Genoa held the first boat show in the world in Covid times. And the courage of the organisers and exhibitors paid off with a successful show and sales. Now it is time for Fort Lauderdale, in Florida, to become the “word yachting capital”, during the 61st Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, planned from Wednesday 28 October to Sunday 1 November.

Every year, the biggest boat show in the world exhibits a vast range of boats and yachts of all sizes, with the latest products in the industry, world premières, as well as a medley of marine products and accessories to improve nautical living. From yacht builders and designers to exotic vehicles and charter yachts: this boat show will satisfy the tastes of any boating enthusiast.

And speaking of yachting and megayachts, there is a strong Italian presence in Florida with some of the most beautiful boats recently launched in the country.

BENETTI YACHTS

Benetti Mediterraneo 116

At Fort Lauderdale, Benetti Yachts, for example, will display one of the most successful of its Class category yachts: the Delfino 95, represented by its eighth unit. The boat will be accompanied by the sixth unit of the Mediterraneo 116, exhibited by Marine Max, authorised dealer for the Class category in the United States and Canada. Both vessels’ exterior design was done by  Giorgio M. Cassetta and the interiors were designed by the Benetti Interior Style Department.

Delfino 95 is a vessel of timeless elegance with a contemporary style. With a length of 29 metres and a width of 7 metres, it can host 10 people in 5 cabins: the owner’s (almost 7 metres wide) is on the Main Deck and the 4 guest cabins are on the Lower Deck. There are 3 cabins, instead, for the 5 crew members.. Thanks to the innovative raised position of the entire command area, it was possible to concentrate the entire services area on a single deck, so as to make crew operations easier and more practical, and guaranteeing more privacy for the passengers and owner. The internal wheelhouse connects the Main Deck to the exterior of the Upper Deck through a staircase, and affords a spectacular view during navigation, equal only to that of the second command area on the Sun Deck.

The sixth unit of  Mediterraneo 116 is a 35.3 metre yacht. The 4 decks can host 11 passengers and 7 crew members. The Main Deck  has generous interior and exterior spaces and stands out for its main living room with the large windows, made up of a living and dining area. On the same deck, midship, the galley and day head precede the full beam owner cabin to the bow. On the lower deck are 4 guest cabins, while the captain’s cabin is on the Upper Deck near the wheelhouse. The spaces on this deck have been designed for socialisation thanks to the presence of a pool and a number of sun loungers in the open spaces of the bow. The Sun Deck is one of the largest in this category with over 80 m2 of surface area.

The Delfino 95 will be on display at the Benetti Stand (Purple Zone Face Dock 12), while the Mediterraneo 116 will be available for on board visits by appointment only and for a select number of clients at the Marine Max Yacht Facility, a short distance from the Show area.

AZIMUT YACHTS

25 metre Magellano by Azimut Yachts

Even in the complicated first months of the pandemic, the United States showed incredible energy, as shown by the results of MarineMax, the biggest yacht reseller in the USA and a sales partner for Azimut Yachts in America since 2006, who announced, for the April-June 2020 trimester, an increase of 30% in sales, compared to the same period the previous year.

Azimut Yachts, the top foreign shipyard in terms of overall turnover and seniority in the United States, chose the FLIBS for the American première of one of the main protagonists in the new international boating season, the Magellano 25 Metres. Presented as a world première in the recent Genoa Boat Show, the Magellano 25 metres is a singular yacht, an object of insurmountable beauty, far from trends and passing fads, made for owners who love elegant and relaxing navigation. Borne from the partnership of two great names in design, Vincenzo De Cotiis (interior design), and Ken Freivokh (exterior design), the new yacht is a tribute to seafaring that privileges maximum comfort and a direct and continual relationship with nature.

In the waters of Fort Lauderdale, alongside the Magellano 25 metres, will also be the Atlantis 45, a sporty coupé with bright and ample interiors, the S6, a model from the top Sports Collection with exterior styling and concept by Stefano Righini and interior design by Francesco Guida, as well as the Magellano 66, with exterior styling and concept by Cor D. Rover.

There are also four models selected from the Flybridge collection: 55, 66, 72 and78. Lastly, there will be two yachts from the Grande collection: 25 Metres and 27 Metres, whose exteriors were designed by Righini, and whose interiors were designed by  Achille Salvagni.

SANLORENZO

Sanlorenzo SD96

Even Sanlorenzo, the top single brand shipyard in the world in the manufacture of yachts and superyachts, will be among the protagonists of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2020.

With iconic and timeless hulls and bespoke interior design, specifically created for American owners, Sanlorenzo shows the US market its creative approach to nautical design – transversal and in continuous evolution, where innovation goes step by step with personalisation, to offer original solutions, in the continuing search for an ever higher quality of life on board.

Debuting in the USA, is the SD96, the 28 metre entry level, part of the historical range of semi-displacement yachts by Sanlorenzo, inspired by the design of the transatlantic ships from the 1930s, offering once again, that precise concept of elegance. SD96 offers superior spaces and opportunities compared to vessels of the same size but of a different type. Like all the models in the range, SD96 is built over three decks, but thanks to the carefully studied proportions and the great balance created between design and volume, it is particularly elegant and light, exactly like a yacht with two decks.

Among the yachts on display, the SX76 and SX88 stand out. Two models from the new crossover range, SX, launched in 2017 by Sanlorenzo and much desired by Massimo Perotti, the executive chairman for the company, who was able to offer the market a new kind of yacht.

Chosen to represent the Sanlorenzo planing fleet, the SL86 yacht, 27 metres long, is the result of decades of experience and combines tradition and innovation as well as offering an unprecedented level of customisation for its category. The cut bulwark, allowing light to come in from the large windows, lets passengers enjoy the sea views while sitting on the sofas in the living room. It does not impair the classic sober lines Sanlorenzo is known for, but gives them a fresh look.

Giuseppe Orrù