Superyacht International – December 2022

Summary

Superyacht International Winter 2022/23, issue 76, opens with Benetti FB276 Metis as the cover yacht at page 50, with the methanol eco-yachting editorial at page 3 setting the sustainability agenda. The Monaco Yacht Show meeting report covers sustainable explorations across 12 pages, while the 500 GT challenge technical feature at page 74 examines the engineering ceiling beneath that tonnage threshold. Designer Giorgio M. Cassetta’s interview at page 44 traces his career from childhood sketches to current projects. The Travel section at page 110 visits the American Virgin Islands as a Caribbean cruising destination.

On Board walkthroughs cover Custom Line 140 at page 58 and Cantiere delle Marche Acala at page 66. The What’s on the Market section profiles four new builds: Perini Navi Ketch 56M, Numarine 30XP, Wally wind130-150, and Sunseeker Ocean 460. The Nautilus submarine-yacht concept at page 40 adds a speculative design element. Lotus Eletre hyper-SUV advertising and Piquadro lifestyle branding appear across premium positions.

Project and design showcases run from LP Design UK EXO144 at page 22 through Victory Design Bolide 170, Pininfarina-De Simoni X2, and Vitruvius Yacht 80M. A strong winter issue for owners and charterers weighing 2023 build slots against sustainability demands.

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Content Guide

▸ On Board

p.50 · Benetti FB276 Metis
Full walkthrough of the 76-metre Benetti with exterior by Cassetta and interiors by the owner’s team. The layout covers six guest cabins, a beach club, and a helipad. The build timeline from steel-cutting to delivery is mapped. Book a sea trial before the build contract is signed, not after.

p.58 · Custom Line 140
The 42-metre planing hull from Ferretti Group with a top speed above 28 knots. The interior layout prioritises owner privacy with a full-beam master suite and separate crew quarters. The shallow 2.1-metre draft opens up Bahamian cruising grounds.

p.66 · Cantiere delle Marche Acala
An explorer-style motor yacht built for long-range cruising. The semi-displacement hull and 4,500-nautical-mile range make it suited for transatlantic passages without refuelling. Stow a spare shaft seal for extended voyages beyond warranty service ports.

▸ Design & Innovation

p.40 · Design: Nautilus – The yacht for sailing under water
A speculative submarine-yacht concept blending surface cruising with submerged operation. The two-deck design includes underwater viewing windows and a decompression chamber. No confirmed build timeline exists, but the patent filing territory is worth monitoring for superyacht investors.

p.44 · Designer: Giorgio M. Cassetta – Since I was a child
A career-spanning interview tracing Cassetta’s journey from childhood boats to current projects including Benetti FB276. His design philosophy prioritises exterior proportion before interior volume allocation. Walk the deck at sunset before finalising any exterior lines.

▸ Technical

p.74 · The 500 GT Challenge
An engineering deep-dive on designing yachts below the 500 GT regulatory threshold, which changes manning, safety, and tax obligations. The feature analyses three recent sub-500 GT builds and their layout compromises. Keep your engine room volume below 12 per cent of GT to maximise accommodation space.

p.82 · Shipyards: Next Yacht Group – Interview with Gennaro Candida De Matteo
The CEO discusses the group’s 2023 build slots, material supply chain pressures, and the shift toward hybrid propulsion. Specific delivery timelines and price ranges for current models are discussed. Lock in steel pricing with your yard within 90 days of the letter of intent.

▸ Market & Charter

p.8 · Perini Navi Ketch 56M
A 56-metre sailing ketch with carbon-fibre rig and naval architecture by Philippe Briand. The sail plan exceeds 2,500 square metres. Specify furling sails for shorthanded cruising above 50 metres.

p.92 · Meeting: Monaco Yacht Show – Sustainable explorations
A show report covering alternative fuel infrastructure, the Eco-Friendly Yacht Charter Award, and builder commitments to IMO Tier III compliance. The panel discussions yielded concrete 2025 targets from three major yards. Ask your broker for the show’s sustainability whitepaper before specifying a new-build engine package.

▸ Travel

p.110 · Travel: American Virgin Islands – The US Caribbean
A cruising guide to St Thomas, St John, and St Croix covering mooring fees, customs clearance, provisioning sources, and hurricane-season anchorages. The feature includes GPS coordinates for recommended bays. Book a St John mooring ball 48 hours ahead during high season.

▸ Regulars

p.124 · Who’s Who
Directory of key superyacht industry personnel: designers, brokers, captains, and builders with current contact information. The annual update includes new appointments and company changes. Update your industry contact database in January each year using this directory.

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Editor’s Take

This winter issue earns its cover price through two standout pieces: the 500 GT challenge is a genuinely useful engineering reference for owners building at that threshold, and the Giorgio Cassetta interview offers insider design process you do not get from brochures. The Nautilus submarine concept is an interesting speculative piece but occupies premium pages for what is currently a render. On the weak side, the What’s on the Market section reads like a press release roundup with minimal critical analysis. The Lotus Eletre advertising spread is visually striking but takes up a four-page slot that could have carried a buyer’s guide. The American Virgin Islands travel piece is solid but short on anchorage-specific data compared to past issues. Best for owners with a sub-500 GT build in evaluation.

Strengths
• 500 GT engineering analysis with real-build examples
• Cassetta design interview with starting-point pricing context
• Monaco show sustainability report with 2025 yard commitments

Weaknesses
• What’s on the Market section lacks critical comparison between models
• Nautilus concept is all renders, no engineering detail

Verdict: Recommended — Strong technical content for the serious owner, though the market pages could push harder.

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