By Scott Murphy, Michael Verdon, and Julia Zaltzman
3-D Printing Superyachts
In 2019, the University of Maine built a 7.6-metre boat from the world’s largest 3-D-polymer printer. It took just 72 hours to complete and, up close, looked as if kilometres of spaghetti had been neatly layered to finish the hull. Last year, for the US Marine Corps, the university built two heavier 7.6-metre boats in even less time. These vessels, while rough, are proof that 3-D printing, otherwise known as “additive manufacturing,” is poised to disrupt yacht-building, along with so many other industries.
“We’re already seeing exponential applications of this technology,” says Marnix Hoekstra, co-creative director at Vripack Yacht Design. “The first 3-D-printed boats are being sold, and the offerings will only grow in both size and complexity.”
Designers like Vripack are using 3-D printers to create custom parts such as handrails and scuppers. “We pre-manufacture them to scale, so the client can see and touch them,” Hoekstra says. Besides 3-D printing’s benefit of zero material waste, designers can create circular staircases or curving consoles that aren’t possible via conventional techniques. Superyacht builders including Feadship and Sanlorenzo already use 3-D printers to fabricate complex parts.
Some European start-ups are not only building parts, but entire boats. Moi Composites printed its wildly curved six-metre Mambo to demonstrate the capabilities of continuous-fibre manufacturing (CFM) digital technology, says CEO Gabriele Natalo. “We wanted to show we could do virtually any shape without a mould,” he says, adding that the design “would’ve been impossible using normal methods.”
Superyacht designer Greg Marshall, who has been working with 3-D printing for 15 years, is piecing together components of a 9.1-metre vessel to understand how such building processes could work. “Multi-material printers will let you print complex components like wiring and piping right into the hull, saving time, weight, and space,” he says. The boat will require 80 per cent less material than a conventional build, so even the cost of using high priced titanium would be a “non-event” compared to aluminium or steel. But creating even a 9.1-metre boat, which now looks like “Mr Potato Head,” according to Marshall, is a complex jigsaw puzzle that will take time to complete. Printing superyachts is “inevitable,” says the designer, though it might be another decade or two before the technology is ready for the size and complexity of such high-volume vessels.
Jozeph Forakis, creator of the 88-metre concept Pegasus, thinks the tech might be ready sooner, pointing to the March launch of Relativity Space’s second 3-D-printed rocket, Terran R, as proof. “If they’ve done this in just a few years, you can see how fast it’s moving,” he says. Pegasus, meanwhile, has a 3-D-printable triangulated exoskeleton that’s significantly lighter and tougher than a conventional hull. “When I announced Pegasus, I was being deliberately conservative by saying it could be launched by 2030,” says Forakis. “Now, I’d say it could be even sooner with developments in 3-D printing, AI, and other areas. This process will change everything.”
Superyacht
Benetti B.Now 50M Oasis Deck
When the 49.9-metre steel-hulled B.Now 50M, the first vessel of its model range to feature the unique “Oasis Deck” design solution, cruised out of the Benetti shipyard in Livorno in March 2023, even members of the shipbuilding team dropped their jaws in silent admiration of what they had created.
British design studio RWD, fresh off receiving numerous awards for its novel aft-deck design already seen on other Benetti models, once again created the exteriors. Meanwhile, Benetti honed the interiors in close collaboration with the yacht’s experienced owner and their team, expanding the light with glazing techniques, custom lamps, and Lalique crystal. Additional features possible for the B.Now 50M include a large American-style bar and a wellness and spa area on the lower deck that can also be transformed into an “adventure room.”
Above all, it’s the yacht’s eye-catching Oasis Deck that instantly sets it apart from other vessels, signposted by its opening wings which safely extend the deck close to the water and create an expansive beach club. Furthermore, the open outdoor area gradually descends and offers 270-degree views, complete with sunpads and a glass-walled infinity pool that serves as the centrepiece of the open-air space. “The B.Now 50 model is certainly one of the most popular models in our history and the addition of the Oasis Deck made it possible to offer new options to all owners who enjoy close contact with the sea,” says Benetti COO Sebastiano Fanizza.
With a cruising range of 4,500 nautical miles at 10 knots and enough space across multiple decks for up to six guest cabins plus a crew of 10, the B.Now 50M with Oasis Deck is certainly a solid beauty.
Gigayacht
Lürssen Blue
Lürssen is well-known for building behemoths of the sea, and the 160.6-metre Blue maintains the brand’s position as the foremost gigayacht builder. It’s the fifth-largest yacht in the world, one of the largest with diesel-electric hybrid propulsion, and the only yacht of its size with variable-speed generators to optimise cruising. The yacht’s eco-credentials—or as much as a yacht this size can boast them—extend to a high-tech exhaust system that reduces noise, vibrations, and emissions, as well as a waste water treatment network. Designed by Terence Disdale, Blue’s mammoth, 14,785-gross-tonne volume comes from both its length and impressive 22.5-metre beam, providing more than enough space, inside and out, for a full roster of amenities. The superyacht, rumoured to have cost US$600 million (HK$4.6 billion) to build, has a lavish owner’s suite, 16 VIP cabins for guests, and 12 cabins for 48 staff and crew.
Layout
Sunseeker Ocean 182
There may be over 20 different models in the Sunseeker yacht line-up, but the eyes of the boating world were definitely on its latest vessel, the Ocean 182, when it made its global debut at the Newport International Boat Show in Rhode Island in 2023. Immediately, the 27-metre British make made a stunning impression, affording future owners the opportunity to own a floating penthouse with all the luxury, comfort, and features that go with it.
With a name that refers to its gross tonnage in terms of volume, the Ocean 182 also offers plenty of speed at a comfortable 27 knots, thanks to twin MAN V12 1650 or 1900 engines. What truly makes Sunseeker’s latest stand out is the sense of space throughout. Floor-to-ceiling sliding doors on the starboard side, combined with matching windows on the port side, provide spectacular views from bow to stern. Across the yacht’s three decks, space is plentiful, with additional cosiness provided by fully customisable interiors. Below deck, three double cabins and one twin, all with en-suite bathrooms, offer further comfort and lodging for lengthy day, night, or even extended trips with guests.
Sunseeker’s Ocean 182 also impresses with its amenities, which include dining facilities, a bar, Miele appliances, refrigeration, and ample storage, plus the option to further enhance the semi-open galley with a wine cooler. A patented six-by-four-metre beach club provides water-level essentials, as well as convertible seats, a sunbed, a hydraulic bathing platform, and an optional barbecue grill and Sonos speakers for entertaining guests.
Customisation
Ferretti Infynito 90
When the Infynito 90 first sailed in the South China Sea towards the end of 2023, it had the ambience of a seafaring summer palace, a cool oasis where luxurious possibilities are indeed infinite. One glimpse of its sharp lines, sleek exterior, and inviting hot tub on the covered foredeck and it quickly becomes clear that this Italian-made superyacht has an alluring personality that’s all its own.
“A limitless experience of sky and sea” is Ferretti’s motto for its new line, and that’s showcased throughout the 26.97-metre recreational vessel. Over 100 square metres of open-air living spaces—50 per cent more than the average in yachts of the same segment—are included, plus over 140 square metres of interiors. Ferretti also provides the opportunity for owners to customise the vessel to their liking—including designing a gym—offering even more options to blend the interior and exterior.
With a main-deck interior that offers a saloon, open galley, dining area, and stairs to the skylounge, relaxing and catching prime water views are paramount. Upstairs, the enclosed skylounge and helm station offer further comfort and privacy. Infynito 90 is equipped with environmentally friendly features such as an electricity-generating solar roof, chargeable battery packs, and what Ferretti calls “hotel mode” for a zero-emissions atmosphere.
A top speed of up to 22 knots and the potential to cover 1,200 nautical miles on one trip mean that lengthy, comfortable journeys are within reach. “Infynito is designed for owners who are increasingly seeing their yacht as a new place to live in, as an extension of their homes,” say IdeaeItalia’s Davide Bernardini and Alessio Battistin, the interior designers of the Infynito 90. One plunge into that hot tub and truer words have never been spoken.
