May 2026 Newsletter

May 2026 Newsletter

Diane M. Byrne, editor

Accessibility Matters

Last spring, we initiated the first-ever survey to assess whether yacht buyers believe boat shows are inaccessible for people with disabilities. Unfortunately they do. Among more than 2,100 industry professionals surveyed, ranging from brokers to yacht builders, 42 percent of the respondents said their clients agree.

Considering a whopping 78 percent of respondents have met with disabled buyers or charterers or clients with disabled family members, there’s a lot of room for improvement. So, we’ve turned the survey into an annual assessment of what’s being done right and what needs addressing.

The 2026 survey is currently in the works. If you’d like to receive it, email me.

Superyacht Selections: Aethic Reef-Safe Sunscreens

Plenty of products claim to be good for the planet, but Aethic sunscreens are backed by science. In fact, the Water Revolution Foundation recently vetted its SPF 50 sunscreen to join the Hub of Verified Solutions at the upcoming Monaco Yacht Show. It’s both the first sunscreen and first consumer product of any kind to pass the rigorous evaluation.

Aethic’s patented formula protects skin without using zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Both additives are proven harmful to coral. Also important, it doesn’t use oxybenzone, a chemical UV filter which is harmful to humans.

The science behind the sunscreen is linked on Aethic’s website. Price: €65 (about $75 at press time).

Aethic

People in Superyachting: Yusdel Perez, Derecktor Shipyards

Graduation season is upon us, and Yusdel Perez (center) is among those celebrating. A member of Derecktor Shipyards’ mechanial team, he just completed a two-year yacht service apprenticeship.

Derecktor created the program with the Marine Industries Association of South Florida to strengthen the highly skilled trades necessary for yacht maintenance, refit, and service. Perez, alongside other apprentices, underwent hands-on training, plus learned crucial shipyard safety practices. The apprenticeship program is officially accredited by the Florida Department of Education.

Derecktor Shipyards

Superyacht Snippets

All nine of the Monaco Marine sites from Marseille, France to Monaco are nowo fully integrated into the Safe Harbor Marinas network as of this month. Safe Harbor acquired Monaco Marine last year. …The Port 32 Jacksonville marina has completed a major dredging project. Capable of accommodating superyachts to 140 feet (42.67 meters), the marina is 25 miles from the ICW and the Atlantic Ocean. Additionally, it’s within walking distance to several restaurants and shops, and close to downtown Jacksonville. …Teakdecking Systems, a significant deck supplier for yachts on both sides of the Atlantic, is now also the official U.S. distributor of MarineCork products. Its decking materials are cork-based, a renewable material with lower environmental impact. …One month after Bering Yachts celebrated the keel laying for its largest project, the Bering 165 (above), it revealed hull number two is under contract. Featuring a steel hull, the Bering 165 is intended as a globetrotter, with an expected range of 5,000 nautical miles at 10 knots. Customers have a choice of five or six guest staterooms pairing with the owners’ suite, the latter on a separate deck.

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