expected at the Yacht & Brokerage Show.

The Mangusta 165 has finally arrived in the United States. Among her assets are amazing spaces and a speed allowing her to reach the Bahamas from the Southeastern US Coast in two hours or less.

This year Hargrave Yachts took a leap by bringing to the market models designed to appeal to a new breed of owners. The Hargrave 125 with its contemporary design and all-American layout got our attention and, best of all, that of potential yacht owners.

If these images of the new Palmer Johnson 48 Supersport move you, then PJ’s owner Timur Mohamed reached one of the goals he had when he and his team went back to the drawing board to create a new generation of PJ yachts.

The first AIM Marine Group Editor’s Choice Lifetime Achievement Award went to Annette Bénéteau-Roux, an elegant, petite woman who has steered the Beneteau Group through thick and thin since 1964. Roux came to Fort Lauderdale to accept her Lifetime Achievement Award.

Codecasa’s craftsmen are currently hard at work on three new projects. Under construction in Viareggio is the second hull in Codecasa’s 42 Vintage series. F. 75, a displacement vessel with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure, is due to launch before summer 2013.

On the 2012 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show’s windy and rainy opening day, Christensen Shipyards signed a contract with new customers on Project C-2014.