SLEEK STYLE IN THE BLUE YONDER WITH SUNSEEKER

With new standards in yacht design pushing the style boundaries ever further - Stephen Penn sets sail with Sunseeker Head Designer, Stuart Jones in search of the ultimate on-board experience

Waterfront living is aspirational on many levels. A stunning home set within the elite confines of a bobbing yacht marina invariably carries a hefty price-tag, and rightly so, as this superlative lifestyle choice brings with it a location-prize scoop of exclusivity and seafaring opulence.

As conspicuous displays of wealth go – the super-yacht community within this floating family is a breed apart. In fact, the sector boasted its busiest sales year ever in 2017, with the number of individuals with water born assets up by almost 50% in the last three years. As important as one’s choice of sea craft however, is a yacht’s interior design spec and layout.

Not only can it impact heavily on its potential re-sale value, but also on the quality of life enjoyed on board by its owners. It’s perhaps not surprising therefore, that manufacturers are enlisting the help of nautical design superstars to create that certain style magic on the high seas.

One such industry talent is Stuart Jones, Interior Design Manager at Sunseeker, who for 17 years has been at the heart of the brand’s design ethos, creating a signature style and formulating a cohesive strategy that spans the entire yacht range.

With a 35+ year career in the design sector working with esteemed brands including Harvey Nichols and British Airways, it was his collaboration with revered designer Andrew Winch on an ambitious 160 ft yacht – the biggest ever built at the time in 1997 – that cemented his career as a premier designer.

“Sunseeker is all about excitement,” he explains. “At the core, we’re design driven – we produce state-of-the-art products that are a pleasure to look at, but there’s so much more to it. Interior design on a structure that navigates the high seas is far from simple.”

“Unlike a house, a yacht isn’t a blank canvas. Detailed planning from the outset is key, to ensure you can work with and around all the requisite shapes and curves in a subtle yet stylish way, to ensure the interior space feels ample - ideally double the size than it actually is.”

A further challenge is balancing the quintessential high-end, cultivated look of the brand, whilst allowing individual clients personal style to shine through.

“All of our superyachts are bespoke designed. It’s our unique selling point. Far from stifling the creativity of buyers, we actually want to elevate their vision to create a space they’re happy and proud to spend time in.”

All design elements are tried and tested to stand the ‘moving watercraft’ test of time, including tropical air conditioning units and fabrics and upholstery that won’t fade in the sunlight. Furnishings are also built to be fixed down during rough sea voyages and protected for all weather conditions. As with all style encounters – design trends come and go.

Stuart and his team work closely with a hand-picked group of suppliers who craft bespoke finishes and furnishings, so that everything is truly fit for purpose and taste.

He adds: “Yacht design is a jigsaw puzzle, but when you get it right, it feels amazing. And so it should – we’re creating floating homes where people will have fantastic adventures.”

MARINA HOT SPOTS

PORTOFINO - ITALY

One of the world’s most famous harbours set in the middle of a natural promontory formed by the inlet of Portofino Bay, Marina di Portofino offers 14 mooring places for pleasure boats and super-yachts on the dock, all with water and electricity links, as well as 2 berths for mega-yachts in Cannone Bay.

“I’m a lover of Italy and have always been drawn to the intimacy of Portofino,” explains Sunseeker’s Stuart Jones. “Boating here has a real romance and always transports me back to the Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant era. It’s not all fast and furious, there’s an elegance to it, and that’s something I always draw upon with my yacht designs.”

MARINA MIRAGGIO – GREECE

Located on the Aegean Sea on the southwest side of the Kassandra peninsula, near Halkidiki, Marina Miraggio opened last year and has already been awarded the European Union’s ‘Blue Flag’ and the Golden Greek Hospitality Award 2017.

Considered one of the most technologically advanced marinas, it was developed with the help of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki to devise ways of reducing impact on the sea, nature and marine life.

The marina sports 81 berths and can accommodate yachts up to 40m as well as boasting one of the longest quays of this type in Greece – at 110m. Perfect for yachties and boaters who seek state-of-the-art marina finery blended with get-away-from-it-all natural beauty.

PORTO MONTENEGRO – MONTENEGRO

This former Austro-Hungarian naval base located on the UNESCO-protected Bay of Kotor, Porto Montenegro is a state-ofthe- art marina ideal for superyacht owners. Boasting 450 berths, it accommodates boats ranging from 12 to 250m, and offers a wide range of facilities.

Its glitzy yacht club has a pool, tennis court, bars and restaurants and for those who love to be pampered, the swanky Venetian-style Regent Porto Montenegro, located on the Adriatic and overlooking Boka Bay, has a choice of stylish rooms, suites and Regent Pool Club Residences.

Short and long-term berthing options (from one day up to 30 years), are available. A berth rental pool offers 85% income share for lease owners, onsite customs and immigration.