The yacht Irisha was the winner of the Best Exterior Styling Motor Yachts 40m to 59m in 2019 at the Boat International Design & Innovation Awards.
Just four points separated the two top finishers in this category – boats that might seem to have little in common beyond unusually strong hull colours. While both Irisha and Latona had strong lines that speak to their mission, and those are quite a bit different as well, Irisha pulled out a win over second-place finisher Latona largely because of the former’s innovative use of very large glass panels defining the sporty wheelhouse and its connection to the sundeck. The bridge is cleverly situated on a half-deck between the upper deck saloon and the sundeck and the complex glass structure that covers it is one of the largest pieces of chemically hardened compound curved glass ever made in Europe. The bridge and sundeck are linked by a large sliding door and drop-down window – it’s a stunning exterior design feature but it also creates the feeling, when open, of being on the bridge of a sports boat (in this case a 51m, 26.1 knot one). The aggressively raised, raked bow and an unusual, bold paint scheme in a custom colour create a near trompe l’oeil effect on the trideck’s profile. While much of the yacht is dedicated to entertaining large groups, a neatly integrated forward-facing guest sofa with a hidden, folding privacy canopy provides clever foredeck seating.
The following yachts were finalists in the Best Exterior Styling Motor Yachts 40m to 59m in 2019 at the Boat International Design & Innovation Awards
