Two new superyacht shows are scheduled to be held during the Palm Beach International Boat Show (PIBS), which runs from March 25 to 29, 2020. Both events, which are vying for the upper echelon of the yacht market, are invitation-only, promising a much more intimate, personalized experience than a traditional boat show, with better access to the yachts. They also have disarmingly similar names.
The first, Superyacht Show Palm Beach, is managed by Informa Markets, organizer and operator of the Palm Beach International Boat Show, the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, Miami Yacht Show and Superyacht Miami. That event will be held on the Intracoastal Waterway behind the Flagler Museum in the heart of Palm Beach.
Organizers said it took two years to gain the necessary permits and plans. “The show will have superyachts ranging from 180 to 300 feet long,” said Andrew Doole, president of US Boat Shows at Informa Markets. The event will target buyers from both the US and those flying in to look at the brokerage yachts.
Yersin by Piriou Yersin
Between Informa’s new superyacht event and the Palm Beach show, more than a half-dozen superyachts will be on display. They include the 242-foot Amels Plvs Vltra, 235-foot Tankoa Solo, 238-foot Turquoise Quantum of Solace, 210-foot Sanlorenzo Attila, and 180-foot Laurentia.
In West Palm Beach, the rival Superyacht Experience Palm Beach is being organized by members of LYBRA (Large Yacht Brokers Association) in partnership with SYBAss (Superyacht Builders Association) and The Superyacht Life Foundation. This event is the US debut of the annual Superyacht Show that has taken place in Barcelona since 2018.
It will be held at the Rybovich Marina in West Palm Beach, promising a “customer-centric experience” that allows buyers, charterers and brokers to visit the superyachts in an “exclusive and private” setting.
Plvs Vltra by Amels Amels
The event will also offer a more relaxed environment than a typical yacht show, says Toby Maclaurin, sales and marketing director at Ocean Independence. “The Superyacht Experience is a show run by the yachting industry,” he said. “It has evolved from the idea to simply provide a focused platform to bring buyers and sellers together, and not for the pure profit of being in the show business.”
Eight brokerage firms will display superyachts for sale and charter. Burgess, which attributes more than a third of its global sales to the US market, will have up to 10 yachts, including the 239.5-foot Royal Van Lent Hasna. The yacht features a 26-foot glass-backed infinity pool on the main deck aft, a spiral staircase leading down to a beach club with sea-level terraces, and 10-seat cinema.
Quantum of Solace by Turquoise Yachts Charlie Clark/Turquoise Yachts
“We feel it is the right time to bring the experience stateside,” said Nicci Perides, head of global PR and communications at Burgess. “Bringing the world’s top brokerage houses together in one show that is purely dedicated to superyachts allows for an intimate and highly targeted event.”
Ocean Independence, a founding member of LYBRA, will display the 151-foot Vantage as part of its line-up. The trans-ocean explorer, 251-foot Yersin, will also be at the show. That expedition yacht recently joined Fraser’s charter fleet, and depending on the charterers’ itineraries, will travel to Kamchatka, Japan, Antarctica, and other remote destinations.
Solo by Tankoa Yachts Tankoa Yachts
Triton Submarines, the event’s official sponsor, will showcase two product launches. These include the Triton 3300/6, which features the largest acrylic pressure hull produced to date. It is the first six-person submersible capable of achieving depths of up to 3,280 feet. The Triton DeepView 24, by contrast, can carry 24 passengers and two crew to depths of up to 328 feet. The company said it will deliver both of those models, plus the second of its 1650/3 LP “superyacht sub” series, this quarter.
While the rivalry between the two superyacht shows will force both events to play at the top of their games, it will also benefit superyacht owners and potential buyers who now have two exclusive venues for comparison shopping, while also viewing the smaller yachts and boats at the Palm Beach show.
