Though I’ve never been on a yacht, one thing is pretty clear – they’re cool as hell! These luxurious vessels are taking over water bodies, and are slowly becoming a preferred means to travel from one destination to another. How exciting would it be to explore beautiful locations in these exotic vehicles? I mean you now have yachts that function as solar-powered floating villas, while some are even inspired by sportscars! The yacht experience has been elevated to a whole ‘nother ball game. And, we’ve curated a collection of the best yachts we’ve come across. From a superyacht that doubles up as a submarine to a superyacht with a hollowed-out center – this collection of automotive designs will leave you completely impressed, and itching to get aboard one!
1. The Shape
Christened “The Shape” this superyacht breaks all the fundamental rules of sailing and yacht design that we’ve seen so far. It has a gaping hole right in the middle (just like the ones in modern skyscrapers) that serves as the sun deck and a never-before-seen unique visual attraction. How it will address the turbulent seas when the weather is hostile, is a question for another day! The beastly concept is 69 meters long and has a draft of 3.90 meters yacht offers a living area of 35 meters past the void. It has three decks hidden in the colossal structure – the first floor has the suites, the second one is the shared living space, and the command center on the third.
2. The Nautilus
Dubbed the Nautilus, this future-forward watercraft’s blueprint was revealed at the Monaco Yacht Show. The inspiration for the design comes from Jules Verne’s science fiction novel “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” which ignited the possibility of a luxury yacht 150 years ago. 1250-ton Nautilus is powered by a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system that hurls it at a top speed of nine knots on the surface (in yacht mode) and four knots while in submerged mode. The maximum depth the vessel can dive without any problem is 656 feet, so one can expect to explore unprecedented underwater life like never seen before on a personal watercraft. According to U-Boat Worx chairman and founder Bert Houtman, Nautilus will change the complexion of “the yachting market” and it’ll “never be the same again.”
3. Hancheng’s Yacht
This swanky multifunctional breeding yacht powered by solar energy will come with its own underwater deck for exploration of the mesmerizing underwater life like never before on a yacht. The craft is specifically made for enjoying the sun and the surrounding landscape for its owners. This is possible with sweeping multilevel decks. The bottom one is an expansive leisure area with open sitting spaces sheltered by the upper deck’s roof, as well, as open ones on the rear which brings one closer to nature than ever before. The deck above this one has multilevel seating like in a cathedral, and bang in the middle is a gorgeous transparent floor swimming pool that gives a clear view of the deck below.
4. The Oneiric
Christened the Oneiric, this twin-hulled catamaran sports Zaha Hadid Architects’ signature fluid design and comes with a solar-paneled roof that lets the yacht run entirely on renewable energy. The Oneiric isn’t your usual yacht. Developed in partnership with the Italian shipyard Rossinavi, the yacht sports a uniquely organic form on the inside and out. Inspired by the shape of waves, Zaha Hadid Architects hopes that its design will blur the boundaries between the yacht and its surroundings, sort of like luxurious camouflage if you will.
5. The Royal Alpha One
This avant-garde vessel measuring 20 meters in length is all about the luxurious cruising experience for days on end. The supercar-like flowing design is dominated by sharp features and loads of glass surfaces that lend it an ultra-dynamic persona. If you remember the Royal Jet Capsule by the design studio, there is more than one trace of similarity between the two. One cannot deny the spaceship-like character of the yacht highlighted by the private jet-like layout, stylish chairs, couches, and dining area. There are spacious lounge sections on the main deck, and the three bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms on the lower living level will make the owners and guests feel right at home.
6. Icaria
The silhouette of the Xenomorph head from the Alien franchise is an apparent relatable element, and the traces of Avanguardia yacht are also evident. So, has the Italy-based design house finally hit saturation with its thinking cap on? Most definitely not, as the 279-foot Icaria vessel hones massive deck space for two helicopters to park and a full-fledged tender garage to house a couple of watercraft, accessible via two foldable doors. The superyacht has an imposing bow followed by a large glass bridge. Icaria is more tailored for explorers who like to tread out into the rough waters. For times when adventure seekers need to relax in the warmth of the sun, there is the gorgeous deck right by the hollowed-out area the designers refer to as “hole deck.”
7. The Tecnomar
The Tecnomar pulls inspiration directly from the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37’s design details (the two even feature together in the video). Outwardly, it’s pretty easy to draw parallels between a car and yacht, simply because they both need to be incredibly aerodynamic and streamlined, but the Tecnomar manages to do so much more to look the part (apart from the angular bodywork, of course). Take for instance the Y-shaped headlights, a detail that’s directly taken from Lamborghini’s playbook (remember the Terzo Millennio), or the zig-zag stepping on the rear of the yacht that’s inspired by the rear profile of the Aventador.
8. Unique 71
Lazzarini Design Studio has displayed its concept superyacht designing prowess countless times in the past with no propitious match that comes close to theirs. That is set to be challenged for once with the SkyStyle’s iteration of a stylized yacht for the rich and famous, designed in close quarters with Dension Yachting. The result of perfect harmony in thoughts between Max Pardo and Lucas Colombo, the founders of Denison Yachting and SkyStyle respectively, this sharp-featured water vessel is luxury personified to the brim. According to Denison’s Alex Clarke, “Unique 71 aims to satisfy the most challenging client. The challenge will be finding a shipyard that can understand this vision and the client’s goals.”
9. Saturnia
Elegantly named ‘Saturnia’, this conceptual superyacht is designed to be made entirely with dry carbon fiber structures that will make it 50% lighter than similar-sized vessels and push the top speed up to 30 knots! Saturnia’s main body is subdivided into five floors with an additional area at the top for the antennas. The superyacht can be configured into different layouts to host 10-20 guests in suites along with 20 crew members while also serving as a floating seaport. The concept showcases an all-around walkable deck area with openings on both sides that lift up to reveal the private port which makes Saturnia stand out from the competition.
10. The Lazzarini GTM
Delivering the desirous notion of how a Ferrari would look on the water, the Lazzarini GTM doesn’t give out the car it may be based on but does replete the Prancing Horse DNA without a doubt. The two companies have not collaborated on the design, so you cannot earmark this one as official, but the concept has a design worth seeing the light of day someday. Beyond the inspired look, the Gran Turismo Mediterranea is an 88-foot, sporty yacht, made using the Ferrari-favored carbon fiber. Undeniably Ferrari for the seas, this design renders appears with a Ferrari badge on the front, gullwing doors, and a cabin that welcomes the owner and crew into a sportscar-esque cockpit that ensures you don’t feel any difference from the Italian stallion’s driver seat to the pilot seat of this hyper yacht.
