King Benji
Builder: Dunya Yachts
Length: 46.7m
King Benji is currently leading at this year’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Designed by Gregory C. Marshall, her brief emphasized space flexibility and social interaction to “provide a change of scenery on longer voyages.” Notable features include a private owner’s cabin and a saloon decorated in tones of “botanical green,” a hidden Jacuzzi under the bow sunpads, an inflatable climbing wall, a jousting arena, and a comprehensive collection of toys. She was nominated for the 2024 World Superyacht Awards and graced the cover of the March 2024 issue of BOAT International magazine.
Read More/On board Dunya Yachts’ second new build, the 47m King Benji
Mangusta Oceano 44
Builder: Overmarine Group
Length: 44.5m
The third unit in the Mangusta Oceano 44 series, Half Irish, will make its US debut following delivery in February 2024. This model is the “spiritual successor” to the Mangusta Oceano 43, characterized by extensive glazed surfaces and large sliding doors designed to enhance the connection to the outdoors. Another highlight includes two infinity pools located on the foredeck and the 104-square-metre sundeck. Exterior design is the work of Alberto Mancini, while naval architecture was completed by Pierluigi Ausonio of P.L.A.N.A. Design. Sagas received a nomination at the 2023 World Superyacht Awards.
Canados Oceanic 143
Builder: Canados
Length: 43.5m
Ocean Alexander 35 Puro
Credit: Raphael Montigneaux
Builder: Ocean Alexander
Length: 34.6m
The Taiwanese builder Ocean Alexander is favoring a US debut, with the first unit in the Ocean Alexander 35 Puro series making its debut at this year’s Palm Beach International Boat Show. The second unit is headed to Fort Lauderdale and features design by Giorgio Cassetta in collaboration with Andrea Agrusta of the Italian engineering firm NavalHEAD. The series presents a “tall and powerful look,” achieved with an 11-metre upper deck that spans bow to stern, completely shading the main deck cockpit and creating an illusion of a longer and “sleeker” vessel.
Read More/Pure joy: on board the Ocean Alexander blending Italian influences with American sensibility
Moonen 110 Mustique
Builder: Moonen Yachts
Length: 33.9m
Dutch yard Moonen Yachts has once again collaborated with René van der Velden and Diana Yacht Design – a trio known for the successful Martinique series – to create the exterior and naval architecture of the Moonen 110 Mustique. This yacht is the first in the series and features light, modern interiors by the London-based Studio Indigo, with a sweeping spiral staircase as the focal point of the design. The model can also accommodate a 7.5-metre tender longitudinally on its 72-square-metre top deck.
Uptight
Builder: Cantiere delle Marche
Length: 32.3m
The only Darwin 106 delivered, Uptight was commissioned by an American who utilized her as a mothership for a sportfishing fleet. The stern platform has been converted into an enclosed fishing cockpit, while what might typically be a beach club area is now a fully-equipped workshop for bait preparation, complete with ice makers and freezers for long-term food storage. Uptight has been in the water since 2022, but this year marks her first appearance at FLIBS as she is now on the market with Denison Yachting.
Ocean Alexander 28L
Builder: Ocean Alexander
Length: 29m
The first unit in this series, the 28L, aims to deliver the “signature features” of the shipyard’s 32L and 37L models in a more compact form. Prioritizing large, versatile social spaces, it includes a main saloon with a bar, a skylounge instead of a raised pilothouse, and an expansive exterior aft deck equipped with al fresco dining, a buffet bar with barbecue, and sun loungers. The model’s design, both inside and out, comes from the British studio Evan K. Marshall, which is also behind the Taiwanese yard’s Revolution and Legend series.
Pearl 82
Builder: Pearl Yachts
Length: 25.3m
The second unit in the Pearl 82 series has selected American waters following the premiere of her sistership, Pearly Spencer, at the 2024 Cannes Yachting Festival. This model fills the gap between the shipyard’s Pearl 95 and Pearl 72 offerings, featuring a raised pilothouse design with two aft deck configurations and a semi-walkaround deck that includes a forward master suite and private forepeak terrace. The yard claims this model is the only yacht in its class to offer this type of configuration, and Pearl Yachts’ managing director, Iain Smallridge, referred to the 82 as “the most compact superyacht on the market.”
Viking 82
Builder:
Length: 25.3m
The Viking 82 series will also debut at Fort Lauderdale for the first time. This sportfisher features an open bridge configuration, but the US yard has indicated that three different models will be available: open bridge, enclosed bridge, and sky bridge. Building on the success of the Viking 80, the 82 offers more cockpit space – just under 21.4 square meters – and a larger mezzanine that provides greater storage and a new, extended lounge to starboard. The yacht also features an Advanced Viking Propulsion System (AVPS) for an impressive top speed of 42 knots.