Yachting May 2026

It felt like flying. That was the sensation that came to mind while shooting across the water on board a Freeman 42 near Alligator Reef in Islamorada, Florida, back in February. The powercat’s quad 300 hp outboards propelled the broad-shouldered, sea-slicing feline to 50 knots over a seemingly infinite series of stacked and cantankerous 3-footers. With many boats at that velocity, the short intervals between the waves would have required post-trip chiropractic care, but the twin-hulled Freeman demolished the seaway with malice while the air directed through the tunnel created a lighter-than-air feeling. No slamming. Just cruising with the wind in our hair, the tunes cranked up to 11, and our crew sitting slack-jawed in the pillowlike comfort of this smooth-riding yacht. ¶ The Freeman 42 is popular with anglers…

The owner of the 221-foot CRN Amor À Vida has all the reasons in the world to profess his love of life. The upper deck of this six-deck superyacht is dedicated to owner use, with a 180-degree panoramic view of the sea from the bow’s private multipurpose area. It’s hard to imagine a better spot for feeling like the king of the world. ¶ Amor À Vida is a 1,447-gross-ton, fully custom build from the Italian shipyard, and it’s the first CRN to have a hybrid propulsion system. There’s also a heat recovery system to manage hot water for the onboard pools and plumbing in a way that reduces the yacht’s energy impact. ¶ A lot of longtime expertise helped to bring this bespoke steel-and-aluminum vision to life, with engineering…

If you could choose one destination to charter that The Moorings doesn’t currently offer, where would it be? ¶ For quite some time now, according to the team at The Moornings, the answer they’ve received to that survey question has been La Paz, Mexico. Existing and prospective charter clients alike wanted a base for bareboats and crewed yachts in this part of the world, where vibrant marine life in the Sea of Cortez meets the undeveloped landscape ashore. ¶ Thus, The Moorings charter base that just opened in La Paz. It’s been up and running since January. “One of the benefits of chartering with The Moorings is the diversity of the destination options we offer. There is truly something for everyone,” says senior marketing manager Ian Pedersen. “The lively social…

Some owners measure a yacht not by how it looks at the dock, but instead by how it feels underway and in ports of call far and familiar. For these owners, the CL Yachts CLC115 presents a different set of opportunities. ¶ At 115 feet length overall, the Hong Kong-based builder’s first luxury catamaran—and the inaugural model in its C Series—is designed as a long-range residence where space, stability and ease of movement define the experience. ¶ “The launch of the CLC115 marks a significant milestone for the brand, arriving at a strategic moment in the luxury yacht market,” says CL Yachts director Martin Lo. “Building on recent successes in 2025, Cheoy Lee delivered a fleet of eight high-speed carbon fiber catamaran ferries, each accommodating 400 to 450 passengers, alongside…

The duchy 25 from cockwells in the U.K. is a semi-production motor launch with a shallow draft and a cockpit that accommodates six guests for day cruising. The boat’s hull and deck are crafted from fiberglass, and the decks are clad in synthetic teak. The Duchy 25 has a digitals-witching system, a 9-inch Raymarine-built navigation system, a Fusion stereo and a tidy-size galley. • Whom It’s For: Boaters seeking a dayboat with classic, ageless lines. • Picture This: It’s a lovely spring afternoon in Annapolis, Maryland, and your friends want to see Terrapin Nature Park. You zip across the bay in your Duchy 25 and enjoy the shoreline before cruising home past Greenbury Point Light. Better still, you arrive at the Boatyard Bar & Grill in time for a triple-tier…

Talent respects talent. It’s why pro basketball players cheer the loudest for Olympic gymnasts, and why Academy Award-winning actors hang out with chart-topping musicians. The best of the best know excellence when they see it. ¶ The team at Gill commands that kind of respect when it comes to protecting boaters from the elements. They knew that when environmental concerns required them (and pretty much everyone else) to stop using polyfluoroalkyl substances to make clothing water-resistant, they needed to collaboarate with a company that could play at their level. ¶ “Nikwax, I mean, they’ve been in the business for as long as we have,” says Matt Clark, Gill’s director of product and sustainability. “They’ve been around for 50 years now, so they know what they’re doing. We’re obsessed about fabric…