The Best in Marine, From Wajer’s 55 to Oceanco’s ‘Leviathan’

Oceanco’s Leviathan marks a change in how superyachts are conceived, built, and used. The 364-foot vessel is among the largest in the shipyard’s fleet, with a volume of 4,970 gross tonnes and accommodations for 26 guests and a crew of 37. Rather than focusing solely on size, owner Gabe Newell insisted on a “human-centric” brief, with input from the crew and shipyard that influences everything from layout to operational flow. The exterior emphasizes a forward-leaning silhouette, expansive glazing for clear lines of sight and stylish, prismatic shapes. With the crew in mind, the Mark Berryman interior eschews shiny metals for low-maintenance leather surfaces and honed-stone finishes as well as natural-wool carpets. Low-noise engineering and a diesel-electric propulsion system enhance onboard comfort. A medical center, 3-D-printing facility for spare parts, and 15-station gaming lounge all meet the owner’s requirements for living aboard full-time, while a laboratory fulfills Leviathan’s second mission: scientific research. Newell, who acquired Oceanco last August, envisions this latest project as a platform built around how people live and work at sea. His longer-term goal is to identify new technologies, prototype them, and move them into production by using yachts like Leviathan as test beds in real-world conditions.

Built by CRN and designed by Nuvolari Lenard, this 222-foot custom build blends classicism and contemporary flair, with a plumb bow, extensive glasswork, and hybrid propulsion. This feat is carried through the Venice studio’s exceptional interior, where casual elegance hides the clever use of materials—from elaborate stonework on the main salon’s walls and ceilings to customized furniture to meticulous concentric-circle patterns on the sycamore floors that match the elevator floor when its glass door opens. To evoke nautical rope at the bar, the team replicated its weave in cork, an effect discernible only by touch. Elsewhere, this same motif is re-created from plaster casts of marine rope alternating with teak inserts. The full wellness center at the stern is a highly engineered retreat with a lounge, a gym, a sauna, a steam room, treatment areas, and fold-out terraces. The yacht is structured around shared spaces: a master barbecue catering to the 16-seat outdoor dining table on the upper deck, multiple lounge areas, and both a pizza oven and teppanyaki grill on the aft bridge deck. Rather than being a showcase of isolated features, Amor à Vida operates as a cohesive whole, with design, technology, and layout aligned around how guests actually spend time at sea.

Juno’s 7 opens a new chapter in Benetti’s history as both the first hull in the Italian yard’s Class 44M line and its largest composite vessel. Making optimal use of the 144-foot, 7-inch length, Cassetta Yacht Designers and naval architect Pierluigi Ausonio created an exterior that feels classic at first glance but is unmistakably contemporary in execution, thanks to expanses of glass and the slender, raked bow. Details like the black hardtop on the upper sundeck add a sporty edge.

The design’s classic-modern juxtaposition continues inside, particularly in the light-filled main salon: Antique-elm floors and striped-ash walls complement the extensive glazing, which provides abundant natural light and a generous sense of space. The wood is FSC-certified—a thoughtful, eco-minded touch. The semi-custom layout includes six staterooms instead of the standard five, among them a private full-beam owner’s suite on the main deck. The upper-foredeck lounge, with a pool, is just one of many generous exterior areas. More than a dozen units of the Class 44M have already been sold, proving the appeal of fresh thinking in yachting’s most competitive category.

The 679-foot Four Seasons I joins a field that includes offerings from Aman, the Ritz-Carlton, and Orient Express, but it arrives with several significant differentiators, chief among them the Funnel and Loft Suites. The former is particularly impressive: a four-story 9,975-square-foot complex that can be divided into different suites. It faces forward for panoramic views and features the largest single pane of glass on any yacht. The nearly 8,000-square-foot Loft Suite, facing aft, is distinguished by its massive terrace. Designer Prosper Assouline has created spaces that are contemporary, private, and decidedly residential. That sensibility carries through the ship’s 95 suites as well as its 1:1 staff-to-passenger ratio, which reinforces the more intimate, lower-density experience. Life on board is closer to a floating resort than a traditional superyacht. A 66-foot swimming pool anchors the outdoor areas, while a transverse marina along the sides allows for direct access to the sea. Dining follows a rotating chef-in-residence program drawing talent from Four Seasons’ own Michelin-starred restaurants, and the itineraries include secluded ports of call where cruise ships are forbidden. For devotees of the brand, this unusual vessel is less about reinventing yachting than refining it into something elegantly familiar.

This 212-foot custom yacht is the successor to Aquarius (now Apsara), which Royal Huisman launched in 2018. After five successful years of cruising and racing that 186-footer, the owners wanted a stretched version that preserved the original look while adding a larger cabin, a fourth stateroom, a gym, and an expanded galley. One important caveat came with the extra size: enhance its racing prowess.

Aquarius’s extra 26 feet of length translate into 45 percent more interior volume, allowing for larger social spaces and a bigger engine room. But the higher volumes required technical advances, including a retractable 25-foot-long keel, a hybrid power-management system, and a towering 221-foot main mast and 199-foot mizzen to handle enormous sail areas. Operational control is first-rate, thanks to Rondal’s high-tech carbon rig and integrated sailing system, along with Doyle’s sails and Royal Huisman’s internal build expertise. The beauty of this technology is its versatility. Aquarius can race any superyacht regatta with a crew of 30 or cruise under the command of the captain and a handful of crew.

The new Wallypower 50X retains the stylish angular profile of the Wallypower 50, while delivering the performance the American market demands. In this case, the “X” translates to a roughly 20 mph speed gain: 42.5 mph for the sterndrive-powered Wallypower 50 versus 62 mph with the X’s four 500 hp Mercury Racing outboards. To its credit, Ferretti Group Engineering retained Wally’s sleek design, all the way to concealing the anchoring hardware to maximize its clean exterior look. Fold-down stern platforms create more than 50 square feet of additional usable space at anchor. The Wallypower 50X looks every bit a futuristic go-fast boat, with its signature vertical bow, deep-V planing hull, and sculpted glass-enclosed hardtop. At the helm, bucket seats reinforce the high- performance feel, while the cockpit accommodates up to 12 guests, with a central dining area, twin aft sunpads, and a larger sunpad forward. Belowdecks are double beds, a head, a separate shower, and lounge seating, giving the Wallypower 50X genuine weekending capability.

Having created a new category in pleasure boating, Navier’s next-gen electric foiler extends its reach into tech and luxury. The aptly named Pioneer II builds on the same architecture as its predecessor, but a series of smarter features once again place it at the bleeding edge of marine design. Both versions employ three hydrofoils that lift the carbon-fiber hull above the water, reducing drag while improving comfort, performance, and efficiency. The proprietary A.I.-powered flight-control system adjusts the foils’ flaps up to 50 times per second to maximize stability. At the same time, Navier has refined this iteration’s maneuverability while advancing the sensor applications for even greater balance. It is quieter, too, powered by twin 90 kW electric motors that deliver a 75-mile range at 20 knots. Other upgrades include Starlink high-speed broadband, NACS fast charging, joystick control, and software that allows an owner to manage features from a smartphone. Pioneer II also adds a convertible sunbed lounge, an optional overnight bed, and—among many customization options—a fishing configuration.

Measuring 197 feet, After You is the first model in Damen Yachting’s Xplorer 60 series—and it puts the fun in functional. Penned by Azure Yacht Design & Naval Architecture, the 1,160-gross-tonne behemoth pairs a sturdy ice-class hull with a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system for a range of 5,000 nautical miles and 30 days of autonomy at sea. The ability to switch into electric mode allows access to remote, protected waters with less impact.

Owners and guests are rewarded with exceptional views, thanks to the partially covered observation deck on the upper bow, indoor observation lounge, and a stylish crow’s nest at After You’s pinnacle. H2 Yacht Design’s interior is cozy and contemporary, with warm woods and stitched leathers set against polished brass. Even the main stairway has been carefully considered, with wooden blocks wrapped in soft handmade suede. Six staterooms sit on the main deck, including a forward owner’s wing with two marble- clad en suites. Elsewhere, the helideck doubles as a sports court, half-basketball court, or disco, while the wellness area includes treatment rooms, a sauna, and a pool.

The new Palm Beach 85 flagship combines refined, timeless design with an advanced hull shape and composite layup. Unlike most 90-footers, it employs the yard’s signature warped semi-displacement hull, a geometry that reduces drag while increasing lift and stability, allowing the yacht to reach planing speeds with unusual efficiency. Its advanced composite construction—incorporating lightweight carbon fiber and E-Glass—is more commonly associated with offshore racing boats.

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The first PB85, a low-slung sedan named Falcon, features a handcrafted interior centered on Burmese teak, though wood, fabric, and finishes can, of course, be tailored to each owner. The main salon is a study in balance, pairing the warmth of the teak with large, elegantly upholstered lounges and sizable windows that flood the space with light. It’s a classic-looking motor yacht, edging into superyacht territory, but engineered with the agility and innovation of a much smaller vessel. Falcon is powered by twin 1,000 hp Volvo Penta IPS engines, delivering a top speed of 26 knots.

One number shows how Valor’s interior manages to feel both sweeping and intricate. The main staircase is composed of 48,001 individual parts linking six decks. That sculptural centerpiece, however, is the most dramatic element in an interior defined less by spectacle than by material depth and spatial flow. The palette is subdued but sumptuous, built around wood, metal, glass, and stone. Throughout the yacht, bespoke pieces from renowned furniture makers such as George Nakashima, Linley, Pollaro, and Silver Lining mingle with the owner’s contemporary art collection, which includes Warhol’s Man on the Moon. The main salon introduces a retro note, with McIntosh audio towers, a turntable, and a curated vinyl collection. The yacht’s six guest suites are positioned on the main deck to maximize views, while the owners occupy a private deck with a study, dressing room, terrace, Jacuzzi, and high-tech self-cleaning Astroturf terrace for their three dogs. Below, the beach club integrates wellness spaces, with treatment rooms and a gym, into a lower level that opens directly to the sea.

This family yard has spent the past decade proving its knack for reinterpreting the world’s most beautiful runabout forms. Just ask Tom Brady, who has owned several, including the flagship Wajer 77. But the reinvented Wajer 55 is a master class in minimalist, functional beauty, with 90 percent of the boat having been reengineered since the previous iteration.

The improvements are evident in its elegant proportions and concealed features, such as the integrated cleats and automatic fenders. The boat’s subtly curved, unbroken profile is part of its new allure. The cockpit introduces a U-shaped lounge with dual adjustable tables, allowing for a range of dining or entertaining configurations. A large swim platform turns the transom into a beach-club-style area at anchor. Belowdecks, a forward bedroom, twin beds aft, a galley, and a full head encourage weekend roaming, while triple Volvo Penta D6 IPS diesels deliver the speed—38 knots top, 28 knots cruise—to get home in a hurry.

Pininfarina has pennediconic models for marques including Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, and Porsche, so it’s hardly surprising that the 11-foot jet tender it created with Argos Nautic has the sleek silhouette of a sports car. The F330 eschews the bulky inflatable tubes of a conventional RIB in favor of a puncture-proof, closed-cell foam collar, resulting in a more streamlined hull and more usable real estate on board. In a segment where every inch matters, that is no small advantage. Much like the jet drives used on personal watercraft, its 90 hp waterjet propulsion produces instant acceleration, impressive speeds, and nimble handling. The F330 is rated for five passengers and features a fold-down center console to minimize its profile. Handcrafted in the U.S. from premium materials, each one can be tailored to match its mothership—or your Porsche, perhaps.

Sanlorenzo’s 236-foot Silver Fox elevated the concept of the private owner’s deck to a rarefied level. Designed by Studio Paszkowski in collaboration with Margherita Casprini, the 3,229-square-foot space is more residence than cabin. It unfolds as a sequence of rooms that begins with a forward-facing bedroom framed by glass windows and opens directly onto a private terrace and hot tub, with uninterrupted sight lines over the bow. Behind, the private office features a marble-topped desk, matching marble floor, generous headroom, and two large lounges that make it as much a social room as a practical one. Material choices are homey and restrained—soft woods, neutral fabrics, and sculptural artwork chosen during frequent meetings between the designers and clients—creating a quieter, more private atmosphere than the communal areas elsewhere onboard. A full walk-in wardrobe connects the suite’s living areas to two spa-style bathrooms (each illuminated by large windows) with the one to port anchored by a freestanding bathtub. Both are designed to echo high-end residential wellness spaces.