The thrill of the new: On board Arcadia Yachts' next-generation A80new with a nature-conscious ethos

The A80new embodies Arcadia Yachts’ commitment to well-being in a sub-24-metre design, offering generous spaces, a fun-focused platform and a nature-conscious ethos, as Charlotte Thomas discovers.

From a stronger focus on well-being to a more informal onboard lifestyle, yacht design is undergoing a transformation across all size ranges. Features like sea terraces, asymmetric layouts, expanded deck spaces and a shift toward informality are now hallmarks of modern yachts. 

At the same time, new considerations, such as size restrictions to protect marine ecosystems, are influencing design choices. Amid this evolution, Italian builder Arcadia Yachts has been quietly refining its distinctive, angular designs, combining innovative solutions like structural solar glass with a focus on relaxed, wellness-oriented living.

Enter the A80new. At first glance, she retains many of the trademark styling features of her forebears but look closer and a couple of things become apparent. One is the adoption of an expansive sundeck, some 80 square metres that wrap around another update – the first raised pilothouse to appear on an Arcadia model. Perhaps most significant, however, is the decision to size the A80new at just under 24 metres LOA, meaning it sneaks in under the new French regulations that limit yachts 24 metres and up from anchoring  in areas of Posidonia seagrass, a vital oxygenator and ocean purifier. Coupled to efficient hull design, the A80new is a yacht that adds convenience and conscience to its comfort.

The A80new’s lines share the Arcadia DNA, but this hasn’t just been an exercise in scaling down the A96new. “The A80new confirms the evolution of our products, a process that began two years ago with A96new,” said Ugo Pellegrino, CEO of Arcadia Yachts. “We want to continue to play a leading role in the development of yachting that respects nature, including underwater nature.”

“The 24-metre length boundary was the only limit we gave to our technical department and design team, because there is an increasing interest in the Posidonia meadows and we wanted to protect those as well as respecting all the laws and regulations,” he continued. “Keeping it under 24 metres means the owner can moor and anchor where they want, and that’s important because yachting means also discovering new places, getting into a wonderful bay with a wonderful panorama, getting the toys like a kayak or a stand-up paddleboard out and exploring.”

Arcadia’s intent is further revealed in features like the integration of solar panels, which depart from forming the semi-opaque glasshouse saloon roof to take a more conventional position on the hardtop – a result of the raised pilothouse design with extended sundeck. Advances in technology mean that the modern panels are 98 per cent more efficient than Arcadia’s early panels, with the A80new delivering up to 4.5 kilowatts of harvested energy.

In tandem with this has been a focus on efficiency in the hull and in the systems. Opening windows and glass sliding doors, such as the optional glass doors to port next to the dining area, encourage natural ventilation for the interior instead of relying on air con alone, while in the engine room Volvo Penta IPS drives combine with smart hull design to reduce fuel consumption.

“We’ve leveraged all our experience of making our yachts as efficient as possible,” said Francesco Ansalone, chief marketing officer at Arcadia Yachts. “The A80’s hull is new, but it is inspired by the Sherpa 80, which offers wonderful seakeeping. We wanted to guarantee the same performance – and for our yachts, performance means comfort in navigation and at anchor, and performance in fuel consumption. Top speed is not one of our drivers.”

The result is nevertheless impressive – the A80 burns just 50 litres of fuel per hour at a cruise speed of 10 knots, or five litres per nautical mile, and 89 litres per hour at 12 knots.

In many ways, the A80new’s layout will feel familiar – there’s a large aft deck with glass aft bulwark overlooking the hi-low swim platform, and the cockpit flows seamlessly into a spacious main saloon with forward dining area. The galley is off to port, where you’d expect it, while to starboard there’s a guest lobby with a dayhead. The full-beam owner’s suite forward makes the most of the widebody design and the large hull windows. This suite is accompanied by four guest cabins below – two VIPs and two twin/doubles.

If the layout itself is conventional, the approach to deck and interior design is where the well-being aspect really sings. There are no hard corners, just gentle radii and curves in everything from the cloud-like Meridiani sofas to the large circular starboard window that delivers additional light to the dining area. A palette of whites, creams, warm oranges and browns complement the wood, which is predominantly oak. 

Furniture, lamps and accessories from Alessi, Olivari, Pinetti, Poliform and Roda add to the sense of softness, as do curved shapes in the floor that form the (optional) boundary between carpeted saloon areas and wood-soled throughways. On the whole it creates a delightful feeling of calm and conveys a luxury of unfussy and uncluttered space that puts some larger yachts to shame.

Access to the sundeck is either via external stairs on the starboard side, or via an internal stair that leads to the raised pilothouse. The bridge offers a three-screen helm and means the A80new sits comfortably under the RCD Category A rules, an important benchmark for unrestricted cruising. The sundeck itself stretches nearly the entire length of the yacht, offering plenty of deck space for flexible layouts. The first hull features sumptuous aft sunbeds, a grill and service counter under the hardtop that serves a starboard-side al fresco dining and lounging area, and a forward outdoor lounge in front of the pilothouse. Hi-lo tables here and under the hardtop mean easy conversion from coffee, cocktail and dining to large sunpad and daybed.

It all adds up to a compelling choice in the competitive 24-metre bracket: a yacht that offers sublime guest comfort with supreme cruising convenience and an eye firmly on preserving the environment that we go yachting to enjoy.

“Arcadia Yachts aspires to be the benchmark for owners seeking the ultimate onboard wellness in all situations,” Pellegrino concluded, “from days spent with family and loved ones to moments of personal intimacy and exclusive parties, all while respecting and enjoying nature and its sounds, smells, light and sea breezes.”  

It’s a trend we can all get on board with.

First published in the February 2026 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine delivered straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.