With their spacious decks, interior salons and cabins and fast cruising performance flybridge yachts will always remain one of, if not the most, popular types of yachts on the market, and it seems demand for these yacht with buyers has never been greater.
A move into 20m (70ft) flybridge territory also takes you into fully crewed yacht operation, the extra size and luxury you will enjoy requiring some professional assistance to manage day-to-day and at sea. That means buyers at this size need to think about employing and maintaining crew, while the yachts themselves will include crew quarters.
Some of the world’s biggest shipyards are engaged in the crew-operated flybridge market, with ever-more exciting, spacious and capable designs coming through, never more so than now. All the big brands will be fighting for your attention in the dazzling surroundings of the French Riviera and we have picked five of the best from 20m to 27m (70ft to 90ft) to look out for.
Astondoa AS8
The largest yacht in Astondoa’s Flybridge range, the AS8 combines the line’s signature, sporty-looking exterior with a modern, contemporary interior, plenty of space and even more natural light, courtesy of vast hull windows and huge sliding doors.
Inside, the salon forms a single space with the galley and opens up to a so-called solarium. Deck space across this 25.25m (82.8ft) motor yacht is equally impressive, the cockpit and beach club merge seamlessly. Up top the large flybridge spans the width of the boat with the forward half shielded from the sun by a hard-top, whilst aft there is plenty of deck space for sun loungers.
With the first hull delivered and two more in the order book, the model has already proved popular before her official world debut at Cannes.
Azimut 68
Azimut has billed its new 68 model as a yacht with a choice of layouts “to suit every lifestyle”.
The 20.9m (68.5ft) motor yacht will make its world debut at Cannes and was conceived by the Italian yard after a comprehensive analysis of the various ways owners and guests pass their time on board.
The promised lifestyle choice comes from a choice of three distinctive main deck layouts: the enclosed galley, the open galley and the aft galley. The enclosed galley layout closes the galley off for privacy or crew service, the open galley keeps the galley in a discreet location but has it opening directly into the dining room and the aft galley layout has the galley located in the stern with a more relaxed indoor-outdoor flow.
The Azimut 68 is, at last count, one of 19 models from the Italian builder at the show and is a must-see for anyone interested in a classic combination of Italian style and innovation.
Princess Y72
At 21.77m (71.4ft) the Princess Y72 is the smallest model in its Y range, but that is about the only time a diminutive term will be used to describe this yacht.
Princess has a wonderful habit of creating big, luxurious yachts that still look elegant - the supersize X range apart - and you certainly could believe you are on one of the larger Y class models here. The Y72 takes the popular design language seen on the Y78 and Y85 and mixes it with the full-length hull windows that are set to be replicated on the Y95 when it launches next year.
A spacious salon is designed with the galley and dining table aft, serving the aft deck, and a smart lounge area forward.. There's a luxurious full-beam Owner’s stateroom and the flybridge looks huge, as does the foredeck lounge.
CEO of Princess Antony Sheriff has referred to the Y72 as representing the ‘next generation’ of Princess yachts, which means there is a whole lot more to look forward to over the next few years from this esteemed British builder.
Sunseeker 90 Ocean
The largest of what Sunseeker dubbed “The Famous Five”, five models simultaneously announced in January, the 27.1m (90ft) 90 Ocean showcases the exciting new design direction of the British builder's next generation of larger models.
Despite being less than a meter longer than her predecessor, the 86 Yacht, the 90 Ocean feels much larger thanks to a 7.16m (23.5ft) beam and a cleverly designed upright bow that brings interior volume forward.
That means that there is a multitude of riches to enjoy including a 6m x 4m (20ft x 13ft) beach club, a flybridge that Sunseeker claims is 25 percent larger than comparable yachts and refined open-plan interiors giving a classic penthouse feeling.
All of the “famous five” models will be on show at Cannes but it is the 90 Ocean that will lead the way both in size and eye-catching style.
Pearl 80
The Pearl 80 has proved popular since its debut in 2017, with nine hulls already making their way out of the British yard, and it is easy to see why, with the 23.9m (78.4ft) yacht having all the attributes to satisfy even the most exacting owner.
Vast outdoor spaces make the Pearl 80 a sun-worshipper's delight, with multiple sunpads, sunloungers and a luxury Jacuzzi on the flybridge. Stepping inside the Kelly Hoppen-designed interiors are equally impressive and feel eternally bright and airy thanks to the large glazed surfaces that adorn the yacht.
Sporting an angular and streamlined look you can expect top-quality performance too with handling as sharp as the styling and a top speed of 35 knots.
Sandwich between the Pearl 62 and the Pearl 95 in terms of the yachts the British builder will have on show at Cannes, the Pearl 80 is definitely one not to be missed
Preparing for the Cannes Yachting Festival
With over 600 boats attending and 140 world debuts, Cannes is set to be another spectacular show as it returns for its 44th edition. If you have never visited before our guide to the Cannes Yachting Festival 2021 will set you up for a memorable visit.
To find out more about what makes a flybridge yacht such an enticing proposition and to understand the marketplace, read our Flybridge Yachts: A Buyers Guide. Or if you are still undecided if a flybridge yacht is for you our Guide to Motor Yacht Types takes you through all the yacht types from entry-level to superyacht.
To do some solid research before you even step foot in Cannes our comprehensive YachtBuyer reviews section also takes an in-depth look at hundreds of models, and our YachtBuyer Head to Head comparison section pits hundreds of yachts against their direct rivals with detailed analysis across a number of areas.
Finally to get the most up-to-date view of the market you can view all new and pre-owned flybridge yachts for sale.
