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| Photo by Freeimages.com/Charis Tsevis |
Lizzie Porter, The Daily Telegraph, September 25, 2015
Watersports gear and a high crew-to-guest ratio have become almost passe in superyacht circles, where companies are going to ever greater extremes to cater to the demands of billionaire customers with millions to drop.
Whether superyachts are chartered for a season, or bought for private ownership, this year's Monaco Yacht Show, currently taking place in the microstate on the Mediterranean coast, showcases the newest gadgets to covet.
They include a "supercar", launched by yachting company Camper & Nicholsons in collaboration with the Liverpool-based Briggs Automotive Company. The "Marine Edition Mono", which would set owners back £500,000, excluding delivery and VAT, is designed be lifted from a vessel using a carbon-fibre crane arm onto the dockside, should sailors wish to make a quick dash around their port of call.
The vehicle can go from 0-60mph in just 2.7 seconds, and will have protective coatings on its body and all exposed metallic components to protect against salt water corrosion.
• The world's largest superyacht revealed
The Monaco Yacht Show has taken place at Port Hercules since 1991, displaying around 120 superyachts to some of the world's wealthiest consumers. Some forty new launches will be unveiled this year.
• The world's biggest superyachts
Superyacht owners who wish to explore underwater rather than on land may instead opt for their own private submarine.
Among the 500 exhibitors at the Monaco Yacht Show, the most prestigious event in the industry, is DeepFlight - which bills itself as a manufacturer of "High Performance Personal Submarines". The company is displaying the latest version of its "Dragon" craft, which allows "complete freedom to cruise alongside big animals or stop and hover over ancient shipwrecks."
The two-person craft, which can travel to a depth of 400ft, will set buyers back an estimated $1.5million (£975,000) - but what price one's own Bond-style flying machine?
• La Sultana, the Soviet spy ship-turned-super yacht
Superyachts with helipads on deck allow yacht guests to fly directly from the airport to the boat, without the trouble of passing through a marina. Ocean Independence, one of the world's largest yacht brokerage firms, is displaying the 201-ft Voyager at the Monaco show. The ship has nine guest cabins and space for 19 members of crew, along with a helipad that, "gives many more options for discovery."
The longest boat at the show is Solandge, at 85.1 metres in length, with six decks, a 29-person strong crew, and capacity for 16 guests. She was delivered in 2013 by the German shipyard Lürssen, and also features an on-deck pool and lavish interior design.
• The superyacht of the future
The 70-metre Amadeus, built by Amadeus Yachts, is apt for entertainment junkies, offering a Steinway piano, a cinema, a golf driving range, and "a host of water toys" including "waverunners", radio control-dinghies, and paddle boards. Those who do not wish to walk between its decks can use the lift. Charter costs reach €500,000 a week in peak summer season, and US$525,000 in winter.
Cakewalk, which has just undergone a refit, has a large Jacuzzi and gym, and is on sale for €21,950,000 (£16.2 million). It has a split-level "VIP stateroom" on the bridge deck and space for up to 13 guests.
This article was written by Lizzie Porter from The Daily Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.
