The influential Boat International magazine has awarded statuettes in the shape of Neptune for best design and innovation in the superyacht industry.
Among the winners there are two yachts with Russian roots: mega yacht Jubilee awarded for the best exterior design and Dynamiq GTT 115 Hybrid awarded for the best naval architecture among semi-displacement yachts.
Igor Lobanov from Russia designed the exterior of the 110m Oceanco Jubilee, so the Boat International award is entirely his achievement. At the Cannes and Monaco Boat Shows the yacht attracted all eyes and flashes of cameras.
So you do not rack your brains, there are five of them.
In addition to Jubilee, the prize for best exterior design went to the 43.7-metre Cyclone from Tansu Yachts. The jury was impressed by her trademark look that recalls the pig launchers or fast coast guard patrol boats. Particular praise was given to the unusual shape of the Cyclone's bow with a reverse bow that creates a slight drop in the stern and a beautifully curved sideline.
The naval architecture of the Dynamiq GTT 115 Hybrid, the winner among semi-displacement yachts, was designed - no, not by the Russians - but by the Dutchmen from the famous Vripack studio. However, the Dynamiq brand was founded by Sergey Dobroserdov, a Russian yacht broker with extensive experience.
The brief for Vripack initially included the usual requirement for all semi-displacement yachts - optimum performance combined with comfort. Dynamiq added another objective: a large cruising range. Vripack has developed a round-bilge hull with a narrow bow and small bulb to reduce drag and guarantee lower fuel consumption while maintaining a maximum speed of 21 knots.
For even greater performance, the GTT 115 is equipped with a horizontal Hull Vane wing, which reduces yaw. A system of stabilizers and interceptors also ensures absolute comfort during sailing and parking.
Among the motorships, the 50-meter Heesen Home also received a Neptune statuette for innovation in the area of naval architecture. She is also the most ecological superyacht. In electric mode this 50m hybrid vessel in a Van Oossanen Fast Displacement hull burns only 45 litres of fuel per hour.
In addition to the exterior and naval architecture, the jury also assessed the yachts interiors. Custom Line Navetta 33 TELLI got the statuette for the best interior in the category of yachts up to 399 BRT.
In the 399 BRT to 999 BRT category the 47m Razan won, while in the over-1000 BRT category the 96.6m Feadship Faith, famous for its double-sided fireplace separating the living and dining room.
Faith was also awarded for her deck design and layout, and her 10-metre limo tender from RWD won an award in her category.
«The glass roof, side windows and door automatically peel away, disappearing into specially provided pockets». Magic!
A special nomination was invented for the Lifestyle Fits in the interior. Here, 98,4-metre Aviva has won.
«Special wall coating for good bounce, artificial turf with 2 tons of special sand to make it elastic, additional intricacies for noise insulation, ventilation and heating of the» cabin, evacuation in emergency situation. In short, a global headache for designers and builders, which they coped with perfectly well.
The title of best new production superyacht went to Azimut Grande 35 Metri.
And the best lighting job went to Perini Navi's 70m Seven.
Of the sailing superyachts only three received an award. Apart from the aforementioned Seven,
Royal Huisman's 58.2m Ngoni won the award for best exterior design and best naval architecture. Both awards are a triumph for Dubois Naval Architects. Ngoni has a bow with a vertical bow, an open stern and an attractive low profile whose wow effect is only accentuated by the curved rudder line (which was done to add rigidity to the hull).
The 32.5m Malcolm McKeon-designed Ribelle is only slightly behind Faith in these categories, proving that size isn't everything. The smallest of the contenders, Ribelle won the hearts of the jury and they gave her Neptune - if not for her looks, then for interior design. In creating these, the designer was bound to keep a certain weight, as the yacht is designed to race. For accents in the interior he used copper, which is rarely found on yachts. See how its warm sheen visually enhances the interior spaces.
The Boat International Design & Innovation Awards are given each year, but in the past they were given under a different name and had a narrower concept. Formerly called The ShowBoats Design Awards, the awards solely celebrated excellence in naval architecture and design. Today, in keeping with the changing demands of owners, the awards focus more on innovation and engineering excellence.
