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These 11 Superyachts Make Bonkers Beach Clubs Their Main Attraction. Here’s a Look Inside.

From cryosaunas to intricate-mosaic steam rooms and zen lounges to glass-bottomed pools, these yachts are why we love the beach club., julia zaltzman, julia zaltzman's most recent stories.

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Top 11 Beach Clubs

The first of Benetti’s 50m B.Now superyachts with a signature Oasis deck splashed this month, signaling that big-statement beach clubs are here to stay. The open stern of the 155-foot Oasis, with its transparent swimming pool, is different from the others in this collection. But its overall purpose is similar: To use the stern to enhance the vessel’s onboard way of life.

The range of beach-club features in these top motoryachts and sailing vessels run from cryosaunas to overwater terraces and mosaic hammams to counter-current pools. On some are relaxing zen lounges that open on three sides to the water, while others are defined by big splashes of color. Beyond the recent launches, we also included several concepts to show what designers envision as the beach club of the future.

‘Aquijo’ (282 feet) Vitters/Oceanco

best superyacht beach clubs

Most beach clubs come into their own when the yacht is at anchor, but aboard Aquijo , the world’s largest ketch, watertight doors mean the yacht’s roomy enclosed beach club can still be used when sailing at top speeds. The extensive indoor space includes a three-sided seating area for entertaining at the water’s edge. If guests tire of the large central Jacuzzi, there is a spa pool naturally lit by an overhead skylight to keep them amused and a separate hammam and sauna tucked out of sight behind glass doors. When at anchor, the transom door lifts providing access to a wide aft deck, a large swim platform, and all the cool blue views.

‘Project X’ (288-feet) Golden Yachts

Beach club

It’s typically the surrounding seascapes that command attention from the decks. But Project X ’s glass-encased swimming pool gives those vistas a run for their money. Clad in silver Xs—the symbol that features prominently throughout the yacht—its glass sides were conceived to allow the adults to keep an eye on the children when playing, as well as bringing additional light into the beach club. The bottom of the pool sits suspended in the center of the open-plan space, yet is accessed from the main deck aft. The rest of the beach club is for relaxation, with two saunas, a massage/beauty room, and a large, curved sofa that rotates to face out to sea for when the kids move from the pool to the ocean.

‘Tatiana’ (262 feet) Bilgin Yachts

best superyacht beach clubs

Spanning a total area of 1,184 square feet and considered one of the best superyacht beach clubs in the world, Tatiana ’s multi-level recreational offering features two pools—one above the other—and is directly connected to the main salon via a dramatic underlit staircase. When not swimming in the enclosed 30-foot-long freshwater pool or in the glass-bottomed second pool on the main deck, you can unwind by sinking into one of the many plush sofas or stepping into the hammam. There is also a wetbar with glass columns, Carrara marble, and a backlit blue-agate floor. When the yacht is at anchor, fold-out terraces on both sides make your overwater treatment dreams come true.

‘Flying Fox’ (446 feet) Lürssen

best superyacht beach clubs

Holding the record for the largest and most expensive charter yacht on the market, it’s not surprising that the beach club aboard Flying Fox is dressed to impress. It’s accessed from the cockpit via teak steps that descend into the beach club, where you’re met by an exquisite mosaic-tiled centerpiece and contemporary cedar wall paneling. An elevated Jacuzzi bathed in sunlight from the skylight above is surrounded by loungers and a collection of doors that lead off to various wellness amenities, including a hammam, treatment rooms and the first cryosauna to appear aboard a yacht. The indoor setup is twinned with an equally impressive outdoor arrangement that includes a large swim platform and the latest water toys, from inflatables to e-foils.

‘Project FB605’ (164 feet) Benetti

best superyacht beach clubs

Project FB605 is the first of Benetti’s B.Now yachts to feature its all-new “Oasis Deck.” The yacht, which launched this month, has an open-air beach club aft, with folding terrace wings that extend the beach club width, and an integrated infinity pool that sits flush with the deck. It’s joined by a waterfront lounge that opens out onto terraced areas, a gym for open-air workouts and biminis for shade. Designed by RWD, Project FB605 is commissioned by an experienced female owner looking to recreate the lavish beach club amenities found aboard Benetti’s 351-foot Lana  but on a smaller 164-foot platform. Judging by the yacht’s seamless journey from main salon to open water, it looks like the design team has reached that goal.

‘Ahpo’ (377 feet, 7 inches) Lürssen

best superyacht beach clubs

No expense was spared when it came to Ahpo ’s enormous beach club that doubles as a wellness area. Nuvolari Lenard’s styling of the multifunctional space places the plunge pool and hammam as the mosaic stars of the show in an intricate display of vibrant artisanship. There is also a sauna for guests to step into straight from the sea, a massage room for soothing muscles after a day on the water, a Jacuzzi, and a bar. The craftsmanship extends to curved metalwork and handpicked natural furnishings in a setting that brings enjoyment right to the water’s edge.

‘Lady S’ (305-feet) Feadship

best superyacht beach clubs

Chic from top to toe, the beach club aboard Feadship’s Lady S is a tale of craftsmanship. From the moment guests step aboard, all eyes are on the glass-bottomed pool that sits above the beach club’s lounge area. It filters dappled sunlight onto the circular sofa below, surrounded by a large plunge pool with a hammam to the side. A large television screen serves as the backdrop to the seating area. When it’s time to step outdoors, two side terraces provide overwater sunbathing spots.

‘O’Pari’ (312 feet) Golden Yachts

best superyacht beach clubs

The beach club of Golden Yachts’ 312-foot O’Pari is a sweeping combination of indoor and outdoor space. The indoor includes a lounge, massage room, a dry sauna, and a wet hammam. If you want a dip in the ocean, it’s right there off the transom. There are also two freshwater pools on the decks above.

‘Victorious’ (278.8-feet) AKYacht

best superyacht beach clubs

The sea-level beach club aboard Victorious has the ocean as a soundtrack and framed vistas for its artwork. Occupying an enormous 2,153 square feet on the lower deck, the beach club doubles as a wellness center with a large swimming pool in the center. Two separate lounge and bar areas mean you can mingle at leisure or enjoy solo time by the sea. Drop-down sea terraces port and starboard bring a cool sea breeze and easy access to the water. There are also a dedicated gym and a hammam for guests who like to sweat, while a treatment room, a beauty salon, and option of an overwater massage will keep everyone else more than happy.

‘Kaze’ (197 feet) Philippe Briand

best superyacht beach clubs

It’s not only motoryachts where the beach-club life aquatic is being imagined on a major scale. Kaze , which translates as “wind” in Japanese, was recently unveiled by designer Philippe Briand. The 197-foot sailing yacht concept boasts a supersized beach club with unfolding bulwarks to form overwater terraces and a large platform with integrated steps that descend below the waterline for easy access to the sea. The hybrid ketch is defined by high internal volumes, a wide beam, and a connection to the outdoors. The imaginative beach club is closer in size to those found on much larger yachts, bringing a gigayacht space to a superyacht setup.

‘Aegir’ (164-feet)

best superyacht beach clubs

When it came to beach club ideas for his 164-foot yacht concept “Aegir,” designer Chris Lane deviated from a traditional water’s-edge layout in favor of a Scandinavian inner sanctuary. Accessed from the main deck via an internal floating staircase, the open-plan arrangement sits behind the swim platform in a space that houses a sauna, a steam room, a dedicated gym, and an indoor plunge pool. A cascading waterfall connects a second marble-fronted plunge pool on the aft deck to the 13-foot swimming pool below, which features a mirrored ceiling to make the enclosed space larger. Drop-down side terraces give a nod to the concept’s hygge-inspired theme and add an extra layer of privacy.

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9 of the best Mediterranean beach clubs to visit by superyacht

9 of the best Mediterranean beach clubs to visit by superyacht

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By Rebecca Bradbury   Last Updated: 22 May 2023

From iconic venues in the French Riviera to happening hangouts in Ibiza, superyacht charters in the  Mediterranean  can make the most of the world’s hottest beach clubs. Read on to discover the top oceanfront offerings to visit when on a private yacht charter in the region.

The Best Beach Clubs in the Mediterranean for Superyacht Charters:

Nammos – Mykonos, Greece

Beach club 10.7 – formentera, balearics, maçakizi –bodrum, turkey, carpe diem beach – hvar, croatia, le club 55 – st tropez, france, phi beach – sardinia, italy, fontelina – capri, italy, ushuaïa beach club – ibiza, spain, scorpios – mykonos, greece.

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Transforming a trip to the beach into an exclusive VIP experience, beach clubs make the perfect shore-side retreats for yacht-goers. As most come complete with their own private jetty, charterers can effortlessly pull up in their superyacht tender and step straight into the idyllic surrounds, capturing the attention of all those on shore.

An afternoon can then be spent sunning and sipping cocktails before the partying commences and continues into the small hours. Make sure you plan a stop-off at one of these beach clubs on your next Mediterranean yacht charter vacation.

best superyacht beach clubs

Since its inception in 2003, Nammos  in Greece has been redefining opulent beach life. Nestled in the soft golden sands of Psarou beach , this trendy  Mykonos establishment is a firm favorite among fashionable locals and the international glitterati, who flock here for its lavish lifestyle offerings.

Luxurious loungers invite patrons to lay back and unwind in the blazing Greek sunshine, with an extensive champagne menu on hand to provide refreshments. A shaded shisha lounge is the ultimate chill-out zone, while the bar will be teaming with revelers by dusk. 

All white wood, bamboo and palm trees, the open-air Nammos restaurant is alone worth a trip ashore for its tantalizing fish dishes and sumptuous cuts of Wagyu and Kobe, which are grilled to perfection on the beef bar.

best superyacht beach clubs

Seemingly a world away from the glitzier beach clubs on Formentera ’s north coast, Beach Club 10.7 overlooks a near-deserted stretch of Playa Migjorn in the south of Spain's Balearic Islands . Attracting a dashing crowd, the elegantly simple styling of whitewashed wood, director's chairs and rattan let the views do the talking.

Bag a spot on the roof terrace and kick back with a signature cocktail of vodka and watermelon. A soundtrack of laidback beats accompanies the sun as it sets behind the Cap de Barberia and the tunes rev up as the party-goers come out to play.

A foodie haven, Beach Club 10.7's menu is a mix of traditional Mediterranean fare and Asian influences. Pick from dishes such as Catalan lobster, homemade ravioli and classic spaghetti pesto or share a platter of succulent sushi.

best superyacht beach clubs

A regal hotel and classic beach club combined, Maçakizi is hidden within the enclosed bay of Türkbükü , Bodrum , one of Turkey 's most exclusive spots. Amidst a riot of hot pink bougainvillea, wooden decks meander down the hillside to the sea having hosted A-Listers and the superyacht set for nearly 40 years.

Flop on a sun lounger just inches away from the turquoise Aegean and cool down with an icy mojito. When hunger calls, try out the ocean-fresh seabass or roast rack of lamb in the top-notch restaurant. The atmosphere kicks up a notch at night when DJs take to the decks.

best superyacht beach clubs

Perched atop a rocky cove and backed by luscious pine trees on Marinkovacoff Island , Carpe Diem Beach can only be reached by boat. Screaming exclusivity, this venue is just a 10-minute ride away from Hvar Town and has been attracting Croatia ’s hip crowd for nearly three decades.

During the day, bronze on giant cushions, take a dip in the pool, lunch on seared tuna and sip mojitos in the lounge bar. There is even a volleyball pitch, as well as a massage pavilion offering treatments such as seaweed wraps and lemon-lavender skin scrubs.

As night falls, Carpe Diem Beach morphs into the ultimate party spot, perfect for those looking for long summer nights. The full-moon parties are legendary with big-name DJs flying in from Europe’s top clubs.

best superyacht beach clubs

St Tropez ’s original and most iconic beach club, Le Club 55 , was born when Brigitte Bardot arrived on the then-deserted Pampelonne Beach in 1955 to shoot  And God Created Women , the film which would catapult the actress into global superstardom.

Bernard and Geneviève De Colmont dished up family-style lunches to the crew from their fisherman’s hut and, before long, this had transformed into Cinquante Cinque, a hangout for rock stars, models and government bigwigs alike.

Today, a terracotta terrace shaded by tamarisk trees, woven reeds and white canvases offers a laid-back atmosphere in which A-listers and locals continue to feast on grilled fish and sip rosé undisturbed.

The open-air eatery in France  even has its own jetty, ensuring those arriving by superyacht tender make the most impressive entrance.

phi beach sardinia

Looked over by 18 th century Forte Cappellini, Phi Beach benefits from a truly magical setting, made even more enchanting by the sunsets over the La Maddalena archipelago opposite. After hitting the Costa Smeralda scene in 2005, the venue is now the hottest beach club in Sardinia , Italy.

Spread across golden sands, day beds draped in white canopies entice guests to unwind as they sip signature Havana cocktails, leaving only to sample the delicious Mediterranean menu in the water-side Chiri Sur restaurant.

There is also a spectacular VIP terrace hidden among the granite rocks. Known as the Rock Club , this is where the elite come to chink champagne and indulge in intimate dining. Then, international DJs and beautiful light shows ensure all are entertained through to the early hours.

best superyacht beach clubs

Foretelina is the only beach club where you can laze on a sun lounger opposite Capri’ s famous Faraglioni rock formations. The idyllic rocky outcrop has, in fact, been seducing Italy’s elite ever since Lucia Fiorentino and Peppino Arcucci opened a little restaurant here in 1949.

Bathe in the sun with a glass of legendary white wine sangria in hand and listen to the hypnotic sound of waves lapping against the rocks before filling up in the Fontelina restaurant under the shade of a pretty pergola.    

All-time favorites such as spaghetti with clams, fried paranza and seafood salad are never missing from the seafood-dominated menu and, only accessible by foot or boot, the venue is perfect for arriving by superyacht tender.

best superyacht beach clubs

At Ushuaïa Beach Club , a grown-up playground of pleasure on  Ibiza ’s Playa d’en Bossa , guests can lay back listening to chill-out house music as waiters bring cocktails or smoothies straight to their daybed.

Beach snacks can be shared directly from the sun loungers or the island's lushest cuts of meat fresh from the grill can be sampled while taking respite on the shaded terrace.

But, there's a reason why Ushuaïa has secured its status as one of the top open-air clubs not only in Spain , but on the planet. Come late afternoon, the action revs up with international DJs spinning the party tracks and good-looking revellers hitting the dancefloor.

best superyacht beach clubs

On the sun-drenched southern tip of Mykonos in Greece   sits Scorpios , one of the newest additions to the Greek island’s 24-hour party scene. With its wild charm, rustic luxury and in-tune-with-nature ambiance, this boho-luxe slice of paradise is where the cool cats hang out.

Driftwood cabanas and sunbeds blend in with their natural surroundings and privacy reign supreme until sunset when the musical antics of top DJs ignite the beach’s nocturnal energies.

Completing the scene is a weatherworn clubhouse, meandering terraces and a beachfront restaurant where the eatery presents holistic gourmet dishes infused with Greek and Mediterranean influences.

Looking to book a Mediterranean yacht charter?

To find out more about chartering in the region, please see our in-depth Mediterranean yacht charter guide . For some inspiration, check out our sample itineraries handpicked by experts for the region.

For more details on planning a Mediterranean yacht vacation, please speak to a recommended yacht charter broker .

Alternatively, take a look at all luxury yachts available for charter in the Mediterranean .

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Superyacht designers on the unstoppable rise of the beach club

Related articles, superyacht directory.

The leisure space at a yacht’s stern is more prized than ever and has become an essential part of the superyacht blueprint. Ahead of the Superyacht Design Festival , which will welcome a panel to discuss how a new generation of clients are demanding a new type of space, Cecile Gauert looks back at the beach club's unstoppable rise...

From the mid 2000s to today, yacht designers and builders have placed increased focus on water access. Recent deliveries such as the Oasis 40M and Alpha Yachts ’ Spritz 102 have replaced the back end of the boat with terraces with sea views. The beach club is taking on a whole new dimension.

A few years ago, designers shifted the focus from the top deck, which was seen as the main recreation area on a yacht, to the lower deck, specifically the transom area. Who were the trendsetters? The 105-metre Lady Moura , built by Blohm+Voss in 1990, really pushed the envelope, and her fold-down terraces were an early inspiration, although her beach club wasn’t at water level. The Jon Bannenberg -designed Lürssen Coral Ocean , delivered in 1994 as Coral Island, was another custom yacht filled with innovative features, including balconies and guest water access. “ Coral Ocean already had a lovely stern and open sea access,” says designer Pieter Van Geest, although he says, “ Eco [now Zeus ] had the first low aft deck with open sea access.”

  • The best superyacht beach clubs in the world

Then there was Princess Mariana (now Pegasus VIII ), a 79-metre Espen Øino -designed superyacht delivered in 2003. It had a floodable tender garage/beach club and side balconies. It’s hard to pick one single influencer, but what is certain is that moving away from classic wraparound transoms like the charming canoe stern and opening up water access was becoming a big trend. 

Designer Frank Neubelt remembers getting requests for platforms with integrated ladders and with room for a couple of chairs in the 1990s. One of his first superyacht designs, the Moonen Xanadu (now Azul A ), had such a feature. “ Xanadu ’s owner requested a sauna in the transom area, so in 1996 a mini beach club was born – all at just 34 metres,” he says. However, with few exceptions, platforms were just large enough for crew to handle lines and the tender, and the closest you got to the water from the aft section of the boat was on sportfishers. The waterfront was a working area, a bit like it was on shore for many years.

  • The new design trends shaping superyacht beach clubs

“Proximity to the water is a new phenomenon in our western civilisation connected with the Industrial Revolution, new wealth and more pleasure time,” says Luiz de Basto. De Basto translated one of his early architectural concepts for a villa with unfolding terraces to yacht design, and began integrating fold-down terraces on all kinds of boats starting in 2008. “In the beginning, yacht transoms were all enclosed – no one wanted to be near the water. Yachts were used more for formal gatherings,” he says.

Whatever the tipping point, by the mid 2000s, multiple concepts began cropping up. In 2005 Italian builder CRN delivered the 54-metre Ability (now Alouette II ), designed by Zuccon International Project , as a pure custom yacht with a 19-square-metre “beach deck” connected to a fitness room/spa behind glass doors. The design, the yard said at the time, “rearranges the rules of standard naval design, transforming the stern into a VIP area, with a fully-fledged  ‘balcony on the sea’.”

  • Club class: How the beach club became yachting's most fashionable must-have

Neubelt’s work on large custom yachts as a co-founder of Newcruise developed his earlier concepts significantly: the 68-metre Nobiskrug Triple Seven delivered in 2006 features a split-level beach club/bar arrangement and elegant stairs connecting the large swim platform to the main deck, an arrangement he expanded for the 73-metre Siren , delivered in 2008.

Nauta Design, building on its extensive experience with sailing boat design, where connection with the water is so much a part of the lifestyle, made a big splash with the first iteration of Project Light, an 80-metre custom project developed for a client with builder Fincantieri in 2006.

“We shifted the attention from the interior to the exterior, from living inside to outdoor living, and even when inside, to enjoying the outdoor view through great glazed surfaces, low bulwarks and a seamless connection between inside and outside,” says Mario Pedol, co-founder of Nauta Design . Among the many features was a covered space at water level connected to an indoor lounge behind sliding glass doors and fold-down terraces on the three sides. The 2008 financial meltdown put a stop to the project, but Nauta continued to evolve the concept and in 2009 released a 90-metre version. “That was our first design where a beach club really had an important function,” says Pedol. The next logical step was to include a full wraparound platform, which Nauta showed in several concepts.

Overall a transformation of the aft section of the yacht from a work area to a leisure area became more evident at that time. One example illustrates this trend beautifully: the Nuvolari Lenard -designed Oceanco Alfa Nero , delivered in 2007, boasts a vast aft main deck with pool/helideck located above the tender garage.

A more active lifestyle, a desire to interact with the water and fabulous toys drove the change, and technical evolution (and evolving rules) made it more possible to push boundaries, even on smaller yachts.

Wider Yachts , one of the first builders to adopt a hybrid propulsion system, helped expand the idea to the sub-50-metre category when it unveiled in 2011 its concept for what would become the 46-metre Wider 150 several years later. “I think that Wider did quite some development to make the beach club special,” says Frank Laupman, founder of the prolific design company Omega Architects . It was for the owner of a Wider yacht and cruise line executive that Laupman designed the beach club concept for a small “cruise liner with yacht DNA”. The dual-level beach club area has two convertible zones. The lower level can be closed for safety reasons when the yacht is in a marina, the designer explains, “because owners want to maintain privacy and security at some point”.

And that has been part of the most recent evolution – to make the beach club or sea lounge usable any time, especially as it takes more space on the lower deck. At Sanlorenzo , a glass bottom pool on the aft deck is also a light conduit into the beach club/tender garage, a solution the shipyard first implemented on the Sanlorenzo 52Steel , designed in collaboration with Officina Italia Design , and more recently on the 62Steel .

H2 Yacht Design created a spectacular two-pool arrangement and 110-square-metre beach club on the 80-metre Bilgin Yachts Tatiana , which was delivered earlier this year. It includes a spa, space for massage en plein air and a hamman in keeping with an increased focus on wellness several years in the making

On many Lürssen yachts, the main recreation deck was away from prying eyes and, more recently, lounges and terraces migrated to the lower deck, expanding the spa area into a fully-fledged multi-use recreational area. Lennart Pundt, head of project development for the German shipyard, sees this evolution and an increased care for the environment as closely linked. And that isn’t about to change. With the switch to lower emissions or silent, exhaust-free propulsion options, the lower deck will be more pleasant an area than ever.

“The massage [area] and spa are no longer disconnected from the activities on the water.  The beach area is becoming a fully functional total wellness and activity centre,” says Laura Pomponi, of Luxury Projects , who recently designed a spectacular arrangement on a private 70-metre Benetti. Although of late, there is another evolution. “We often arrange the beach club as a relaxing area with lounge seating, big-screen television and buffet cabinet or counter for direct service of refreshments between watersports activities. Then, at night, the service counter turns to a bar and a DJ table appears in a corner, turning it into a nightclub,” she says.

What could be more pleasant than to linger at the water’s edge, at least in fair weather? Even when they visit Westport Yachts ’ facility in Fort Lauderdale, clients often suggest meeting for coffee on their beach club, says Alex Rogers, the company’s director of sales. The prolific American builder was a latecomer to the trend. “We are very conservative,” says Rogers. “We like our boats to work; it’s another moving part and you don’t want to get stuck somewhere with the beach club open.” But clients kept asking and so they worked with nautical engineering company Nautical Structures on implementing a beach club on the Westport 125 , the first of which was delivered in 2017. They chose a door that opens upward and a fixed platform. This has multiple advantages: it offers the ability to insert lights, speakers and showers, provides shade and won’t be disrupted by choppy water. Westport will implement this feature in all new models for the foreseeable future, and tailor it to individual needs (fishing or diving).

One of the issues with a lower deck beach club is that water is seldom still. A passing speedboat can be enough to send waves into a low-lying space and disrupt the reverie of a sunbather, rendering the space impractical with anything more than a light chop – unless, of course, it’s designed as a “wet space”. For this reason and more (deck height, for example, is a key factor) designer Giorgio Cassetta says these lounges at water level are better suited to much larger yachts, otherwise not only can they get very wet, “they can feel like a cave”.

There are ways around that. An interesting solution is on 49.7-metre Rossinavi Lel . Structural grills in aluminium flanking the large beach club allow light to flow into a well-finished, covered 90-square-metre lounge. It has a 2.5-metre-high ceiling and an internal staircase for safe passage up and down from the main deck. Designer Luca Dini says it is “the largest beach club in a 50-metre yacht under 500GT.” This feature allowed saving on the gross tonnage while increasing liveable space.

On very large yachts, gross tonnage is less of an issue and the height above the water is usually sufficient to protect sunbathers from run-of-the-mill waves. However, large unfolding sections of bulwark can be subject to a lot of strain, says designer Lukasz Opalinski. An industrial designer by training, he imagined a solution that allows bulwarks to slide outwardly, additional deck sections stored under the swim platform filling the gap to form a large flush swim platform with a central articulated section with steps descending into the sea (now standard issue from Opacmare). He illustrated his idea with Indah, his newly released 120-metre concept.

The Italian Sea Group ’s recently delivered Geco has an attractive open-stern beach club area. It is designed to avoid complications on a yacht that has to be ready for charter for weeks at a time. “Mechanical unfolding things are nice and sometimes needed, but in Geco we wanted to keep it simple to be sure that everything worked at any time, in any situation,” says head of design Gian Marco Campanino. The beach area is fixed, without moving parts.

However, many builders are pushing beyond the traditional beach club, expanding the lifestyle to several tiers, cascading from the aft deck down to the water level. Cassetta posits the traditional beach club has peaked and the lower deck spaces may revert to a more traditional use as storage, watersports and changing room. “There’s a trend, which I very much support, to go from enclosed beach clubs to main deck areas that flow down into the sea in a much more laid back and informal way,” he says. This idea would be similar to what he has designed for Alpha Yachts or Tankoa . “The main deck, which was neglected until five years ago, has become the new place to be because people have realised that there’s less roll there, you’re closer to the sea and have 10 or 15 metres of space that you can use in connection with an internal area without having to walk up the stairs. It just works.”

It’s a concept that’s seen on a couple of the new semi-custom Benettis. The Italian builder tapped RWD some years ago and gave them carte blanche to develop something new, which would appeal to younger and more active owners. In 2016, they came up with the first concept for what would become the popular Oasis series, which started with the 40-metre Rebeca , and also worked with Benetti on the B.Now series. The thinking was “to take people to the sea”, says RWD’s Andrew Collett. “Traditionally you have this cockpit or seating in the way that was deleted, which opened this whole new area, and with engineering and the tender garage moving, we started to push the decks down and then the natural thing was to open the bulwarks. And the Oasis was born,” he says.

Life on board is becoming less formal and that’s a trend that is here to stay, de Basto says. Even interiors reflect a “more relaxed and informal” approach. Spaces that transform from day to evening use – for instance, a dining space that can be set as a buffet in open air in the day or be enclosed with sliding doors at night – are part of it. Floating islands, netted pools and temporary docks for all manner of water toys, he says, also have transformed the way people enjoy their yachts, expanding the idea of the beach club to just about any size of boat.

At this year's Superyacht Design Festival a panel of designers including Giorgio Cassetta, Luiz de Basto and Mario Pedol, will discuss what's next for the beach club and how we might see the space evolve in the next decade. The Superyacht Design Festival will take place in Milan from June 22-24, 2022. Tickets are still available.

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