Top 10 superyachts delivered in 2017

2017 has a saw a total of 127 superyachts delivered to their new owners. The year’s calibre includes a sail-assisted motor yacht and another customised Limited Edition from renowned shipbuilder, Amels.

Each superyacht sports her own head-turning features and customisation to ensure she meets the needs of her owners and or charter guests, so here I present my top 10 yachts delivered in 2017, from A to Z.

1. M/Y Cloud 9 from CRN

CRN’s 74-metre (242-foot) custom superyacht Cloud 9 was delivered to her Australian owner back in April.

She marks hull number 131 for the yard, and is the second largest yacht in its fleet to date. But, what makes her remarkable, according to Burgess, is her “spectacular and powerful combination of engineering expertise and ground-breaking design”. 

Built from a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, her exterior styling came from Zuccon International Project. Described by Giovanni Zuccon to be "the most beautiful vessel [he’s] ever designed", she has clean lines that are enhanced by subtle design details on her superstructure, and an optimised balance between free-flowing interior and exterior spaces. 

Zuccon also developed her noteworthy engineering in collaboration with CRN’s engineering team, while Winch Design is responsible for her interiors and all external living spaces on board, key features of which include the owner's private deck and her beach club, complete with extendable bathing platform.

Cloud 9 is available for charter for 12 guests, catered to by a full crew of 22. She can accommodate up to 16 guests when off charter.

2. M/Y Laurentia from Heesen Yachts

Known as Project Alida during her construction, Heesen’s 55-metre (180-foot) displacement yacht was delivered to her owners in September 2017, under the new name of Laurentia.

According to Heesen, Laurentia “combines efficiency, performance and style in a design package of 740GT, with elegant yet muscular clean lines by Omega Architects”.

For performance, designers added large rudders in conjunction with a powerful steering unit to achieve a highly responsive vessel. This, combined with the high pitch of her propellers is reported to make navigating during strong winds and tougher conditions even easier.

Van Oossanen’s Fast Displacement Hull Form and twin MTU 8V 4000 M63 diesel engines allowed her to exceed all expectations during her sea trials, reaching top speeds of 16.6 knots. 

Ramon Alonso at RADYCA, a Miami-based design firm was appointed to create an interior design that promotes luxury, relaxation and entertainment throughout, while exterior key features include a spa pool on the 110 square-metre sundeck, and a spacious tender-free beach club on the transom.

3. M/Y Lili from Amels

Dutch yard Amels delivered Limited Editions 180 yacht Lili to her owner in July.

Rose Damen, commercial director of Amels said, "Even though she shares the pedigree of the Amels’ high value quality and finish, Lili is very different to any other Amels 180 we have delivered to date.”

Examples of her bespoke features include a multitude of folding balconies, a private aft deck with direct access from the owner’s suite, and a sundeck featuring a four-metre counter-current swimming pool.

She is built to Lloyd’s Registry standards from a steel hull and aluminium superstructure and is MCA compliant. Exterior styling came from Tim Heywood, while the interior décor came from Laura Sessa Design working within a total volume of 707GT.

4. M/Y Lulwa from Gulf Craft

In November, 41-metre (134.5-foot) Lulwa was delivered by Emirati shipyard Gulf Craft to a repeat client.

The incorporation of “smart-home technology” is a key feature throughout the model, enabling those on board to remotely control the audio-visual entertainment system, lighting and dining facilities via an application on their smartphone.

Additional amenities include a curved Jacuzzi and a Williams Dieseljet 505 tender, which can be found on the generously sized sundeck.

Accommodation is for up to 14 guests across six staterooms, which include premium marbled en suite bathrooms.

5. M/Y Mr Loui from Benetti

Measuring in at 35.5m (116ft) and made of fibreglass and carbon fibre, Benetti's 116’ was christened Mr Loui by her new owner following her delivery in November.

In order to meet the owner’s request for more outdoor social space, Mr Loui features a sundeck of over 80 square metres, with two dining areas, a lounging area and sunbathing area, respectively.

Mr Loui’s exteriors came from one of Benetti’s long-standing partners Giorgio Maria Cassetta, while the in-house interior design came from the owner’s architect Ezequiel Farca.

Bringing the outside world in, natural light floods the lounging and dining areas through three-metre long windows, and is reflected off the yachts' large glazed surfaces.

6. Northland from Burger Boat Company

Burger’s explorer, Northland was delivered to her owner in November. The 31.55m (103.5ft) yacht was built at the historic shipyard Manitowoc, in Wisconsin, complying with ABS standards.

Award-winning designer Luiz de Basto was responsible for the exterior and interior design. De Basto worked closely with the owner to create this stylish, long-range explorer yacht for cruising and fishing in the world's sportfishing hot spots.

Accommodation can sleep up to eight guests across four cabins, including a master suite, two double cabins and a twin cabin.

7. M/Y Jubilee from Oceanco

Oceanco’s 110m (360ft) flagship Jubilee is currently the largest yacht ever built in the Netherlands.

Her naval architecture comes from Azure Naval Architects while her exterior design work came from Igor Lovanov, who believes her funnel structure is a true piece of architecture. He said, “It gives the feeling of a ship, not a yacht. Personally I love it. It’s huge, massive and cool.”

Sam Sorgiovanni designed her interiors, which includes the luxury features expected aboard such a large yacht, including a glass elevator, helipad and an 8.5m swimming pool with built-in aquarium.

The super superyacht can carry a total of 31 guests in 16 cabins catered to by a crew of 45.

8. M/Y Amadea from Lürssen

While details of Lürssen motor yacht Amadea remain thin on the ground, she was, according to local reports, delivered to her new owner back in March.

Starting out under her construction codename of Project Mistral, the yacht builder has confirmed that she measures in at 106m (347ft) long, including her two-metre decorative bowsprit, making her one of the largest superyachts in the world.

With steel hull and aluminium superstructure, Amadea has been built to DNV GL classification. Espen Øino was responsible for the exterior design, of which key features include a helipad which dominates her foredeck, a large swimming pool and swim platform, five extensive decks and multiple lounging and entertainment areas.

9. Sailing Yacht A from Nobiskrug

Undoubtedly one of the most talked about yachts of the year, Sailing Yacht A was handed over to her owner's representatives back in February.

At 142.8m (468.5ft) LOA, A is officially referred to as sail-assisted motor yacht, due to her hybrid diesel-electric package with controllable pitch propellers, built by German shipyard Nobiskrug to a design by Philippe Starck.

Now belonging to Russian businessman Andrey Melnichenko, his project director Dirk Kloosterman said, 'This has been the most challenging assignment of my career. I am confident Sailing Yacht A will be the world’s greatest yacht in terms of design and technology for the years ahead.”

Her three masts, which are the world’s tallest, certainly turn heads, each measuring in at nearly 92m high and standing at 100m above sea levels.

Other key features of this closely guarded secret include a helicopter landing pad on one of her eights decks, and what is reported to be an underwater observation room in the bow. She comfortably accommodates 20 guests and a large crew of 54.

10. Sarastar from Mondomarine

Sarastar is a brand new all-aluminium vessel that boasts equally dramatic and elegant lines to create a head-turning facade. The 60.22m (197.57ft) yacht was delivered this July.

Italian designer Luca Dini was responsible for styling both the exterior and interior. On board precious and unconventional materials such as white onyx, exotic marble, silver and silk were used to complete the décor.

Key features include a large open-plan sundeck with bar, a helipad which doubles as a party zone, and sun loungers at sea level.

Accommodation includes four double rooms, a twin room and the master suite situated on the main deck with a fold-down balcony.