The 25th edition of the world’s leading superyacht show running from
23–26 September bears little resemblance to the inaugural edition in 1991. Nor does the industry.
Thirty yachts were present in 1991 and 50 exhibitors, mainly used boats from Monaco and French Riviera brokerage firms, with[ds_preview] an average length of 32m. Broker Peter Insull, who has been there since year one, said he sold the 40-metre he had a berth for two weeks before the show and »we couldn’t give away the berth!« The show extended along the Quai des Etats-Unis. This year 120 yachts will be displayed – with a waiting list and many moored outside – with an average length expected of 47+ m.
500 exhibitors will be spread out around the whole of Port Hercules, the latter extended significantly with two large outer breakwaters added over the years. Monaco has established itself as the »World Capital of Yachting«, the icing on the cake being last year’s inauguration of the new five-deck clubhouse for the Yacht Club de Monaco where much of the networking takes place during the show.
Brokerage still plays its part at MYS, with many high-quality boats being marketed by the brokers, but »new builds« are used as showcases for the world’s top shipyards and this is the place where a potential new yacht owner can make advance appointments to visit a number of the industry’s most recent launches and meet the builders and designers face to face, while the industry also does its own b-to-b networking. The nine biggest MYS yachts, all motor, for 2015 as we went to press are:
65m Amels/2011 »Imagine« (exhibited by Fraser Yachts)
66m Lürssen/2014 »Ester III« (Lürssen)
66m ISA/2014 »Okto« (Fraser Yachts)
69m Tankoa/2015 »Suerte« (Tankoa)
70m Lürssen/2008 »Martha Ann« (IYC)
72m VSY/2012 »Stella Maris« (Burgess)
73m/2014 CRN »Yalla« (CRN)
77m/2015 Piriou »Yersin« (Piriou) and
77m/2015 Silver Yachts »Silver Fast« (Silver Yachts)
In that 65m+ mix is a story in itself with some relatively new builders, such as Silver Yachts and VSY, that have made niches, a commercial builder, Piriou, that has turned its hand to explorer yachts, a new Italian brand, Tankoa, with its debut superyacht, another Italian brand, ISA, that was reportedly staving off insolvency recently, another, CRN, that has undertaken various restructurings since being acquired by Chinese investors and long-established Dutch and German names, Amels and Lürssen with healthy order books. Lürssen celebrates its 140th anniversary this year. »Yersin« is likely to attract most attention with its green credentials and connection to Monaco’s Prince Albert II Foundation.
At the lower end, with LOAs of 25–35m, sailing yacht builders include Oyster Yachts with the 30m/2013 »Penelope«, Southern Wind with the 29m/2015 »Lady G« and 32m/2015 »Seawave«. For power, Monaco-based Wally has a 24m Wallypower 75 and 26m Wallyace at its stand (harder to get into than Monaco’s Jimmy’z nightclub!), Monte Carlo Yachts will be displaying its new 33m/2015 MCY105, unveiled in Venice in July. Established family builder Mulder Shipyard delivers, from its new modern premises, the 34m/2015 »Solis«, designed by Claydon Reeves for a family wanting a »human-sized« yacht, rather than »mega« for the sake of it.
Sailing enthusiasts will be able to view Nautor’s debut 35m Swan 115. Nautor was the first builder of series production GRP yachts. Marine Construction Management (MCM), who has acted on behalf of owners overseeing 75+ new builds for longer than MYS has existed, will be hopping between the bright red Baltic Yachts 35-metre »Dorian« and 38.8 m Claasen Shipyards »Atalante«, both of whose owners selected MCM to oversee their builds.
MYS has issued a »save the date« for its 25th anniversary party at the Salle des Etoiles, Monaco on Tuesday 22nd September, the eve of the show, the start of some serious partying (it used to be so much more informal in the 1990s!) which has always been part of the »live the dream you are selling« philosophy of many in the business. The name of one watch being displayed on behalf of Only Watch at MYS sums up the atmosphere for superyacht owners: »The world is a dancefloor«.
Nick Jeffery
