Once the luxury of a select few, the not-so-humble helipad is having a bit of a moment. With the explosion of interest in the explorer yacht market, a touch-and-go landing pad is becoming more of a necessity than the extravagance it once was. Sure, a tender will get you from shore to superyacht in good time, but there's nothing that quite compares to touching down on the bow. We take a closer look at some of the best helidecks afloat...
A defining feature of Geco's exterior design is the touch-and-go helipad on the foredeck. The minimalist platform complements the modern and slender profile of the 55 metre superyacht, and when not hosting a chopper, this round platform is instead transformed into a Moroccan-style cocktail area best enjoyed at sunset. After dark, the helipad also works as the perfect spot for stargazing.
The foredeck on the 95.2 metre Lürssen superyacht Kismet is marked for half-court basketball, but it can also double up as a touch-and-go helipad. Her sport-loving owner Shahid Khan has sports interests on both sides of the Atlantic, owning both the Jacksonville Jaguars basketball team and Fulham FC.
Espen Øino designed the 72.25 metre Abeking & Rasmussen explorer yacht Cloudbreak with a cinema lounge right next to the helipad, so returning heli-skiers could step straight inside from the Bell 429 Global Ranger and watch GoPro footage of their day’s performance on the slopes.