From an 80-ft. power cat covered with solar panels to a 55-foot weekender that tops 65 mph, this year’s event has a range of styles and new technologies.
The Cannes Yachting Festival returns with a collection of 650 boats ranging from 16 to 164 feet. Divided between Vieux Port for motoryachts and Port Canto for sailing yachts, the event has been modified this year with a new flotilla for boats up to 36 feet.
Around 54,000 visitors are expected to descend on the tony French Riviera port from September 12 to 17 to walk the docks and focus on the latest launches.
Here is our preview of 15 great yachts making their global debuts.
Photo : Courtesy Frasier Yachts
ISA, ‘UV II’
Conceived from the drawingboard of Enrico Gobbi’s Team for Design, with an interior by Luca Dini, the 145-foot UV II was delivered earlier this year but is now for sale via Fraser Yachts. The plumb bow, sleek profile, and radar arch gives the boat a sporty appearance. The boat has five staterooms, including a master suite and two VIP staterooms, with exterior features like an unusually wide beach club at the stern, a main-deck Jacuzzi and lounge, and a second lounge on the upper deck.
Photo : Wally/Gilles Martin-Raget
wallywhy150
The wallywhy150 is the second model in its Why series, following the 2021 launch of the wallywhy200. The raised pilothouse design offers exceptional interior space, while still focusing on the exterior. The main salon has floor-to-ceiling glass, with more than eight feet of headroom. Wally designers also opted to incorporate just one helm topsides, which frees up space for the owner’s cabin on the main deck. Following on the wallywhy200’s design, the owner’s bed has a 270-degree view of the water through the bow. It’s a smart use of space, giving the owners the best views in the house. On the lower deck are three guest cabins or, if the owner wants, two larger VIP staterooms.
Photo : Southern Wind
Southern Wind ‘Nyumba’
Southern Wind’s 96 series Nyumba (meaning home in Swahili) is the South African builder’s first hybrid sailing yacht. The vessel is being shown publicly for the first time at Cannes but has already done a 7,500-mile voyage from Cape Town to Malta. The boat features a system that allows for zero-emissions cruising and extended range under power.
Photo : Sunreef
80 Sunreef Power Eco
Described by Sunreef as “the world’s most advanced electric motoryacht,” the 80 Sunreef Power Eco centers around the brand’s commitment to sustainability and green technology. The solar-powered catamaran is equipped with two 180kW engines and a 440kWh battery bank that was designed to be lightweight. Solar cells are built into almost every conceivable space on the hull and superstructure, regulated by a smart energy management system. Even the furniture on this four-stateroom catamaran is made of sustainable flax fiber. Still, there are luxe features like a Jacuzzi on the bow terrace and a garage for water toys.
Photo : Azimut Yachts
Azimut S7
The 71-foot Azimut S7 is a technologically advanced sports coupe with fast navigation. The hard-chine hulled yacht joins the shipyard’s growing family of low emission yachts, pairing easy handling with the lowest fuel consumption in its category. And it does so without compromising on performance. Powered by three compact Volvo Penta D13 IPS 1050 engines with 800 hp each, the S7 reaches a top speed of 35 knots. Seamless glazing runs along the length of the superstructure uniting the Alberto Mancini–designed exterior with the open-plan interior. A key feature is the open “sportfly” upper deck, which gives the best views on board.
Photo : Evo Yachts
Evo R+
Designed by Valerio Rivellini and set to debut at Cannes, the 59-foot sporty Evo R+ builds on the last-generation Evo R. It is conceived for long stays on board. A closed deck with generous headroom provides comfort and shelter. A large stern platform is where guests sunbathe, socialize, and have access the sea, as well as facilitate the easy launch and retrieval of the boat’s tender. More sun lounging is at the bow, while the black aluminum hardtop gives the R+ a sporty-looking profile. Its shallow draft allows access to small bays and sandy shores.
Photo : Apreamare
Apreamare 35 Gozzo Speedster
Italy’s Apreamare has taken the “Gozzo” style far beyond the traditional, rounded-chine fishing boats of nearby Sorrento and created contemporary dayboats and cruisers with deep-V hulls. While there are hints of the centuries-old Gozzo look on the slightly rounded bow and stern, the Apreamare series are in every other sense modern planing vessels. With its walkaround design that should do well in the U.S. market, the new Gozzo 35 Speedster is jumping into the outboard craze with a vengeance, with two Mercury 400-hp V10s on the stern. That delivers a 42-knot top speed, but dialed back to 30 knots, it has a range of 300 nautical miles.
Photo : Riva Yachts
Riva 82 Diva
The Riva 82 Diva is the new entry-level model in the Italian shipyard’s flybridge range. Despite its compact size, it offers the same level of outdoor livability found aboard the four larger models. Focus is placed on the flybridge, which offers three separate spaces: a central lounge complete with dinette and bar, a sunbathing area forward, and a second lounge area. When guests want to be closer to the water, a large beach club with oversized sunpads on the aft deck answers the call. Officina Italiana Design did the interior and exterior, while Ferretti Group’s naval architects gave it a speedy 31-knot top end.
Photo : Centounonavi
Centounonavi Vespro 55
This 55-footer from Italy comes from Centounoavi, a new brand that translates as “one hundred and one boats.” Go figure. While the name may not make sense, cofounder Marco Arnaboldi is the son of Angelo Arnaboldi, who built a successful go-fast yacht empire called AB Yachts. Marco’s Vespro has a contemporary look and retains the focus on speed, with top end reaching 56 knots (64 mph) and cruise of 50 knots (57.5 mph.) All that speed comes from 1,200 hp MAN diesels connected to MJP 350X waterjets. The Vespro either makes a great day boat or weekend cruiser, with the extra oomph to get offshore and back to port quickly.
Photo : Pershing Yachts
Pershing GTX116
The first hull in Pershing’s new GTX line makes its world debut at Cannes this year. Described by the shipyard as a sport utility yacht, the 115-foot GTX116 combines volume with comfort with more than 1600 feet of open-air space designed to enhance the connection with its surroundings. A gray hull and customized blue superstructure are mated to glossy interior surfaces reflecting natural sunlight that make the rooms feel brighter and larger, including the five staterooms. Designed by Fulvio De Simoni, Pershing’s sporty DNA is evident in the boat’s streamlined profile, pointy bow, storage for toys and equipment at the stern, and a large swim platform for guests to access the water.
Photo : Arcadia Yachts
Arcadia Yachts A96
Designer Igor Lobanov is renowned for his arresting superyacht exteriors, yet his eye for interiors comes to the fore in the new Arcadia Yachts A96. According to the Italian shipyard, its latest 95-footer is geared toward owners who are looking for “an authentically holistic experience of wellbeing on the water.” The flexible layout includes five guest cabins, with accommodations for a crew of five. A key feature are the large, glazed windows that slide open to let the outdoors in. Noise and vibration are kept to a minimum in the guest areas, thanks to the boat’s Volvo Penta IPS propulsion system located near the stern. The vessel has joystick maneuverability for maneuvering and electric fin stabilizers for comfort. The boat’s draft and compact engine size also make it suitable for cruising in shallow waters.
Photo : Sanlorenzo Yachts
Sanlorenzo SX100
Making its world premiere at Cannes is Sanlorenzo’s full custom SX100. Forming part of the brand’s crossover range, it has signature fold-down terraces and a large open transom that serves as both a sundeck area and beach club for socializing. It also houses a large collection of water toys, including a 19-foot tender. The owner requested a large main salon with floor-to-ceiling windows that bring the outdoors in. Sea terraces behind the two top decks offer private areas for relaxing. The five guest cabins, include an owner’s suite and VIP. The vessel was designed to have a large footprint on a smaller scale.
Photo : Bluegame Yachts
Bluegame BGM75
Bluegame is a brand on seeking to break free of conventional categories. Its first catamaran, the BGM75, debuts at Cannes this year. The 75-footer is spread across two hulls, yet the builder eschews the multihull label. It believes the boat’s reduced beam and “less boxy” design, not to mention the fact that the two hulls are not visibly separate, places it closer to the monohull segment. Either way, the boat offers owners stability, reduced fuel consumption, and large volume, including a full-beam owner’s cabin. A spacious beach area, large salon, and connected cockpits complete the new take on multihull design.
Photo : Sirena Yachts
Sirena 48
Sirena Yachts sold 18 slots of its new Sirena 48 before the first hull even touched water. Making its world debut at Cannes, the 52-footer gives owners a range of customizable layouts. This includes the choice of a closed aft seating area or an open plan stern layout. Owners also have the option to install a hardtop on the flybridge, with enough solar panels to power the boat’s hotel load. A semi-displacement hull delivers fast planing performance yet can be put into displacement mode for more efficient cruising.
Photo : Silent Yachts
Silent 62
The Silent 62 making its world debut at Cannes is the first tri-decked solar electric catamaran from Silent Yachts. Based on the Silent 60 platform, the boat’s 6.5-foot length extension provides 538-square-foot of extra space. The additional third deck, which replaces the retractable flybridge found on previous models, comes with three different layout options: an open sky lounge, a closed sky lounge, or an owner’s suite. The Silent 62 is equipped with 42 solar panels achieving up to 17 kWp, which gives the yacht up to 100 miles daily cruising, reduced fumes and vibrations, and a silent cruise when in electric mode. The yacht’s optional hydraulic stern platform doubles as a swim platform and can accommodate an 18-foot tender.
