This month BOAT International celebrates its ruby anniversary – that's 40 years in print – and to mark the occasion, we take a look at some of the boldest ruby-red superyachts on the water...
Leona
Builder: Bilgin Yachts
Length: 80m
Delivery Year: 2023
Leona's crimson hull comes from Antalya-based Unique Yacht Design, marking the ninth collaboration between the shipyard and the British design studio. She’s colloquially called “the Red Bullet” thanks to her svelte profile and pointed bow. An extravagant beach club pool is worth noting, flanked by Greek statues sitting on water outlets and rigged with overhead fibre optic lights to give the appearance of the night sky.
Read More/Exclusive: Inside Bilgin's dazzling 80m LeonaAkula
Builder: Rossinavi
Length: 59.4m
Delivery Year: 2023
Akula is Rossinavi’s first-ever explorer yacht. Ice-classified, she sports a stand-out scarlet hull and white aluminium superstructure designed by Gian Paolo Nari. Her layout is specifically designed to support marine research and philanthropic projects, including storage for various diving equipment and two six-metre containers that can act as transportable science labs. No matter where her adventures take her, she is sure to stand out.
Highland Fling XVIII
Builder: Gunboat
Length: 24.7m
Delivery Year: 2023
Highland Fling XVIII is expected to be one of the fastest in its size bracket and, as such, a racing-red hull seemed an appropriate fit. The first unit in the flagship Gunboat 80 series, this semi-custom model carves a striking scarlet silhouette in the water and is capable of exceeding true wind speed at just six knots. Highland Fling XVIII is currently undergoing sea trials in La Grande Motte, France, joined by her racing team who plan to put her performance to the test. Her racing debut is anticipated for September 2023 at the Maxi Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo.
Quinta Essentia
Builder: Admiral - The Italian Sea Group
Length: 55m
Delivery Year: 2016
This cream and burgundy palette is a more modest entry courtesy of Dobroserdov Design. Quinta Essentia's distinctive hull and superstructure details are inspired by the owners’ love for Tuscany’s wine region, specifically the deep shade of red created when swirling Merlot in a glass. There are further odes to Tuscany in the olive-coloured bedroom silks and subtle décor motifs of grapes, leaves and trees.
Ipanema
Builder: Mondomarine
Length: 49.2m
Delivery Year: 2016
Milanese studio Hot Lab delivered a masterclass in maximalist design with Ipanema. Her cherry-red hull goes hand in hand with a decadent interior, finished with varnished wall panelling, loud bas-reliefs, and ruched curtains. More than a dozen types of marble were used in the creation of this superyacht, including white onyx and Ming green.
Avalon
Builder: Cheoy Lee
Length: 46m
Delivery Year: 2012
Avalon is one of two Transocean Explorer models built by Chinese shipyard Cheoy Lee. What sets Avalon apart from sistership Dorothea III is her eye-catching paint job, with identical pops of colour found in the Biminis, sun pads, and sofa cushions on the sundeck. Under previous ownership (when she was known as Qing) the colour was even brought inside, paired with other sunset hues.
Oktamar
Builder: Liman
Length: 40.6m
Delivery Year: 2014
Formerly known as Artpolars, Oktamar's bold exterior is rivalled only by her own interior decor, courtesy of FR Design and the owner’s eccentric tastes. “[The owner] bought a mountain of marble, a football field of leather, [and] a large selection of golden bath accessories,” explained Jaron Ginton of Ginton Naval Architects. “It may not be the most economical way of choosing, but you do get the desired result.”
Doryan
Builder: Baltic Yachts
Length: 35.5m
Delivery Year: 2015
Sailing yacht Doryan boasts features typically seen in high-performance racing yachts, including a narrow profile, a carbon hull and foam-cored joinery. Nauta Yachts collaborated with Judel/Vrolijk on the exteriors, with the flushed finish explained by the owner’s love of supercars – specifically, the metallic red of his father’s favourite Lamborghini. “She’s a beautiful lady […] a real granturismo,” said Mario Pedol of Nauta Yachts.
AB100
Builder: AB Yachts
Length: 30.5m
Delivery Year: 2023
Launched in April of this year, AB100 is the latest unit in AB Yachts’ Sportfly series. The bold hull was designed in-house and features a sporty profile meant to evoke a traditional Formula 1 racing car. With triple caterpillar engines, AB100 lives up to its hot-rod exterior by reaching eye-watering speeds of 50 knots. An unexpected addition to this high-octane model is the integrated Jacuzzi found at the bow, complete with protective awnings.
Red Sky
Builder: Nautor Swan
Length: 30.2m
Delivery Year: 2003
Red Sky holds the title of the only Swan 100 RS model ever made. Affectionately called “the Red Sled” among crew, according to ex-skipper Ryan Hanger, her hull is painted in a shade known as “Cardinal Red”. This sailing yacht spent two decades cruising New England, the Chesapeake and the Caribbean, and has also made several transatlantic crossings, all with only a four-man crew. According to BOAT Pro, she was most recently spotted near Prudence Island in the United States.
Edge
Builder: Sarp Yachts
Length: 26m
Delivery Year: 2022
Edge's exterior and interiors were appropriately designed by Red Yacht Design, who picked the shade “Porsche Guards Red” for the hull. With a car-inspired helm station on the flybridge and reflective windows so cleanly flush that you might never guess they’re really doors, the design’s automotive inspiration is clear. The black superstructure and robust lines boost the motor yacht’s sporty look.
Read More/Edge: On board the 26m racing-red pocket superyacht by Sarp YachtsBlush
Builder: Perini Navi
Length: 45.3m
Delivery Year: 2007
Owned by Formula One's Eddie Jordan, Blush is the only sailing yacht in the shipyard's fleet to feature a dark red hull – officially a shade of "Merlot". She was designed by award-winner Ron Holland and her acoustic engineering allows her to keep quiet across all areas of operation. A family-friendly build, Blush's master cabin can be divided in two via a mahogany wall panel, adapting the space into a fifth cabin if needed. Blush is available for charter with Camper & Nicholsons.
Read More/10 of BOAT International's most iconic covers — and where the boats are now