2012 In Review

Alot to talk about in 2012 in the industry from launches, big sales, deliveries, new contracts and so on. As this year terminates I would like to take you back through 2012 to some of the highlights of the year.

Lurssen seems to be the one to take the cake with their ever special custom superyachts with "Topaz" at 147-meters sailing away with the prize. She was launched in early to mid 2012 and completed relatively quickly in time for the Summer 2012 season. http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/lurssen-yacht/18738-new-launch-lurssen-project-topaz-superyacht.html The large custom yacht holds design by Tim Heywood while Andrew Winch (AWD) worked on the interior.

Lurssen also had other successes with the launch and completion of the 87-meter "ACE" with design by Andrew Winch. ACE was actually one of the first superyachts to be launched in 2012 and also the largest-at the time-.
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/lurssen-yacht/18112-recent-launch-lurssen-86-5-m-superyacht-ace.html

Another yacht launch capped off Lurssen's success for the year, the 88-meter project 'Bellissimo', now known as "Quattroelle". She was built to a design by Nuvolari & Lenard. http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/lurssen-yacht/19865-lurssen-88-meter-superyacht-quattroelle-near-delivery.html

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Still in Europe, the prowess of Dutch yacht building showed with the launch and completion of two yachts from Alblasserdam based company OceAnco. The "Nirvana" at 88.5-meters is one of the largest superyachts built by this yard. Her sweeping yet sedate lines were designed by Sam Sorgiovanni and built under yard number Y-707. http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/oceanco-yacht/18652-completed-oceanco-88-5-meter-superyacht-nirvana.html

The other superyacht launched by this Dutch yard was the highly publicized then turn highly secretive Y-708 build. She comes in at 85.6-meters with design by Igor Lobanov. The secretive yacht was supposed to be handed over by the end of the year but the 708 is in a cloud of mystery.
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/oceanco-yacht/19158-new-launch-oceanco-85-5m-y-708-superyacht.html

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Staying in The Netherlands but over at another well-known custom and semi-custom yard, Feadship, they enjoyed their successes in major launches with the 78.5-meter "Hampshire II" and the widely touted 'Apple' Yacht, "Venus".

Hampshire IIas hull 806 at the yard was launched back in April in time to be completed for Summer. http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/feadship-yacht/19069-delivered-feadship-78-5m-superyacht-hampshire-ii.html The boat comes complete with a fore-deck that can be converted to play a number of sports on. She has been designed by RWD (Redman Whiteley Dixon)

The other major yacht was the vessel for the founder of the fruit we all love to indulge in. Venus, 78.2-meters long launched later this year and still isn't completed as yet. She bears exterior styling work by Philippe Starck, the same dude responsible for the design behind "A".
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/feadship-yacht/19835-new-launch-feadship-78m-superyacht-venus.html

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A number of other significantlaunches from around the world took place all of them being 70+ meter superyachts.

The third installment in the Australian slim beam and performance superyacht line from Hanseatic Marine launched. At 77-meters, the vessel launched as "Smeralda" turned heads upon completion, looking like her previous sisters but still having great individual character. Since then, she changed hands and is now known as "Sea Stallion" and has design by the well-known Espen Oeino.
New Launch: Hanseatic Marine 77M "Smeralda" superyacht - YachtForums.Com

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Moving from down under to where east meets west, one of the largest yachts for Turkish yard Proteksan & Turquoise launched, the 72.6-meter "Vicky". She bears the distinct design styling of H2 Yacht Design, a success story for P&T amidst a year that saw the lost of the Zen-inspired superyacht "YOGI".
Recent Launch: Proteksan & Turquoise 72.6M superyacht "Vicky" - YachtForums.Com

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Over in Germany a new yacht launched with the name of a yacht that already exists but this one is significantly larger! The 73-meter "Plan B" launched from Abu Dhabi Mar Kiel/Nobiskrug and has design by Focus Design. She has a near sister currently under construction to launch in 2013.
Completed: ADM 73-meter superyacht "Plan B" - YachtForums.Com

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Alot more other events happened in 2012 other than pure launches...One of the more memorable events for the worst were sinkings and deaths.

One of these stories that captivated, intrigued and caused alot of debate on YF.com was the sinking of the Proteksan & Turquoise superyacht "YOGI". The initial Sinking of YOGI thread garnered just over 30,000 views! While the YOGI investigation thread is at just over 6,500 views. Definitely this shook, stirred and caused wide debate.
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/general-yachting-discussion/19525-proteksan-turquoise-yogi-superyacht-sinking-investigation-6.html

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Well noted designer Alberto Pinto had been reported as dead. He designed the interiors of a few yachts that had been or still are secret. "Katara" comes to mind, I believe the yacht built as "Dilbar" (now "Natita") by OceAnco and more recently the secretive Y-708 from OceAnco. Another report of death proved shocking even more recently, that of superyacht photographer Marc Paris.

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More highlights continued to surface with preliminary launches particularly from custom yard Lurssen. The world got a glimpse of the world's largest superyacht-to be when she emerged out of the indoor building shed at the German builder. She launched minus her bow but even then her staggering size was apparent. The rest of her bow got attatched and now she is being fitted out. Being built under the code name "Azzam", she is expected to be the biggest launch, for obvious reasons when she possibly re-emerges in 2013.
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/lurssen-yacht/18784-l%FCrssens-supposed-180m-project-azzam.html

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From the largest to certainly unique in characteristics, the trimaran "Adastra" puzzled, wowed, and turned heads both on launch and after completion. She also appeared in numerous online publications including ours! She was built by McConaghy Yachts
http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/general-catamaran-discussion/18656-recent-launch-mcconaghy-42-5-meter-adastra-trimaran.html

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The year was filled with a number of new contracts and sales that were noteworthy.

Over 50 orders have been placed to yards all around the world. Yards hailing from Italy seem to have the lion-share of orders. Here is a brief look at SOME of the larger orders to be placed.

* The second Sea Axe Fast Support Yacht 67-meter is currently under construction and is for launch and completion in 2013.

* That massive 130+ meter yacht currently in build at the Privelege yard in Italy is expected to be completed in 2015.

* Vitters 85-meter super sailer for 2015.

* OceAnco threw a surprise for a sail yacht contract as well as two contracts for yachts above 100-meters due in 2015 and 2016.

* A yard in Germany building a 147-meter yacht for 2016, is this a sister to Topaz? who knows!

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