The
year 2019 has been fantastic thus far in the yachting community. Some
phenomenal feats of marine engineering have taken to the high seas in the last
10 months. Let’s take a look at the best yachts of 2019 and what sets them apart
from a fleet of other options.
Neptune Award Winner: ‘Black Pearl’
You
don’t normally think of yachts as sailing ships, but this Neptune Award Winner
lives up to its name.
The
Black Pearl is the world’s largest sailing yacht and comes equipped with a Dynarig sailing
system as
well as a single-level engine room. The hybrid propulsion system has a battery
bank that regenerates while the ship is under sail. In favorable conditions,
this yacht is capable of crossing oceans without expending a drop of fuel. For
yachts like this 350-foot model, that achievement was previously impossible.
Voyager’s Award Winner: ‘Rosehearty’
The
Rosehearty took home the coveted Voyager’s Award in 2019 after traveling more
than 24,000 nautical miles. It journeyed from the Caribbean to the South
Pacific and then all the way down
to Antarctica
and was able to safely and successfully navigate all of those seas. It even
traveled to Deception Island, a volcanic island that can only be reached
through a narrow passage known as the Devil’s Bellows. This 183-foot sailing
yacht is designed for traveling the world, and we don’t think anyone could do
it better.
While
you might not need the ability to travel to volcanic islands or the ends of the
earth, make sure you decide on the type of yacht you want before you start
shopping. There are hundreds of makes
and models
on the market. Without narrowing it down to something like the Rosehearty if
you want to circumnavigate the globe, you might find yourself searching
forever.
Speed Demon: ‘Spectre’
While
yachts are known for their comfort and luxury, once they reach a certain size,
they’re not known for their speed. The 229-foot (69 meters) superyacht named
Spectre changed that with its long, sharp bow and extended superstructure that
creates a high-speed cruising hull. These changes mean this massive yacht is
capable of a top speed of 21.2 knots, which is 30%
faster than
other ships its size.
The
interior lives up to its sleek name, too, with shiny steel and polished teak accenting
an aesthetic inspired by French hotels and boutiques.
Made From Glass: ‘Artefact’
Yachts
are massive constructs of steel and they weigh hundreds of tons. When you’re
designing one, you usually try to make it lighter instead of heavier. Nobiskrug,
the architects behind Artefact, went in the opposite direction.
This
262-foot (80 meters) motor yacht carries a massive amount of heavy glass as
part of its superstructure. Its central section includes 223
pieces of glass that weigh a total of 70 tons. It’s a design that no one else was
brave enough to build, but Nobiskrug took on the challenge and the Artefact set
sail on July 2019.
Best Converted Yacht: ‘Dream’
Dream
started out as a 93-meter cruise ship made by Halic Shipyard. Olympic Yacht
Services refitted this ship, finishing in 2019, and turned it into a 106.5-meter dream
yacht for
its new owner, who wants to use it to cruise around the world. They stripped
the entire hull to bare steel, gutted and sandblasted the interior, and even
removed 320 tons of surplus metalwork.
The
result speaks for itself, which is why Dream brought home the Best Converted
Yacht award from 2019’s World Superyacht Awards.
Choose One for Yourself
If
you’re shopping for your first yacht, these amazing designs probably aren’t in
your budget. But taking a look at the best yachts of 2019 might give you an
idea of what you’re looking for when you’re finally ready to take the plunge
and buy one of your own.
