After attending the American Superyacht Forum in Las Vegas in May, naval architect Nick Boksa was inspired to design new concepts to match the expectations and interests of a growing segment of potential yacht owners. While many in the industry are beguiled by the superyachts that gain so much media attention, the class of custom designed yachts in the 85’ to 125’ range is where most buyers will focus their interest. At design and build costs of $8MM to $25MM, these are the yachts which are considered to be attainable.
Often considered entry-level yachts, the reality is that vessels of this size are the often the perfect size yachts for two of the main groups of yacht buyers – first time owners of vessels this size and experienced owners seeking a new experience.
The intent of these designs is to bring the yachting experience to a group of younger, wealthier buyers (the Wall Street crowd, CEOs and investors, sport stars and others) who are ready for their first custom yacht.
Most often these are owners who have graduated from larger production boat to larger production boat until finally they want to custom build, though at times they are literally first-time yacht owners.
These designs are also more appealing to longtime boaters (often 60+ in age) who have reached a point where they are more interested in long-term cruising and enjoying the family oriented nature of yachting.
Custom designed yachts in the 85’ to 125’ range allow owners to have a manageable crew and manageable operating budget.Yachts at this size are able to cruise to any location and dock at almost any marina around the world. Additionally, these yachts appeal to those wishing to charter the vessel as the size is marketable within the charter community.
Nick Boksa, president of Boksa MarineDesign, a naval architecture, design and engineering firm in Tampa Florida set out to design boats based on what the market was signaling. The American market is still more substantial than Europe and China in terms of potential buyers.
The question has become how to appeal to to these potential buyers, either welcoming them into the yachting lifestyle or extending their experience.
“The market share among the super wealthy who are also yacht owners is still relatively low. Tremendous potential exists for both designers and builders to generate excitement in the experience of yachting and exploration,” says Boksa.
These new styles capture the essence of yachting, combining expeditionary elements with both traditional and contemporary styling. Styling details can be customized to suit individual owner’s tastes. The designs are also scalable up to 250’ and can be matched with various general arrangements, interiors and the addition of yacht toys.
