Video of the Day: Exciting Start to Antigua Sailing Week

Silent Yachts has launched its new 24.38-meter SY80 solar-electric catamaran, scheduled for world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival (September 9-14, 2025). The first unit, a sold 2-Deck configuration, features four guest cabins including master and VIP suites.The SY80 offers three layout options (2-Deck, 3-Deck Open, 3-Deck Closed) with customizable deck arrangements. The inaugural model includes a 360-degree helm station, panoramic saloon, and storage for water toys in a concealed garage. Performance specifications include a 12-knot top speed, 7-8 knot cruising speed, and solar array capacity of 22.4 kWp with 522-696 kWh battery options.Two additional 3-Deck versions have been sold. No pricing was disclosed. The Italian-built catamaran expands Silent Yachts' solar-powered range, following previous models like the SY60.Silent-Yachts is producing the world’s first fully solar-sustainable oceangoing production catamaran yachts. They are powered exclusively by solar energy and capable of cruising up to 100 miles per day. In 2009, founders Heike and Michael Köhler, who have spent 6,000 days cruising more than 75,000 miles all around the world, launched the Solarwave 46, the first fully self-sufficient blue-water catamaran after years of testing solar-powered propulsion, and they have been building boats ever since. Credits: Silent-Yachts

Nominations are now open for the sixth edition of the Design Innovation Award, recognizing international excellence in marine design and innovation. The award ceremony will take place on September 19, 2025, at Palazzo Ducale during the 65th Genoa International Boat Show (September 18-23).Automotive designer Walter De Silva, recipient of the Compasso d'Oro and former head of Volkswagen Group Design, will chair the jury. "This award highlights how innovation and design quality merge with sustainability and beauty," De Silva commented.Organized by the Italian Marine Industry Association and the Genoa Boat Show, the competition has grown from 40 submissions in 2020 to over 90 entries in recent editions. The award evaluates projects based on technological advancement, sustainability, and design quality.All exhibitors at the 2025 Genoa Boat Show are eligible to participate. No submission deadline has been specified.Credits: Genoa Boat Show

Bilgin Yachts has revealed interior details of the 49.9-meter Camila, the second hull in its Bilgin 163 series, delivered in May 2024. The yacht was sold in 2023 to a U.S. client through FGI Yacht Group and Bilgin's commercial director Berkay Yılmaz.Unique Yacht Design developed the exterior, featuring extended deck spaces including a 21-meter sundeck and 12-meter bridge deck aft. Italian studio Hot Lab created the interior design, employing champagne, cream and pearl grey tones with wood, metal accents and Italian fabrics."The clean architectural volumes feature soft transitions between materials," said Hot Lab's Enrico Lumini. Notable elements include a full-height glass lobby partition, floating staircase, and sundeck skylight. The six-cabin layout includes a large beach club, with Bilgin claiming 20% more volume than comparable 48-meter yachts."Camila combines distinctive elegance with sportive exterior lines," said Yılmaz, noting the owner's active participation in the design process. No performance specifications or pricing details were disclosed. The first Bilgin 163 hull, Eternal Spark, was delivered in 2022.Bilgin Yachts is a boutique shipyard on the European side of Istanbul, building 50 to 120m luxury superyachts. It has been a family-run business for five generations since the early 1900s.Credits: Bilgin Yachts

VisionF Yachts has announced the near-completion of its new 14-meter Superfast 46 performance boat, capable of reaching 80 knots. The model will make its global debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2025 (September 9-14), with the first unit launching in coming weeks.The carbon fiber composite vessel features twin Mercury 450 HP Racing Sportmaster engines with Mercury's Active Trim system and Racing Revolution X propulsion. Its 3.7-meter beam and 0.47-meter draft combine with hydraulic steering and optional joystick controls for high-speed maneuverability.Technical specifications include 600-liter fuel capacity for approximately two hours of operation at maximum speed, Garmin 19" navigation displays, and a Fusion Apollo sound system. Safety systems comprise three bilge pumps and dual fire extinguishers.The Superfast 46 represents a new direction for VisionF, known primarily for luxury catamarans like its electric E-Cat series and aluminum models up to 47 meters. No pricing or delivery timelines beyond the Cannes presentation were disclosed. VisionF Yachts in Turkey was set up by Coşkun Bayraktar in Istanbul in 2019, but despite the shipyard’s relative youth it is a brand that is going places in the power catamaran world. In November 2020, VisionF Yachts debuted its first vessel, the VisionF 80. Credits: VisionF Yachts

Turkish shipyard Ares Yachts has introduced its first superyacht, the 62-meter ketch-rigged Simena. The steel-carbon composite vessel will debut at the 2025 Monaco Yacht Show (September 24-27) after completing sea trials.Designed to RINA Charter Class C standards, Simena ranks among the world's top 25 largest sailing yachts. Taka Yacht Design developed the exterior, while Design Unlimited created the interior blending classic and contemporary elements. The yacht features teak decks, mahogany joinery, and a hybrid propulsion system enabling silent electric operation up to 6 knots or 14.5-knot top speed with diesel assistance."Simena blends classic ketch elegance with cutting-edge technology," said Piraye Sahinkaya Orhun, Ares Yachts Projects Director. The yacht accommodates 12 guests and 9 crew, with a main-deck owner's suite and transatlantic range of 4,000 nm at 11 knots.Interior materials include walnut cabinetry, textured leathers, and marble-clad bathrooms. Northrop & Johnson holds the exclusive listing. Ares Yachts, situated in Antalya Free Zone on Turkey’s south coast, spans 40,000 square meters of build space across four large sheds. Besides Simena, the shipyard is concurrently working on other projects, including the 50m motor yacht Spitfire and a 54m explorer yacht known as Project Atlas. Additionally, Ares Yachts is developing a 65-85m yacht range in collaboration with Lateral Naval Architects.Credits: Ares Yachts