Superyacht News

Azimut-Benetti Group – the world's largest private group in the yachting sector – has keeps on consolidating its leadership on Oriental markets. In fact, the group recently received another important award that confirms its success in Asia. Azimut-Benetti Group won the Best Brand Presence in Asia category during the eighth edition of the Asia Boating Awards that were held in Hong Kong and organized by Pacific Boating and China Boating, the most important magazines of Asia's nautical sector. 

Visit www.azimutpressarea.com for further information.

Heesen Yachts is proud to announce that the 50m Satori and the 37m Aurelia have been awarded Neptune Trophies at the prestigious World Superyacht Awards which took place in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday May 5, 2012.

Aurelia, 37m semi-displacement, prevailed over five other finalists in the very competitive "Raised pilothouse - semi-displacement or planning motor yacht" category. Aurelia sports a very different exterior look with her bright orange and blue color scheme that recalls Gulf Oil racing cars. Her precious and rich interior by Bannenberg and Rowell is inspired by the automotive theme. The judges commented: "An unusual, but very worthy winner".

Functional spaces, elegant and sophisticated details create the perfect private island. Smooth design accentuates the voluminous spaces inside. The profile of the Azimut 82 combines sinuosity, elegance and innovation thanks to its load-bearing structures accompanied by large windows in the deckhouse and hull and centre window consisting of four vertical segments.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing this morning closed out fifth place on Leg 6 from Itajaí, Brazil to the USA, arriving under a moonlit sky just before dawn in Miami, Florida.

Ken Read and the team on PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG are flying into the last 100 miles to the Miami finish line at average speeds of almost 20 knots, with CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) in their rear view mirror, 18.10 nm behind. But it has been a tortuous night and Ken Read and his men came perilously close to losing the lead.

Having emerged from a windless day with their precious lead still intact, PUMA are still fending off second-placed CAMPER as the pair approach what could be the final strategic milestone in Leg 6 -- the Eleuthera Island lighthouse at the top of the Bahamas.

With less than 500 miles to race to the finish in Miami, the weather gods have thrown in another band of light air to keep the five boats racing on their toes. As the breeze softens once again, at 0700 GMT today, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) saw their lead slashed to 12.9 nautical miles (nm) by CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS).

“The tactical decisions are tough and often we have to adapt them as we go,” commented Telefónica skipper Iker Martínez (ESP), who today at 1900 GMT had risen up the leg leaderboard to seize second place from CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS).

As the breeze softens and the threat of squalls and clouds loom, it is a tense time for leg leaders PUMA.

There is no let up at the head of the fleet. At 0700 GMT today, PUMA (Ken Read/USA) still had the advantage, leading CAMPER (Chris Nicholson/AUS) by 4.9 nautical miles and achieving top speeds as high as 30 knots, while third placed Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) were 18.6 nm off the pace.

For the second night running, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) have clung on to the Leg 6 lead in the tightest of matches, holding off CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP). At 0700 GMT today, the margin from second-placed CAMPER was 1.2 nautical miles (nm).

Heesen Yachts is proud to announce that on Saturday April 28th 2012 YN 15747 was christened MY Lady Petra by her Owners. Launched at the facility in Oss this new vessel is the eighth in Heesen's award-winning 47metre class.

This project, which began when the contract was signed back in 2010, is very special for the Company as the client is Frans Heesen himself, the former owner and founder of the shipyard.

It has been a long, hard night for PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA), who have been fighting to stay in pole position on Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race to Miami. As the leading trio of PUMA, CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) fought against black, wind-sucking clouds in the midst of the Doldrums, PUMA bled miles continuously throughout the night.

The light airs of yesterday caused considerable compression for four of the five boats racing in Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race, while fifth placed Groupama sailing team (Franck Cammas/FRA) continued to make small losses, and is now over 100 nautical miles behind. The crews are anything but complacent as the action heats up and a new player, Telefónica (Iker Martínez/ESP) enters the game.

In complete contrast to the atrocities of the Southern Ocean, Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Itajaí to Miami is a breeze, particularly for PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA). Overnight PUMA steadily extended their lead over CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS, by averaging a steady 15 knots on a broad reach towards the turning point at Recife some 235 nautical miles ahead on the north east coast of Brazil.

After what amounted to a tortuous night traversing the belt of light and fluky wind, PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG led the way out into fresh breeze at 0400 GMT to become the new leader on Leg 6 of the Volvo Ocean Race from Itajaí to Miami. At 0700 GMT, the team had a margin of 13.6 nautical miles (nm) over CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) after coming to a virtual standstill overnight for an agonising three hours.

Overnight PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG (Ken Read/USA) has entered the action, deposing CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand (Chris Nicholson/AUS) and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (Ian Walker/GBR) to take the Leg 6 lead at 0700 GMT today. Although Read’s buffer to CAMPER is a slim 1.3 nautical miles, PUMA is 59 nm to the east, and racking up 17.3 knots against CAMPER’s 15.2.

CAMPER and Abu Dhabi snatched the first and second spots on the Leg 6 leaderboard on Monday as they revelled in the close quarters action of the opening days of the race from Itajaí to Miami.

Sunseeker International, manufacturer of the world's finest luxury motoryachts, today reached another landmark in its illustrious history when founder Robert Braithwaite laid the first gelcoat on the mould of the new Sunseeker 155 Yacht, due for completion in December 2013.

The Sunseeker 155 Yacht is the largest build to date undertaken by the Poole Shipyard which can now soundly lay claim to being the only production boat builder in the world to be manufacturing a range of composite boats from 40 to 155 feet in length.

CAMPER completed their Leg 5 odyssey to claim fourth place and collect a vital 15 points, arriving in Itajaí, Brazil at 12:35:44 UTC on Tuesday, 31 days after the start and more than 10 days behind leg winners PUMA.

CAMPER's triumph over adversity was enough to catapult them back to third position overall, 28 points behind overall leaders Team Telefónica.