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The Top 10 Best Yacht Builders In The World

Here is our list of the best yacht builders on earth. Deciding which shipyard will build your luxury yacht is a complex and deeply personal choice, depending on many factors including the level of customization you want, your budget, the location of the shipyard, and the ‘feel’ you get for the yard’s vision and people.

Our list of the best yacht builders is naturally subjective and will not feature every well-known brand. Our short selection includes a range of shipyards, from manufacturers of the some of the most iconic custom-built superyachts to hugely popular production yacht builders.

Here are the best yacht builders on earth, sorted by region.

Usa – best yacht builders.

Westport is one of the dominant players in the American yacht-building market, with a hugely popular range of tri-deck and raised pilothouse motoryachts built from composite materials. Their models range from from the 112′ to 164′ (34m to 50m) series, allowing the yacht owner to customize the interior layout without the high cost and long timescale of fully-custom construction. As the largest American yacht building company in operation, Westport has a proud history of high quality yacht manufacturing dating back to 1964, with over 100 superyachts and over 170 fishing vessels launched from their Pacific Northwest Shipyard. Westport yachts are extremely popular in the US brokerage and charter market and have a reputation for holding their value well. View current Westport yachts for sale .

Christensen Yachts prides itself on the construction of American-built custom and semi-custom superyachts from fiberglass, including well known yachts M/Y CASINO ROYALE, M/Y SILVER LINING and award-winning M/Y ODESSA. Founded by superyacht owners, Christensen has a loyal following of yacht owners, many of whom are repeat customers. Currently producing yachts at its Vancouver, WA yard between 100’ to 165’ (35m to 50m) in length, Christensen was bought out in 2015 and is in the process of building America’s largest superyacht facility in Tennessee, which will construct vessels up to 70m. View current Christensen yachts for sale .

Northern Europe – Best Yacht Builders

German superyacht builder Lurssen is the builder of the largest superyacht in existence, the 590’ (180m) M/Y AZZAM, which was completed in an astonishingly quick three years. Known for superb build quality and large projects across its superyacht, naval vessel, as well as its’ yacht refit and management divisions, Lurssen is a family-run shipyard with a prestigious yacht building heritage spanning back to 1875, when it constructed the first ever motoryacht. Lurssen is the builder of 5 of the top 10 largest yachts in the world. View current Lurssen yachts for sale.

Feadship, Netherlands: For some yacht owners, the only name worth knowing is Feadship. This prestigious brand is synonymous with Dutch superyacht quality, and has a legion of steadfast and loyal fans. Dating back to 1849, Feadship creates fully custom yachts from a ‘blank slate’ beginning, priding themselves on creating supremely unique, innovative yachts that stand the test of time. There are 450 bespoke yachts currently afloat in the Feadship fleet, including M/Y HASNA, a 239’ (73m) with a revolutionary layout. Read more on Dutch yacht builders . View current Feadship yachts for sale .

Amels’ vast and high-tech superyacht facility is the largest in the Netherlands, producing iconic, high-value yachts up to 330’ (100m), including their 2017 flagship yacht, 272’ (83m) M/Y HERE COMES THE SUN. Amels offer a fully custom yacht building service, as well as their exceedingly popular Limited Edition Series, whereby the yacht owner retains control over interior and exterior design but the yacht is built on a proven platform, thereby slashing the build time. Amels also builds support yachts through their parent company, DAMEN, a heavyweight in global shipbuilding. View current Amels yachts for sale .

Dutch yacht builder Heesen is known for its aluminum and steel superyachts and innovative use of technology, as seen in the revolutionary fast displacement hull form first seen in the multi-award winning M/Y GALACTICA STAR, and the hybrid propulsion utilized in the 2017 launch of M/Y HOME. With a fleet of over 170 yachts launched since inception in 1978, Heesen is known for pushing the boundaries of what is possible in superyacht design and engineering. Heesen builds motoryachts between 100’ to 265’ (30m to 80m) in length at its Oss shipyard. View current Heesen yachts for sale .

Now owned by Lurssen, Blohm + Voss is a yachting powerhouse in its own right, constructing magnificent large superyachts including the iconic MOTOR YACHT A and 531’ (162m) M/Y ECLIPSE, currently the third-largest yacht in the world. The vast Blohm +Voss facility in Hamburg, Germany creates striking custom motoryachts and sailing yachts. View current Blohm +Voss yachts for sale.

Mediterranean – Best Yacht Builders

Benetti is a powerhouse of luxury yacht building, with a very healthy order list and a boat- building pedigree stretching back to 1873. Since 1960, Benetti has been constructing superyachts in Italy, including iconic yachts MY KINGDOM in 1980, then the largest yacht in the world at 280’ (85m), right through to recent launches such as the award-winning M/Y 11.11. Benetti is part of the Azimut-Benetti Group, the largest producer of luxury yachts in the world, building semi-custom and fully custom yachts between 100′ and 330′ (30m and 100m) long. Known for their Italian style and long history of yacht construction, Benetti has a loyal following of yacht owners who return to the yard each time they upgrade. View current Benetti yachts for sale .

The creators of one of the most well-known yachts on the planet, S/Y MALTESE FALCON, Perini Navi enjoys a superb reputation as a sailing superyacht builder, and also entered the large motoryacht market in 2007 under its Pichiotti brand. Perini Navi yachts are known for their superyacht luxuries and interior volume, as well as the technically brilliant sailing systems that allow these large yachts to be operated by a small crew. Perini Navi dominates the sailing superyacht market with its range from 130’ to 200’(40m to 60m), constructed at their three shipyards in Viareggio, La Spezia in Italy and also in Istanbul. View current Perini Navi yachts for sale .

UK – Best Yacht Builders

Sunseeker is one of the most instantly recognizable names in the yachting world, building performance luxury yachts known for their speed and sleek looks. Once better known for their smaller sport yachts, Sunseeker is now a major player in the superyacht market, with customizable yacht models from 75′ to 155′, as well as constructing the Predator range with a top speed of 45 knots. Built and engineered in Dorset, UK, Sunseeker is Britain’s most famous luxury yacht builder, creating the hand-finished yachts regularly featured on James Bond films. View current Sunseeker yachts for sale .

Worth Avenue Yachts has extensive experience with each of these yacht brands. To find out more about the relative advantages of these shipyards or the other high-quality shipyards that we recommend, please contact us for an expert discussion.

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The Best Luxury Yacht Builders in the World

With build times of around four years, it pays to know which shipbuilder is best for your dream superyacht.

By Kim Ayling

The superyacht industry has refound its mojo. Following the turbulence of the pandemic, yacht builders have resumed business as usual. Following recent growth in the UHNW population, order books remain full. New superyachts are rolling off the production line at an impressive rate of knots. If you’re considering a new superyacht now, you’ll be waiting over three years to take delivery of a ground-up build. Go with one of the leading yacht builders in the world, though, and it’ll be worth the wait.

This list of luxury yacht builders not only looks at what they have done in the past but also celebrates the stellar efforts they are making to reduce the environmental impact of their products. From lighter materials and onboard energy solutions to hybrid motors and marine conservation funding, these luxury yacht builders are not only leading the superyacht industry’s future but also protecting the oceans.

[See also: The Best Tenders to Pair with Your Superyacht]

Recognized as a world leader in building pure custom yachts, Feadship has been in pursuit of building the perfect ship since its inception in 1949 – although the brand can trace its roots back another 100 years. With each new ship that Feadship builds, its team employs the most cutting-edge methods and materials available, which when paired with its unpromising attitude toward fulfilling its clients’ desires, promises to deliver some of the most technically advanced yachts in the world – including Project 817 , which has now been delivered as Viva.

Viva remains a groundbreaking yacht build, with Feadship revealing ambitious aims to keep her environmental impact as low as possible. The 308-ft eco-friendly yacht features an advanced hybrid propulsion system that allows the yacht to travel at 12 knots on diesel-electric power. The ship’s hull has been designed with efficiency as a priority to reduce the energy needed to travel through the water.

The Dutch company has locations throughout The Netherlands, with its headquarters and design and engineering center found in the northern city of Haarlem.

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feadship.nl

Dutch yacht building outfit Oceanco was initially founded in 1987 – but it was only in 2002 (when Oceanco found itself in the hands of new owners) that the switch was made to focusing on 260-foot plus superyachts, drawing on old-world Dutch craftsmanship to build the yachts of the future. The award-winning company prides itself on its design-led builds, and in addition to employing its own forward-thinking design team, works with industry-leader designers such as Andrew Winch, Terence Disdale and Sam Sorgiovanni.

Environmental awareness is core to each Oceanco project, with the aim of not only meeting but surpassing environmental legislation with each build. Even its largest yacht to date – the 394-foot Redentore, which is still under construction – is impressively efficient thanks to her hybrid propulsions system, which keeps fuel consumption to a minimum. Other noteworthy Oceanco’s builds are the striking three-masted Black Pearl , which is powered by a combination of wind power and electric propulsion motors, and one of its latest concepts, Esquel  – an advanced expedition vessel.

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Most notably, Oceanco delivered the world’s largest sailing yacht, Koru , to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The colossal 417-ft vessel cost a rumored $500m to build and was delivered in 2023. It has since been spotted in Italy, Florida and the South of France. Perhaps more impressive than the yacht itself is the support vessel (built by Damen Yachting), a 250-ft superyacht-in-its-own-right capable of carrying a wealth of billionaire toys including submersibles, helicopters and cars.

oceancoyacht.com

[See also: Twenty for 20: Innovative Yachts of the 21st Century]

Dutch luxury shipbuilder Heesen has received worldwide recognition for its engineering and design prowess since launching in 1978. Heesen proudly pioneers the use of aluminum, which is widely regarded as the premium yacht-building material thanks to its lightness owing to better efficiency. As well as full custom builds, Heesen offers a platform concept that features semi-custom yachts already under construction in order to dramatically cut down delivery waits, without compromising on quality.

One of Heesen’s most notable yachts is Alive, which was the first to feature the revolutionary Hull Vane technology (underwater foil) for greater efficiency and speed, resulting in up to 30% less fuel consumption than a regular yacht. Other celebrated Heesen’s builds are Home and Electra , delivered in 2017 and 2020 respectively, both of which were in the award-winning 5000 FHDF aluminum hybrid class and came as a result of Heesen’s strive to limit the environmental impact of yachting.

heesenyachts.com

Part of the Azimut-Benetti Group, Benetti Yachts can trace its shipbuilding heritage all the way back to 1873 when the Fratelli Benetti shipyard was founded in the Tuscan city of Viareggio – the center of classic Italian shipbuilding. While much has changed in Benetti’s near 150-year lifetime, its focus on building state-of-the-art yachts to impeccably high standards has not, cementing its status as one of the best luxury yacht builders in the world.

As concerns on the environmental impact of private yachts have grown over time, Benetti has adapted its methods accordingly, utilizing hybrid technology to ensure its ships are at the forefront of sustainability. For example, when the Luminosity was first delivered in 2019 she was hailed as one of the greenest superyachts on the sea. The 352-foot yacht features advanced diesel-electric hybrid power, with her powerful battery providing up to 12 silent and emission-free hours at anchor.

Of course, sustainability doesn’t come at the cost of style: the Luminosity features a stunningly designed interior courtesy of Zaniz Jakubowski, with full-length windows drawing the outside in, and tasteful nods to contemporary artists creating a true home away from home.

benettiyachts.it

[See also: Superyacht Builders Heesen on Impacts of Covid-19 Pandemic]

Europe rules the roost when it comes to the top yacht builders in the world – the fifth in our list hails from Germany, with eight yards dotted throughout the country including main sites in Bremen, Hamburg and Rensburg. As with most yacht building companies, Lürssen is family run having been first founded in 1870 by Friedrick Lürssen. Since then the company has developed an esteemed reputation as one of the best in the world, breaking many records along the way, including the longest yacht in the world with Azza in 2015, which measures 592 feet, and Flying Fox which is the largest superyacht available for charter.

Lürssen’s latest superyacht is the sizeable 465.5-foot Nord (previously called Project Opus). Nord transcends the typical design of a superyacht thanks to the work of Italian design studio Nuvolari-Lenard, which was responsible for the yacht’s striking interior and exterior.

As is becoming standard for leading yacht builders, Lürssen is acutely aware of the negative environmental impact of both building and owning yachts. It is taking appropriate action to help mitigate this damage, including providing significant funding to marine life charities and conservation projects and implementing pioneering technologies such as onboard compact silencers and hybrid motor concepts.

lurssen.com

Royal Huisman

With a history that dates back to 1884, Dutch shipyard Royal Huisman proudly stakes a claim as one of the oldest yacht builders in the world. While the company was originally founded to build modest wooden fishing boats, its operations have deftly grown with the times, and Royal Huisman is now responsible for some of the finest and most luxurious yachts cruising the ocean today.

Although best known for its stunning sailing yachts ( Sea Eagle II, Ethereal  and  Aquarius  are particular knock-outs) Royal Huisman has also successfully branched out into the world of motor yachts. Its most recent build is the 192-ft Phi,  which was delivered in 2021. This super-slick aluminum yacht has space for up to 12 guests and since her maiden voyage, has been seen cruising on the Thames through London’s financial district. An apt setting for a yacht of this caliber.

royalhuisman.com

Damen Yachting

Damen Yachting, which falls under the umbrella of the wider Damen Shipyards Group, is another Dutch yacht builder dominating the world stage. Operating as Damen’s building division, Damen Yachting was only formed in its existing state in 2019 and is now responsible for the building of the famous Amels yachts, as well as the SeaXplorer expedition ships and yacht support vessels. Since moving its Amels building operations to Vlissingen in 2003, Damen Shipyards proudly boasts the largest superyacht facility in the Netherlands.

As a company of this magnitude, Damen Yachting naturally has some impressive builds under its belt, including the newest in the Limited Editions semi-custom range: the Amels 60 . Currently under construction with an estimated delivery of 2022, the 197-foot Amels 60  uses a fuel-efficient hybrid propulsions system to slash emissions, cut noise pollution and minimize fuel and maintenance costs.

damenyachting.com

Italian-born Sanlorenzo is continuously regarded as being among the best in class when it comes to yacht builders and has been the recipient of numerous awards in its near-65 year lifetime. Despite Sanlorenzo’s longevity and established status, it remains a truly boutique luxury yacht builder at heart. To ensure the attention to detail and high quality for which it is famous for, as well as securing exclusivity for its clients, Sanlorenzo is committed to working with a limited number of customers each year.

In true Italian style, the superyachts that leave Sanlorenzo’s main La Spezia shipyard transcend trends; instead, they exude classic style and authentic craftsmanship. Combined, this guarantees a truly timeless finish – of which the current flagship Attila is a perfect example. Sanlorenzo specializes in fiberglass, steel and aluminum, ensuring that each owner can select a material to befit their needs.

sanlorenzoyacht.com

Despite dating back over a hundred years, German luxury yacht builder Nobiskrug always has one eye on the future with a steadfast commitment to innovation. Nobiskrug offers fully custom yacht builds, working directly with owners to fulfill their unique vision, as well as working on ship refits. The company operates out of world-class yacht-building facilities in the city of Rendsburg, which include a climate-controlled superyacht hall.

The need to strive for innovation extends to Nobiskrug’s environmental commitments, where it applies advanced technologies in order to limit the impact of its builds. For example, Artefact – which was first delivered in 2020 – was one of the first superyachts to be built in line with the IMO Tier III regulations (which focus on reducing emissions). Artefact uses onboard solar panels and a battery storage system to allow for a limited period of engineless operation, as well as adopting a waste-water recycling system.

nobiskrug.com

[See also: Discovering the World’s Most Exciting Superyacht Concepts]

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America’s 10 Best Yacht Builders

In America, the yachting industry might not be as established. Yet, today, America’s best luxury yacht builders continue to put out award-winning and state-of-the-art designs. Who are America’s best yacht builders?

From Christensen to Trinity, we countdown the best yacht builders in America and highlight what makes each shipyard unique. Here are our favorites:

1. Christensen

Christensen is one of the most established yacht builders in the U.S., and the company is known for its completely custom yachts. Each yacht the company produces is designed according to owner specifications.

Known for its classic hull design, and upscale finishes, Christensen produces some of the most luxurious superyachts in the U.S. That’s thanks in part to the builder’s in-house design team. Many other builders outsource design. Plus, the builder is known for its exquisite interiors, featuring spacious layouts and the finest finishes. Christensen also regularly wins innovation awards for their efficient and powerful displacement systems and state-of-the-art stabilization.

2. Westport

Since 1964, Westport has been a leader in yacht design and manufacturing in the U.S. And its earned a reputation for developing sporty, classically-styled superyachts.

That wasn’t always the case. Originally, Westport designed and built commercial fishing vessels, but today, Westport focuses exclusively on luxury motor yachts, including 34-, 38-, 40- and 50-meter yachts. Westport’s raised pilothouse and tri-deck yachts feature classic nautical hulls with modern touches. The interiors are sleek and comfortable and known for their spacious outdoor deck areas.

3. Derecktor

Derecktor is one of the country’s oldest yacht builders. It was founded on Long Island, NY in 1947, and during its early years, the company produced commercial fishing and passenger vessels. (Even today, Derecktor manufacturers high-speed ferries for cities around the world.)

Derecktor’s output has changed quite a bit in its 70-year history. Today, the company continues to build commercial vessels, but it’s also a top builder of custom motor yachts. Derecktor produces both explorer yachts and motor yachts, and many of its luxury motor yachts feature explorer-inspired designs. Many Derecktor yachts, for example, feature towering superstructures positioned forward. This opens up an abundance of aft-deck space for outdoor dining areas, beach clubs, and even helipads.

In addition to style, Derecktor yachts are renowned for their performance. They might be sizable. But they’re fast, and the ride is stable.

4. Hatteras

Hatteras is a legendary name in American shipbuilding, known for its high-speed and beautiful motor yachts. Initially, the shipyard focused entirely on sportfish yachts – something they’re still known for today. Yet, the company’s line-up of motor yachts offers the best of the best in luxury yachting.

Hatteras offers a full range of superyachts, including the 100 RPH, a stunning 102-foot raised pilothouse motoryacht, and the M90. Hatteras certainly shows its sporty roots in all of its designs; Hatteras exteriors are sleek and streamlined, sharing design details with its sportfish line.

At Trinity , size is the name of the game. The Gulfport-based shipyard produces yachts up to 123 meters (400 feet), including some of the largest luxury yachts ever built in the U.S.

The yachtbuilder has many signatures. For example, classic nautical architecture is one. Trinity produces some of the most inspiring superstructure designs that feature sleek lines and an abundance of glass. When you charter a Trinity yacht, you’ll have plenty of places to relax, as most of their designs incorporate an abundance of deck space. In the past, that’s include beautiful sky lounges and sprawling aft-deck dining/bar areas.

Below deck, Trinity yachts delivers spacious layouts. The yachtbuilder is know for their opulent owner’s suites and staterooms, as well as stunning salons.

6. Broward Marine

Founded by legendary boatbuilder Frank Denison in the 1950s, Broward Marine has been a leader in superyacht design throughout its history. For example, in 1954, Broward launched its first luxury superyacht, ALISA V. At the time, the 96-footer was a behemoth – similar in grandness to today’s megayachts of 150+ feet.

The Alisa paved a path for the company, which shifted its focus exclusively to luxury motoryachts. In the 1980s, for example, Broward was quick to respond to the trend of the superyachts; Broward sold some 80 yachts in the 1980s, an impressive sales feat.

Under new management in the early 2000s, the company continued its focus on stunning megayachts in the 100- to 160-foot range. Broward yachts are grand in scale, with stunning tri-deck and raised pilothouse designs, and they’re also some of the first to feature farmhouse kitchens. Today, the company focuses primarily on refits, but many of their majestic yachts are still available for charter.

7. Hargrave

Hargrave has been producing yachts since the 1950s, and throughout its history, the shipyard has built a reputation for inspiring yacht designs. In fact, the company initially only focused on design. Founder Jack Hargrave, the famed nautical designer, worked closely with other top U.S. yacht builders including Burger and Hatteras, helping to launch numerous brands.

In 1997, the company transitioned from design to designing and building its own luxury yachts. The company quickly made a name for itself. Hargrave has won numerous awards for its sporty tri-decks and sportfish-inspired motoryachts. Hargrave yachts feature contemporary interiors, matched with sleek profiles.

A Horizon yacht has a distinctive look. The company’s yachts have stately exteriors with tons of classic nautical architectural details. Inside, too, Horizon yachts have a lot of character. Most Horizon yachts feature sprawling windows, creating light and airy interior spaces.

Today, the company produces yachts in the 56- to 150-foot range, and their offerings include power catamarans, tri-decks and raised pilothouse motor yachts.

If you’re looking for a power cat, that’s a Horizon specialty. The company’s PC Series features a range of mid-sized power cats up to about 80 feet, with numerous concept yachts in the works. Yet, Horizon does it all. You’ll find Horizon yachts in just about any style, from Fast Displacement yachts (FD Series), to customized tri-decks (CC Series).

The Burger Boat Company is one of the most historic shipbuilders in the U.S. Originally launched in 1863, the company has built more than 500 yachts in its history (more than 250 of which are still in operation). The company was a pioneer in steel yacht building, but today, Burger primary builds aluminum yachts.

Burger produces a range of custom tri-deck motor yachts, ranging from 112- to 214-foot motor yachts. Burger boats have a distinctive look and feel. They have spacious deck areas, like the wrap-around deck on its current 214-foot tri-deck concept, as well as innovative exterior lounge areas.

10. Delta Marine

For more than 50 years, Delta Marine has been producing world-class motor yachts from its headquarters in Seattle. The boatbuilder is known for its sleek exterior designs. Delta Marine yachts feature clean, flowing lines throughout, and the company produces a range of raised pilothouse and tri-deck motor yachts.

Plus, the interiors are completely custom. As such, no two Delta Marine yachts look the same, and the interiors are as unique as their owners. Delta yachts are also well-known for their performance. Many feature performance-minded hulls, and feature state-of-the-art displacement systems.

Plan Your Next Luxury Yacht Charter with Worldwide Boat

Worldwide Boat offers exclusive access to vessels from America’s best luxury yacht builders. Want to hire a Trinity Yacht for your next vacation? We can help.

Plus, our charter brokers are experts on each builder’s specialties. Contact your broker today to learn more about any of our exclusive charter yachts .

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Best Luxury Yacht Brands: 25 Shipyards Which Build The Best Superyachts

By Brody Patterson

Updated on January 14, 2023

The superyacht industry is a world that offers you luxurious adventures around the globe, from the United States, all the way to the UK, Netherlands, Germany, or the beautiful Italian coast. From the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean to the Mediterranean, these stunning yachts are built by highly skilled professionals, who provide you with nothing but the best craftsmanship.

As a potential yacht owner, you can get inspiration from any of these companies and choose what is best suited to your needs. There is so much to take into consideration, hence we compiled a detailed list of the 25 best yacht building companies in the world to help you out.

For example, you need to figure out first what size yacht you want, as they range from 30-50 feet vessels, all the way to the larger than 260 feet superyachts, and everything in between. Are Eco-friendly details important to you, or is cutting-edge technology and speed an absolute must to you?

We will do our best to cover all these points and more, so let’s start looking at the best yacht brands in the world right now. 

One of the best yacht brands in the 30-50’ range, Wally is an Italian company that specializes in fast motor yachts, but they’re also buiding gorgeous sailing vessels. For those of you who enjoy speed, you will be happy to hear that most of their yachts are made out of angular carbon composite and fiberglass, which enables you to blast through the waves.

Not so much for leisurely cruising, their 36-meter superyacht has luxurious accommodations for up to six guests and six crew members. Its prowess is due to the three Vericor TF50 gas turbines, which have a total power output of 16,800 hp. With its 60 knots top speed, it is one of the fastest yachts in the world.

Founded in 1842 on Lake Iseo of Italy, Riva quickly became a racing yacht legend, and it has upheld its reputation since. One of the best cruising yachts in the world in the 30-50 feet category, Riva offers sleek looks and impressive performance.

Solid stainless steel bow rails, an 800 hp engine, a 13-foot beam, and a 3-foot draft along a non-skid deck make this a very desirable vessel. Customizable to your tastes, you can cruise the waters in style.

Aesthetic appeal along with classic Italian design makes this company one of the most sought after. The Italian shipyard develops innovative solutions like crafting hybrid engines and using nanotechnologies, which make the long-lasting coatings on their vessels have a lower impact on marine life.

Equipped with options such as Twin Gens, Twin Watermakers, Stabilizers, Bow Thrusters and powered by DDEC 12V92’s with Ulstein forward-facing drives, the Grande 35 Metri reaches 25.5-knot max speeds. A stylish, yet competitive yacht.

• 22. Dynamiq

An Italian superyacht brand located on the Tuscan coast, with yachts engineered to the highest standards set by naval architects in the Netherlands. Designed in Monaco, Dynamiq’s vessels will surely meet the needs of the forward thinkers in the yacht building industry. Some of the options available are hybrid technology, with chic and efficient features that are easy to customize.

Ranging from 90 to 165 feet, you can build your own vessel according to your needs. Not only do they look impressive with their cool design, but they also offer you great performance. Impressive specs such as the aluminum hull, with a range that varies from 900nm at 15 knots all the way up to 5000nm at 10 knots and two engines Man at 882 kW.

• 21. Sunreef

Leading the world of catamaran yacht brands, the company produces its signature models, 60 to 100 feet vessels, along with the supreme models and the 150-210 feet power trimarans superyachts. Their shipyard is located in Gdansk, Poland, a seafaring city rich in naval building traditions.

They are also known for building eco-friendly electric engines that are great for the environment with their innovative propulsion solutions. Their sustainable materials feature basalt and linen-based structures in the production of their hulls, superstructures, and yacht manufacturing.

• 20. Ferretti

Another famed Italian shipyard is innovative with its human interface, which makes their vessels super easy to use. Ferretti’s fleet varies from the 500 to the 1000 projects, but they are all designed with your wellbeing and comfort in mind. You can choose from different mood palettes for your interiors, such as classic or contemporary.

Their MTU engine, with a cruising speed of 20 knots and a max speed of 24 knots, along with many other impressive specs, makes this brand an experience that embodies luxurious style and performance in one.

• 19. Fincantieri

Fincantieri has a network of 18 shipyards across four continents, two design centers, and a research center, and throughout their 230-year history they have built more than 7,000 vessels. If that is not impressive enough, they will surely convince you with their luxury yachts, designed to your pleasure.

High-tech, high quality, and high performance – these would be the features they stand for, and their unique designs are complemented by state-of-the-art technology. Aesthetic perfection along with the best technological expertise in the industry will deliver the luxury you crave.

• 18. Nautor’s Swan

A Finnish yacht brand founded by Pekka Koskenkyla back in 1966, they specialize in high-performance sailing yachts . Beautiful wood interiors are their signature touch, and their high-tech amenities are up-to-date in order to keep up with a very competitive industry.

Their fiberglass material has brought them to the top in the racing sailboats category, along with the ingenuity of Sparkman & Stephens. They eventually partnered with German Frers Design, who is responsible for many of their Swan designs.

• 17. Sanlorenzo

Ranked in the top three over 80-feet yachts builders in their category, Sanlorenzo has introduced a variety of new yachts in the last couple of years. Their signature light-blue steel hull is predominant in all their models, such as the SL102 Asymmetric yacht, or their 171-foot custom Seven Sins.

Among other designs worth mentioning are their new additions SX112, 164-foot 500EXP Ocean Dreamwalker lll, or the 210-foot 64Steel. One thing they all have in common is that they cater to the American lifestyle.

• 16. Rossinavi

Rossinavi has worked with some of the world’s best designers available to come up with unique and futuristic designs. Some of their most popular superyachts in the last few years have got to be 160-foot Endeavour ll and the 161-foot Aurora. Achille Salvagni is responsible for both designs, but they are quite different from one another.

The Alfa 50, with its sleek modern look, was designed by Enrico Gobbi. Pininfarina, who has put their signature touch on Ferrari, has unveiled some of Rossinavi’s new concepts, which make them stand out from other brands.

• 15. Baglietto

Another Italian company, they have been around since 1840, when Pietro Baglietto started building wooden fishing ships in his backyard. He expanded his company by manufacturing boats for kings and popes, and in 1906 built his first combustion engine.

Eventually, the company was saved from bankruptcy by the Gavio Group and they got a facelift with the introduction of their new model line, which ranges from 43 to 230 feet yachts. Their Silver Fox, which was launched in 2018, is designed by Francesco Paszkowski and it could easily be considered a true work of art.

• 14. Mangusta

The company is owned by the Balducci family and it was started in 1985. They specialize in luxury sports yachts and voyage superyachts, all of which you can customize to your personal tastes. They have built more than 300 yachts in their 34 year career, and they are still going strong.

The Mangusta Oceano, for example, is one of their long-range yachts with ranges up to 5,000 miles. The Mangusta Maxi Open series offers speed, stability and quietness. And their GranSports is a fast-displacement series that covers long distances.

• 13. Princess Yachts

Established in 1965, this British company has grown into a conglomerate with multiple production sites over the years. They build contemporary yachts in seven classes, ranging from open boats to megayachts. Their flagship Imperial Princess, a 131-foot 40M superyacht, has a large interior and lots of natural light.

It is built on the South Yard, which was formerly a 17th century naval yard. Their R35, one of their most innovative models, is built with a foil system which reduces drag and can revolutionize yachting, and was designed by Pininfarina, the same acclaimed design studio that works with Rossinavi as well.

The crown jewel of the Ferretti group, CRN is famous for their landmark Chopi Chopi, a 262-foot megayacht. The different ranges of the military style 180-foot Atlante, the sleek hull of the 239-foot Yalla, or even the high-tech Cloud 9 yacht show the different customizable possibilities from CRN Yachts.

Ferretti invested lots of money into their Ancona Yard, and their tri-deck motor yacht, as well as the Superconero are just some of the upgraded versions of the staples that brought them on the map in the first place.

• 11. Sunseeker

One of the UK’s most important shipyards, Sunseeker manufactures most of its vessels in Poole, Dorset. Their place in the yachting world is secured with four superyacht models ranging from 116 to 161-foot, and their 76 to 100-foot motor yachts. They also manufacture high performance boats, alongside sports and 52 to 744-foot cruise yachts.

It used to only build out of composite, but has since expanded to aluminum with its 161 Yachts. Their ICON expertise, design and market savvy is keeping them competitive in the yachting world.

• 10. Royal Huisman

One of the oldest shipyards from Holland, they have been around since 1884. They have three large facilities, one in Vollenhove, one in Amsterdam, and a third in Emden, where they can build large yachts up to 266 feet. Their fleet is well known for their sailing superyachts Gliss, Antares and Sea Eagle among many others.

The Ngoni, a 190-foot is built with an eclectic interior, and the 184-foot classic Aquarius are some of their popular models. Project Phi is their newest addition to an already solid fleet and the Apex 850 concept will be probably turned into reality too. 

• 9. Perini Navi

Two yards in Italy and a third in Turkey are the places where the newest additions to their line up are being built right now. Restructuring of the company’s management in 2017 resulted in a major refresh of their fleet too. New lines such as the E-volution Yacht series, the Argonaut, Heritage and Voyager are going to be the new focus for Perini Navi.

Sometimes a change is needed, and their new innovations have proven successful. Their hybrid-powered models such as the Eco-tender are built to keep up with the changes necessary for the environment.

• 8. Nobiskrug

Located in Northern Germany, Nobiskrug operates from two facilities which build vessels ranging from 197 to 1,398 feet. The 115 year old company is a pioneer in the superyacht division with their 2000 Tatoosh model. They employ more than 1,000 professionals who excel in the business.

The 262 foot Artefact was launched only last year, and at 2999 GT it is the largest superyacht by volume in the world. It is also the first in the world to meet IMO Tier lll emissions regulations. In-house production of everything from hull construction to mechanical work makes them one of the most diverse and eco-friendly companies in their category.

• 7. Feadship

The famous Dutch company comprises De Vooght Naval Architects, De Vries and Van Lent family yards, with locations in Amsterdam, Aalsmeer, Kaag, and Makkum. Responsible for dozens of custom launches over the last seven decades, they are considered Holland’s powerhouse.

Symphony, a 333-foot pioneer to cross the 100-meter mark, and the 312-foot Faith has its own helicopter pad with hangar on the foredeck, and on the aft deck a glass floor swimming pool. They are just some of their more famous models, they have many others you can research if interested.

One of the best superyacht builders in the world, this Dutch company is based in Vlissingen. Operating for more than 100 years, they offer the Full Custom and Limited Editions, ranging from 108 to 272 foot LOA. The facilities are used for both military and commercial vessels, and they employ the most skilled workers in the industry.

Their most noteworthy launches in the last couple of years are the 243-foot Universe, the 205-foot Sea & US, along the 189-foot Volpini 2. The potential owners are able to customize both interiors and exteriors according to their taste.

One of the oldest and largest superyacht builders in the world, Benetti has been making custom and semi custom builds since 1875. They currently have 97 yachts under build larger than 78 feet. The Ironman, Metis and Spectre are some of their newest additions. The FB277 351-foot gigayacht is currently being under construction at the Livorno yard.

Their Luminosity is believed to be valued at more than 200 million EUR and became one of the top 10 largest Superyachts delivered in 2019. Pretty amazing!

Founded in 1978, this Dutch superyacht brand specializes in custom-made builds. Therefore, their fleet is limited, so there are three different ways to own a Heesen boat. Through the Pure Custom program the buyer can order a unique individual design and engineering.

The Platform Concept program offers custom exterior design but standard engineering, and the third option is to buy a brand new custom superyacht as soon as it is made available for purchase. The Galactica Super Nova is their largest built at 230 feet, and their Maximus, with an open cockpit and a swimming pool with a waterfall is a special yacht someone will surely enjoy.

A fairly young company, this Dutch company based in Alblasserdam has been around since 1987. They specialize in custom expedition yachts ranging from 262 to 459 feet. The builder launched Project Bravo in 2018, which is a fuel efficient and eco-friendly innovative design. Their green technologies are predominant in their newest addition to their fleet.

Their most famous superyachts are the 311-foot Indian Empress and the 300-foot Equanimity. Their Black Pearl, a 350-foot technically advanced designed sailing superyacht stands on its own.

• 2. Abeking & Rasmussen

Successful in setting new technological standards, this family business is located across the river from Lurssen in Germany. They have been the best in the making of naval vessels since 1917, and they also specialize in coast guard and patrol vessels, as well as custom yachts. German engineering at its best, A & R has been an innovative company who is not scared of change.

They are developing a hybrid fuel cell powered by methanol that emits only clean steam, the first hydrocarbon emission free in the world. The Aviva, a 321-foot flagship has its own paddle-tennis court on the premises.

Lürssen is a family business who believes in producing the best quality yachts in the world. Focused on excellence, this German company is another leader in the luxury yachting world. Their eight shipyards located in the northern part of the country have been responsible for building more than 13.000 vessels since 1875.

They do everything from building new yachts, as well as refitting, repairing and providing maintenance services on the premises. The iconic Azzam, the largest superyacht in the world is 590 feet long , is designed with the best quality woodwork and custom furniture inside a high-tech hull.

One thing is certain if you’re in the market for a luxury yacht, you have so many options available right now. The biggest problem will be choosing only one brand to work with when designing your dream yacht.

We hope you got all the inspiration you needed from our list, so happy sailing.

About Brody Patterson

Brody has worked as a full time staff writer for Luxatic for over five years, covering luxury news, product releases and in-depth reviews, and specializing in verticals on the website alongside the tech & leisure section, as well as men's fashion, watches and travel. Learn more about Luxatic's Editorial Process .

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Top 10 luxury yacht builders 2024

The design and build of a luxury yacht is a truly personal experience. Whether customising a design to be built, or striving to create a completely new concept altogether, superyacht owners will seek to work with a yacht builder that truly understands their vision, and can translate their dream design into a real vessel.

As Royal Huisman proudly states, “If you can dream it, we can build it!”

Those buying a new superyacht will therefore have many questions to ask themselves before settling on a suitable yacht builder and shipyard facility to carry out the project. Thankfully for these prospective owners, there are a number of luxury superyacht builders that have the ability to turn the biggest mega yacht dreams into reality.

Yachting Pages introduces the world’s top luxury yacht builders and their shipyard facilities , identifying some of the best superyachts along the way.

The best luxury superyacht builders in the world

1. lürssen, germany.

Based in Germany, Lürssen is one of the world's leading shipyards for large luxury yacht building, with a focus on excellence in custom-built superyachts. A family-owned shipyard for four generations, it claims the accolade of building the world’s first motor yacht back in 1886.

Responsible for building more than 13,000 vessels since 1875, Lürssen currently has eight shipyard facilities in Northern Germany, each specialising in a specific size of yacht ranging from 60 to 220 metres (197 to 722 feet) in length. Together these facilities offer 1,125,000 metres squared of space for new builds, as well as refit, repair and maintenance services.

Lürssen builds some of the largest luxury yachts in the world, including the iconic Azzam, the world’s current largest superyacht at 180 metres (590 feet) LOA.

2. Fincantieri Yachts, Italy

Fincantieri Yachts specialises in full-custom luxury pleasure yachts over 70 metres (230 feet) with no upper limit to the size or volume that it can produce. The renowned builder currently has a range of concepts and projects, including 70-metre (230-foot) superyacht Blanche.

Having manufactured in excess of 7,000 vessels in its 230-year history, including the 140-metre (459-foot) Ocean Victory, Fincantieri has a network of 18 shipyards across four continents, two design centres and a research centre, making it one of the largest Western shipyards in the world.

3. Benetti, Italy

Founded in 1873 and headquartered in Viareggio, Benetti is the world’s largest builder of superyachts by number built, with a production capacity of 100 units per year.

Most famous for building Sir Philip Green’s 90-metre (295-foot) Lionheart in 2016, 2019 was its breakthrough year with its first 100-metre+ (328-foot+) deliveries of Lana, Luminosity and IJE. This gave Benetti 2 nd , 3 rd and 4 th spots on the Top 10 Largest Superyachts Delivered in 2019 . As of 2024, Luminosity is for sale at €135,000,000 (c. $147,000,000).

4. Feadship, Netherlands

The home of full-custom superyachts, Feadship is one of the few shipyards worldwide that works to create completely custom yachts. It has worked with superyacht owners since the 19 th century to create one-off luxury motor yachts that are truly unique.

Feadship currently has four shipyard facilities in the Netherlands, with expansion underway at its Amsterdam facility in Western Harbour to offer the ability to build motor yachts as long as 160 metres (525 feet). To date, there are over 250 Feadship yachts in navigation, including 99-metre (324-foot) Madame Gu, 99.95-metre (327-foot) Moonrise, 101-metre (333-foot) Symphony, and 110-metre (361-foot) Anna.

5.  Amels, Netherlands

Located in Vlissingen, Amels operates the largest superyacht boatyard in the Netherlands, and is known to be one of the best superyacht builders in the world.

Amels has been operating for over 100 years and offers both Full Custom and Limited Editions, ranging from 55 to 83 metres (180 to 272 feet) LOA. Built on a proven platform and delivered in half the time expected of standard construction superyachts, all 40+ Limited Editions projects have so far been delivered on or ahead of contract, with 74-metre (242-foot) Amels 242 among the most recent to emerge from the yard. With several new projects currently under construction, Amels is likely to be among the top superyacht shipyards for many years to come.

6. Heesen Yachts, Netherlands

Heesen Yachts is known as one of the world’s luxury yacht builders, specialising in custom superyachts in the 30- to 65-metre (98- to 213-foot) range, but with the additional capability of building vessels of 80 metres (262 feet) and above.

With a focus on quality and innovation, Heesen has created many custom yachts with no two yachts the same. Founded in 1978, it was the first Dutch shipyard to employ aluminium for yacht hulls. In its 42 years, it has delivered more than 170 yachts, with aluminium, steel, displacement, semi-displacement and revolutionary fast displacement yachts making up its fleet. Its most famous vessels include the 65-metre (213-foot) Galatica Star, 70-metre (230-foot) Galatica Super Nova and 55-metre (180-foot) Serenity.

7. Nobiskrug, Germany

Having recently celebrated its 115 th anniversary, Nobiskrug began shipbuilding long before the term ‘superyacht’ was even coined. Drawing on its extensive experience in seagoing vessels, the shipyard turned to yacht building in 2000 with the completion of its inaugural superyacht project, the 92-metre (302-foot) Tatoosh. It has since delivered an impressive portfolio of innovative custom-built superyachts, pledging to work on a single project for a single client to build superyachts ready for the 22 nd century. A big statement of intent.

With two facilities in Northern Germany, the boatyard can currently build vessels ranging from 60 to 426 metres (197 to 1398 feet) in length. Over 1000 in-house employees work across the two sites, where they have developed and built numerous award-winning superyachts, including one of the industry’s most talked about vessels, 142-metre (466-foot) Sailing Yacht A.

2023 saw the launch of 70-metre (230-foot) Amoa. Her key numbers include a beam of 12.4 metres, a draft of 3.6 metres, and a volume of 1,900GT.

8. Oceanco, Netherlands

Oceanco specialises in building sophisticated custom yachts ranging from 80 to 140 metres (262 to 459 feet) in length. Offering a highly personal service to clients, Oceanco is positioned with state-of-the-art yacht building facilities in the Netherlands, and a design, sales and marketing office in Monaco.

The builder celebrated its first launch in 1992, and more than 30 years later its portfolio now includes well-known superyachts such as the 95-metre (311-foot) Indian Empress, 82-metre (269-foot) Alfa Nero, 88.5-metre (290-foot) Nirvana and 91.5-metre (300-foot) Equanimity.

9. Perini Navi, Italy

The Perini Navi Group is made up of four independent companies that operate in five specific markets: sailing yachts up to 60 metres (197 feet), large sailing yachts more than 60 metres, racing sailing yachts, fast cruising sailing yachts and Picchiotti motor yachts.

To date, the group has launched 58 sailing yachts and four motor yachts. Its track record for innovative sailing yachts has seen it set the standard for excellence in the sector, launching more yachts over 50 metres (164 feet) than any other builder. It's responsible for the iconic 88-metre (288-foot) three-masted schooner Maltese Falcon, which currently holds the title of the sixth largest sailing yacht in the world, and other award-winning sailing yachts, such as the 73-metre (239-foot) Nautilus, 70-metre (229-foot) Badis I and 64-metre (210-foot) Spirit Of The C’s.

10. Royal Huisman, Netherlands

Established in 1884, Royal Huisman is the only shipyard with two entries in the top 10 largest sailing yachts ever built. The 2020 launch of 81-metre (266-foot) Sea Eagle II was its tenth sailing yacht over 50 metres (164 feet) and its biggest yacht since 90-metre (295-foot) Athena in 2004, which was then the largest sailing yacht in the world. Despite being renowned for its luxury performance sailing yachts, Royal Huisman’s largest delivery in 2024 is expected to be the 65-metre (213-foot) Project 408, which will have a gross tonnage of 451GT.

Discover how to choose your luxury yacht builder   in our helpful guide or you can  search for superyacht shipyards  in our leading superyacht services directory.

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Apart from designing and building new yachts, we also offer comprehensive refit services including conversions, renovations, furnishing for sailing and motor yachts up to 100 meters in length.

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Once we have an initial design and specifications, we develop complete documentation and price calculations.

Nebula Yacht is an experienced luxury yacht builder specializing in building highest quality

We are building highest quality, class approved, steel, and aluminum luxury yachts ranging from 24 to 100 meters in length. We are located in Antalya, Turkey. Our shipyard employs over 150 of the best specialists in naval construction, complex engineering, old-world craftsmanship, and modern yacht building. We cooperate with the most reliable and professional companies and suppliers in Turkey, Europe, and throughout the world based on our motto “highest quality yachts at the best value.”

Our team is proud to have realized a broad range of one-of-a-kind motor and sailing yacht projects ranging in style and complexity, gaining valuable experiences. Projects include aluminum carbon-rigged performance sailing yachts, to large cadet training square-riggers, to custom steel and aluminum motor yachts in partnership with some of the finest designers and specialists throughout Europe and beyond.

Our shipyard has all the necessary in-house facilities to meet the most demanding wishes of the most demanding clients. It includes an engineering team of over 25 professionals, an interior design team, and production facilities for luxury yacht furniture, which meets the highest global design and quality standards.

Ultimately we are a family business offering our clients a unique personal experience, based on direct communication, transparency, and confidentiality. In the name of Nebula Yacht and the whole team, we look forward to the next challenge and look forward to helping you realize your dream yacht.

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Timmerman Yachts is a Russian builder of quality luxury motor yachts. Based in Moscow, it is owned by a group of Dutch and Russian investors and operates out of Moscow Shipyard. Several noted naval architecture and yacht design firms are involved with Timmerman, including Vripack, Guido de Groot Design, Ginton Naval Architects, Jon Bannenberg Ltd., and Francis Design Ltd.

Founded in 2003, the company was named for 17th century Dutch boat builder Franz Timmerman who brought Dutch boat manufacturing techniques to Russia and co-founded the Russian navy. Timmerman Yachts has more than 1,000 employees working at the Moscow Shipyard.

Timmerman has delivered a number of semi-custom luxury yachts between 26-47 metres in length, including TM26 and Timmerman FD-51, designed by Francis Design Ltd. Other notable Timmerman yachts include Victoria M, Alexandra (now Latitude) and Olsten 125′.

One of the 10 largest yacht builders in the world, Timmerman is focused on building high-quality luxury yachts at more competitive prices. Its Russian-Dutch partnership provides great yacht-building capabilities. Timmerman builds yacht to the highest standards and holds DNV, MCA and Russian River Register certification. The company reportedly has more than a dozen yachts in some phase of construction.

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Top 10 yacht builders for your superyacht project, posted by luxify, 31 march, 2020.

Building your own superyacht is the pinnacle of yacht ownership. But how to decide which shipyard is the right one to take your dream and turn it into reality? There are a multitude of luxury yacht builders all competing for your dollar, so how do you choose between them?

That depends very much on you, and what kind of yacht you want to build. Do you want a fully-custom yacht or a semi-custom yacht? Are you looking for a performance yacht, a displacement yacht, or sailing yacht? Steel, aluminum, or composite? Do you want to push the boundaries of design and engineering, or are you happy to rely on a proven platform and enjoy the time and money savings that decision will bring?

What is your budget, and what kind of timeframe do you envisage until you take possession of your yacht? Do you want a shipyard that is located in your region so that you can visit the project regularly throughout the build stage, and how much does your impression of the yard’s heritage and people factor into your decision?

The decision on which luxury yacht builder you want to carry out your superyacht project is one of the most important of the entire process. Here are 10 of the best yacht builders in the world, sorted by country.

Lurssen and Blohm + Voss

Custom yacht builder Lurssen is a towering force in the superyacht industry, and is the current titleholder for building the largest yacht in the world, 590’ (180M) AZZAM, and has four other yachts in the global top 10. Lurssen is family owned and has an incredible history of yacht building stretching back to 1875, and lays claim to building the first-ever motoryacht.

Lurssen also took over Hamburg shipyard Blohm + Voss in 2016, which is responsible for iconic custom motor and sailing yachts including M/Y A and M/Y ECLIPSE, once the largest yacht in the world.

The Netherlands

Amels is one of the great Dutch yacht builders, delivering motoryachts up to 100m from its ultra-high tech Vissingen shipyard. Amels offer a fully custom yacht building experience for its clients, as well as its highly popular Limited Edition series, whereby the yacht’s framework is built on a proven platform, leaving matters of design and layout to the yacht owner’s discretion. Famous Amels yachts include M/Y HERE COMES THE SUN and the award winning M/Y EVENT, as well as their successful SEA AXE support yacht range by their parent company, DAMEN.

One of the oldest and most prestigious names in the yachting world, Dutch yacht builder Feadship dates back to 1849, creating fully custom, ‘one-off’ superyachts that are unlike any other. Priding themselves on heritage, innovation, superb quality, and a completely bespoke experience for their clients, the 450-strong Feadship fleet is full of famous yachts, including VENUS, AQUARIUS, ECTASEA, and their latest offering, the revolutionary M/Y HASNA.

Heesen launched in 1978, becoming rapidly acclaimed for building sporty, high-quality performance superyachts with iconic styling. Heesen has launched an impressive 170 yachts since inception, with a reputation for design and engineering innovation, most celebrated with its revolutionary use of the fast displacement hull in GALACTICA STAR and GALACTICA SUPERNOVA. Heesen currently builds motoryachts up to 260’ (80m) at its shipyard in Oss, with a fleet that includes aluminium, steel, displacement, semi-displacement and fast displacement.

Rounding out the incredible offering from Holland’s yacht builders is Oceanco, which launched in 1990 and moved rapidly into the large yacht sector, building steel and aluminium yachts between 260’ and 460’ (80 and 140m). Offering a fully custom service to their clients and a high tech approach from their Alblasserdam shipyard, Oceanco’s fleet includes great names like ALFA NERO, ANASTASIA, and the largest yacht ever to be built in Holland, the 360’ (110m) M/Y JUBILEE.

Westport Yachts

Based in Vancouver, WA, Westport prides itself on its high quality American build process, as well as a proud history of delivering every one of its yachts on time and on budget. One of the early adopters of cutting-edge composite technology and using modular construction to improve strength and speed of build, Westport offers an extremely popular line of tri-deck and raised pilothouse models between 112′ and 164’ (34m and 50m). Dating back to 1964, Westport is America’s largest yacht builder with over 200 vessels launched in that time.

Christensen Yachts

American yacht builder Christensen is founded and owned by superyacht owners who understand the yacht construction and ownership experience from a personal perspective. The Christensen shipyard in Vancouver, DC, constructs fiberglass yachts between 115’ and 165’ (35 and 50m) in length, while the yard currently under construction in Tennessee will have capacity to build yachts up to 70m. Christensen produces both custom and semi-custom yachts, with their fleet including the award winning ODESSA and SILVER LINING.

Perini Navi

Perini Navi is one of the great names of the yachting world, with a fleet of modern sailing superyachts from 130’ to 200’ (40 to 60m), as well as a new line of luxury motoryachts from their Picchiotti sister brand. The iconic 288’ (88m) S/Y MALTESE FALCON stunned the world upon launch in 2006, in a long line of Perini’s successes that dates back to 1982. Perini’s large volume interiors afford a luxurious sense of space, while their state of the art sailing systems have made them the leader of large sailing yacht design.

Benetti is one of the oldest yacht builders in Europe, with a history dating back to 1873, and is part of the Azimut Benetti Group, the largest producers of luxury yachts in the world. Benetti constructs semi and fully custom composite, aluminum and steel yachts between 100 and 330’ (30 and 100m) across their three yards at Viareggio, Livorno, and Farno, and has a long order list with many repeat clients. Their long yacht building history and fine Italian styling has produced many famous yachts, including groundbreaking KINGDOM in 1980, ULYSSES, and M/Y 11.11.

The great British yacht builder, Sunseeker, has earned a top reputation as a manufacturer of performance yachts with a wide range of sport yachts and superyacht models from 50′ to 155’ (15m to 50m). With sporting styling and lightning-fast models including the Predator series, Sunseeker dominates the fast luxury yacht market. Sunseeker clients can adapt their designs on the proven Sunseeker platforms, giving them wide scope for customization.

This list is certainly not exhaustive and there are numerous newer shipyards such as Fincantieri in Italy and SilverYachts in Australia which are proving to have a huge impact on the industry and can be expected to appear on this list before long.

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15 Best Luxury Yacht Builders and Shipyards in the World

Published on july 21, 2024 at 5:37 pm by dragana randjelovic in news.

In this article we will list 15 best luxury yacht builders and shipyards in the world . You may be interested in searching for 15 Best Boat/Yacht Insurance Companies Heading into 2024 , too.

Luxury Yacht Builders Rebound Post-Pandemic

According to a study from the Italian Marine Industry Association and Deloitte , the global new build yachting market has reached €33 billion ($35.9 billion) during the industry boom in 2022. This marks an 11% increase from the year before, and a CAGR of 10% since 2014. Increasing prices, along with increasing demand from customers, has been responsible for this positive growth. According to the study, Europe and North America are the biggest consumer groups, taking up 70% of the total market share. Italy remains at the top in yacht building, generating €4.4 billion in yacht production value for 2022.

Despite the positive growth, superyacht sales have taken a dive in 2023, the new SuperYacht Times’ State of Yachting report indicates. Long wait times, rising costs, and the exclusion of Russian oligarchs from the superyacht market have all led to this decline. There were 203 superyacht sales in 2023, down from 245 in 2022, and from a record 313 in 2021. A buyer placing an order for a new yacht over 200 feet today has to wait three to four years owing to backlogs from the pandemic. Orders for yachts between 200 t0 600 feet have experienced the most decline, by 40%, largely since the rich buyers from Russia are dropping out of the market. Despite the drop in new sales, yacht completions have been up. According to SuperYacht Times, there are now nearly 6,000 super yachts, triple the number in 2022.

It wasn’t simple to make a list of the world’s best yacht builders and shipyards in the world, especially now when it seems that the superyacht business has regained its momentum. Following the pandemic’s upheaval, boat builders have resumed normal operations. There are now 173 small yacht manufacturers and large builders in 25 countries working on at least one yacht larger than 24m. Every year, around 400 boats larger than 24m are supplied to their owners by luxury yacht companies that specialize in yacht categories or product segments that distinguish them from other commercial shipyards. Experts believe that there are currently around 5,000 boats larger than 24 meters navigating the world’s oceans.

The Netherlands and Germany leads the yachting sector in terms of providing yachts larger than 50m with high volume and value. Some other yacht builders in the world include those in Turkey, Asia, North America, South Africa, Oceania, and Brazil. Turkish shipyards are now building motor and sailing yachts out of GRP and steel, North America has turned its focus on semi-custom motor yachts, Asia is known to be a hub for production series motor yachts made from GRP, while the top builder nation Italy excels in larger yachts and more customizable options.

When it comes to the US, United States Luxury Yacht Market  is  expected  to reach USD 4.45  billion  in 2024 and grow at a CAGR of 8.25% to reach USD 6.61  billion by 2029. On the list of yachth-related companies, Marine Max, Inc. (NYSE: HZO ) is a known name, with a $750 million market capitalization. The total enterprise value is $1.76 billion. The corporation is headquartered in Florida and employs an estimated 2,666 people. In the United States, the company has a significant market share in at least one area as a boat dealership and repair company, where they account for an estimated 6.4% of total industry sales. They are classified as an All-Star and one of the best luxury yacht brands because they have a higher market share, profit, and revenue growth than their competitors.

Pe3k / Shutterstock.com

Methodology

To compile a list of the premier luxury yacht builders and shipyards globally, we undertook a comprehensive comparison of leading companies with those recognized for producing the most esteemed and high-value yachts. Our methodology involved cross-referencing top-rated yacht lists with data on their builders. By aggregating the frequency of mentions across lists such as IYC Yacht, YachtWorld, Elite Traveler, amongst others; we established a preliminary ranking. Subsequently, we assessed these companies based on the prominence of their yachts on industry-leading rankings and their annual revenue. This analysis revealed that the top-ranked companies distinguished themselves not only through frequent appearances on prestigious lists but also through exceptional performance across various metrics.

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This is how our list of the best luxury yacht builders and shipyards in the world looks like.

15. Princess Yachts

Insider Monkey Score: 2

Princess Yachts was founded in 1965 in a modest industrial unit on Newport Street in Plymouth. Since then, Princess has become one of the top luxury yacht builders and shipyards in the world. South African businessman Graham J. Beck bought the company in 1981. In 2001, Marine Projects changed their name to Princess Yachts International PLC. Princess Yachts operates in 119 countries and employs over 3,200 people worldwide, with shipyards totaling over 1.1 million square feet.

14. Perini Navi

Perini Navi specializes in superior craftsmanship of some of the world’s largest super sailing yacht builders. Their constant growth in the design, engineering, and construction of aluminum superyachts has propelled them to the industry leader in the large, custom super sailing yacht sector. Fabio Perini started Perini Navi in 1983 in Viareggio, Italy. Unable to find a huge sailing yacht that he could run alone, Fabio founded a firm to build and engineer his own vessel, launching a prototype sailing yacht with plenty of living space that could be sailed with a smaller crew. In 2021 Perini Navi became a part of The Italian Sea Group which increased the portfolio in 2023 to six companies.

13. Delta Marine

In 1967, brothers Jack and Ivor Jones launched Delta Marine on Seattle’s Duwamish River. The shipyard initially focused on producing fishing boats that could withstand the frequently harsh waters of the Pacific Northwest and became one of the best small yacht brands. Delta Marine’s success in the fishing industry inspired the shipyard to create luxury expedition ships capable of transporting their customers north to Alaska, west to the Pacific islands, and around the globe. Delta Marine shifted their focus to custom superyachts in the 1990s.

12. Fincantieri Yachts

Fincantieri Yachts, an Italian shipyard and now one of the best luxury yacht builders and shipyards in the world, has been around since 1780. The first shipbuilding enterprise was founded in Castellammare di Stabia, and it served as the foundation for the world-renowned corporation. By the mid-twentieth century, the business had become part of the state-owned IRI and was in charge of the country’s primary shipbuilders; Fincantieri Yachts was established as a separate branch in 1984. The shipyard has established itself as a multifaceted entity. Fincantieri’s facilities are now building military ships, including submarines, passenger and industrial vessels, as well as a new market area, megayacht construction, which began in 2005.

11. Royal Huisman

Royal Huisman is a Dutch shipbuilding company that specializes in the new build, refit, rebuild, and renewal of sailing and motor yachts. The shipyard in Ronduite was founded in 1884 to produce wooden workboats and fishing boats. Jan Huisman began building steel sailing boats in 1954, and his son Wolter converted to aluminum hulls in 1964 with the 30 ft Van de Stadt Avenir series. In celebration of the shipyard’s 100th anniversary in 1984, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands bestowed the title “Royal” to Huisman, renaming the company Royal Huisman.

10. Sanlorenzo

Insider Monkey Score: 3

Sanlorenzo Shipyard has been producing high-quality motorboats since 1958. It is a yachting boutique enterprise that produces only a small number of custom yachts each year. Each boat is custom-designed and built to meet the owner’s exact needs, style, and preferences. The shipyard’s headquarters are located on the banks of the Magra River, within the Montemarcello-Magra Natural Reserve, near Ameglia, province of La Spezia, Liguria, Italy. Since its founding, the firm has manufactured just roughly 1000 ships, each one special and unique. Since 2005, the organization has adopted a fresh approach to personalization and innovation. As a result, the shipyard has expanded significantly. Over the last eight years, the company has gradually established itself in Boat International’s annual Global Order Book rating.

9. Blohm & Voss

The German shipyard Blohm+Voss was named after its founders, Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss, who chose to join forces in 1877 to construct steel steamers. Hermann Blohm and Ernst Voss, the founders of the Blohm & Voss-Werft, rose to prominence far beyond Hamburg. Unfortunately, after several dismal seasons in the 2000s, the company discontinued creating new yachts. As part of Lürssen, the shipyard will no longer manufacture boats, but will continue and even increase its yacht refit, commercial, and military building activities. The firm is on this list because their boats are consistently on the list of the best boats, and three of their boats are among the best ever built.

Insider Monkey Score: 4

Heesen Yachts is one of the best luxury yacht builders and shipyards in the world, being a Dutch shipbuilding firm that specializes in custom-built superyachts. Founded in 1978, it has launched over 200 yachts, several of which have received prizes. It is recognized as a global leader in the design, construction, and engineering of all-aluminum boats. After a string of popular and pricey boats, 1988 proved to be the yard’s breakthrough year. American entrepreneur John Staluppi had commissioned the yard to build a superyacht capable of speeds exceeding 50 knots. Heesen expanded in 2003, the same year it introduced its 3700 and 4400 yacht series, which were among the first examples of superyacht building on a shared hull and engineering platform.

7. Abeking & Rasmussen

Abeking and Rasmussen is a luxury yacht constructor that specializes in big custom motor yachts constructed from steel. The company has previously built sailing boats, maritime vessels, and swath vessels. Georg Abeking and Henry Rasmussen formed the company in 1907. The business began producing navy warships such as torpedo boats, minesweepers, and submarine destroyers. Later, the firm began constructing speedboats and sailing yachts. The yard has a reputation for pioneering new technologies, having manufactured some of the world’s most technically advanced yachts. Many of the projects they have created are notable for overcoming technical engineering obstacles, such as Germania VI in 1963, the first sailing yacht with a welded aluminium hull, and the 1972 motor yacht Kalamoun, the world’s fastest at the time, hitting 46 knots. The Krupp Foundation still owns their latest yacht, Germania VI.

6. Ferretti

Norberto and Alessandro Ferretti, brothers from Bologna, Italy, expanded their family’s successful luxury auto business, which marketed Maserati and Lamborghini, by opening a yacht dealership in 1968. The Ferretti brothers initially marketed other boat builders, but during the Genoa Boat Show in 1971, they debuted their first yacht design, a 10-meter wooden motorsailer. Ferretti boats, the first member of the Ferretti Group of international luxury yacht brands, manufactures semi-custom composite boats in Forli, Italy, ranging in size from 16 to 29 meters. The Ferretti Yachts 960 type, introduced in 2013, is the largest planing luxury yacht ever built by any of the Ferretti Group shipyards. Ferretti Group is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange since 2022 and debuted on Euronext Milan, the Milan-based stock exchange owned by Borsa Italiana. In 2023, the company became the first and only company in the world to achieve dual listing in Asia and Europe which qualified the company for the list of the best luxury yacht builders and shipyards in the world.

Heesen Oceanco Feadship Ferretti Lürssen Nobiskrug Sanlorenzo Perini Navi Delta Marine Royal Huisman Azimut/Benetti Princess Yachts Marine Max Inc. Blohm & Voss Daily Newsletter Fincantieri Yachts Abeking & Rasmussen Jim Cramer is Recommending These 10 Stocks in June Analyst Sees a New $25 Billion "Opportunity" for NVIDIA 15 Best Luxury Yacht Builders and Shipyards in the World 15 Best Boat/Yacht Insurance Companies Heading into 2024 Show more... Show less

AI Fire Sale: Insider Monkey’s #1 AI Stock Pick Is On A Steep Discount

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A New Dawn is Coming to U.S. Stocks

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10 Best Sailboat Brands (And Why)

‍ There's no denying that sailors are certainly a passionate bunch. We’re so passionate about our boats that we always try going for the best sailboats. To make it a lot easier for you, here are the best sailboat brands.

Owning a sailboat is an indulgence that many of us only dream about but very few ever have the privilege of sailing the seas in what they can actually call their own.

While there's nothing wrong with renting a sailboat, the honor of owning one is certain what many sailors dream of.

With a perfectly crafted sailboat as company, gliding through the water, waves, and wind brings some sort of unmatched comfort and peace.

Add this to the fact that sailing takes you far away from the daily hustles and bustles that we've become accustomed to in our daily lives and you'll see why the life of sailing is very appealing to the masses.

But without a proper sailboat, all this fun and the good life of sailing are thrown out of the window.

Contrary to the widespread opinion, owning a sailboat isn't beyond anyone's reach. It's something that we can all achieve. But before getting into that, it's important to know some of the best sailboat brands.

The best sailboat brands will make your life as a sailor a lot easier and more fun. The best sailboat brands have, for decades if not centuries, mastered the art of woodworking. They've dedicated their skills and immense amount of their time to designing and manufacturing nothing but the best quality of sailboats in the industry.

So if you've been looking for the best sailboat brands from all over the world, you've come to the right place. We'll discuss the best of the best, something that will give you a perfect getaway from your normal life.

Table of contents

‍ Must-Have Features for Your Sailboat

Before highlighting the best sailboat brands, it would be appropriate to jog your mind a little with some of the features that must be available in your sailboat.

Choosing a sailboat can sometimes be a matter of compromises. In other words, it's sometimes sensible to accept that a sailboat cannot have all the features that you desire.

As such, it's all about going with a sailboat that has the features that matter to you most.

For this reason, let's look at the most basic features that can make the difference in both safety and comfort while improving your sailing experience.

A Safe and Comfortable Sailing Cockpit

You'll most definitely be spending a huge amount of time in the cockpit. Whether you're keeping watch, trimming sails , helming, or just enjoying the scenery, there's no better place to do all these than from the cockpit. That being said, a good cockpit should have the following.

• Have a good depth for safety reasons and adequate drainage
• Should give you a quick and easy access to jammers, cleats, and other important parts of the winch system
• Should have a seat or seats that are about 35 cm high, 50 to 55 cm wide to provide ideal support
• The seats should be adjustable to offer maximum comfort and allow you to change your position

GPS Chartplotter

Use a GPS Chartplotter once and your sailing will never be the same without it. It not only allows you to map a course but is also a great way of ensuring that your sailboat exactly follows that course. It also gives you constant updates on ocean conditions, weather conditions , and potential hazards such as deadly currents and sandbars.

A GPS Chartplotter is also an important safety device that can help you in some very critical situations while out there on the water.

For instance, it has a man-overboard button that is essentially meant to allow you to receive coordinates of the exact location should someone fall off your boat.

Electric Winch System

This is an amazing addition to any sailboat. It allows you to sheet a jib even in high and strong winds with a simple press of a button. It also gives you the chance of trimming a mainsail easily while still carry out other essential tasks in the sailboat.

An electric winch system can be of great importance, especially if you're short on crew. This is because it can free up some crew members to carry other important tasks. In other words, it can make duties that would otherwise require more crew members a lot easier.

More importantly, an electric winch system can maintain safety even in the roughest of conditions, thereby preventing you and your crew from getting injured. In essence, an electric winch system will make your sailing a lot safer, less stressful, and more enjoyable.

Reverse Osmosis Watermaker

This is a very valuable accessory, especially if you're going on long sea voyages. You can spend days on end without drinking clean and safe water.

As the name suggests, you can use this accessory to turn seawater into purified drinking water. It uses the reverse osmosis method that's essential not only in removing bacteria and parasites from the water but also in turning the water into purified and safe drinking water.

Even though this device is pricey, it's a great way to mitigate the over-reliance on huge water tanks. All you have to do is to ensure that it's properly maintained and you'll have an endless streak of safe drinking water no matter where you are.

Wide and Clutter-free Deck

While the deck is often an overlooked feature of a sailboat, it can be the difference between a great sailing experience and a stressful one. In essence, the deck of a sailboat should be wide enough and clutter-free.

This is significant as it can enable you to quickly access different parts of your sailboat with hindrance or getting tangled. As you can see, this is particularly important in improving safety and reducing stress.

With that in mind, make sure that the deck is organized in such a way that you can have easy access to sails, masts, and winches.

You should, therefore, avoid sailboats with decks that are designed in such a way that you have to climb on top of the cabin just to access these features. Needless to say, this can be quite unstable and very dangerous especially when conditions are rough.

The Best Sailboat Brands and Why

1. hallberg-rassy.

Hallberg-Rassy is a Swedish yacht maker that's very well-known in the blue water cruising circles for making some of the highest quality and sturdiest sailboats. For many sailors, this is the number one sailboat brand as it offers absolute comfort, utmost safety, and good and easy handling.

This brand is not only synonymous with sturdy construction but you won't worry getting soaking wet while out there on the water. This is because it has a well-protected deck and cockpit, finished with nice woodwork, and has a powerful engine with a big tankage just to ensure that you can go on long voyages.

When designing its sailboats, this brand has made it a norm to add some features that stand out from the rest. For instance, the bowsprit is an integral feature that makes sailing a Hallberg-Rassy quite easy and much enjoyable. This is because it grants easy access to and from the deck. Its electric anchor winches facilitate smooth maneuvering. Even more, its large steering wheels makes it much easier to control the boat even in the roughest of conditions. In essence, this brand has features that provide good control and an extra sense of safety.

Although this brand has evolved over the years, you'll easily recognize it even from a distance. And why is this? A Hallberg-Rassy never goes out of style. This is a unique sailboat brand that has always stayed true to its principles and concept. No matter which part of the world you go, Hallberg-Rassy will remain the undisputed king of blue water cruising.

2. Nautor's Swan

For over 50 years, Nautor's Swan has endlessly raised the sailing levels by designing and manufacturing new sailboat models that not only push the boundaries but also meet that many requirements and demands of sailors across the world. Thanks to its wide range of seaworthy, timeless, elegant, and highly-performing sailboats, the Nautor's Swan remains one of the best if not the best sailboat makers in the world.

Based in Jakobstad, Finland, this brand has severally set the industry standard with its speedy and sleek models such as the Swan 48, Swan 65, Swan 98, Swan 78, and Swan 120. These models have one thing in common: they never compromise on safety. As a brand that puts safety first, it ensures that its models are made of foam-cored glass fiber and reinforced both with carbon-fiber and epoxy. In essence, Nautor's Swan is widely revered for its unmatched seafaring and safety records.

Additionally, Nautor's Swan models are incredibly responsive. You can easily tell this just by the feel of the wheel. This brand has models that will gracefully slice through the biggest of waves with ease. That's not all; the interior of these models that are very comfortable even when the going gets tough. This is, without a doubt, a brand that strives to create self-contained worlds with each model.

3. Beneteau

This is perhaps the most selling sailboat brand in the world. For over a century now, this brand has based its models in a combination of simplicity and performance. This is a brand that will serve you just right across all latitudes and in all circumstances. Whether you prefer the Oceanis Yacht 62 or the Figaro Beneteau 3, this brand will never let you down on all fronts.

This brand revolves around a simple concept of creating a link around the world. From the deck space to its design and light, this brand does everything possible not just to uniformly transform life at sea but also to open doors to new horizons in a very luxurious yet practical way. Its models are designed with clear deck plans, stable hulls, simplified maneuvering and interior materials and equipment that can be easily personalized.

Whether you're looking for a racing sailboat or something that's designed to explore and enjoy the world in the company of friends and family, Beneteau is a true combination of sensations and simplicity. This is a brand that brings to the seas fun, simplicity, smartness, toughness, safety, intuitiveness, as well as dazzling reinvention.

4. Amel Yachts

Based on the ethos of designing and manufacturing comfortable, robust, and easy-to-handle boats, this French brand has, for over five decades, offered sailors and other sailing enthusiasts the perfect opportunity to explore the seas with the utmost quality, comfort, and more importantly, safety.

Using 100% French know-how, this brand has brought to the sailing world some of the best boats such as the Santorini, the Mango, the Super Maramu, and the Maramu. We would be doing this brand total injustice if we said that they're distinctive. Truth be told, there's nothing comparable to an Amel model. Well Amel was and still is, the ultimate standard by which other sailboat models are measured.

From items such as electric winches and furling, to generators, Watermaker , and washing machine down to the simplest of items such as towels. Spare filters, bathrobes, deck brush, and a boat safe, the Amel is in reality with what the real life of a sailor is and should be.

Although some may say that Amel still has room for improvement in terms of specifications and personalization, it cannot be denied that the Amel is a serious brand that designs and manufactures complete boats. With this brand, you'll be guaranteed of a higher degree of reliability, safety, and an edge of fun while out there on the water.

5. Hinckley Yachts

Based in Maine, United States, Hinckley Yachts is a brand that has been building robust, luxury, and safe sailboats for more than 90 years now. In its sailboat class, you'll find several sailboats that have classic shapes, inner strength, dramatic lines, and features that are absolutely essential in dealing with the challenges of the North Atlantic.

This brand has been successful in integrating impeccable craftsmanship with new technologies to ensure that their models always stand out while articulating advanced sailing practices, timeless aesthetic, robust construction, and the utmost safety. Whether you choose the Bermuda 50, the Sou'wester 53 or any model for that matter, you'll never be short of advanced performance based on the best design and technology.

In terms of features, this brand provides sailboat models with modern performance hulls. These hulls are constructed with inner layers of carbon, outer layers of Kevlar, and are aligned with computer-designed load paths. Every feature is designed without compromising comfort.

To this end, this brand offers you a perfect combination of both fun and sail. This brand offers more than just sailing. Instead, it offers a unique sailing experience that's combined with the pure joys of sailing in the blue waters with an ease of ownership and maneuverability.

6. Oyster Yachts

If you've been looking for luxury more than anything else, Oyster Yachts provides you with numerous solutions. This British brand is widely known for manufacturing a wide range of luxury cruising sailing yachts. Its sailboats are among the finest in the world and are immensely capable of taking you to some of the far-flung places in the world without having to worry about high winds and hellish waves.

Whether you choose the iconic Oyster 565 or the immense Oyster 595 you never fall short of experiencing the new world like never before. These are models that will enable you to own your adventure, choose your destination, set your courses, pick your anchorage, and stay safe at all times. If you want to hold the wheel and pull the sail while feeling the tang of salt spray on your face, Oyster Yachts is the way to go.

This is, unquestionably, a brand that's meant for you if you want to explore the seas in comfort, luxury and utmost safety. From craftsmanship, sailboat design, to hull, deck, and keel configurations, everything is designed to allow you to circumnavigate the world in comfort, elegance, and style.

7. Tartan Yachts

Based in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, there's arguably no better to begin your sailing adventures than with a sailboat designed and manufactured by Tartan Yachts. With several award-winning designs and construction, this brand is widely known for providing easy handling, great performance, and an ultimately stable platform.

This brand always strives to deliver a unique and the best possible experience to every sailor. As a brand, Tartan fully understands that every sailor has his/her unique sailing needs. As such every component of their models is designed with engineering levels that guarantee optimum performance, excellent on-deck visibility, and luxurious interior.

From the Tartan 5300, the Tartan 4300, the Tartan 345 to the New 365 and the Fantail, this brand makes it a priority to ensure that its models are among the strongest, lightest, and more importantly, the safest in the sailing industry. In essence, this brand can be ideal if you appreciate performance. It has rewarding sailing features both in narrow water lines and wider passages. Add this to its easy handling and you'll have a top-notch performer in virtually every condition.

8. Catalina Yachts

As one of the most popular boat manufacturers in the world, this American brand is widely revered for building the sturdiest boats that can hold up perfectly well in real-world conditions. These are generally family-oriented boats that are intelligently designed to ensure that your entire family can have fun out there on the water.

Some of the models include the cruiser series such as the Catalina 315, the Catalina 385, the Catalina 425 while the sport series include the Catalina 12.5 Expo, the Catalina 16.5, and the Catalina 14.2 Expo. As the current winner of the "Boat of the Year" Cruising World, you'll rarely go wrong with a Catalina model.

It offers a wide range of sailboat sizes that suits your lifestyle. This brand makes it a priority to ensure that all their models are not only safe but offer the best ownership and sailing experience. If anything, this brand is widely known to have one of the most excellent resale values in the sailing industry.

9. Island Packet Yachts

From the IP 525, the IP 439 to the IP 379, the Island Packet Yachts is a brand that encourages its customers not to keep the world waiting. This brand is meant for sailors who want to explore the world in utmost comfort and safety.

The first thing you'll notice in an IP sailboat is its large aft deck. This is not only perfect for sunbathing but can also serve you well if you want an impromptu dinner with friends and family while out there on the water. The living space is also large enough to carry most of your belongings, which is an added advantage especially if you've been planning to spend longer periods in the seas.

With modern evolution and refinement, as well as proven features, this brand is known to offer sailors maximum comfort, luxury, and safety. You'll have better access to the cockpit, have enough space, and are excellently designed to provide superior seafaring and the best features to enable you to spend extended periods when cruising.

10. Sparkman & Stephens

For more than 90 years, Sparkman & Stephens has been at the forefront of the belief that sailboat excellence goes beyond hull lines and deck plans. Instead, this brand believes in excellent naval architecture, innovation, sophistication, and beauty. This is a brand that has laid the foundation of sailboat as a sport not just in America but all over the world.

These models have graced the world for decades and bring immense pleasure to their owners in terms of innovation, performance, and excellence. Though rooted in tradition, the brand has pushed sophistication, technology, and sailing experience to a whole new level. You'll be a proud owner of the Sparkman & Stephens model.

There you have it; these are the best sailboat brands in the world. Although there are several other sailboat brands to choose from, the-above described brands stand shoulder above others in terms of quality, safety, performances and luxury.

Hopefully, you're at a much better place when it comes to choosing a sailboat that suits your lifestyle, needs, and budget .

Happy sailing!

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Timmerman Yachts

Timmerman Yachts is a Russian builder of quality luxury motor yachts. Based in Moscow, it is owned by a group of Dutch and Russian investors and operates out of Moscow Shipyard. Several noted naval architecture and yacht design firms are involved with Timmerman, including Vripack, Guido de Groot Design, Ginton Naval Architects, Jon Bannenberg Ltd., and Francis Design Ltd.

Founded in 2003, the company was named for 17th century Dutch boat builder Franz Timmerman who brought Dutch boat manufacturing techniques to Russia and co-founded the Russian navy. Timmerman Yachts has more than 1,000 employees working at the Moscow Shipyard.

Notable Timmerman Yachts

Timmerman has delivered a number of semi-custom luxury yachts between 26-47 metres in length, including TM26 and Timmerman FD-51, designed by Francis Design Ltd. Other notable Timmerman yachts include Victoria M, Alexandra (now Latitude) and Olsten 125'.

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One of the 10 largest yacht builders in the world, Timmerman is focused on building high-quality luxury yachts at more competitive prices. Its Russian-Dutch partnership provides great yacht-building capabilities. Timmerman builds yacht to the highest standards and holds DNV, MCA and Russian River Register certification. The company reportedly has more than a dozen yachts in some phase of construction.

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Welcome to Atlantic Yacht & Ship, Inc. We remain an integral leader in the yacht and ship brokerage industry, serving the yachting community since 1959. Atlantic Yacht & Ship, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is located in the heart of the “Yachting Capital of the World”. Whether buying or selling a quality motor yacht, center console, or having your luxury yacht built. Atlantic Yacht & Ship is your one-stop resource for the highest quality luxury yacht sales and service in the yachting industry today. The dynamics in buying or selling a yacht are complex and time consuming, but at Atlantic Yacht & Ship, our team of professional yacht brokers are prepared to handle the entire process and create a positive and easy experience for all our clients.

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Best luxury yacht: 7 ultimate luxury cruisers you can buy

• Toby Hodges
• March 14, 2024

Toby Hodges takes a look at all the nominees and the winner of the best luxury yacht category in the European Yacht of the Year Awards

The definition of the best luxury yacht will differ according to personal opinion and from boat to boat. This year’s nominees in the luxury yacht category of the European Yacht of the Year Awards proved that perfectly.

The European Yacht of the Year awards are selected by a broad panel of expert judges from across the globe. These are people who spend their professional lives sailing and comparing yachts, so you can be certain that the yachts which stand out in this field are truly the best of the best on the market.

The best luxury yachts

Best luxury yacht winner 2024 – arcona 50.

When you enter the fiercely competitive 50ft luxury performance yacht market you better get it right. And the jury felt Arcona managed that. This watershed design for the traditional Swedish brand, by X-Yachts co-founder and former designer Niels Jeppesen, is a big, contemporary new Arcona, one that sees it move away from its cruiser-racer heritage and classic interiors.

The on trend styling inside and out is backed up by a premium level of build and finish quality and sailing performance – particularly if you have the performance sails, traveller and deep (2.95m) keel options the test boat carried, although the latter does limit your berthing and anchoring options.

While I doubt it’ll be raced or will suit typical bluewater use, it offers a purity of performance push-button sailing: a handsome prospect upwind in a light breeze, it transforms into a powerful reaching machine with stacks of control.

As chairman of our jury, Jochen Rieker, puts it: “The boat certainly did not win for her somewhat borrowed looks. She wins by checking all the boxes in all other respects. Slipping along gracefully in the lightest of airs, holding her stride and her balance in more demanding conditions, offering warmth, light and this reassuring feeling of utter quality down below – there simply isn’t anything to fault.”

Contest 50CS

The Contest 50CS, for example, is an archetype luxury cruising yacht, one built to the highest standards and that could take you to most waters in impeccable comfort. This model is, uniquely, available in two versions: this more conventional 50CS with aft master cabin, or the forward owner’s suite version on the aft cockpit Contest 49CS . We ran a full test on the latter after spending two days aboard in the North Sea, where that noticeably high freeboard, which may not aid boarding nor windage, helped keep us dry on deck in a steady Force 6 gusting 7.

As the 50CS proved, this Judel/Vrolijk design keeps slipping along in the light stuff too, providing enjoyable sailing in 6 knots breeze under a code sail. The centre cockpit offers a deep protected guest area, but also links well to the spacious aft deck.

And the Wetzels-Brown-designed interiors of Contests today are stunning and hard to match. The engineering, access to usable stowage, details and finish on the 50CS is first class and to get this level of quality at this size is special.

Both Contest and X-Yachts are early adopters of hybrid power, offering their bluewater cruisers with optional electric drives. For the XC 47 this was designed-in from the start to offer Oceanvolt’s award-winning new 25kW regenerative drive.

The XC 47 is another wonderfully engineered and thought out yacht for distance cruising, in particular for those who also enjoy hands-on helming pleasure. That should come as no surprise to any X aficionados, but what really struck me most about this yacht was the stowage, and the forethought needed to create that, together with how practical it has been made.

That may sound slightly anticlimactic but ask any long-term cruiser and stowage is always a priority. On deck, this constitutes a huge lazarette and sail locker, plus clever systems for launching a dinghy via davits and a liferaft canister, while below decks every square inch of space has been used effectively, with lockers hinged with gas struts.

It’s clear the Danish yard went to considerable time and effort, even building a full mock up of the interior that could be canted 20° each way.

If the deck saloon style looks didn’t sell this model to all – this is the first full non-Jeppesen designed X – the jury were converted once they’d taken the helm. ‘Quirky’ became ‘muscular and bold’. The ease with which it can be sailed from the cockpit was also appreciated.

While I understand many offshore cruisers like a protected centre cockpit and more sun protection, the attention to detail, stowage and practicalities, combined with the direct steering, motion and enjoyable sailing this X offers make it a standout new offering.

Jeanneau Yachts 55

Meanwhile the Jeanneau Yachts 55 stands out for different, unique reasons in this category, offering a completely new concept in comfort on deck while at anchor and a novel accommodation layout. Its focus is on outdoor living space.

What helps place this in a luxury bracket is not simply the price or the creative input of superyacht specialist design duo Philppe Briand and Andrew Winch, rather that its layout creates a palatial amount of private space for the owner’s suite. Guest cabins have their own direct access from the extensive cockpit via gullwing doors.

It certainly makes sense for solo owners or couples using it as a warm water apartment. How many people this will suit is another question, as it segregates any guests, crew or children from the galley and saloon.

I used the term monocat when I first viewed it, as the 55 really does attempt to mix the two worlds, particularly in terms of providing owner privacy and lounging space. Choose the rigid hard top and windshield and there’s a vast amount of covered area including a dinette and chart table – plus a bimini can shade all that extensive aft deck too.

The penalty comes in additional weight and wetted surface, and is felt in the handling and performance, the latter particularly in lighter breeze with the optional in-mast furling, self tacking headsail and shallow draught package we had. However, it’s set up to be easily managed from the mid cockpit with good visibility from the twin helms and easy circulation thanks to the ramped side decks. Full report in YW February 2024.

Best luxury yacht 2023

Best luxury yacht winner – oyster 495.

It is hard to imagine that the decor of a yacht can change its look and feel quite this much, yet the layout of this second 495, Eddie Jordan’s dramatic looking Tuga , is in fact identical to the first boat that I spent several days aboard last summer.

At its heart is a wonderfully (Humphreys) designed and engineered luxury bluewater cruiser conceived from the ground up, built in a new dedicated facility to a repeatable quality very few yards are capable of.

The 495 offers consistent passage making speeds in real voluminous comfort – whether enjoyed from the deep cockpit or the best-in-class aft cabin. Deck stowage and mechanical space is also superb.

Then factor in the family appeal of Oyster’s after sales and world rally programme and you start to appreciate the premium world this sub 50-footer gives access to.

The first yacht fully conceived under CEO Richard Hadida’s reign, this is also the smallest completely new Oyster 495 since 2005 – and it’s a triumph. It was our September 2022 cover star in which we featured the full review from our Oyster 495 three day test .

Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 60

The Oceanis Yacht 60 is a very different beast indeed to the 62 it replaces as flagship for the Beneteau range. The yard has learned plenty from the success of the First 53/OY 54 and wanted to create a 60 in this style and with the same deck layout (albeit larger and wider) and ease of circulation.

The construction experience of the smaller model clearly helped too, as this is a whopping five tonnes lighter than the bulky OY62 and with a deeper (2.6m) keel. The telling result is on the water. It feels sporty to helm and we averaged a knot slower than the single figure 6-8 knot windspeeds upwind and matched them reaching with Code 0 and a slight swell.

The vast cockpit works well, sheltered below the semi rigid bimini, it has plentiful lounging space with sailing systems led aft to the twin helms. The interior sees a 3+3 layout, where Beneteau wanted to get rid of the corridor effect of the OY62. The galley is forward to help open out space, while the forward suite with offset berth and headboard aft works well to give space with privacy.

This is an attractive, voluminous yacht that leaves a good overall impression whether under sail, on or below decks.

Ice 62 Targa

It all looks pretty funky below decks on the Ice 62 Targa too, especially if you’re watching the masthead fore and aft cameras (plus bow and prop cam) on central displays mounted in the saloon while you slip out of the dock! The Ice is a seriously impressive, contemporary yacht, one that in looks, performance and execution, won over many of the judges.

The first to launch is a highly customised project for a passionate sailing owner who covers long distances solo – he’d already sailed it 3,000 miles around the Med that autumn. It’s impressively stiff, sails handsomely and, thanks to a telescopic keel, points well. We matched single figure windspeeds, and clocked up to the high 9s in 12 knots wind.

Umberto Felci’s team spent 4,000 hours on the design, providing lots of space and light to the interior and a chillout zone in the semi raised saloon. This was easily the coolest looking yacht, with its aggressive reverse bow, chamfered gunwales and carbon T-top bimini, and all engineered and built to a high standard.

If you enjoyed this….

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10 Best Boat Brands & Manufacturers: 2023 Edition

Table of Contents

Last Updated on July 12, 2023 by Boatsetter Team

There are countless boat manufacturers and brands, each building unique models. Big ones, small ones, boats with one hull , boats with two or three hulls, boats with pontoons, boats for fishing, boats for cruising, boats for wakeboarding, and more. When you first start looking at boats, this can overwhelm you. You don’t have to search alone; we’ll guide you! Let’s look at 10 of the leading boat manufacturers and brands up-to-date together: 

• Cruisers Yachts 
• Sea Ray 
• Azimut 
• Monterey 
• Chaparral 
• Leopard 
• Everglades 
• Grady White 
• Bennington 
• Malibu 

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Cruisers Yachts

Wisconsin-based Cruisers Yachts has been building boats since 1904. It currently has Cantius and GTS lines, with 15 different models between them. The boats range in length overall from 34 feet to 60 feet and can come with everything from open tops to closed tops to flybridges. Generally speaking, Cruisers makes boats for cruising with friends and family. ou can find these boats on the nation’s coasts and on larger lakes. 

Sea Ray is based in Tennessee and has been building boats since 1959. Its Sundancer line is one of the most ubiquitous on America’s waterways; the company also has an SLX series of luxury cruisers, an SDX series for family day-boating, and an SPX series of sport boats that you can sometimes rent with things like wakeboarding towers built-in. You could rent multiple Sea Ray boats on Boatsetter and have a different boating experience every single time. 

Azimut is an Italian boatbuilder that was founded in 1969, and today is part of the Azimut-Benetti Group of shipyards and other companies. Azimut itself has six lines of boats: Fly, S, Grande, Magellano, Verve, and Atlantis. Within those lines, multiple sizes offer increasingly larger versions with more and more features. Overall, Azimut builds boats intended for higher-speed family cruising with chic Italian style. 

Florida’s Monterey Boats got its start in 1985. It has four models currently available: Super Sports, Outboard, M Series (which come with lots of options, so there are lots of versions of them on the waterways), and Sport Boats. When you combine all the lines and sizes within the lines, about 30 different Monterey boats are available—which means many rental opportunities. 

Georgia-based Chaparral boats have been in business since 1965. It makes five lines of boats: SSI Sport Boats, SSI Outboards, SSX Luxury Bowriders, OSX Luxury Outboard Sport Boats , and the Surf line of wakesports boats. Quite a few of Chaparral’s models can be trailered to and from different locations, and the various models can be outfitted with features for cruising, fishing, and water sports. 

Leopard Catamarans builds its boats in Cape Town, South Africa. As the company’s name states, these are cats, not monohulls, which means they have two hulls instead of one. Leopard cats come in power and sail varieties, from about 40 to 53 feet in length overall. Because they’re catamarans , boats with these lengths are much wider than monohulls, giving people more room to stretch out on board.

Florida’s Everglades is a favorite brand among boaters who like to catch fish. The company builds center consoles, dual consoles, and bay boats, and some of its models are regularly seen hunting for big game during professional-angler tournaments in the offshore canyons. On these boats, expect to find things like rod holders, outriggers, bait stations, and other features that are intended to make a day of fishing even more fun. 

Grady-White

Grady-White , based in North Carolina, has been building boats since 1959. It has long been known for its coastal fishing boats, with five lines available today: Center Consoles, Dual Consoles, Coastal Explorers, Express Cabins, and Walkaround Cabins. Many of these boats can be ordered with features that make them equally great for family cruising and fishing, so check the Boatsetter listings for specifics when deciding which one to rent.

Indiana’s Bennington is a leading brand name in pontoon boats, which are often available for rent on lakes and other inland waterways. These are wide, stable boats that can be used for family cruising. Parents with small children tend to like pontoon boats because of the higher sides all around. Bennington makes four lines: the customizable Q Line, the sporty R Bowrider line, the higher-end LX Sport line, and the more traditional SX line. 

Malibu Boats in Tennessee is a brand that’s synonymous with wakeboarding and other tow sports. It makes a dozen different styles of boats that are shaped and outfitted in ways that produce fun-to-ride wakes, step-up features to make it easier to get in and out of the water, seating that lets passengers look forward or aft (at the wakeboarders in the water) and soft-grip flooring so there’s less of a chance of wet feet slipping. The premium sound systems are pretty darn cool, too.

One of the great things about learning through Boatsetter is that you can book a different builder, and even a different model from that builder, every time you head out on the water. Boatsetter rentals are a terrific way to learn which brands and styles of boats are ideally suited to the type of fun you want to have on board. 

About Boatsetter 

Boatsetter is a unique boat-sharing platform that gives everyone — whether you own a boat or you’re just renting — the chance to experience life on the water. You can list a boat , book a boat , or make money as a captain . 

Put your boat to work. Earn an avg. of $20K yearly with Boatsetter

Kim Kavin has been on boats in more than 50 countries and islands, including in the Caribbean, Mediterranean, South Pacific, Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. She grew up learning to steer a ski boat and Hobie Holder at her grandfather’s lake house in New Jersey, and went on to spend time aboard everything from America’s Cup racing sailboats to submarines. 

Kim is a PADI-certified scuba diver and animal lover who always enjoys a good, long look around a coral reef. Her award-winning writing and editing regularly appears in national marine magazines and on leading websites. In her early years, she was a Dow Jones editing intern and a graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. When she’s not writing, Kim can usually be found hiking northwest New Jersey’s beautiful park trails with her adopted shelter mutt, Ginger.

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