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13 yachts you shouldn't miss at the Antigua Charter Show 2023

22 November 2023 • Written by Dea Jusufi

With the Mediterranean season now shuttered, the Caribbean is beckoning. Specifically, the 62nd edition of the Antigua Charter Show, which year after year attracts an impressive selection of superyachts for charter. Compared to years past, the 2023 edition seems to have a larger inventory of high-quality yachts; BOAT spotlights some highly-anticipated attendees that will be on the docks between 4-9 December...

Whisper

Builder: Lürssen
Length: 95.2m

Espen Øino and Reymond Langton Design came together to create the award-winning Whisper (formerly Kismet) for billionaire businessman Shahid Khan. With an art-deco main saloon that spans two floors, a Persian-inspired spa (featuring a dedicated beauty salon and onboard hairdresser) and a 12-metre swimming pool, it's no wonder the ex-Kismet was sold in as little as three months. Her last known asking price was €149,000,000.

Whisper is managed for charter by Y.CO.

Nero

Builder: Corsair Yachts
Length: 90.1m

You’d be forgiven for thinking that she had been sailing the seas for centuries, but this motorised replica was actually delivered by her shipyard in 2007. After failing to find a suitable renovation project, British entrepreneur Neil Taylor commissioned Nero and modelled her after JP Morgan's 1930s steam yacht Corsair IV. She was finished just in time for her scheduled debut at the Antigua Charter Show – cutting it so tight that the crew were sewing cushion covers while crossing.

Nero is managed for charter by Burgess.

Maltese Falcon

Builder: Perini Navi
Length: 88m

This entry needs little introduction. The late Tom Perkins spent nearly a decade masterminding Maltese Falcon, one of the most unique and technologically innovative sailing superyachts in the world. Kitted out with radical unstayed masts made of "weapons-grade" carbon fibre, a FalconRig and computerised sail and mast control system, she took a staggering six years to complete – and recently checked into Lusben for a full-scale refit that has left her in pristine condition for the new charter season.

Maltese Falcon is managed for charter by Burgess.

Axioma

Builder: Dunya Yachts
Length: 72.5m

Axioma will be easily spotted at Nelson's Dockyard this year thanks to her sky-blue, Sterling Scott hull. Top features include "beach-house" interiors from the late Alberto Pinto, a spa, a private owner's deck, and a spectacular double-height saloon. For water babies on board, an infinity pool sits on the aft deck and a Jacuzzi with a swim-up bar can be found on the bridge deck. She's attending the Antigua Charter Show following her auction and subsequent refit.

Axioma is managed for charter by Camper & Nicholsons.

Firebird

Builder: Feadship
Length: 69.5m

Designed inside and out by Michael Leach, Firebird is the predecessor to Feadship's largest yacht to date – the 110-metre Anna. The yacht recently finished a comprehensive refit at the shipyard's Makkum facility, which included a 2.5-metre extension and a "totally new", split-level owner's cabin. Onboard features include a sundeck hammam and Jacuzzi, an open-air cinema and a dedicated dining room with a private balcony.

Firebird is managed for charter by Y.CO.

Alchemy

Builder: Rossinavi
Length: 66m

Alchemy's Vitruvius hull is instantly recognisable, taken straight from the drawing boards of Philippe Briand. She was designed entirely over Zoom, with an owner's brief that asked for "large al fresco spaces" and a "strong focus on wellness". The result is 330 square metres of outdoor space (made complete with a Jacuzzi) and an interior that houses a massage room with arched windows and "zen mood" marble walls.

Alchemy is managed for charter by Burgess.

SuRi

Builder: Halter
Length: 63.4m

S uRi's claim to fame is a stint on the popular television show Deadliest Catch, where she was used as an Alaskan crabbing vessel. The vintage explorer has since undergone a series of refits, the most substantial seeing 11 metres added to her mid-body. Benefits of the extension included a larger al fresco dining area and a glass-enclosed guest lounge which can be opened up for the indoor-outdoor effect on balmy nights.

SuRi is managed for charter by Yachtzoo.

Twizzle

Builder: Royal Huisman
Length: 57.5m

The show's second-biggest sailing yacht, Twizzle is debuting with a new owner and newer interiors following her refit by GCA Architects this year. She was launched with one of the most advanced sailing rigs ever created at the time, offering impressive performance in a fully custom package. In particular, she carries 1,780 square metres of sail – with both main and mizzen sails able to be hoisted simultaneously in under two minutes.

Twizzle is managed for charter by Camper & Nicholsons.

Zenji

Builder: Perini Navi
Length: 56m

Zenji is the second in her series and an active contender in the regatta circuit, including the St Barths Bucket and Perini Navi Cup. Her warm, American Cherry interiors were styled in-house while Ron Holland is responsible for her classic exterior. The need to store larger tenders is what resulted in her bow sheer's light kink, a feature that would go on to distinguish the first generation of 56-metre models.

Zenji is managed for charter by Cecil Wright & Partners.

Moskito

Builder: Heesen
Length: 55m

New on the charter scene last year, Moskito's "shark tooth" superstructure is owed to none other than Van Oossanen Naval Architects. Accommodation is for 12 guests across six Bannenberg & Rowell-styled cabins, while a generous 82-square-metres has been designated entirely for the master suite. Elsewhere, the 100-square-metre sundeck has alfresco dining and a Jacuzzi. For those playful charter days, the beach club with sauna and steam room has a plethora of toys to choose from.

Moskito is managed for charter by IYC.

Parillion

Credit: Alberto Cocchi

Builder: Rossinavi
Length: 48.2m

The second of the Prince Shark series, Parillion sports an athletic, sinuous profile by Enrico Gobbi. The sheltered sundeck crowns the yacht in more ways than one, featuring a bar, barbecue and 3.5-metre swimming pool with Murano glass tiles and cascading waterfall. A 2020 refit has left her with Swarovski-finished interiors – of particular note is her chandelier which spans three floors.

Parillion is managed for charter by Edmiston.

Heeus

Builder: Bering Yachts
Length: 44.2m

The first in Bering's line of compact explorer yachts, Heeus is small but mighty with her high-latitude ice belt and generous fuel capacity of 95,600 litres. "Berings can reach virtually any point on earth that you can reach by sea," explained co-founder Alexei Mikhailov. "The concept is no limits; even the smallest Bering can cross the ocean." Onboard highlights include a 92-square-metre sundeck arranged with a Jacuzzi, barbecue and cinema screen and a beach club made complete with Hammam and steam shower.

Heeus is managed for charter by West Nautical.

Eros

Builder: Custom Line
Length: 37m

Eros is the seventh entry in the Navetta 37 series, born from a long-standing collaboration with Zuccon International Project. The design's far-reaching appeal has cinched a further fourteen orders since the first hull, Euphoria, was delivered in 2016. Highlights of this particular model include five en suite cabins equipped with entertainment centres, a banquette that offers casual dining alongside lighter snacks and a sundeck Jacuzzi with a wet bar for poolside cocktail parties.

Eros is managed for charter by Fraser.