If a picture is worth a thousand words, then, in our humble opinion, a picture of a megayacht is worth easily that amount. While we tend to hear “wow” over and over, plenty of other superlatives come to mind, too. It even happens in our office, where we receive literally hundreds, if not thousands, of images every year. Our team combed through millions of megabytes of digital pictures from yacht launches, maiden voyages, and more for this feature. These superyacht shots are tops among the photos that stopped us in our tracks this year.
Project Cosmos’ Bulbous Bow
Project Cosmos—whose nameboards will read Galactica upon delivery in 2022—floated on her lines at Heesen in November. While sculpted shapes in her superstructure grabbed attention for conveying a sense of speed, something else caught even more attention. Specifically, it was her big, bold bulbous bow (top). Bulbous bows make for great superyacht shots because of how they jut out. However, the owner of the 263-foot (80.07-meter) Project Cosmos upped the ante by having a huge toothy grin painted across it.
Laser Light Show Aboard Phi
To celebrate the delivery of Phi, Royal Huisman organized a video and photo shoot of her at dusk right outside its shipyard in Amsterdam. As seen above, the shoot reveals how her lighting scheme is anything but ordinary. The exterior lights are actually powered by lasers. The shipyard and a specialist company called Fibr8 collaborated to make it possible. It’s not just for show, either. Instead, lasers avoid a big issue common with LEDs, that being gaps. Additionally, while lasers normally generate a straight beam of light, this particular solution uses bendable fiber. Therefore, that allows 3D effects better outlining Phi’s shapes.
Here Comes the Sun at Night in London
It’s always special to see a superyacht emerge from a major refit. But, it’s even more special to see a yacht show off her new looks in an unusual setting. Here Comes the Sun departed Damen Yachting in The Netherlands late this year for the bustling city of London (above). This image is unquestionably one of our favorite superyacht shots of all time. Not only that, but tourists and office workers had a hard time looking at the iconic skyscrapers when this newly extended megayacht tied up. The largest Amels delivery to date, Here Comes the Sun grew from 272 feet to 292 feet (83 meters to 89 meters). Furthermore, she increased in volume, from an already-impressive 2,827 gross tons to 2,977 gross tons. Sixteen months in the making, the refit extended her sundeck to add a helipad, plus lengthened her bridge deck to add two VIP suites with balconies. Additionally, the yacht gained a big pool on her elongated main aft deck.
Monaco Yacht Show Marks Return
Other than the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, none of the most significant megayacht shows on the annual calendar occurred in 2020. Between Covid-19-related border closures and concerns, organizers and exhibitors didn’t have the appetite. Neither did many owners or buyers. What a difference a year makes. The Monaco Yacht Show (pictured) in September saw strong attendance among qualified customers. What’s more, even behind masks, smiles stretched from ear to ear, as colleagues, clients, and friends reunited. The excitement in the air was palpable, and the yachts shone a little more brightly in the harbor at night.
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