Updated on July 11th, 2023
Image: design concept by Lazzarini Design
What will the superyachts of the future look like? Considering how bad we are at predicting things, this question seems meaningless. But fantasizing about the future is good for the mind and also for discovering new perspectives in the yachting business, which is why we all love to do it.
After doing some research among yacht designers about their thoughts on the future, we summarized the results and identified the general directions that they think are most likely.
1. The design of superyachts will change beyond recognition
Probably at first glance it will be difficult to tell what it is in front of you on the water. Even existing materials already allow you to create unthinkable designs. Tomorrow’s design will obviously be even more daring. The main thing is not to be tasteless.
2. The main way to produce boat hulls, regardless of their size, will be 3D printing
Indeed, many already have 3D printers even in the room near the laptop. In building houses, the technology has already been tested, so its arrival in the yachting industry is only a matter of time, according to designers.
3. The size of superyachts will continue to grow
Just a few years ago, a superyacht was considered a boat whose length exceeds 24 meters. But now it is such a typical size that nothing “super” is left there. Today, even the term “megayacht” is no longer used, because the boundaries between different classes of yachts are moving further and further towards increasing sizes. Shadow boats for transporting large toys are now traditionally included with yachts as a standard option.
4. Ecology above all
The current cancellation culture is forcing manufacturers to focus all their efforts on building their yachts as green as possible. This applies not only to power plants and the types of fuel used, but also to the hulls of the boats themselves.
5. Young superyacht owners want to explore more
Taking a break from business, spending time in peace and meditative silence, looking at the water surface with a glass of wine or whiskey in hand – this is not what young entrepreneurs now expect from owning a yacht.
In their eyes, the best yacht is an ice-class expedition ship, stuffed to capacity with various interesting things, such as excursion submarines or snowmobiles to chase polar bears with a camera on the remaining Arctic ice. This trend is expected to continue and the market will become much more open to privately owned multifunctional explorer-type vessels.
6. Maximum integration with all technologies
While there are always technophobes and neo-luddites, as well as just connoisseurs of the old school (and among young people too), new generations for the most part tend to introduce all new developments into their lives to the maximum and digitize everything that is possible. Superyachts, like spaceships, are always at the forefront of technological advances. Given the speed of change in all areas, it is difficult to predict how technologically the yachts of the future will differ from those of today.
7. Transformer yachts will be able to adapt to current operating conditions
This topic is not new and many developments have already sunk into history, but the designers have not abandoned this idea and are looking forward to the development of materials and technologies that will bring amazing transforming boats to life. Here the imagination can simply explode the brain.
8. Maybe we’ll get away from the monohulls
Now we can build extremely reliable multihulls. Considering that in terms of hydrodynamics they are more efficient than monohulls, the designers predict a very bright future for them. It is not for nothing that most all-electric boats are catamarans. This is especially true for the most autonomous ships that are powered by solar energy, because their impressive area of free horizontal surfaces allows you to place a large number of solar panels.
Even the transition to hydrogen, which is predicted by many engineers, still does not eliminate the need to get enough electricity. So catamarans are really promising in the foreseeable future.
9. Romantics and connoisseurs of the classics will not go anywhere
Well, that’s a big relief for many sailors. They will obviously prefer to continue enjoying the timeless elegance of classic motor yachts. While more and more strange design decisions are coming off the slipway of the world’s leading shipyards.