Yachting January 2024

WHEN I WAS A KID RUNNING AROUND THE DOCKS, a power catamaran in a marina would draw a crowd. They seemed to be as rare as a Sasquatch sighting. These yachts are relatively massive when compared with monohulls of similar length, often having maximum beams that are about half the cat’s length overall. Back then, they also looked, well, boxy. And, to be frank, most boaters in my neck of the woods simply didn’t understand the “why” of the power cat. We heard complaints like, “I’d need a 100-foot slip for a 50-foot boat.” ¶ Times and tastes change. During the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in late October, I had the chance to step aboard a clowder of new power cats that leave those H-shaped, boxy designs of yesteryear…

ANY YACHT THAT’S BUILT with a “solar skin” is bound to attract owners who have at least a few thoughts about the environment. Such is the case with Sunreef’s Power Eco series of catamarans. Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso recently took delivery of a 60 Power Eco, saying that sustainability considerations were fundamental to his vessel choice. The owner of the first 80 Power Eco, christened Sól, built the yacht entirely cruelty-free, including far more than avoiding animal-derived fabrics such as leather. ¶ As just one example, there’s a composting machine on board Sól. It lets the chefs reduce trash by turning scraps into fertilizer for island farmers, who, in exchange, provide the yacht with locally grown microgreens. “This is definitely different,” says chef Sara Nelson. “I don’t know any…

CHEETAH MARINE’S R630 is a RIB that’s built for today and tomorrow, thanks to its design for the electrified future. The R630 comes standard with a single 50 hp gasoline or diesel outboard, and owners can upgrade the boat to create an all-electric ride. The company achieved this versatility with an efficient cathedral hull that helps to hop the RIB onto plane faster—while plowing less water—than a boat with a traditionally shaped undercarriage. Additionally, the R630 has a flush, self-draining deck; sizable on-deck stowage; and belowdecks tankage. Bespoke designs are available. • Whom It’s For: Owners who want to go electric, but aren’t ready to commit. Anyone seeking a RIB that can hit 25 knots with a single 50 hp outboard. • Picture This: It’s a lovely January day off…

EBERHARD VIEG, the CEO of Prebit lighting near Bonn, Germany, is blunt when describing himself and the company’s founder, Michael Woita. “We are really nerds about light,” Vieg says. “Everything on the boat can be high-end materials, but if the lighting is off, it will not appear to be nice. If you change the lighting, it makes a difference.” ¶ Woita learned this lesson after working in the lighting industry and then buying a sailboat, Vieg says: “He found out that lighting was awful on the boat, and he decided to do something.” Woita founded Prebit about 20 years ago. “He created reading lights, and then the company developed and developed and grew.” ¶ Its newest product is the Thoa lamp, which is a portable, rechargeable light that can be…

AT JUST OVER 52 FEET LENGTH OVERALL, the Riviera 46 Sports Motor Yacht is the Australian builder’s new entry-level model in the series, and it’s set up to host good-size parties and to cruise with friends and family. ¶ For starters, consider the after section of this yacht’s main deck. Between the cockpit and the shaded alfresco deck, there is 115 square feet of socializing real estate. The swim platform has two transom doors leading to the cockpit with a barbecue, a fridge/freezer, a wet bar and an ice maker. Forward, there is a settee on either side, with a folding teak table to port and the option to place a TV in the forward portside corner. ¶ The 46’s interior space is set up to serve guests easily too.…

LEE MANDEL DOESN’T TALK MUCH about his 52-foot Sea Ray, which he skippers with friends and family up and down the US East Coast. Instead, the boat he’s eager to discuss—all day, every day—is the 116-foot Azimut Tail Lights, which he bought in 2019. ¶ And the first thing he’ll tell you, if you’re thinking about chartering Tail Lights? You should think of it as your yacht, right down to the advance provisioning allowance. ¶ “I want the guests to feel like it’s their vessel,” Mandel says. “If they’re repeat clients, we’ll pay some of the taxes. We’ll offset their APA costs. We’ll give them some extra days. Our goal is to get every customer to want to come back.” ¶ That approach to the charter business has Tail Lights…