ShowBoats International’s July/August 2012 issue focuses on that undeniable part of any yacht’s life—refits. We take an in-depth look at three very different refits: a classic sailing yacht restoration, the conversion of a commercial craft to an explorer for carrying the owner’s submersible, and a yacht reunited with her original owners who brought her back to launch-day new.

In addition, yacht designers share their most challenging refits, classic yacht owners reveal their passion for refitting vintage craft and refit yard directors explain why owners should care if their facilities are environmentally friendly.

We visit Australia’s Whitsunday Islands this issue, a cruising playground whose attractions lie both above and below the water, featuring spectacular snorkeling and diving, pure white sand beaches and world-class golf and spa facilities.

Click here for print subscription options

Click here to get the ShowBoats International app

Click here to get ShowBoats International in digital format

ShowBoats International’s June 2012 issue gets you ready for summer cruising. Think you know New England? Think again. Five local yacht owners with decades of experience cruising the waters from Connecticut to Maine share their favorite out-of-the-way spots to drop the hook far from the madding crowds. In addition, we take you to summer hotspot Nantucket, where the crowds are genteel and the pace of life is a welcome step back in time.

As part of our propulsion focus this issue, we reveal how upcoming emissions regulations will affect a yacht’s engine-room design. We take a look at the technology required to meet these changes and the cutting-edge propulsion systems available now that reduce emissions.

Click here for print subscription options

Click here to get the ShowBoats International app

Click here to get ShowBoats International in digital format

ShowBoats International’s May 2012 issue is green, both literally—with cover yacht Harbour Island cruising the shallow emerald waters of The Bahamas—as well as figuratively. Our eco-focus highlights the innovative technology that is making yachts more environmentally sensitive, from startling nanotechnology applications to a new hybrid power system that has something none of its competitors do, making it particularly appealing for yachts.

This issue also features three yachts in the 90-foot range: a new Sunseeker as well as a Sanlorenzo and a Mangusta adapted for the U.S. market. While these mid-size yachts used to fall squarely in the domain of “production,” the amount of freedom clients have to make them their own defies the term. Indeed, the old designations of “custom” and “production” have blended nowadays as yards stress build efficiency and owners make personal statements. We explore just how much customization is possible at top semi-custom yards around the world.

Click here for print subscription options

Click here to get the ShowBoats International app

Click here to get ShowBoats International in digital format

Sometimes it seems that yachts all share the same fundamental design; and true, many mid-size tridecks do utilize identical space planning: maindeck salon and dining, port-side galley, forward master, guest quarters below and skylounge above. Yet, during a recent shipyard tour at Trinity Yachts I had the opportunity to compare two similar
length and volume yachts nearing completion, and all I could see were the differences. One owner chose a traditional main-deck master—but with a literal twist in its configuration—the other positioned the master up top and raised the bridge 30 inches on the deck below for better visibility, giving crew on the lower deck loftstyle cabins. Small differences abounded, too: a convertible space housing the gym/spare guest cabin versus pairing the fitness room with the steam room/sauna on the sun deck; the inclusion of an elevator, or not; and details unique to each boat, such as a hidden door to the bridge, camouflaging operations on an otherwise guest deck, and positioning all guest beds to face the views. Starting with the same hull platform, the two owners took separate paths, and both results are successful.

This issue’s subtext is about ideas: clever ideas from owners who’ve cruised extensively, for example, those of the previously private 240-foot Laurel. Her carefully considered design makes us quite grateful to finally get to inspect her
inner workings. Designers also chime in with creative ideas for using the upper salon space in non-traditional ways to enhance livability...

Click here for print subscription options

Click here to get the ShowBoats International app

Click here to get ShowBoats International in digital format

ShowBoats International’s March 2012 issue features an exciting lineup of yachts spanning 112 to 288 feet, including three custom beauties and two production yachts with so many special qualities they were shortlisted for the World Superyacht Awards. For charter enthusiasts looking forward to the spring/summer season, we give you the inside scoop on how to get dockage for this year’s top events, such as the Monaco Grand Prix or the Summer Olympics. And if you are new to charter, we uncover yachts that are perfect for more low-key “starter charters.” Our design focus this month looks at the tricky feat of incorporating water features on something that’s designed to move through water. But the results, both tranquil and entertaining, can be worth the trouble. Finally, we head to the South Pacific to experience the blessed solitude of cruising the pristine Tuamotu Archipelago and to take in the cultural delights of seldom-visited Samoa.

Click here for print subscription options

Click here to get the ShowBoats International app

Click here to get ShowBoats International in digital format

My first long-haul sail (across an entire ocean, mind you—I start big) was on what I thought was a 43-foot yacht. Green as can be, I joined the catamaran in Cape Town, South Africa, homeward bound for America. Several rough days out
to sea, surfing down those giant rollers the southern latitudes are famous for, and I learned that our little UDI Mvuu (“hippo” in the African Tsonga language) was littler than I had thought, a mere 33 feet. I had misunderstood the owner’s accent when I joined the boat.

I was aghast. Days from land and I had lost 10 feet of yacht.

When you’re at sea, bigger just feels better, particularly when you feel like a miniscule dot on an endless ocean. In the confines of your dry oasis, space is always at a premium; with added LOA comes extra volume and more comforts.
The obsession with size on the high seas culminates this issue with our annual survey of the world’s largest yachts. Eclipsing the Joneses is still going strong, making our list a drastically changing entity that grows significantly in LOA every year...

Click here for print subscription options

Click here to get the ShowBoats International app

Click here to get ShowBoats International in digital format

ShowBoats International’s December 2011 issue features expert analysis on the state of the yachting industry with our annual Global Order Book, tracking new build orders worldwide.

This issue also brings a special focus on the most vital aspect of an efficiently run yacht—the crew. Chefs share their recipe for the ideal galley design and we take a look at yachts that are leading the way in offering comfortable crew accommodations. Are you paying your crew enough? Or too much? Learn the true cost of crew as 1,500 crew reveal their salaries in the industry’s most comprehensive survey to date.

The latest chapter of Golden Compass’s globetrotting takes us to the emerging island nation of East Timor, where the yacht’s owners embraced the rare cultural immersion that yacht travel affords...

Click here for print subscription options

Click here to get the ShowBoats International app

Click here to get ShowBoats International in digital format

ShowBoats International’s November 2011 issue brings you the complete guide to the world’s largest in-water boat show, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (or FLIBS, as we affectionately call this show in our backyard). We offer the show map, a list of attending yachts, as well as a guide to Fort Lauderdale’s many attractions.

We also travel afar with the story of expedition yacht Akula’s cruise to the Canadian Arctic and a look at an emerging cruising ground in Taiwan, just opened to foreign-flag yachts.

Want to fly on a hovercraft, dive below the surface on a water scooter or arrive in style aboard a glossy limo tender? We uncover this season’s hottest new conveyances for superyachts...

Click here for print subscription options

Click here to get the Showboats International app

Click here to get ShowBoats International in digital format

ShowBoats International’s October 2011 issue looks ahead to the upcoming cruising season, by combing the world to find top marinas that match your passions. Golf alongside a spectacular ocean view, anyone? Or perhaps sportfishing, diving or fine dining is more your scene. With world-class amenities, these marinas are destinations in themselves. If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-track destination this winter, read all about a cruise in the Red Sea on board the charter yacht Hana, where amazing antiquities abound on shore and some of the world’s best diving is found under the sea. We also offer an early glimpse at the upcoming Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, October 27-31, with a look at 24 yachts making their first appearance at the show. And Billy Joel reveals why he’s not your typical rock-star yacht owner.

Click here for print subscription options

Click here to get the ShowBoats International app

Click here to get ShowBoats International in digital format