2017 Cannes Yachting Festival – Review

Once again, the sun was shining bright and the crowds were out in force for the 40th Anniversary Cannes Yachting Festival and Grabau International was there as always to check out all that was hot in the South of France this year. Even a French Air Traffic Controllers strike couldn’t prevent us from reaching the sun-drenched Côte d’Azur, although our rather circular route through Belgium, Switzerland and Italy did cut its best to shorten our time at the show.

The following are just a few of the highlights from this fantastic show.

Apreamare Gozzo

“Gozzo” is the new boat originated from an idea by Cataldo Aprea, the result of a partnership lasting well over 10 years with designer Brunello Acampora of Victory Design and manufactured by Imbarcazioni d’Italia, a company belonging to the Cose Belle d’Italia group. The silhouette is very streamlined and modern, but which also has roots in the extremely elegant “Gozzi Sorrentini” pleasure craft produced by the Aprea family in the 1960s that still sail the seas in Sorrento, Capri and Positano even today.

Astondoa Century 100

The new yacht is the second project of the Spanish shipyard within the Century range. As the first model 110 of the range , the shipyard’s design department has created an innovative  but stable interior and exterior design for the new 30.50-metre yacht. In this model, the attention is drawn to its lines, an unmistakable characteristic of the new Century range which also has its own signs of identity such as the external design of the wheelhouse which is similar in the five models within the range, with large glass areas throughout the boat, a full beam master cabin setup forward on the main deck, and four large staterooms at mid-ship. Furthermore, an extraordinary high bridge, in terms of dimensions and access, allows to go from the bow to the stern without changing levels, with a panoramic view that provides privacy thanks to its side windows.The interior decoration is the work of the prestigious studio “Cristiano Gatto Design”

Amel 50

With this model, the shipyard broadens the scope of use and opens up new prospects at sea. While not aiming to compete with racing yachts, the AMEL 50 promises superb sensations, allowing owners to choose the way they use their boat. A family trip for a relaxing weekend break, a coastal getaway for two or a cruise on the high seas with friends … AMEL 50 is all of the above.

Y8 Brenata SRD

From the board of Luca Brenta & C.Yacht Designers, the latest creation from Michael Schmidt Yachtbau is every bit as mesmerising as the cool mint green Y8 Brenta DC previously featured in these pages. Having retired from large volume yacht production, Michael Schmidt went in search of a boat for himself that combined sophistication with simplicity. Michael Schmidt Yachtbau was born. The new SRD model builds upon this with a sport aft-cockpit configuration.

Now back in the UK, we have just a one day to wait until the start of the Southampton Boat Show where we will be debuting the new Hylas M44 Euro. Keep posted for the full report.