When it comes to planning a luxury yacht charter, one of the most important decisions you will make is choosing the right type of motor yacht (and the right crew…). With so many different types of motor yachts available, it can be difficult to know where to start. In this article we will focus on the difference between open yacht and flybridge yachts.
What is a sport yacht?
Sport yachts, also known as open yachts, performance yachts or sport cruisers, are fast motor yachts with sleek lines. Sport yachts traditionally have only two decks (main deck + lower accommodation deck), with smaller spaces on board compared to a larger displacement style yacht.
Performance yachts come in all sizes and shipyards such as Arno, Baglietto, Overmarine, Palmer Johnson and Sunseeker are particularly renowned for their expertise in this style of yacht.
For thrill seekers, a sport style yacht will appeal, offering exciting speeds, sleek styling and open plan living on the water.
Sport yachts photo gallery
Copyright: Charterminute
By the end of the 1990s, the first generation of Italian sport yachts (Mangusta 72 and 80, Leopard 23 and the iconic Leopard 27) was already a recipe for success, combining good performance, stunning design, a large open plan deck saloon with alfresco dining, and two or three massive sunbeds.
The Mangusta 80 can still reach a top speed of 40 knots, and it takes less than 3 hours and 30 minutes to get from Cannes to Calvi.
The 2000’s witnessed the birth of the maxi-open sport yacht era: the Mangusta 165, AB 140 were the epitome of a long series. Some shipyards (Baglietto, Palmer Johnson) pushed the envelope even further by building very exclusive semi-custom aluminium yachts. For such “luxury SUV”, rough seas were no problem.
Recent sport yachts (Riva, Sunseeker, Pershing or the new Mangusta 104) have a small flybridge and are equipped with a gyro stabiliser, a feature previously only found on flybridge yachts.
Did you know ?
Built by Fincantieri in 1991, Destriero was the largest sports yacht in the world at 67.7m (222’1″). Destriero is also the fastest yacht in the world, crossing the Atlantic in 1992, and setting a record that remains unbeaten to this day.
Sport yachts: pros
Sport yachts: cons
What is a flybridge yacht ?
Flybridge yachts are categorised as two-deck motor yachts that combine good cruising speed with plenty of space on board.
Flybridge yachts come in all sizes and builders such as Azimut/Benetti, Custom Line, Princess and Sunseeker are the most popular. For even more interior space, newer flybridge yachts have panoramic windows for the cabins, stabilisers at anchor/underway and an optimised layout (wide body concept), together with a hybrid propulsion system.
Displacement and semi-displacement yachts are larger yachts with more than 2 decks. Although displacement yachts have a deeper draft and are not always suitable for visiting shallower anchorages, they offer plenty of space to relax, a wide choice of interior design, superior comfort at sea and are more suitable for large groups.
Dutch and German shipyards are the most exclusive builders of large yachts (aka superyacht or megayacht), with Amels, Abeking & Rasmussen, Blohm & Voss, Feadship and Lurssen all renowned for their quality and comfort at sea.
Flybridge yachts and large yachts photo gallery
Copyright: Charterminute
Flybridge yachts: pros
Flybridge yachts: cons
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About the author: Remi van der Deure – French Riviera Charter broker.
Hello,
I am the senior Yacht Charter Broker at Charterminute, a well-known yacht charter boutique in Antibes.
I have served in the yacht charter industry for over 15 years and have gained a strong reputation among my clients, as evidenced by consistent 5-star ratings on Google Reviews and TripAdvisor.
My specialty is organizing corporate yacht charters for startups and large companies during popular events like the Cannes Lions Festival, MIPIM, TFWA, and MIPCOM.
I am also proud to be a member of esteemed yacht broker associations, e-MYBA and ECPY, demonstrating my unwavering commitment to providing exceptional yacht charter services and memorable experiences in the French Riviera.
You can contact me directly at +33 (0)662.465.991 or remi@charterminute.com.
