design

An Italian superyacht spin on an American Down East-style workboat.

Is there really such a thing as American yacht design? Some of the Western Hemisphere's top designers plead a convincing case.

One new design recently launched from McConaghy Boats while Austrian deign firm Motion Code: Blue has released renders of a yacht that would make a stir in every port she pops up in.

South African builder Southern Wind is hard at work on the third hull of the SW102, a raised-salon version of this sailing-yacht line. This yacht will have a slightly longer hull (it is expected to finish at 104 feet/31.7 meters), in part to make room for a garage capable of holding a 13-foot (4-meter) tender.

Ferretti engineers certainly started right by establishing clear design goals for the 960 from the very beginning. The most basic one was to create a yacht small enough to be classed by CE as a pleasure boat, meaning a crew would not be mandated, yet offer features that would allow it to compete with vessels larger than 100 feet.

Vicem is justifiably famous for its wood expertise, both in its cold-molded hulls and its superb interior joinery and varnish work. Although the hull of the Vulcan 46m is modern composite fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP), Vicem wanted her to look and feel like a traditional wooden boat inside.

Stella Maris represents a dramatic evolution of VSY’s two previous launches, Candyscape II and Roma. An updated version of these 62-meter (203-foot) platforms, the 2,114-gross-ton, 72-meter (237-foot) Stella Maris, designed by Espen Øino, offers more than twice the volume, along with some unconventional exterior styling and interior layout solutions.

Designers and builders of sailing yachts greater than 100 feet (30.4 meters) are being tasked with creating vessels that not only are beautiful, comfortable and safe, but also achieve a high level of sailing performance. The proliferation of international superyacht regattas has upped the ante for owners who not only like their yachts luxurious, but also like to best their competition on the race course.

Fashion house Versace is putting its touch on the soon-to-open Palazzo Versace Dubai. Also, Marina Mill, creators of the Extex marine fabrics has released a new line that lights up the night.

The next generation of the Zuccon design family recently founded Zuccon Superyacht Design (Zuccon SYD), a group within Zuccon International Project that specializes in large-yacht projects. In spring, Bernardo Zuccon and Zuccon SYD released a concept for a 295-foot (90-meter) yacht with a focus on the outdoors and the inclusion of greenhouses and winter gardens.

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.

Oceanco’s 290-foot (88.5-meter) Nirvana is a superyacht tour de force. Her distinctive profile cuts an imposing figure whether at anchor in Saint-Tropez or alongside the dock in Monaco. With her dark-blue hull, her flared bow, the swooping notch in her sheerline, and her bright caprails and transom, she is a standout anywhere she goes.

The Tommy Bahama label evokes coastal living and the island life. As you think Tommy Bahama, images of swaying palm trees and loose-fitting silk shirts emblazoned with jumping marlins probably float to mind, but rustic hand-hewed cabins and Adirondack chairs? Probably not.

Using the seaside as her inspiration, designer Sylvia Bolton has given the Cheoy Lee 88, the newest tri-deck in the shipyard’s Bravo series, universal appeal.

Okko is one of the latest yachts to launch at Mondo Marine, now with offices in North America. This elegant yacht, with exemplary engineering by Mondo Marine and design by Giorgio Vafiadis, made a notable debut in Monaco.

Lürssen delivered Lady Kathryn V to owners with extensive yacht experience. Adam Lay created the interior for this Øino-designed belle. The yacht is at home in Palm Beach, Fla., as she would be in the English countryside. While part of a “series,” she is truly one of a kind.

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.

It’s a gorgeous cool day under a clear blue Miami sky and I’m on board the new Fairline Targa 62GT. It’s my second chance to explore this sleek boat, which debuted at the 2012 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. While I had a good tour then, there’s nothing like experiencing a boat in motion to truly appreciate the thought behind the design.

Currently at the helm is Fulvio Codecasa, who works with his two daughters and sons-in-law; he has guided the shipyard since the early 1970s when Codecasa launched its first steel vessel. The Codecasas’ longevity says something about their passion and devotion to their craft, which contributed to the growth of the brand and the company.

A boat lover from a young age, this superstar and prolific designer usually lives on a boat or near the water where he can easily hop onto one of seven craft of all persuasions that he owns. Surprisingly, though the ocean is central to his life, he has only designed a handful of boats and yachts to date.

This 71-foot catamaran by designer Christian Grande may well be the yacht world’s response to the slow-food movement. It celebrates going slow and making time to enjoy nature and family. Nothing will escape guests on board this boat. Even the floor is put to good use to showcase the elements.

The 262-foot CRN 80M marks a milestone for Zuccon International Project as the studio’s biggest yacht so far. The studio designed the yacht’s internal layout and defined its outer profile, and focused maintaining ties with the shipyard’s long history and tradition.

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.