Written by Menswear Style in Travel on the 2nd May 2019

The luxury sailboat market is returning to full health after a brief drop in 2012, with Superyacht News reporting 19 projected sailing superyacht deliveries for this year - a big jump from the average of 12.2 per annum seen over the past five years. This bounce-back can be attributed to anything from slow recovery from the 2008 financial crash to a heavy reliance on second-hand sailing yachts for sale, resulting in a lack of inventory for new owners to choose from. With numbers appearing to have stabilised across the board, all eyes are now on the shipyards to see what they will produce next. Two yards have seen particularly impressive growth: Nautor’s Swan and Perini Navi have been busy creating new sailing yachts for sale that have taken the world by storm, with exciting deliveries planned for the coming years. Let’s look at their journeys below.

Nautor's Swan 

Ever since its founding in 1966, Finnish sailboat builder Nautor’s Swan has been dedicated to designing and building exceptional sailing yachts, and these latest years have been no different. Perhaps this focus on innovation is why the shipyard was able to report 26 per cent growth in sales for 2018, with an active order portfolio of more than $136 million and a staggering 50 per cent growth forecast in 2019. Nautor’s Swan took a new direction in 2016 to mark its 50th birthday, announcing three new product lines, product development initiatives and a significant reshuffle of operations. With six new models under construction, including the stunning Swan 65, which made its premiere at this year’s Boot Dusseldorf boat show. What’s more, the start of 2019 saw Nautor’s Swan invest over $11.3 million into a brand new Boatbuilding Technology Center, which the company believes will give them greater control of the manufacturing process, product quality and build efficiencies. It has also formed partnerships with major players like composites specialist SRG and Torqeedo/BMW. Nautor’s Swan has proved itself to be a leader in the 10m to 40m range of sailing yachts for sale, delivering solid results in times when many other sailboat brands were struggling. Another reason for this could perhaps be its renewed focus on customer service, having relaunched its Palma Customer Care base in the Mediterranean and being in the process of developing its racing programme, one of the perks of being part of ‘ClubSwan’. All in all, the future is looking very bright for Nautor’s Swan.

Perini Navi 

Perini Navi is renowned in the industry for producing beautifully-designed motor and sailing yachts, but it is its sailing yacht development that has especially caught our attention. Last year’s Monaco Yacht Show saw the company launch a new line of hybrid-powered sailing yachts for sale, named E-volution. This innovative range is distinguished by its hull, which is designed for performance, but also by its improved volume, interior space and easier access to the water. Available in 42-metre, 47-metre-flybridge, and 56-metre models, it comes as no surprise that Perini Navi currently has the highest number of sailing yachts over 40m under construction in the world. While models from this line were presented at this year’s Palm Beach International Boat Show, Perini Navi also continues to develop a 60m classic sailing superyacht line, never ceasing to think about new designs. After all, striving to constantly do better is what this shipyard is all about, holding the record for building the biggest sailing yacht to have come out of Italy - the striking Sybaris. This tenacity is reflected in their continued strong sales, having already sold two yachts from their 42 m E-volution line and showing no signs of stopping. These two shipyards may be industry leaders, but they represent a wider trend in the increased number of new sailing yachts for sale. After a few weaker years since 2012, the luxury sailboat market is now back to full strength and ready to take over the world. We can’t wait to see what’s next.

The luxury sailboat market is gaining strength, with a significant rise in new sailing yachts for sale. Let's look at the journeys of two industry-leading yards.