16 ShowBoats Design Awards 2016 winners

Exterior Styling: AB Studio - Omega Architects

Builder: Heesen Yachts

The ShowBoats Design Award for exterior design and styling on motor yachts below 500GT had nine finalists featured yachts from 32 meters to 50 meters and styles from raised pilothouse to expedition.

The runaway winner was the second longest yacht in the group – Sibelle – whose radical styling combined a slight reverse or destroyer bow with a hard chine and a knuckle to broaden the bow above the waterline and blunt it at the sheerline. The spray rails at the bow were envisioned as part of a strong, deliberate horizontal design vocabulary that includes dark bands of glass that although stepped, appear continuous and help make the yacht appear longer than her actual 49.9-meter length.

The bullnosed shape of the side and aft deck overhangs reinforces the powerful look of the exterior while mirroring the curves of the built-in aft deck seating areas. Symmetry is a strong secondary design theme and this is particularly noticeable on the mast and sun deck. The surprise of skylights in the sun deck hardtop, however, and the picture window opening onto the aft swim platform add a light touch and remind us that Sibelle is a yacht of delightful, engaging contrasts.

This award is sponsored by MAST.

Interior Design: Sorgiovanni Designs

Builder: Alia Yachts

The hotly contested ShowBoats Design Award for interior layout and design of yachts below 500GT always draws a lot of entrants and this year was no exception, thus the shortlisting committee was hard-pressed to limit the number of finalists to just 10.

The interior designers ranged from newcomers to well-known industry stalwarts and their concepts ranged from traditional to industrial chic. What excited the judges most was the design by Australian Sam Sorgiovanni for a compact five-stateroom yacht that lives large thanks to a nearly nine-meter beam and features smart flow for excellent crew service. Among Rüya's interior features is a three-deck atrium staircase clad in a marble surround.

The owner’s brief was for a casual, family-oriented yacht with an upscale yet unpretentious resort ambiance. Sorgiovanni’s design keeps things fresh and lively with a broad array of materials and textures used to geometric effect and a colour palette of ochre and turquoise blue inspired by northwestern Australia. The open grains of the wood surfaces — primarily bamboo and Australian silky oak — and patterns of hand-hewn stone are allowed to take center stage to create a compelling and modern backdrop for exploring the world.

This award is sponsored by Boutsen Design.

Exterior Styling: CG Design

Builder: Feadship, De Vries

The rarefied air of exclusivity pervades the category for interiors of the largest motor yachts. It is the world where knowledgeable and sophisticated owners challenge their design teams to produce beautiful and personalised statements. Such is the case with Savannah, and although it is only this architectural team’s second yacht, the owner was well known to them and made clear his interest in continuity of indoor and outdoor entertaining spaces, visual contact with the sea and having a variety of living spaces for different activities.

Turning convention on its head, Paris-based CG Design responded with a layout where walls, ceilings, furniture and surface patterns are developed on curved lines to accentuate fluidity via natural and organic forms – there are no boxes. The window architecture is fresh and inspiring and from the interior, draws less attention to window shape and structure than to the views outside. This, plus a semi-underwater lounge and cinema, a secret observation room in the bow, stunning lighting design, a floating catwalk, and a main deck living area that is one continuous space from salon to swim platform left the judges applauding.

This award is sponsored by Tai Ping.

Naval Architecture: Azimut Benetti SpA

Builder: Benetti Shipyard

Benetti’s 38.1m Vivace model _Iron Man _presents an interesting application of azimuthing propulsion in a relatively small motor yacht and an innovative hull designed to transition smoothly from displacement speeds to semi-planing and a sprightly top end of 24.5 knots — two knots faster than predicted.

An 18-month development period of what Azimut Benetti calls its D2P hull utilised CFD to refine every element and appendage, evolving a hull shape with a pair of asymmetrical chines and a wave-piercing bow. Its smooth underwater profile and reduced forward resistance result in a 20 percent higher cruising speed. At 11.5 knots Iron Man burns 100 litres per hour. A weight control budget utilising carbon fibre in the hull resulted in 40 percent less weight when compared to traditional structures. Azimut Benetti chose pod drive propulsion with a forward pulling propeller for increased efficiency and enhanced maneuvering.

The ShowBoats Design Awards judges were also impressed with the efficient design of Palumbo Group’s 40.1-meter motor yacht, Divine, with naval architecture by Hydrotec. This all-aluminum yacht achieved nearly the same efficiency rating as Iron Man, but, it should be noted, with diesel/electric power and traditional shaft propulsion.

This award is sponsored by JFA Yachts.

Naval Architecture: Andre Hoek to original lines by Frank Paine

Builder: Holland Jachtbouw

Because redrawing a classic yacht to meet a modern racing rule is a rare task, the jury chose to award a second naval architecture prize to Topaz. J-8, as she is known in her class, is a so-called Super J because of her 88-foot waterline.

She was designed by Frank Paine for the 1937 America’s Cup but never built. Topaz’s owner tracked her plans to MIT in Boston and bought the package. Included in the documents was a hand-drawn lines plan that was neither symmetrical nor fair. From this baseline Andre Hoek re-designed the yacht and rig in 3D, optimized to perform under the current J Class Association handicap system.

Mast position, stability, sail area and hull stiffness were extensively researched and compared with all existing J Class hulls. The hull and deck structure was augmented to take very high runner loads in order to reduce head stay sag.

The yacht’s deck layout suits both top-end racing and easy handling when cruising with good visibility for the helmsman and most importantly direct communication between the trimmers and the helmsman. The main cockpit can accommodate eight people for dining in comfort, something never imagined aboard a J in 1937!

This award is sponsored by RINA Services.

Exterior Styling: Nauta Design

Builder: Baltic Yachts

Sailing yachts are an area where interior and exterior features and styling are expected to work together, so choosing a standout in this category is a difficult task and the two representatives of retro styling presented strong contenders.

Digging deeper, the remark “cool serenity” was heard more than once as the ShowBoats Design Award judges reviewed the design sketches and finished photos of Nikata. They were familiar with the minimalist Scandinavian interior approach that often accompanies yachts built by Baltic, but this time Nauta Design seemed to deliberately play to that strength, creating an interior that is just as smooth as the iron gray topsides.

Among the features the judges liked was the use of a strong rectangle shape introduced in the cockpit coaming and its repetition in the fixed portlights and the skylight. The planked floors of the salon and linen wall panels echo the theme of the bleached teak of the deck above.

Everything about the yacht inside and out – even the crew area – seemed dedicated to simplicity, speed and efficiency, achieved with use of top technology and materials. Apparently, it’s a program that works, as Nikata reportedly reached 28 knots on her first transatlantic crossing.

This award is sponsored by Kymeta Panasonic.