This year’s Monaco Yacht Show gave the impression of a booming industry. 100 super yachts in Port Hercules, 40 making a worldwide debut, were complemented by nearly the same again at anchor. Two vessels stood out.
Some of the super yachts, which were shown at the world’s largest exhibition of its kind, were »seriously« for sale[ds_preview] and other new launches lent for display under agreements between the owners and the builders. As brokers in Monaco underlined, so far the year in review indicates that more used super yachts were sold in 2011 than 2010 in numbers of sales, but that the total value was down. Especially in the sector below 50 m, second hand price are under pressure since quiet a big number of smaller yachts have flooded the market. Charter in general is up: Liveras Yachts for example has sold a good 13 weeks of charter in its first year of owner-operating the 60 m Benetti vessel »Andreas L«.
The super rich continue to commission super yachts of 50 m and above. Just one day before the opening of the Monaco Yacht Show (MYS), broker firm Moran Yacht & Ship announced the signing of a 91 m new-build super yacht project named »Rio« with Lürssen shipyard in Rendsburg. More details, however, had not been published yet.
New constructions in the industry are looking promising, although they will probably not fill more than 50 % of the yards’ overall capacity for some time. Strong brands, with true values and experience, are winning business while newcomers need to focus on adding a lot of value to penetrate the changing market. Therefore, Blohm + Voss (B+V) as a yard with a long tradition and good reputation was optimistic to find a customer for its new 88 m yacht concept that was presented at the exhibition.
Following the successful collaboration and delivery of 96 m »Palladium« in 2010, the Germans and Michael Leach Design (MLD) have teamed up once again. Undoubtedly influenced by their partnership during the »Palladium« construction, the 88 m concept is built for just twelve passengers and weighs in at just under 3,000 GT, allowing it to follow MCA regulations rather than SOLAS rules. Cristian Schwarzwälder, Sales Director Yachts for Blohm + Voss, together with the designers Mick Leach and Mark Smith from MLD unveiled a model of the ship in Monaco.
Design icon »Palladium«
Outstanding at this year’s MYS was the before mentioned »Palladium« (including its tender). The ship anchored off Monaco but still draw a lot of attention, mainly due to her extraordinary exterior design. Schwarzwälder was busy telling people who said they wanted to buy something like the 96 m yacht where to go. Built for a top Russian client, her transom landing platform (whose »garage« is like a pits lane for the owner’s fleet of jetbikes) was only accessible to those who had been through several layers of screening, then approved by the owner’s team. Mark Smith and Michael Leach of MLD reckon they showed a dozen billionaires around »Palladium«. Having kept a relatively low profile over the past decade – despite designing some significant and award-winning super yachts – MLD is now looking set to win significant new design commissions.
»Palladium« is in a new league with organic forms from hull through to superstructure – every curve worked up in true 3D automobile design fashion (where the designers have their backgrounds), with owner’s lifestyle and quirks integrated in a fourth immeasurable dimension. It works and the luxury of space is omnipresent, even in the corridors, partially thanks to her tall owner, requiring 245 cm high ceilings. Glass floors inside the pair of midships atria give an amazing sense of volume and excitement. The number of mullions was kept to a minimum by using the maximum size panes possible, all compound curves. Smith was part of the design team for the B+V 74 m »Eco«, also sporting compound-curve glass panes, over two decades ago.
Leach and Smith have known the owner of »Palladium« for seven years and spent plenty of time aboard his previous boat that they also designed, the 62.5 m Amels-built »Solemar«, observing how he lived and watching and listening to the crew at work. This is the ideal design scenario, and one good reason why owner-designer personality chemistry is so important. It meant a briefing was barely needed from the owner – other than that his boat »should be like no other«. »Palladium« is certainly not.
With side bulwark flaps opened (all sorts of combinations are possible, keeping choppy seas out), the limo tenders may be launched. Guests disembarking in harbour by tender sometimes like to remain anonymous, but with the twin 10 m limos the styling is quite obviously from the mothership’s designers, so tinted glasses are obligatory. Cougar Marine built the 40-knotters to outrun any paparazzi or yacht broker’s RIB on their way to private outings or beaches.
»Hemisphere« visits Monaco
The world’s largest privately owned luxury sailing catamaran »Hemisphere« is another Michael Leach Design project. It was built by Pendennis in the UK and launched in July 2011. Exhibited in Monaco as probably the highlight of the show, the 44 m ship should really be marketed as a new niche for spacious, fast, comfortable sailing – beating most motor yachts with comparable volume from A to B in a breeze in both speed and efficiency.
Not surprisingly, the charter calendar of the ship, which accommodates twelve guests in five comfortable en-suite-cabins, is rapidly filling up for the first year. MLD designed the interior and social area of the flybridge on the »Hemisphere«, including a »chill-out« room in one hull – ideal for children to play. World multihull leaders Van Peteghem Lauriot Prevost (VPLP) were responsible for the lines plan and rig, drawing on their extensive portfolio, including America’s Cup winning »BMW Oracle«.
Traditionally, Monaco Yacht Show is also host to a »designer gallery« line up of designers where potential buyers can do a quick profile check before getting too closely involved. Many don’t exhibit, preferring to host potential clients away from the crowds. Others pair up with builders who can confirm that »yes, this one is really possible to build«.
New names just as Seymour Diamond, Claydon Reeves and Oliver Stirling, who have all worked for the established names, are presenting exciting proposals, some clinching the signature with top builders such as Feadship. But the likes of Michael Leach Design, Dubois Naval Architects (whose »Zefira« was the best sloop at the show), Tim Heywood Designs (»Cakewalk«’s bow dominated everything coming into port), Bannenberg + Rowell, Ken Freivokh, Reymond Langton, Terence Disdale Design, Donald Starkey, Andrew Winch Designs and Redman Whiteley Dixon are not planning early retirement. British designers remain top of the super yacht design league while German yards have built the majority of the biggest.
Contribution: Nikos Späth
Nick Jeffery
