The 22nd Monaco Yacht Show round-up

by Nancy Knudsen on 23 Sep 2012 They say that all sailors - from serious to dreaming - tend to be boat show junkies, mostly dreaming of possibilities but also researching the practical. If this is the case, then the Monaco Yacht Show must be the epitome of boat shows for the dreamers, but you'd need very deep pockets to be researching the practical. The 22nd Monaco Yacht Show has just ended and here's a bird's eye view.

With the yacht world still reeling from the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the superyacht sector has survived surprisingly well, and there were 100 superyachts at the port for this latest show, as well a hundreds more at anchor.

Despite the effects of the crisis, the overall size of yachts continued to increase and the average length for this year was 45 meters, an increase of 7.1% since 2008. The number of visitors was also encouraging, having returned to pre-financial crisis numbers.

'Monaco was good. It’s a lot better than last year but I expect you’ve been hearing,' Henk de Vries, CEO of Feadship, told Superyachts.com. 'Last year was already better than it was since the beginning of the crisis. No bones about it there’s still a crisis going on but the good guys are busy. We have to be sharp and quick on our feet, competition is fierce but that’s okay … you can not be complacent and sit back, if you do, you’re history.'

'The most beautiful yachts in the world's admirably exposed in an exceptional location in an extraordinary context,' added Fraser Yacht's Jeff Partin. It's a fantastic place for people who want to get an idea of what is happening and get a glimpse of glamour, and I think the MYS excels.

'The most beautiful yachts world are exposed so admirably in an exceptional location in an extraordinary context. One of the things that the organizers do very well is to constantly renew the show. '

Among the changes this year, was a new area called Upper Deck Lounge located in an airconditioned marquee, and designed by interior designer Sabrina Monte Carlo Deco in collaboration with the Italian designer Paola Lenti.

' In 2012 The novelty was that we had transformed the space restaurant /lounge, an area of 650m2, to accommodate the elite of the society and the market' , said the media coordinator of the Monaco Yacht Show Johan Pizzardini. 'Visiting the MYS must remain a great experience and enjoyable for the owner who has four days to visit the yachts or explore 'new project' yachts.

'Inside the new lounge, there were a number of separated areas offering a confidential environment for exhibitors wishing to discuss with clients. In addition, to satisfy the taste buds of visitors, there was also a restaurant with a first class menu and the opportunity to participate in tasting wine or champagne.

Some of the top sailing yachts on show this year included Athena, DSK, Fantastica, Silencio and Zigzag, all for sale.

With the Monaco Yacht Show well into the planning stages (18-21 September), the way to maximise any visit to the Monaco Yacht Show, the organisers suggest, is that you 'contact a broker' in advance to 'maximize your time and minimize your frustration.'