Editor's Note: Insights into the New Frontier
The focus of superyacht lifestyle has always surrounded 'experience', but what that entails may very well be changing. Gradually, owners and aspiring yachtsmen are turning their heads toward new and exotic cruising grounds to experience something outside of the status quo. With explorers and adventure boats acting as the poster child of this movement, we spoke to a number of people this week to build a better picture of the expedition era.
Philippe Briand introduced the Vitruvius Yachts latest project set last month in the form of the Expedition Scientific range, and spoke to Rose-Hannah Lishman about drawing the lines of the world’s latest ice-breakers, world travellers and adventure boats.
Christina Tsangaris spoke with Imperial Yachts to get a closer look at the 6711 Support Vessel. A superyacht shadow that doesn’t necessarily tick the boxes of expeditionary experience, but an adventure boat all the same in terms of the possibilities on board. Helicopters, planes, cars and toys galore, this is another trend that we could be seeing a lot more of in the very near future.
On the subject of trend, I had a chat with Dutch expedition, refit and conversion masters ICON Yachts this week to get an idea of what’s going on behind the shed doors. With Sherakhan having only just arrived for a modern and ‘unrecognisable’ refit, conversation naturally turned to the business of renewal and, more importantly, the changing attitude toward both exploration and conversion.
I was always told in my early days in the job that conversion was a dead artform, but something I wholeheartedly disagree with. Case in point, RAGNAR, an explorer conversion with enough style and individuality to make a mark in the farthest reaches. The value, the speed and the authentic excitement of such a method of build is undoubtedly set to make a come-back, and RAGNAR in particular is something I’m very much looking forward to seeing lead the way.
Even with America set to open its new edition of a new era next week, industry news is still coming thick and fast as Perini Navi announce a brand-new motor yacht sale, Heesen Yachts sign Project Ayla in another successful sale and Denison joins the fore in the brokerage department with the sale and rebirth of ‘Paladin.’
Post-production is steaming ahead with our latest video project and, while my team prepares to touch ground in the USA to continue the good work, I will bid you happy travels and, until next week, keep an eye out for more news from across the superyacht industry.
