Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2025 i Boat International US Edition

I recently received a letter from a reader responding to the Bitter End story in our October issue – a piece about a group of friends who, in 1954, acquired the 82-foot Doreen on Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Built at the turn of the last century as Gertrude, she was the last steam-operated ship on Lake Geneva. The youthful group spent $100 on her and set out to refit her one summer and watched her sink the next. It was a light-hearted piece about a summer long gone, but it prompted this particular reader to lament the many boats criss-crossing Lake Geneva today – “nothing but a large pond” – so many, in fact, that a few years from now “you will be able to walk from shore to shore.” I…

The Master works Work is well under way on the 229-foot Project Master, a conversion ongoing at Icon Yachts’ facilities in Harlingen, the Netherlands. The former offshore rescue and support ship Ocean Ness is morphing into one of the “world's most capable explorer yachts.” Various parts of the original platform were demolished and rebuilt (increasing her volume by 1.000GT) and the interior stripped to allow for an overhaul with Winch Design. iconyachts.eu PRE-REFIT 40 YEARS AND FRESH Now 210 feet in length, the 1986 Elsflether Werft-built custom yacht Magna Grecia has been relaunched following a 10-month refit with Seara Maritime in Perama, Greece. There the shipyard built on her award-winning two-year rebuild (ended in 2019) that included a hull extension and new design features by Francesco Paszkowski. Emerging from her…

From the moment a new build superyacht launches, it is inevitable that it will one day return to the shed – whether for a survey, maintenance or even a substantial rebuild. And with a global fleet well into the tens of thousands, there is plenty of business to keep the refit sector churning. But just how much business are we talking? At time of publishing, BOATPro is tracking 633 active refit projects (for yachts 79 feet and above), comprising light to extensive refits, conversions, rebuilds and warranty repairs. The largest amount of these projects (283) are in the US under such groups as Safe Harbor and Bradford Marine. US yards typically tackle more short-term refits and survey work and larger yachts with complex refits often end up in European shipyards…

Tailor made Power through a sea of modern luxury, from Savile Row-enhanced gentlemen's race boats to a heritage sailmaker's lifestyle accessories Huntsman of Savile Row in London has collaborated with Minnesota-based Fitzke Boatworks to create the Moonshine Series, a contemporary interpretation of the 1920s Gentleman's Racer. Combining the artistry of British tailoring with the skill required in hand-crafted boatbuilding, Miss Moonshine – inspired by Prohibition-era rum runners – is powered by a 5.7-liter V8 engine and features Huntsman's marine-grade tweed upholstery stitched by vintage sewing machines to replicate 1920s workmanship. Only two hulls will be made per year, and each will come with custom luggage and fender covers made in exclusive Fitzke tweed. POA, fitzkeboatworks.com THIS MONTH: the best watches to gift this season / luxury property with the X factor…

When Giorgio Armani passed away in September at the age of 91, the world didn't just lose a fashion icon – for which he was most famous – but a designer whose vision reached far beyond the runway. Armani (pictured above) was often described as the master of quiet luxury, with a restraint, elegance and coherence that shaped the way millions dressed, decorated and even lived. He designed headline-grabbing dresses for A-listers such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts and Beyoncé to wear at the Oscars and film premieres, but he had far-reaching influence through his ready-to-wear collections, the simple lines of Armani/Casa homeware and his successful forays into yacht design. “I just try to design clothes that are stylish and avoid the traps of transient trends,” Armani told BOAT International…

“TOO MUCH OF ANYTHING IS BAD, BUT TOO MUCH GOOD WHISKEY IS BARELY ENOUGH” MARK TWAIN…

2001 Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 VT “One of only 3D built with right-hand drive, this is the pinnacle in my view. It is like getting behind the stick of an F-18.” 2015 Porsche 911 Targa 4S (991.2 generation) “The last of the decent ones!” Porsche 991 Carrera 993 ASCS “Road version of the single-series race car.” 2015 Bentley Continental V8S “A sportier reboot of the original with better performance and handling.” 1964 DB5 Aston Martin “I love it and even have the James Bond number plates. It runs perfectly.” 1970 Mercedes 280 SE3.5 Cabriolet “One of the last fully hand-built Mercedes, designed to rival Rolls-Royce.”…

You need only look to 259-foot Nympheas and 262-foot Rafale to understand the near-50-year heritage of in-house build capability at Turquoise Yachts. Nympheas was delivered in 2025 with a 28-foot swimming pool and Neptune lounge. Rafale, currently in build in Istanbul, promises sculptural elegance, innovation and luxury in a bold new design. It's complex 260-foot-plus builds like these that underpin the Turkish builder's large-scale infrastructure, enabling it to carry out refits that are more akin to rebuilds. It was as early as 2004 when Turquoise Yachts made waves on the refit scene with Haida G (now Haida 1929). Other than the main engines, the yard replaced almost every system, more than 100 tons of steel and thousands of rivets to bring the classic yacht back into class. It highlighted how…

COUNTER-FLOW POOL Set on the sundeck, the newly upgraded counter-flow pool offers guests the option of a swim session or lazy laps under the sun with adjustable current settings. When it's time to unwind, the pool transforms into a spacious hot tub with massage jets and heating up to 104°F. BASKETBALL AND SHUFFLEBOARD COURTS For guests who prefer their workouts with a competitive edge, the sundeck transforms into a private sports zone with a regulation-height basketball hoop. Meanwhile, the crew can set up a shuffleboard court on request, ideal for more leisurely matchups (cocktail in hand, optional but encouraged). SUPER AIR SKI NAUTIQUE G25 For aspiring wakesurfers, the redesigned Super Air Nautique G25 offers a smoother, more forgiving ride than wakeboard boats. A high-performance sound system brings the party on…

Pip Rich Pip has been a design journalist for 20 years, writing for British titles such as The Sunday Times, The Guardian and Evening Standard. For this issue, he looks at the impact Giorgio Armani had across the design world (page 32). What impresses you the most about Giorgio Armani's legacy? Armani/Casa launched at a time when interiors needed a mindshift; designers had been stuck using cool tones and minimalist ideas for years. Giorgio's first home collection in 2000 helped people appreciate quiet luxury, which still endures today. What is the best gift you ever received? I was given a hot air balloon ride, which is something I didn't know I always wanted to do! It was the most peaceful, exhilarating and joy-making experience. What do you predict the next…

AHS $55,000,000, exc. VAT Superyacht Partners The 217ft Oceanco features an Alberto Pinto interior for 16 guests, a helipad and sundeck pool. RANGER $6,900,000 Fraser The 136ft J-Class built by Danish Yachts combines historic lines with modern performance. LADY BEATRICE €28,000,000 Y.CO The 197ft classic Feadship features a Jon Bannenberg interior and accommodates 16 guests. FORCE BLUE €24,800,000, VAT paid Fraser and Royal Yacht International The 231ft Royal Denship is an explorer with a spa, cinema and nightclub. KAISER $49,000,000 Fraser The 197ft Abeking & Rasmussen features a full-beam owner's suite and a 4,500nm range.…

“SKIING PERFECT POWDER UNDER BLUEBIRD SKIES… IT'S LIKE WINNING THE SKIING LOTTERY” HELI-SKI GUIDE CLIFF UMPLEBY…

Race to the finish The final Formula One race of the year looks set to be a memorable one as the top teams battle it out in Abu Dhabi for a place on the podium. But the parties promise quite the entertainment schedule too, with Benson Boone, Post Malone, Katy Perry, Keinemusik and Calvin Harris all part of the After-Race Concert series. December 4 to 7, VIP tickets via fiexpriences.com The stuff of legends Milan's Teatro alla Scala celebrates the opening of its season on December 7 with a performance to remember of Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District. Conducted by Riccardo Chailly, it marks the 50th anniversary of composer Dmitrij Dmitrievič Šostakovič's death. This year, the theater presents the original 1934 version, famously blacklisted by Joseph Stalin (as was…

If you see the gifting season as an opportunity to show your nearest and dearest how much you care, there's no better way than with a high-end watch. Here are our top picks of watches worth giving (or keeping for yourself), from a money-is-no-object Patek Philippe to the latest solid investment IWC. RICHARD MILLE RM30-01 BLACK CERAMIC Richard Mille's watches are famously pricey, both because they're made from high-tech materials and because they take the ancient art of clockwork into the future, with technical solutions to horological problems that most never knew existed. For example, in 2011, the RM 30 became the first watch to feature a “declutchable rotor” – meaning the oscillating weight driving the self-winding mechanism automatically disconnects when the mainspring reaches peak torque to ensure a smoother,…

“There are these rare moments in life when suddenly the world feels like a bigger, more vivid place; when we're alert to every sight, sound and sensation,” says Tara MacBain, the 34-year-old owner of legendary London restaurant Julie's. “The second we realize it, it's gone.” Several such moments occurred for her aboard King Benji, the striking 153-foot vibrant blue explorer yacht. Tara had selected her for a Caribbean voyage with friends and family. “Some say these moments connect us to the cosmos or similar, but the hard-knocks restaurant trade tells me the secret lies more in removing obstacles from savoring life's essence.” “D'you know about the concept of ‘afterglow’”? she continues. “It's that coming together around a table for a reunion, hearing about friends’ or family members’ epic triumphs or…

1. Title of Publication: Boat International US Edition 2. Publication No.: 005-164 3. Date of filing: October 1, 2025 4. Frequency of issues: Monthly 5. No. of issues published annually: 12 6. Annual subscription price: $42.00 (US). 7. Location of known office of publication: Boat International Media, Inc., 1800 SE 10th Ave, Ste 200, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316-2984 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of the Publisher: Boat International Media, Inc., 1800 SE 10th Ave, Ste 200, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316-2984 9. Name and address of the Editor: Cécile Gauert, Editor Boat International US Edition, 1800 SE 10th Ave, Ste 200, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316 10. The Owner is: Informa plc, 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG, United Kingdom 11. Known bondholders, mortgages and other security…

Dutch shipbuilder Royal Huisman has unveiled Aera, a project that redefines innovation at sea. Designer Cor D Rover, who calls the concept “clever and young,” was encouraged by the yard to push boundaries further. “Innovation is always the way forward,” the builder says. The 164-foot, 47-foot-wide catamaran reflects Royal Huisman's expertise in wind-powered engineering. Despite four generous decks, it remains below 500GT and integrates retractable propulsion pods, a hydrogen fuel cell, laser lighting and an automated wingsail. Royal Huisman developed the project with Artemis Technologies for naval architecture and Rondal for the wingsail. “The really interesting part is marrying the design with performance,” Artemis CEO Iain Percy says. “It was all about making a yacht that was easy to use in the wind.” For Hermen de Jong, Royal Huisman's head…

ENERGY €185,000,000 Fraser and Burgess Reduced by: €14,000,000 The 2022 255ft Amels features extensive entertainment amenities. ALFA G $45,000,000 Superyacht Partners Reduced by: $4,000,000 The 197ft Oceanco, refitted in 2024, has a duplex owner's suite. SEA HUNTRESS €23,750,000, VAT paid Camper & Nicholsons Reduced by: €3,000,000 The 180ft Feadship sleeps 14 guests and has a helipad and sauna. W €34,900,000, duty paid Edmiston Reduced by: €2,600,000 The 189ft Feadship was refitted in 2020 and features a 69ft sundeck. AXIOMA €58,000,000 Northrop & Johnson Reduced by: €7,500,000 The recently refitted 238ft Dunya Yachts flagship has a cinema, gym and pool.…

Picture this: you're on a supeiyacht's sundeck, the horizon spilling away in every direction, the wind in your hair, the thrill of the open sea all around. The very next day, you're in exactly the same spot, but now you're cocooned in floor-to-ceiling glass, the space calm, climate-controlled and framed by panoramic views as the yacht glides through the sea. This isn't magic. It's simply clever design. The indoor-outdoor living trend has swept through superyacht design in recent years, reimagining how owners and guests experience life at sea. No longer must you choose between a climate-controlled saloon and the drama of an open deck. Now, you can have both within the same space. And few companies have mastered that balance quite like Kreative Metallform (KMF). The brand's signature bespoke glass…

Regular visitors to The Hamptons know there's an unspoken rule: whether boat, car, motorcycle or bicycle, it absolutely, categorically and unwaveringly must look cool. In four-wheel terms, that can mean anything from a wartime Jeep to a new Ferrari, a Citroën 2CV or a McLaren F1. So, when Mercedes-Benz offered me a test vehicle to cruise from JFK to Bridgehampton for September's The Bridge car concours – said to be the most blue-chip event of its type – I couldn't have been happier to be offered one of my favorite “cool cars:” an AMG G 63. This is the growling, souped-up version of the G-Wagon, a model launched in 1975 (making it the longest-running design in Mercedes’ line-up) as a workmanlike SUV combining extreme off-road performance with an interior best…

HOME TOWN: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA AGE: 57 FAMILY: MARRIED WITH TWO DAUGHTERS CURRENT YACHT: 101FT CUSTOM FAROCEAN SEA RAES HAPPY PLACE: “THE OUTSIDE BAR ON THE AFT DECK. IT'S GREAT JUST TO SIT THERE AND ENJOY A COCKTAIL WITH FRIENDS” Matt Rockman made his fortune simplifying job hunting through the online portal SEEK but his path to yacht ownership proved anything but simple. The idea of harnessing the power of the internet for job ads catapulted him and two friends into Australia's economic elite in the early 2000s. His purchase of the classic 101-foot motor yacht Sea Raes, however, required patience and forbearance. It's a story that began in 2016, when Rockman spotted an ad for a Dutch-designed, South African-built motor yacht with classic charm. Her pointed bow, elegant shear and…

Growing up in Sydney, my husband, Nick, could sail before he could walk, but I'm from inland Sweden. My boating life came on because of Covid-19. We couldn't leave Australia, but we still wanted to travel, so we bought a Fleming 55. Four months later, we moved up to a 65 and lived on board for two years straight, diving a lot on the Great Barrier Reef. During that time, we ordered a Fleming 85 and visited Taiwan four times to get it exacdy how we wanted it. Our maiden voyage was 500 nautical miles from the yard in Kaohsiung to Subic Bay, and we spent the next 10 months exploring the Philippines, Borneo, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Our initial concept when we bought the 55 was to take it…

What made this project memorable? The owner's engagement. He invested huge amounts of time and always came prepared with detailed agendas. Which spaces best reflect the owner's influence? From a spacial perspective, he seemed to have quite a passion for a successful outcome in the upper lounge and the swim platform; getting the ergonomics and experiential objective correct was of the utmost importance to him. The gym took a lot of bandwidth due to the complexity of converting that space. He also spent a significant amount of time analyzing the private observation deck, which includes a treadmill and a Peloton, as well as the elevated seating. The bridge deck “pub” was his very first request, which became the yacht's social hub. It was the spot in which he envisaged all…

319FT CARINTHIA VII The contract, completed in just 44 days, involved a complex commercial conversion within a short timeframe and presented significant technical challenges. Despite these demands, the project was successfully delivered on time and went on to win awards. “We did something we had never done before,” Perrone Da Zara says, explaining that Lürssen performed “very profound, radical changes” on board, including inserting a watertight bulkhead partition in the interior. “When a yacht is new, when it's empty, it is indeed simple to put a wall through. When a yacht is finished, it's very difficult to start closing [it up] and hiding it cosmetically, it's a real success story, but it was unbelievably challenging.”…

As the big boat shows rolled into the French Riviera in September, Turkish yachting was in the spotlight once again with the news that the country had imposed an eight percent tax on pleasure craft, ending a controversial “luxury exemption” in place since 2017. It's the attention Turkey has come to expect; for good and ill, it has become one of the most newsworthy nations when it comes to yachting. Ranked second in the world for production of yachts 79 foot and up, with a record 146 projects under way or ordered in 2025, and 5.9 percent of the global fleet, Turkey is a global leader in superyacht construction. However, the past few years have been eventful for the sector. A surge in demand coincided with a rise in inflation…

Best by Ski Risa Merl steps inside one of Switzerland's most lavish chalets, ensconced in the quiet luxury of the Crans-Montana ski area In the palatial foyer of the Ultima Crans-Montana chalet, visitors trade snow boots for fur-lined slippers. While staff unpack suitcases and ready the ski equipment, guests can sit by the roaring fire with a glass of champagne and gaze out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the private lake and snow-dusted woods beyond. Set on a 10-acre stretch of land with no other properties in sight, the chalet offers total privacy with only the woodland deer and foxes for neighbors. Two interconnected chalets sleep up to 38 guests, and the property can be booked only by one party at any time, ensuring seclusion. Previously owned by LVMH CEO Bernard…

On a crisp February afternoon, thoroughbreds thunder across the frozen lake in St Moritz. For any other ski resort, this would be an unusual sight, but for St Moritz, the effervescent Swiss resort set in the Upper Engadin Valley, it's normal. Throughout the winter St Moritz's frozen lake, which sprawls out for almost 1.2 miles before me, becomes a stage for ice-based flat horse racing, car races, polo and even cricket. Today's event is White Turf, the ice-based flat racing event that takes place annually (February 7 to 22 in 2026). Each event draws crowds of spectators clutching flutes of Ruinart; there is a distinctively old-world feel to it. The only way to truly “arrive” into St Moritz is by landing at Samedan airport in the nearby Engadin Valley. Samedan…

“THE PROUD PEAK WHICH RISES TO SO VAST AN ALTITUDE, LIKE A TRIANGULAR OBELISK, THAT SEEMS TO BE CARVED BY A CHISEL” HORACE-BÉNÉDICT DE SAUSSURE…