Yacht types - a Burgess guide

One of the biggest decisions for anyone on the path to becoming a superyacht owner is deciding what type of boat best suits their needs. From sailing to motor, and catamaran to explorer, the style, size and capability of a yacht is largely dictated by an owner’s lifestyle, preferences and bucket-list cruising grounds.

Sailing yacht

Feeling the wind in your hair and the salty sea spray while standing on the bowsprit of your own sailing yacht is a great way to reduce stress levels. Delivering the exhilaration of a fast-paced sport alongside the comfort of a home at sea, sailing yachts are the best of both worlds. While the interior volume is often less than that found on a motor yacht, sailing is the original sustainable way to enjoy the oceans. Whether you choose a bluewater cruiser kitted out with all the amenities or a high-performance racer noted on the regatta circuit, either one offers high-octane, life-affirming experiences on board.

Advantages of a sailing yacht

One of the biggest considerations when buying a superyacht is how fuel efficient it is. Powered by wind with an engine for use in port or calm seas, sailing yachts hit the economical sweet spot. It takes a highly skilled crew to operate a sizable sailing superyacht, but the tight knit family ambience typically felt between crew and guests is often legendary. Lifting keels, powered winches and sails that are furled at the touch of a button all contribute to a sailing yacht’s transatlantic capability for epic worldwide voyages, not to mention rapid sailing speeds.

IMAGINE

High-performance yacht and proven world cruiser IMAGINE epitomises the excitement offered by sailing superyachts. Featuring a Southern Spars carbon fibre mast with in-boom furling and a complete composite EC6+ rigging package, the custom-built beauty has guest deck areas that are line-free for family friendly enjoyment. With a foredeck jacuzzi, fold-down transom that creates a bathing platform, steps leading down to the water, an onboard dive compressor with six sets of dive gear for exploring underwater places and a crow's nest for two that rises over halfway up the mast, IMAGINE ranks high in the coveted adventure category.

Motor yachts

Powered by engines and designed to offer the best of the yachting lifestyle, motor yachts are floating havens that facilitate relaxation on the high seas. Providing seven-star service with every watertoy and amenity imaginable, motor yachts gift the opportunity to access remote bays, far-flung islands or simply cruise the French Riviera in style.

Advantages of a motor yacht

Contemporary motor yachts today will feature zero speed stabilisers as standard to mitigate pitch and roll (and motion sickness), large spacious guest accommodation to retreat to at the end of a long day, and wide-open deck spaces with easy access to the water. A lightweight, fast-planing motor yacht can clock speeds in excess of 40 knots, perfect for island hopping, while a full displacement superyacht offers a steady and comfortable onboard cruise. If it’s convenience, comfort and space you’re after, motor yachts are the ticket.

O'PTASIA

At 85m in length and with a 13.8m beam, O'PTASIA is a large, luxurious motor yacht with all the amenities to match. The enormous lower deck beach club includes a wellness spa, while relaxation time is divided between the pool on the bridge deck and the open-air dining with bar on the flybridge. Incredible accommodation for up to 23 guests in 10 cabins is paired with an elevator, transoceanic range and enough watertoys to keep everyone happy.

Explorer yachts

The ability to go anywhere, at any time, is the calling card of the explorer yacht. Typically carrying a smorgasbord of watertoys, from submersibles for deep-sea exploration to helicopters for heli-skiing and everything else in between, the explorer yacht is about venturing off the beaten track, equipped with all the gear required for serious expeditions in the comfort of a superyacht setting.

Advantages of explorer yachts

Though not a prerequisite, many explorer yachts have ice-class hulls making them the perfect vessel to explore the polar regions. A high bow to protect against large waves, a steel displacement hull with a deep draft for transatlantic crossings, and autonomy for long-distance cruising in remote areas provide all the comfort and convenience needed in some of the most hostile locations on Earth. 

VICTORIOUS

As a brand-new, feature-packed explorer yacht with a steel hull and an aluminium superstructure, VICTORIOUS has it all. A wine and cigar clubroom with fireplace is paired with a cinema, helipad, spa and gym, with room enough for 24 guests and all the toys to match. Capable of circumnavigating the world with ease, the 2021 delivery twins luxury with ability at every turn.

Catamaran

Two hulls are better than one. That’s the point of a catamaran boat, to provide stability and space without compromising on style. Increasingly popular among guests who like to spend nights at anchor, as well as sailing enthusiasts who appreciate the lack of heeling, catamarans are growing in numbers and size.

Advantages of a catamaran

Providing a lot more space than monohulls, with the cockpit and living room typically positioned between the two hulls, catamarans have a smaller surface area that floats on water therefore provide greater stability and comfort. Generally lighter and faster with a smaller draft, a multihull has versatility at its core.

SPIRIT

At 304GT, SPIRIT has the volume of a yacht 10m (32.8ft) longer, yet a 2.1m (6.9ft) draft means she can access shallow cruising grounds with ease. The lightweight catamaran sports a Ken Freivokh interior, including a full-beam owner's suite with private deck. A foredeck jacuzzi is twinned with a hydraulic platform that expands the entertaining space on the main deck aft yet lowers into the water making access to watertoys and tenders super easy.

Mega yachts

Stable, comfortable and with unrivalled length and interior volume, the mega yacht is the kraken of the oceans. Starting at a length of around 60m (196.9ft) and upwards, mega yachts are among the largest professionally crewed yachts in the world. Merging all the perks of a standard motor yacht but on a super-sized scale, space is never an issue.

Advantages of a mega yacht

Owning a mega yacht opens a world of opportunity. Cast off, head out and drop anchor wherever suits. The robust nature of a mega yacht makes anchoring off a tropical island as easy as docking in Sydney Harbour, while the considerable storage means pools, spas and even full-size padel courts are easily accommodated.

TRANQUILITY

Offering vast deck space and lavish accommodation for 18-22 guests in 9-11 cabins, TRANQUILITY's substantial volume of 2,998GT is particularly apparent on the upper deck, where there is a huge owner's suite with private terrace and jacuzzi, a piano lounge, dining room and a huge circular pool and helipad on the aft deck. Amenities include a wellness spa, beach club and gym with a sea terrace on the lower deck with direct access from the guest lobby.