Inside Poland’s Growth as a Luxury Yacht Power Player
Sunreef
Poland is not generally considered a hotbed of yachting. But the country, with its long history of shipbuilding, has become Europe’s largest manufacturer of production boats under 39 feet, and a number of shipyards have become known for the quality of their mid-range motoryachts and sailing vessels. Others have pushed into superyacht territory.
“It’s one of those countries where boat building has been going on for a very long time,” says yacht designer Espen Øino, who is constructing his new Vandal catamarans here. The principal port of Gdansk once built battleships and gas tankers. In the early 2000s, yacht manufacturers like Windy and Amels used Poland’s ship-building savvy to construct hulls, and the interiors were then completed in Scandinavia and the Netherlands because of concerns about Poland’s ability to achieve the same levels of quality fit and finish.
That’s no longer a worry. Today, Poland builds yachts from start to finish. Most tank testing, interior carpentry, and electronics are done in-house. One advantage of this non-contractor approach is that delivery times tend to be shorter. During Covid, for example, while Italian and Dutch shipyards awaited spare parts, Polish builders worked straight through.
Despite its prowess in smaller production boats, the biggest “Made In Poland” surprise is that Gdansk’s leading yards have reimagined yacht design. The biggest player, Sunreef, has patented solar skins—solar panels actually built into the hullsides to provide alternative power. The yard is also creating 140-foot composite hulls using the biggest single-mold infusion process in the history of yachting. Last year, Sunreef single-handedly propelled Poland into the world’s top-ten yacht producing nations by being the sixth largest producer in the world. Our favorite models below tell the story of a growing superyacht power.
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Galeon 800 FLY
Image Credit: Galeon The triumvirate of top Gdansk shipbuilders is completed by Galeon. The oldest Polish motoryacht manufacturer builds slick, speedy vessels with up to four cabins. But how the brand has really differentiated itself is by its boats’ ability to morph like Transformers. When Galeon launched the 800 Fly at the 2022 Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the 84-footer became the Polish builder’s flagship—and its boldest attempt to deliver superyacht-scale living in a production yacht. Designed by Tony Castro, its defining feature is flexibility: fold-down balconies expand the main deck at anchor, while a huge flybridge, forward lounge, hydraulic swim platform, and four-cabin layout create multiple social zones. Nearly 360 degrees of glass floods the salon, and the full-beam owner’s suite has its own private staircase. Twin 1,920-hp MTUs deliver speeds of up to 31 knots.
As the 800 Fly makes its European debut next week in Cannes, the basic architecture remains largely unchanged, but Galeon has increasingly emphasized customization, offering different woods, leathers, stones, and interior configurations. The latest version is also marketed as a more residential “home reimagined,” with panoramic glazing, an open-concept galley and increasingly sophisticated finishes.
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Sunreef 88 Ultima
Image Credit: Sunreef After two decades spent turning catamarans from niche cruising boats into increasingly large luxury yachts, Sunreef is taking a sharper, faster direction with the new Ultima 88, which will make its global debut in Cannes next week. The 88-foot power cat has the low, aggressive profile of a performance monohull but retains the stability, shallow draft and astonishing volume of a multihull. Sunreef claims 4,165 square feet of living space—an enormous figure for a yacht of this length, and one of the benefits of owning a 88-foot catamaran.
The other is performance. Twin Volvo Penta IPS 1050s push it to 26 knots, while a hybrid version combines battery power with Sunreef’s flexible solar skin. The vast interior includes a full-beam owner’s suite with a private sauna, while large expanses of glass flood the salon with natural light. Outside, folding bulwarks and a large aft garage create an expansive waterside “Ocean Lounge,” with a hydraulic platform providing access to Jet Skis and other water toys.
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Ace
Image Credit: Conrad This isn’t the latest launch from Poland, but arguably its most celebrated. Conrad’s 145-foot Ace was designed by U.K. designer Reymond Langton as a swift, voluminous, and long-range charter vessel. After being launched in 2002, she scooped an unprecedented nine awards. Ace is now a charter star, completing double seasons in the Caribbean and Mediterranean from $240,000 per week. Conrad, considered a world leader in superyachts—both power and sail—opted to make the 145-foot design into a semi-custom series, with two subsequent launches, Extra Time and Moonlight.
What makes the Conrad shipyard thrive is its access to over 500 specialized staff at parent company Marine Projects, who share the same Gdansk waterfront. “If our builders need a marquetry specialist or a test tank, they just whistle,” says CEO Mikołaj Król. Its CO.ONE 140 is a new flybridge sailing yacht that has elicited excitement in the sailing world. The first model of this new semi-custom range is expected to be delivered next year, with the second following a year later.
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Vandal V46
Image Credit: Vandal Vandal’s range of foiling cats came about when Øino, naval architect Scott Jutson, and Tender Works teamed up to design a yacht explicitly for themselves. Their joint brief demanded speed and seaworthiness within a tough-as-nails frame. Imagine an oceanic Land Rover Defender, with just enough cabin space for a sun-kissed weekend away. Vandal’s unique selling proposition are the hull foils. More commonly seen on America’s Cup challengers, foils slash fuel consumption and improve seakeeping. “Being a boater myself,” says Øino, “you realize that any issues are related to the level of complexity on board the yacht.” With a 40-knot top end, the designer has operated his own V46 for three years with very little maintenance required. The 46 is the smallest among the brand, with a 50- and 60-footer also in the line.
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Sunreef 43M Eco
Image Credit: Sunreef There should be little surprise that one of Sunreef’s upcoming vessels made this list. The 43M Eco, a 141-foot catamaran, will be the largest yacht yet built by the Gdansk yard. Its enormous composite hull was produced in single-shot vacuum infusion, a process common among smaller high-end boats and racing sailing vessels, but unusual at this scale. Sunreef says it’s the world’s largest project of its kind. The yacht will integrate photovoltaic cells into its hull, superstructure and mast, feeding a battery bank that supports electric propulsion and hotel loads. The 43M Eco’s catamaran platform also promises exceptional volume, with accommodation for up to 12 guests, a vast main-deck salon and extensive outdoor living areas. A large aft deck leads to a beach-club space, while the yacht will carry tenders and water toys for longer-range cruising. With its hull complete and construction advancing in Gdańsk, the 43M Eco will be a major test of whether Sunreef’s solar-electric technology can scale from luxury catamarans to full-fledged superyachts. We’ll take that bet.
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Running On Waves
Image Credit: Running on Waves Most of Poland’s finest shipbuilding minds graduated from Gdansk University of Technology. They include top naval architect Zygmunt Choreń, “the godfather of Polish sailing ships.” In the 1970s, Choreń crewed in the inaugural Volvo Ocean Race. He went on to design mega-cruisers like SV Royal Clipper, which was built in Gdansk. Choreń’s masterpiece is the 210-foot Running On Waves. Commissioned as a modern sailing ship with classic barquentine sails, she looks like a 21st-century tea clipper. This high-tech tall ship charters around the Med, delighting many sailors each year.
