Elite Traveler Summer 2023

LEADERS IN LUXURY YACHTS

In just a few years, 6 0 % of the luxury market will be made up of millennials — a proportion of whom will also therefore be the superyacht owners of the not-so-distant future

DESIGN Superyacht designs today need to house toys and equipment that enable the new generation of owners to enjoy every terrain, be it water toys for the Mediterranean or, if space allows, even exploration vehicles for the Arctic. “The larger yachts have dedicated spaces for every toy imaginable, including everything from snowmobiles and helicopters to submarines,” says naval architect Espen Oeino. Aside from room for toys, many clients are starting to request yachts that blur the lines between interior and exterior spaces, as seen with IllusionV . “There is a clear desire with clients to reconnect with the sea, and this is evident from some of the newer designs,” says Benjamin Bensahel, sales broker at Camper & Nicholsons. The majority of superyachts are used in warmer climates, where clients spend all their waking hours out on deck. “I see the next generation of yacht designs re fl ecting a similar open-plan style to a Bali beach house,” says Oeino. “Layouts leaning towards more external living spaces with roof structures and glass panes to protect guests from direct sunshine, wind and rain, with air conditioning only in the guest cabins.” Given that most energy consumption on board yachts is used for the hotel load, of which around 50% is for air conditioning, a reduction in internal spaces that are air-conditioned but often not used also plays to the younger generation’s desire to protect the environment. There remains the gourmet element that superyachting provides, with owners and their guests experiencing some superb dining experiences while on board, but in a less formal setting than the typical formal interior dining area of years gone by. Jim Dixon, managing partner and creative director at London-based Winch Design, has also found that many clients are asking for more informal social spaces, stepping away from the formal dining and entertainment areas traditionally found on older yachts. “These trends are showing a true desire to switch o ff when at sea rather than continuing with formal, businesslike entertaining,” says Dixon. Designer Dickie Bannenberg concurs: “Exterior spaces which enable relaxed, sociable and active living are top of our clients’ wish lists,” he says. “There is less formality everywhere in life — not just in yachting.” Similarly, the younger generation prefer to have less fl ashy vessels. “There is a tendency among the younger generation to avoid being associated with opulence, to tone it down,” says Oeino. “This is often re fl ected both in the design of the superyacht structure, with many new yachts having an explorer pro fi le or more rugged appearance, and carries through to the less ornate and more casual interior design.” Indeed, Oeino thinks that the pressure on yachting from a sustainability point of view, as well as the association with wealthy oligarchs owning megayachts, will lead to several younger owners looking to build smaller, less ostentatious vessels that are simpler in appearance. “I believe that we will see owners wanting vessels that are not kitted out as luxury yachts, but that simply allow them to be on the water, having fun.” Winch Design has witnessed this kind of restraint in interior design for a number of years now. “Currently our clients are seeking more contemporary, open-plan spaces, with huge expanses of glass allowing light to fl ood in and the guests to feel close to the natural world around them,” says Dixon. “We are also noticing a continuous step back from the traditional, shiny and ornate interiors that have adorned the waters for years, with a preference for a more natural client brief, requesting a more pared-back design with warm interiors, using light woods, stones and natural materials that result in clean and fresh spaces.”

ILLUSIONV BYNUMBERS LOA 190.3 ft Topspeed 15knots Cruising speed 12knots Number of crew 14 Number of guests 12

Available in the Mediterranean in summer and Caribbean in winter from $350,000 per week, plus expenses. Contact Barbara Dawson, senior charter broker, bdawson@camperandnicholsons. com, +1 561 655 2121, camperandnicholsons.com

Photo Mike Burns Photography