The Best Yachts of 2019
The year 2019 has been fantastic thus far in the yachting community. Some phenomenal feats of marine engineering have taken to the high seas in the last 10 months. Let’s take a look at the best yachts of 2019 and what sets them apart from a fleet of other options.
Neptune Award Winner: ‘Black Pearl’
You don’t normally think of yachts as sailing ships, but this Neptune Award Winner lives up to its name.
The Black Pearl is the world’s largest sailing yacht and comes equipped with a Dynarig sailing system as well as a single-level engine room. The hybrid propulsion system has a battery bank that regenerates while the ship is under sail. In favorable conditions, this yacht is capable of crossing oceans without expending a drop of fuel. For yachts like this 350-foot model, that achievement was previously impossible.
Voyager’s Award Winner: ‘Rosehearty’
The Rosehearty took home the coveted Voyager’s Award in 2019 after traveling more than 24,000 nautical miles. It journeyed from the Caribbean to the South Pacific and then all the way down to Antarctica and was able to safely and successfully navigate all of those seas. It even traveled to Deception Island, a volcanic island that can only be reached through a narrow passage known as the Devil’s Bellows. This 183-foot sailing yacht is designed for traveling the world, and we don’t think anyone could do it better.
While you might not need the ability to travel to volcanic islands or the ends of the earth, make sure you decide on the type of yacht you want before you start shopping. There are hundreds of makes and models on the market. Without narrowing it down to something like the Rosehearty if you want to circumnavigate the globe, you might find yourself searching forever.
Speed Demon: ‘Spectre’
While yachts are known for their comfort and luxury, once they reach a certain size, they’re not known for their speed. The 229-foot (69 meters) superyacht named Spectre changed that with its long, sharp bow and extended superstructure that creates a high-speed cruising hull. These changes mean this massive yacht is capable of a top speed of 21.2 knots, which is 30% faster than other ships its size.
The interior lives up to its sleek name, too, with shiny steel and polished teak accenting an aesthetic inspired by French hotels and boutiques.
Made From Glass: ‘Artefact’
Yachts are massive constructs of steel and they weigh hundreds of tons. When you’re designing one, you usually try to make it lighter instead of heavier. Nobiskrug, the architects behind Artefact, went in the opposite direction.
This 262-foot (80 meters) motor yacht carries a massive amount of heavy glass as part of its superstructure. Its central section includes 223 pieces of glass that weigh a total of 70 tons. It’s a design that no one else was brave enough to build, but Nobiskrug took on the challenge and the Artefact set sail on July 2019.
Best Converted Yacht: ‘Dream’
Dream started out as a 93-meter cruise ship made by Halic Shipyard. Olympic Yacht Services refitted this ship, finishing in 2019, and turned it into a 106.5-meter dream yacht for its new owner, who wants to use it to cruise around the world. They stripped the entire hull to bare steel, gutted and sandblasted the interior, and even removed 320 tons of surplus metalwork.
The result speaks for itself, which is why Dream brought home the Best Converted Yacht award from 2019’s World Superyacht Awards.
Choose One for Yourself
If you’re shopping for your first yacht, these amazing designs probably aren’t in your budget. But taking a look at the best yachts of 2019 might give you an idea of what you’re looking for when you’re finally ready to take the plunge and buy one of your own.