It’s a packed line-up, but if you don’t have the time to see them all, we’ve picked out a some of the boats that we think are especially worthy of your attention at the 2024 Southampton Boat Show. Keep scrolling to read more, or click on the links below to jump to the boat you want to see.
Best motor yachts at the Southampton Boat Show 2024
Sunseeker Ocean 156
Unquestionably the biggest boat making its global premiere at the Southampton show is Sunseeker’s all-new Ocean 156. Unlike last year’s Ocean 182, which started life as an Ocean 90 before having an enclosed hardtop tacked on top, the 156 was designed from the ground up as a tri-deck model. The result is a more considered and, we would argue, better looking craft. Given that it’s also considerably shorter with an LOA of 82ft 6in (the 156 in its name refers to its Gross Tonnage), that’s no mean feat.
As with all Ocean models, it’s also unusually beamy. A maximum width of 26ft 6in exactly matches that of the Sunseeker 95 Yacht and the result is a really spacious craft, relative to its length, with a broad choice of layouts. Crucially, that includes the option of a main deck owner’s cabin with all the benefits that incurs, such as bigger windows, better views, quieter nights, increased privacy and direct access to the bow lounge. That still leaves room below for four more double cabins, including a large full-beam suite amidships.
The alternative is to keep the main deck as a vast open-plan entertaining zone with the galley at the centre of the action and a variety of dining, seating and bar options filling the spaces on either side of it.
Fairline Targa 40
Southampton will be playing host to one of the world’s most exciting sportscruisers. With lofty topsides, an upright bow and a wide beam that extends a good way forward, Fairline tells us this boat is 20% more voluminous than the old Targa 38. But while it’s clearly designed as a genuine mini-cruiser, the styling is also a delight. The snub-nosed semi-plumb bow comes with backlit stainless steel logos; the foredeck sunpad is framed by fibreglass ‘spears’; and the long plunging hull windows are dramatically mirrored in what appears to be a virtually mullion-free superstructure.
On the inside, the practical ingenuity of the cockpit is also brilliant. The aft deck is split by a pair of broadly symmetrical sunpad-cum-bench units. There’s space for a partially inflated 2.7m tender inside the port unit, as well as a hinged table to keep the deck space clear. On the starboard side, a ‘power-down beach club balcony’ extends the cockpit outwards and to make very best use of that, there’s a bench that can be reversed to face out across the water.
Further forward, a raised L-shaped chaise longue provides a place to relax, opposite a pair of starboard helmseats that back onto a wet bar. The hardtop comes with an electric canvas sunroof so you can open up the entire main deck. And when you step forward to the bow, the central sunpad is usefully supplemented with a low-level forepeak sofa and a comfy recessed footwell.
Princess X95 Vista
The largest boat at the show is also one of the most interesting. As an adaptation of the starkly distinctive X95, the vast interior spaces on both the open-plan, helm-free main deck and that trademark ‘Super Flybridge’ still cover virtually the entire length of the yacht. It still claims to deliver 10% more outdoor space and 40% more indoor volume than a traditional motor yacht of the same length.
And it’s still the same pioneering platform that inspired so many other builders to follow suit with their own interpretations of the long-range, explorer-style sub-100ft ‘superyacht’. But the Vista variant updates the concept in a couple of ways, firstly with a new full-length single-piece hull window, and secondly, with a new foredeck design that opens up the bow structure to provide uprated views, both through the main deck’s forward window and the exterior foredeck seating.
Targa 41
Though second in size to the flagship 46, the new 41 is probably the best boat in the entire fleet. Modest innovations include plenty of firsts for Targa – proper hull windows, bonded pilothouse glazing, larger side doors and cockpit boarding gates. But it’s the fact that the 41 is playful, as well as practical, that’s so pleasing.
The cockpit, for instance, features symmetrical L-shaped seating sections at the transom, opposite an aft-facing bench at the back end of the pilothouse, all ramped up with the option of flip-down seats, drop-down tables and sunbed infills.
There’s another sunbed forward plus a convertible C-shaped dinette up on the flybridge – and you even get space to sleep up to seven people, thanks to two cabins and a convertible wheelhouse dinette.
Marex 440
Norway’s Marex will be taking its award-winning flagship to the Southampton Boat Show in its optional (and for most people, preferable) ‘Gourmet Cruiser’ guise. This uses a massive aft galley that dominates the internal space and projects out into the cockpit with an optional bar.
You can spec this boat with the more conventional internal saloon of the ‘Scandinavia’ variant instead but rigged like this, the kitchen is very much the hub of the dayboating zone with plenty of space to cook and eat, plus four huge chest fridges in and around the galley area, so you can spend long spells at sea without returning to shore.
Back aft, the big cockpit is hemmed in securely and lined on all sides by bench seats, creating an alfresco lounge big enough for ten. You can turn this into a four-season space with tensioned canvases; and the accommodation is flexible too, thanks to a two or three-cabin layout with a pair of cleverly conceived bathrooms.
Whether you want IPS drives, sterndrives or V-drives, the 440 again offers plenty of choice, but what is really likely to put a smile on your face is the way it combines classical elegance with striking design intelligence and delivers it all in a package you would feel very proud to own.
Nord Star 33+
Southampton will host the first outboard-powered Nord Star 33+ to hit UK shores – and like the inboard variant, it looks like a very cruise-friendly boat. It features deep, wide walkaround decks with opening side gates built into the railings amidships, plus sliding doors on both sides of the pilothouse. The tinted windows are all bonded in, helping narrow the mullions for uprated views from the main saloon – and in the optional ‘Cruiser Layout’, the starboard galley comes with a full-height fridge, a gas-free stove and wide aft patio doors.
Down below, a striking full-beam mid cabin with twin beds and hanging storage is neatly accessed via a hinged seat and there’s also a permanent double in the forward cabin. In Cruiser form, it’s the central section that really shines. By putting the galley up top, it frees up the space for a wetroom on one side and a starboard heads on the other. Alternatively, you can spec both sides with a loo and shower; use the port compartment as a walk-in wardrobe; or you can opt for the standard fit-out with the galley below and larger dinette in the saloon.
Absolute Navetta 48
The smallest of Absolute’s Navetta range does a superb job for a sub 50-footer. As on the larger models, the plumb bow, raised foredeck, generous beam and trawler-style superstructure mean plenty of volume for a boat of this length. It’s big enough to sleep six adults in remarkable comfort, thanks to a pair of generous midships guest cabins and a supremely bright and spacious owner’s bow cabin.
Pocket doors and long, panoramic windows make the space feel very generous, and the bed is set on the diagonal for maximum floor space around it. That still leaves room for a couple of decent bathrooms and an additional ensuite crew cabin that you can access directly from the stern platform.
Rustler 41
Having forged its reputation over the last 50 years through the creation of premium ocean-going sailing yachts, Rustler’s first ever motor boat will be taking centre stage in Southampton. Designed very much in the fashion of a classical gentleman’s launch, it uses a sheltered main deck saloon with twin helm seats that back onto a fully featured galley. Opposite that, a U-shaped dinette can be converted into a third double berth to supplement the owner’s bow cabin and the midships guest double.
From here, aft doors lead to a sociable outdoor cockpit with L-shaped seating in each quarter and a wet bar with additional seating forward. A central through-transom door gives access to the swim platform and further forward, side gates and walkaround decks make onboard movement equally easy.
Cormate Chase 35
Making their UK debuts in Southampton will be a couple of extremely attractive new Cormates. The Utility 27 is an ultra rapid high-end weekender with lovely looks – but with its extra length, day space and weekend cruising potential, it’s the new Chase 35 that is likely to be the bigger draw.
Extended by a foot with a revised hull for extra efficiency and stability, the new boat comes with the extraordinary option of twin 565hp Mercury Racing engines for a claimed 82-knot top end. But such is the efficiency of the hulls that even the basic twin TDI V6 270 diesels will deliver performance in the region of 46 knots, alongside cruising efficiency of less than 1.2 litres per nautical mile.
It achieves that by means of a narrow beam (around 25% of the overall length), a hull monostep and stiff, lightweight vacuum-infused construction that sees this boat tipping the scales at just 3,000kg.
Greenline 45 Fly
This is the first chance for showgoers to see the 45 Fly on UK shores since it was launched back in 2019. And we reckon this is Greenline’s most appealing boat yet.
Much of that comes down to its clever design and packaging – it looks good inside and out with a lovely bright saloon and aft galley on the main deck and three good cabins below with exceptional levels of natural light, especially in the forward VIP.
There’s also some smart thinking on the engineering side with a wide range of Yanmar or Volvo engines to choose from and the option for varying degrees of electric hybrid power. Even the base boat comes with a li-ion battery pack plus an inverter and solar panels on the saloon roof to give you mains power at anchor without the need for a noisy, smelly generator.
Balt Yachts SunCamper 31
Possibly not the fastest, prettiest or most luxurious boat at the show, but we challenge you to find a better value one than this SunCamper 31. Built by Polish yard Balt Yachts, which also manufactures craft for some much more prestigious brands, it looks like being a great little waterways cruiser for buyers on a budget.
Powered by either a single petrol outboard or small shaftdrive diesel engine, it should be just as cheap to run as it is to buy. For as little as £129,226 inc VAT you get a really bright, spacious wheelhouse with a well-equipped galley and convertible dinette, as well as sleeping space for an astonishing seven people. There’s a double cabin forward with an extra single berth under the saloon and another double aft – and we’re told the heads compartment has lots of headroom too.
Sargo 45
Show visitors in search of a boat that marries offshore potency with stylistic flair would do well to check out the new Sargo flagship. In addition to the promise of a soft, dry ride on long offshore passages from that rigorously proven Sargo hull, the new 45 makes everything really simple.
From the easy-access fender stowage and the impeccable helm station to the wide-gauge fuel fillers and the side-opening engine bay, the basics have been really well executed on this flagship model.
In terms of its cruising credentials, it comes with a convertible dinette, an ingenious ensuite mid-cabin, a pair of forward cabins and a generous day heads, so you could feasibly sleep eight people on this boat in really decent comfort.
Fjord 39XL
Enjoying its UK debut at the Southampton Boat Show is the smallest of Fjord’s elegant daycruiser fleet. It comes as standard with twin helm seats offset to starboard behind the large central console. There’s also a large aft bench and a big open deck to make the most of the boat’s fluid zero-step walkaround design. As a high-end Med-style party platform it’s a very easy boat to customise too.
There are six alternative upper deck layouts, revolving around the use of aft benches, a galley and a T-top. There are also two lower deck arrangements that subtly tweak the base layout’s bow cabin and starboard heads. But for us, this boat looks best with three helm seats, backing onto a transverse galley, with a large central dinette and an aft sunpad.
Windy 29 Huracán
New to the Southampton Boat Show will be one of the smallest Windy boats to inhabit the brand’s classical (and still much sought-after) sportscruiser format. Slotting neatly between the 27 Solano and the 32 Grand Zonda, the Windy Huracán 29 ticks all the usual Windy boxes with a step-free deep-vee hull, a choice of petrol or diesel inboard engines, a deep, wide cockpit and an aggressively raked foredeck with a step-through screen.
The deck layout is also classical Windy, thanks to an asymmetrical cockpit arrangement, featuring a pair of rotating helm seats that back onto a starboard dinette and a facing corner seat to port. Behind that, a sunpad adjoins the aft end of the dinette, with a sliding backrest for extra flexibility.
Prestige F4.9
What was originally the Prestige F4 has become the Prestige F4.9 to better reflect its 49ft length – but it’s good to see that the boat remains the same because there’s some ingenuity to the deck arrangements that makes this latest-generation Prestige flybridge cruiser feel extremely gratifying.
The ‘Ocean View Galley’, for instance, adopts a transverse layout way aft, enabling it to straddle the zone between saloon and cockpit to great effect, while also putting your eyeline at the same level as that of the seated saloon guests on the other side of the low-level glass screen. But there’s even better thinking at the bow, where the raised forward cabin takes great advantage of the extra breadth in the upper, less tapered, section of the hull, while creating natural separation from the two guest cabins further down and aft.
Azimut 68
Make no mistake. The 68 Fly on Azimut’s Southampton show stand is a fully-fledged luxury cruising machine, brimming with light and space, opulent upholstery, designer detailing and sensible storage solutions.
But it’s also a proper driving machine. The slippery medium-V Pierluigi Ausonio hull is coupled with a pair of Volvo Penta 1,000hp IPS-1350s for a 32-knot top end and a really comfortable long-legged cruise at speeds as low as 19 knots. The weight is also kept good and deep, thanks to the use of carbon fibre in the superstructure, hardtop and deck mouldings and the agility of the handling fully reflects that.
It’s particularly pleasing then that when you step away from the helm, there’s such remarkable space and volume on offer…
Beneteau Antares 12
After nearly five decades in production, the capacity of the Antares line to imbue modestly sized platforms with big versatility is well known – and that’s nowhere more evident than on the flagship 42-footer.
While its spacious flybridge, expandable cockpit and beamy bow lounge all function very effectively as independent open-air dayboating zones, the lower deck is pretty well arranged for extended cruising too.
The owner’s bow cabin and the primary twin cabin both come with ensuite bathrooms and, while the latter is shared as a day heads, there’s still space for a modular third cabin that can be specced as a single berth, a double berth or a dedicated storage room.
Quarken 35 Cabin
After much anticipation, the Quarken 35 Cabin has done exactly what fans of the award-winning 27 had hoped. It features a twin-stepped hull with a fine entry and a flared bow, very much in line with previous models, alongside a pair of Yamaha F300s for a top speed of around 46 knots.
Like its smaller sibling, it also features an asymmetrical wheelhouse to maximise internal space, while leaving room for a deeper, wider side deck to starboard. But with its extra scale come all sorts of additional benefits. In the pilothouse, for instance, the forward-raked windscreen, plunging windows and large sunroof make both brightness and visibility very strong; and with an aft door, as well as a side door, movement around it is first-rate too.
Saxdor 400 GTC
Saxdor’s 400GTC made a brief appearance at the British Motor Yacht Show earlier in the year but Southampton will still be the first chance for more occasional showgoers to see it properly.
It’s well worth making a beeline for Saxdor’s marina berths, if only to witness the 400’s brilliantly clever convertible wheelhouse in action. With huge sliding glass doors on both sides in addition to drop-down side platforms, bi-fold rear doors, a lifting rear window and a large central sunroof, it transforms from a fully enclosed pilothouse boat to a big open party platform in a matter of seconds.
It’s no slouch either; when we tested it last month its stepped hull and twin 400hp Mercury outboard engines pushed it to a top speed of 43 knots and would have gone quicker still if the wind and water had been a bit kinder. The choppy conditions did, however, give us the chance to explore its seakeeping manners and despite all those moving parts, it acquitted itself remarkably well, punching confidently through the waves without excessive shake, rattle and roll.
Perhaps best of all, prices start at £323,995 in the UK – surprisingly reasonable for a 40ft boat with so many strings to its bow.
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