A show needs its stars and Boot Dusseldorf 2020 had a whole fleet of world and local debuts to get excited about, across a range of yacht styles and sizes.
The flybridge market was particularly very well served, with three stand-out debuts from Cranchi, Pearl and Sunseeker, plus the new Absolute 45 Fly and Greenline 45 Fly, both launched at Cannes 2019.
The sports bar was raised a couple of notches by Windy and its new Shamal 37, joined by the recently launched SR 44 Blackhawk. Over at Princess we had the opportunity to look over the V55 sports yacht, a hugely impressive design that will go toe-to-toe with Sunseeker’s Predator Evo 60.
Pearl 62
Pearl Yachts new 18.6m 62 was a contender for yacht of the show and is certainly one of the best flybridge models in what is a very competitive class. With IPS power, superb finish and faultless design this four-cabin yacht is also very competitively priced with a standard of equipment that puts others to shame.
Highlights include another superb flybridge from this British builder, a luxurious private master suite and a highly sophisticated finish across the Kelly Hoppen designed interior.
LOA 18.6m
Max speed 33 knots
Price
Cranchi Settanotto
Italian yard Cranchi were marking 150 years of boat building with a new 78ft four-cabin flagship, the Settantotto. The best finished Cranchi we have ever seen, this stunning flybridge yacht comes with triple IPS engines, a breathtaking four-cabin interior and an achingly cool flybridge.
With a high level of interior customisation available, the deck salon can be fitted with free-standing furniture to suit your style, the show yacht coming with a range of solid marble finishes accented by warm burnt orange tones and walnut and wenge woods. Below decks, the cabins run off a single stairwell, the master suite enjoying space and lot of sharp Italian style.
As a crewed yacht, perhaps Cranchi first, the galley and lower helm have been designed to allow smooth crew access around the yacht without disturbing guests.
On deck, a very smart lounge lies forward with the aft deck joining the salon via a novel two-sided door system that succeeds in opening up and merging the two spaces.
But the crowning moment is the flybridge, beautifully finished it features a smart teak and steel wet bar and galley, superb four-person helm area and a long swathe or low, deep seating that morphs into a sunpad. The aft deck is left clear for loungers and is notable for the tall teak and stainless steel rail that wraps around it, creating a very large yacht feel.
Finally, it must be stated that a world record might be on here, for the most showers ever worked into a 78ft yacht we counted at least 10 before we became dizzy.
LOA 25.1
Max speed 30 knots (approx)
Price
Greenline 45 Fly
Joining the 48 model, this new 45 offers a two or three-cabin layout along with Greenline’s usual mix of eco-focused hybrid drive options and solar power.
A galley-aft layout and raised salon work very well, with the option of facing seating or a huge top-loading cabinet. Below decks, a full-beam master suite is joined by bright forward VIP featuring a surround of raised windows. The third guest cabin has a small double berth or it can be replaced with a large walk-in wardrobe or study area.
The main draw for Greenline is its eco-power options and here the twin diesel engines, running on either shafts or IPS, can deliver up to 30 knots, with the option to add an electric drive unit for silent, zero-emission running at 5 knots for up to 30 nautical miles.
The standard-fit solar panels are enough to keep all domestic system running, including the fridge-freezer. Allowing owners to spend time away from port while still enjoying full functionality.
LOA 15.5m
Max speed 30 knots
Price 499,500
Absolute 47
This entry-level model for the Fly range was actually launched at Cannes, but Düsseldorf afforded us more time to be impressed by the level of space and style worked into this entry-level model.
If you covet cabins above all else, this yacht has to be on your radar. With what amounts to two master suites, a sensational forward suite and a VIP amidships, plus a neat twin-berth guest cabin, this 47 is working very hard to impress and must be the most accommodating sub-50ft model on the market.
LOA 14.6m
Max speed 30 knots
Price 770, 000 exc VAT
Princess V55
Streamlined on the outside, the onboard space and luxury delivered by this 35-knot V55 is nothing short of sensational.
On-deck, the sun pad and aft cockpit create a fantastic place to spend days on the water, but it is how the deck flows seamlessly into the salon area that impresses most, with glass sections that slide and fall away to create one luxurious living area. With the salon’s sunroof opened it really is day-boating heaven. Or you can close everything up at the touch of a button (or two) for something more private.
Open or closed, this Princess works very hard to deliver large yacht levels of equipment, with oversized fridge and freezer drawers, masses of stowage, a very purposeful helm and large swathes of seating.
Below decks, the three-cabin layout includes a magnificent master suite flanked by huge windows, forward VIP and possibly the best bunked third cabin around. Each cabin is beautifully considered in terms of space, style and specification.
Powered by twin 900hp or 1000hp shaftdrive diesel engines, if the V55 runs as well as it works it’s very hard to see what more you would need in a three-cabin yacht.
LOA 17.8m
Max speed 37 knots
Price
Bavaria SR41
It is only right that a German yacht show has a new German yacht to shout about and the SR41 was it. This 13.3m two cabin sports yacht is not only a new model, but also marks the start of a new range - the SR series combining the current S and R ranges in terms of design and will, ultimately, replace them.
For now, this SR41 is the sole model and will be available in Coupe or Hardtop versions, the latter seen here with its larger sunroof area, but the SR range will also include flybridge models too.
Inside, the SR41 feels highly optimised, with space, storage and good sense pretty much everywhere you look. The full-beam master suite is a real coup for this size yacht and features a neat sofa and decent en suite. The forward guest cabin is perfectly good, with a day head next door while the lower salon is bright with a sofa that will quickly convert to a double berth.
The lower galley is packed with stowage but is light on cooking facilities, and for a good reason. Bavaria knows that steam, smoke and smells are bad news below decks, far better to cook up top, under a large sunroof where things can ventilate away. As such the cockpit has a long wet bar with a grill, sink, fridge and space for more if needed.
From function to fun, and the SR41’s cut-away transom incorporates a neat U-shape seat and table looking aft, perfect for sundowners or keeping an eye on waterborne kids. The seating design easily converts to a sun pad and still works in plenty of stowage but if you do want the old massive under-sun pad locker Bavaria offer a slot in unit.
A very competent and considered entry-level yacht.
LOA 13.3m
Max speed 32 knots (approx)
Price
Windy Shamal 37
Windy makes very fine sportsboats, with on-water capabilities that also allows them to make very fine cruising yachts.
Designed by superyacht heavyweight Espen Oino, this new 11.25m four-berth Shamal is a perfect example of Windy quality and culture, a serious sportsboat with a deep open cockpit and performance honed helm station that comes packed with high-quality details, a sense of strength and an interior that will very happily look after a family for days at a time, including a superb toilet and shower compartment.
The finish is excellent, Windy’s success in the superyacht tender market clearly having an effect here, both in the general onboard feel and more specific elements such as the cockpit seating’s fold-out drinks holders. Added to Windy’s clever canopy system and a knack for adding stowage just where you want it and you have a very smart sportsboat.
The Shamal looks the part outside too, with powerful forward sections and an aggressive line incorporating tinted glass. Twin, turbo diesel sterndrive engines finish things off with speeds expected to pass 40 knots.
LOA 11.25m
Max speed 40 knots +
Price
