The Miami Boat Show is simply huge, with more boats than you could possibly visit in a single day, so here is our pick of the best models going on display…
Miami and boats go hand in hand, so for those who haven’t been before it should come as no surprise that the city boasts one of the world’s finest boat shows – the Discovering Boating Miami International Boat Show.
The 2022 version of the Miami Boat Show starts this week (February 16-20) and the world’s biggest boat builders will be converging on the city.
There are four on-water locations (Sea Isle Marina, One Herald Plaza, Museum Park Marina, and IGY Yacht Haven Grande) as well as the Miami Beach Convention Center and Pride Park, so it makes sense to plan ahead to figure out which sites to visit first.
So without further ado, here’s our selection of the very best boats to seek out at the 2022 Miami Boat Show:
9 of the best boats at the 2022 Miami Boat Show
Azimut 68 Fly
When it comes to Azimut Flybridge models, there are seemingly more choices than stinky cheeses at the supermarket deli.
Looking for something in the 50-foot range? Take your pick from the Azimut 50, 53 or 55. For 60-footers, look no further than the Azimut 60 or 66. Want to go bigger? There’s an Azimut 72, 78 and 83. Seemingly only rabbits breed faster.
Now filling the sliver of a gap between the 66 and 72 comes the new, and quite gorgeous $3 million Azimut 68 Fly that’s all set to woo the Miami Boat Show crowd.
Read more about the Azimut 68 Fly
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Cranchi E26 Classic
Another Italian yard hoping to make a splash at the Miami Boat Show is Cranchi Yachts, with their A46 Luxury Tender and two versions of their entry-level E26 going on display.
We drove the Cranchi E26 back in 2020 and were bowled over by its beautiful, retro styling and impeccable handling. Chief boat tester Jack Haines went as far as to call it a “modern classic in the making”.
“There isn’t a line out of place on the Classic model, it is simply gorgeous up close,” he adds. “And the helm makes you want to drive the boat from the moment you drop into the bucket seat.”
Read more about the Cranchi E26 Classic
Leopard 46PC
Love ’em or hate ’em, power cats are here to stay. When tennis ace Rafa Nadal swapped his sleek ‘n sexy Monte Carlo 76 for a 39-foot-wide Sunreef 80 Power Catamaran, we knew hell had frosted over.
Make no mistake, one of the biggest headliners at this year’s Miami Boat Show won’t be some swanky superyacht, or a Miami Vice speed demon; it’ll be the brand new 46PC from power cat brand Leopard.
How come? It’s all about numbers. You see the Leopard 46PC is built in South Africa by leading power cat specialist, Robertson & Caine.
They build the bulk of the cats for the Moorings global charter fleet and will soon start cranking-out a version of the Leopard 46 badged the Moorings 464 PC. That’ll account for a lot of boats.
Read more about the Leopard 46PC
Pardo Endurance 60
A relatively new brand, Pardo Yachts has blossomed since its 2018 debut into a yard capable of producing a truly groundbreaking crossover yacht like the Endurance 60.
The aim here is to deliver year-round cruising comfort in effortless Italian style, and we recently got the chance to test this model at the 2021 Cannes Yachting Festival.
“The interior is beautifully crafted and with three cabins, three bathrooms and a double crew cabin arranged on the lower deck there is room for extended cruises with family and friends,” reports Jack Haines.
Read more about the Pardo Endurance 60
Regal 38 Fly
Doctor Who’s Tardis couldn’t squeeze-in more space than Regal Boats‘ latest flybridge model, the Regal 38 Fly, which is making its global debut at the 2022 Miami Boat Show.
This thing boasts a midships stateroom with a walk-around king-size bed along with a cosy two-seat sofa. Up in the bow there’s a queen with easy access on both sides, and under-bed storage voluminous enough to double as a third cabin.
And one more cool, below-decks feature; a stand-alone shower on the port side, and a toilet and sink to starboard. The thinking here? It lets two people get ready at the same time.
Read more about the Regal 38 Fly
Sunseeker 88 Yacht
The Sunseeker 88 is based on the yard’s popular 86 model, but with some key upgrades to make it stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Foremost among these is the eye-catching transforming transom, which can create a beach club, sunpads or even a cockpit balcony at the touch of a button.
MBY editor Hugo Andreae got a chance to tour a brand new Sunseeker 88 Yacht last year, fresh out of the factory, and it really has to be seen to be believed.
Read more about the Sunseeker 88 Yacht
True North 34 Outboard Express
It’s taken Catalina Yachts almost three years to incorporate its design thinking and sailboat production techniques into the True North lobster-boat brand it acquired back in 2019.
Debuting on the 2022 Miami Boat Show docks is the newest, freshest, best-built version of True North’s trusty 34 Outboard Express, currently the only model it produces at Catalina’s old sailboat production plant in Largo, on Florida’s west coast.
It’s all evolution rather than revolution. There are new, bigger side windows for better all-round vision from the helm and inside L-shaped sofa.
Read more about the True North 34 Outboard Express
Vanquish VQ52
If ever a boat was designed for the sun-and-sin Miami lifestyle, it’s surely the brand new 52-foot VQ52 from Dutch builder Vanquish Yachts. You can almost hear Jan Hammer’s Miami Vice theme tune pulsating from the VQ’s stereo.
Filling the small, but significant, gap between Vanquish’s VQ45 and VQ58 open dayboats, this all-aluminum rocketship, making its US debut at the 2022 Miami Boat Show, boasts one significant selling point: it offers sunpads, beds and chill zones for a bikini’d crowd of up to 18.
That, and party-style catering that includes twin sinks, a grill, ice maker, and industrial-grade margarita blender to keep the party going all the way to the Bahamas.
Read more about the Vanquish VQ52
Wallytender 48
Wally Yachts founder Luca Bassani wrote the book on modern Italian boat styling and the Wallytender 48 is a great example of this.
With the backing of the Ferretti Group, Wally’s offering has become even more appealing in recent years, with exemplary build quality now underpinning those gorgeous looks.
Hugo Andreae took a test drive of one of the first Wallytender 48s in 2019 and reports that its engineering is every bit as impressive as its cutting-edge exterior design.
Read more about the Wallytender 48
Additional reporting by Howard Walker.
