The most read yacht news stories of 2022

19 December 2022 • Written by Katia Damborsky

Sunreef releases interior renderings of new Ultima 111 catamaran model

54m Baltic 175 Ravenger completes "transformational refit" at Baltic Yachts

Construction begins on Baltic Yachts' first catamaran project

First Baglietto DOM 115 yacht model begins outfitting

As 2022 draws to a close, BOAT looks back on all the news stories that captured our readers' attention throughout the year. Here are the most popular yacht news stories of 2022...

40m zero-emission trimaran concept Domus revealed

In May, Rob Doyle Design and Van Geest teamed up to present a radical 40 metre trimaran concept called Domus. Named after the Latin word for ‘home’ the superyacht claims to rival a 60 metre yacht in terms of volume and aims to become the first truly zero-emission yacht over 750 gross tonnes. The design was one of the most popular yacht concepts of 2022.

Oceanco completes build of 127m Y721

Credit: BOAT International

Oceanco’s 127 metre Y721, the yacht reportedly being commissioned for Jeff Bezos, has captured attention throughout her build. Thought to be named Koru, the yacht was officially launched in August this year, and has since moved through the Dutch canals by tow to complete outfitting. BOAT International brought readers the first glimpse of the superyacht in her final form, awaiting sea trials in Rotterdam.

49m superyacht 007 runs aground in Greece

Credit: Lambros Dertilis

At the end of summer, the 49 metre superyacht 007 ran aground in the bay of Kythnos, in the Cyclades island chain in Greece. The yacht reportedly struck rocks and began taking on water before listing steeply on her port side in shallow water. Efforts to contain potential pollution were quickly put in place, but the yacht’s hull remains in the port as of December 2022.

The incident follows in the footsteps of a number of yacht disasters in 2022, including the high-profile sinking of 39 metre My Saga, which capsized in southern Italy after several hours of foundering in deep water. Elsewhere in Italy, the 58.9 metre Idol collided with a bridge while leaving a Pisa-based shipyard in June, but sustained minimal damage. In May, the 45 metre Benetti Domani was disabled off the Washington coast after taking on water, but avoided sinking and was towed to a nearby shipyard for repairs.

50m Heesen Home to star of Below Deck Mediterranean season seven

Below Deck Mediterranean returned to screens this year, and the yacht playing host to Captain Sandy and her crew was revealed to be 49.8 metre Home. Delivered by Dutch yard Heesen in 2017, Home is one of the largest yachts of this size to feature a hybrid propulsion package, which makes her 48 per cent more efficient than other 50 metre yachts, and marks the first diesel-electric yacht to appear on the show. Later in the year, it was revealed that Benetti’s 60 metre St David would be the yacht appearing in Below Deck season 10.

160m Lürssen Blue superyacht delivered

Photo: Tom van Oossanen

Lürssen added a new addition to its fleet with the delivery of 106 metre Blue. The yacht hit the water in February 2022, showing off a Terence Disdale exterior and a number of standout features, including a pair of helipads and a generous swim platform with twin staircases leading up to the deck above. In a statement, the yard has said that an enhanced environmental focus was a key driver behind the build of Blue.

49m Eleonora E refloated following collision

Credit: @PortTarragona on Twitter

In June, the 49.5 metre Eleonora E was hit by an offshore supply vessel in Port Tarraco in Spain. The classically-styled sailing yacht was docked when the vessel rammed in to her starboard side after reportedly encountering a mechanical failure. After lying in the port for several weeks, she was finally refloated in a three-week operation that involved more than 30 personnel.

45m half-built yacht Bella T sold ahead of auction

The 45 metre half-built superyacht Bella T was sold ahead of its auction at the Judicial Western Cape High Court. The boat, formerly known as Summit One and Lac III, had been subject to a judicial arrest after a legal dispute between previous owners and was sat on the dock in Cape Town for twenty years. Now under the new ownership of a South African businessman, Bella T will undergo repairs and the final stages of her construction.

45m Aria SF sinks following Ibiza blaze

Credit: Salvamento Marítimo

One of the most devastating incidents of 2022 was the burning of the brand new 45 metre Aria SF. The yacht caught fire in a busy anchorage in the waters of Formentera, Ibiza, in August, and was ablaze for several hours. The still-smouldering hull was towed away from Ibiza, and the hull sunk close to Cap Martinet a few days later. Local news outlets report that the hull will be raised and towed to prevent further pollution to the surrounding water.

36m record-breaker Gentry Eagle scrapped in California

Image: @boatbruddas / Instagram

In May, the former transatlantic record holder 35.6 metre Gentry Eagle was demolished after sitting disused in California for several years. In 1989, the aluminium boat made the journey across the Atlantic in 62 hours and seven minutes. Gentry Eagle’s impressive journey time was 23 per cent faster than the existing record, which was held by British airline tycoon Sir Richard Branson.

Plans for £250M national flagship axed

Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Steve Daniels

Earlier this year, the British government announced plans to build a £250 million flagship yacht. The invitation to tender was finalised and a number of designers put their concepts forward. In November, the government announced the plans had been scrapped as part of a reprioritisation of the budget. Speaking about the plans being culled, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said “it is right that we prioritise delivering capabilities which safeguard our national infrastructure".