Global brands launch yachts at Dubai International Boat Show

Staff Reporter, Gulf Today

Three luxury yachts debuted this weekend at Dubai Harbour as part of the ongoing Dubai International Boat Show 2022 as the world’s leading brands and exhibitors raced to present their nautical handiwork to this year’s crowds at the Middle East’s largest and most-popular leisure marine event.

The 28th edition of the five-day event, which finishes on Sunday, saw De Antonio Yachts, a Barcelona-based boat manufacturer, and EVO Yachts, a brand from Blu Emme Yachts, reveal their latest vessels to the public for the first time at Dubai Harbour, the Middle East’s largest marina.

EVO Yachts, following the recent partnership announcement with regional dealer EVO Yachts Dubai, debuted its EVO R4 unit with unique interiors over the weekend. ‘Like something from a Transformers movie’, the Evo R4 is the newest version of the extensible yacht Evo 43, a fast 13m day-cruiser with sleek, sculpted contours and two Volvo IPS 650 engines.

Speaking from the show, Marcus Giltay, Managing Director, EVO Yachts Dubai, said, “The quality of visitors to our stand has been excellent and as of now we already have three to four potential buyers, which is fantastic. Dubai is the perfect platform to launch our boats as the clientele here love technology and gadgets, but also super high quality, which describes our vessels to a tee.”

Since its launch, EVO 43’s revolutionary ‘XTension’ bulwarks have sparked wide attention, opening hydraulically in less than 30 seconds to increase usable deck space by 40% and turn the cockpit into a 25sqm terrace.

Meanwhile, De Antonio Yachts launched its D50 Open, a 50ft yacht with two, three, or four hidden outboard engines and built on the award-winning D46 Open hull. With a top speed of 50 knots and a maximum power of 1800hp, the exclusive yacht provides what De Antonio Yachts claims to be unrivalled navigation efficiency.

The yacht can be ordered with two or three rooms, one of which can be converted into a skipper cabin and has a customisable interior layout. Similarly, the interior can include two or three bathrooms, making it a great match for each owner’s needs. A 2.5-metre saltwater jacuzzi in the bow will be the envy of all.

Elsewhere, De Antonio Yachts’ D46 Cruiser, another nautical marvel, was also launched this weekend and is aimed at the most sophisticated and demanding shipowners. The D46 Cruiser is a motorboat with a spacious deck, large aft sundecks, and a large central lounge area, all of which are sheltered by a sleek retractable roof cabin that comfortably seats up to 12 people.

The yacht has a spacious interior with one, two, or three cabins and is fuelled by powerful hidden outboard engine configurations that deliver unrivalled performance with minimal maintenance.

“The Dubai International Boat Show attracts the perfect clientele for our target market,” said Ali Batterjee, Marine Division Manager at Samaco Marine & Power Sports – regional distributor for De Antonio Yachts. “We are consecutively launching the brand in three markets, Australia, United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait, so being here at the central point of the three is fantastic.”

Dubai International Boat Show 2022 took place from 9th-13th March at Dubai Harbour. For more information, please visit www.boatshowdubai.com

Meanwhile, It may look like a futuristic prop from a sci-fi movie, but visitors to Dubai International Boat Show 2022 need not adjust their sets – the UAE’s first flying boat is a reality and could soon be manufactured locally courtesy of a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed at the region’s largest and most-popular leisure marine event.

Inspired by the Emirates’ pearl-diving heritage, the sustainability-focused X-Pearl - a brainchild of innovative French firm SeaBubbles - is powered by a hybrid hydrogen-electric propulsion system and retractable foils, and available for purchase. While scaled models of both its flagship H2 and the X-Pearl were unveiled on Wednesday at Dubai Harbour, the company hopes to have the limited-edition UAE model zipping along Dubai Creek, Dubai Canal, or Abu Dhabi Corniche before next year’s COP28.

That vision moved one step closer at the 28th edition of the Dubai International Boat Show as SeaBubbles capitalised on the nautical showpiece to ink an MoU with local solutions provider Al Masaood Power Division. The agreement will see both parties collaborating to pilot and assess the performance of hydrogen-powered flying boats, manufacture and maintain operations in the Emirates, and retrofit existing boats with SeaBubbles’ sustainable powertrain system.

“The Dubai International Boat Show is iconic, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to reveal the X-Pearl to an international audience and showcase that we are moving towards this ecological transition together with Al Masaood,” said Virginie Seurat, Vice President of SeaBubbles.