The 29th edition of the Monaco Yacht Show drew more than 30,000 visitors over four sunny days in late September. Since the launch in 1991, the event has enjoyed a remarkable success. This year all the planets seemed to have aligned so that the quintessence of the yachting industry and the leading luxury lifestyle companies worldwide could present their latest offerings under the most auspicious skies.

Representing the pinnacle of luxury lifestyle, the Monaco Yacht Show (MYS) which ended September 28th, provides the ultimate showcase for the yachting industry major players as well as helicopters and private aircraft manufacturers. Close to 600 exhibitors participated this year.

A total of 125 superyachts with an average length closer to 50 meters were on display in the natural setting of Port Hercule, of which 42 new yachts made their worldwide debuts. Compared with 2018, the MYS featured larger superyachts, with the largest vessel an impressive 107 metres in length. Some 21 units exceeded 60 metres with an average size of 75 metres. The average value of the yachts on display is 27 million euros. One vessel alone can cost $5 million to $500 million, with annual operating costs of perhaps 10 percent of that.

“This is a not-to-be missed event,” said Gilles Gautier, vice president Falcon sales. Dassault Aviation has been an Upper Deck Lounge Partner for many years. From its outdoor booth on Quai de l’Hirondelle, Gautier explained: “The Monaco Yacht Show is truly special. Customers come to the Principality in a more relaxed state-of-mind. We are on the waterfront, surrounded by beautiful yachts. Clients are dressed in leisurewear rather than suits and ties, and their mood is totally different than it would be during an aviation show or a meeting at our headquarters. It makes sense for Dassault to be present.”

New projects and concepts

Out of the many new projects, concepts and yachts unveiled during the MYS, here is a short, non-exhaustive selection.
At a crowded press conference on 25th September at the Monaco Yacht Club’s Acquarama Lounge, CRN presented the world premiere of the M/Y 135, its latest megayacht delivered in August. Founded in 1963 in Ancona, Italy, CRN is a Ferretti Group brand and company that designs and builds fully custom 45- to 95-metre steel and aluminium yachts.
The yard’s team, almost 200 project managers, architects, engineers, technical designers and specialist craftspeople worked on the project, which measures 79 metres in length and 13.50 in the beam.
The overall design is by the CRN Technical Office in partnership with Zuccon International Project, who shaped the external lines, while the interiors and the external guest areas were styled by Laura Sessa. The Milano-born interior designer, now at the helm of a 14-people studio based in Rome, is engaged in projects involving naval and residential projects.
The five decks M/Y ‘Mimtee’ hosts up to 12 guests. The accommodation includes the owner’s suite and five guest cabins plus 15 cabins for the 29-crew and another five for members of staff. The yacht has a top speed of 16 knots and cruises at 15 knots, courtesy of her twin CAT 3516C engines outputting 1640 kW at 1600 rpm.

165 Wallypower
 The partnership between Ferretti Group and the Wally brand was announced earlier this year on the first day of Boot Dusseldorf. Wally founder Luca Bassani and designer Espen Øino have teamed up to develop a 50 metre motor yacht. At the MYS the duo presented the 165 Wallypower, which takes inspiration from the radical look of the 118 Wallypower, resulting in a Mediterranean cruiser with a piercing bow, uncluttered lines and open decks.

Perini Navi
With seven yachts in build, including a 50m and a 55m Philippe Briand designs, and an order book worth 160 million euro, the yard is consolidating its technological and stylistic leadership as it focuses on an innovation-centred future. The new Falcon Rig Gallery is an entire product range spanning 56m to 92m models and inspired by the iconic 88m clipper Maltese Falcon, launched in 2006.
The 92 metre of the Falcon Rig Gallery has carbon-fibre masts, a 2,400-sqm sail area and an innovative arrangement concept dominated by a master suite, which takes up the entire upper deck. Extensive use has also been made of glass, including for the main staircase which links all four decks, yielding exceptionally bright interiors.
Perini Navi also presented “Tailor Made” making its construction expertise available to sailing and motor projects by outside designers. The first such project is a 74m motoryacht penned by Argentinean naval architect and designer Horacio Bozzo.

Bespoke design concept
 Designer Franck Darnet and Jean-Claude Carme of TWW Yachts Brokers unveiled the innovative features of their new project during a press conference held at the brokers’ office in Monaco.
‘Starlight’ is characterized by a timeless design showing tight and modern lines with all the on-board comfort and technologies for long range sailing under every sea condition.
Of particular interest are the versatility of the atrium featuring a unique in-house designed moving platform, never seen on a yacht before, and a spacious beach club of over 100 square metres.
Darnet Design studio is based in Nantes, France, and creates the interior and exterior design both for superyachts and production boats. The team of seven professionals has over 20 years of experience and design credit for more than 2500 yachts from 12 to 64 Meters.

Winch Design

In an unprecedented start to this year’s show, Winch Design took home three of the four prizes at The Monaco Yacht Show 2019 awards. The 80m M/Y Excellence won both Finest New Superyacht Award and Best Exterior prize, while the 111m M/Y Tis was awarded Best Interior for her palatial interior style, inspired by classical French elegance.

Excellence’s head-turning American Eagle bow, floor to ceiling mirrored glass and spaceship curves set her apart from the crowd. She was built in Lemwerder, Germany, at the family-run Abeking & Rasmussen Shipyard. Her interiors are contemporary and her flowing spaces are adorned with references from the East Coast Art Deco era, incorporating details inspired by the owner’s outstanding automotive collection.

Day 3 of The Monaco Yacht Show was kicked off with the launch of the new Winch Design rug collection, in collaboration with The Rug Company. Guests attended a breakfast at The Monaco Yacht Club, where the hand-knotted rugs, inspired by the natural and organic forms of land, sea and air, were laid out for all to admire.

Also on display at the show, were Winch Design and Tai Ping installations, bringing to life a wall-to-wall installation piece – a unique, three-dimensional aerial view of a Japanese zen garden made entirely using hand tufted techniques.

Winch also showcased their current range with Foglizzo Leathers. The range celebrates the compelling textures and colours of land, air and sea, in turn, reflecting the three design disciplines at Winch Design; architecture, aviation and yacht design.

Eye-catching trimaran

In the plethora of yachts for sale of all shapes and prices, Burgess presented the 42.6m (139.7ft) explorer yacht Adastra, a cutting-edge trimaran delivered in 2012 by the Australian yard McConaghy Yachts.
Exceptionally fuel efficient, she can cross the Atlantic twice before needing to refuel and has a transpacific range of 10, 000 nm. Her shape is designed for efficiency, stability and performance, and she performs very highly in all three.

Luxury with a conscience

Silverlining Furniture launched ‘Elements of time’, a new neo-luxury collection which reflects the company’s determination to create more-sustainable and maintenance-free luxury materials, using tactile and natural finishes, that are more suitable for today’s informal indoor/outdoor living. The inspiration behind the 2019 collection is the natural environment and how the Universe has changed over the millennia.
“The new designs and finishes demonstrate that it is possible to create luxury finishes using more-sustainable, locally sourced, recycled and rejected materials,” commented Founder Mark Boddington. “We all have a desire to be more caring of our planet.”
In an age where sustainability is becoming ever more important in the superyacht industry, this increasingly vital consideration for today’s designers clearly flooded through the Monaco Yacht Show 2019.

By Sylvie Peron