The management team for the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival is predicting 140 new boat and yacht introductions during the show’s Sept. 6-11 run on the French Riviera. Add the boats that will be launched as European or French premieres, and organizers say the show will present a total of 210 new models.

The Cannes Yachting Festival returned in 2021 after being canceled in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year’s show had 110 new boats in the sailing area, more than 480 powerboats in the Vieux Port and hundreds of preowned boats in the brokerage area. An Innovation Village was developed in partnership with Mer Angels and BNP Paribas Banque Privee, and a “green route” area had more than 50 exhibitors focused on environmentally friendly propulsion.

“Cannes is a good mix of everything,” says Mark Richards, CEO of the GB Marine Group, which is planning for the world debut of the GB 85 at this year’s show, as well as the unveiling of the GB 54. (The GB Marine Group comprises the Grand Banks, Palm Beach and Eastbay brands.)

Grand Banks is expected to be among approximately 550 exhibitors with about 640 total units on display. Visitors numbering nearly 55,000 from around the globe are
expected. It’s estimated that 65,000 extra people visit Cannes during the six days of the event, filling local hotels and restaurants. In a show of support for citizens and boatbuilders in Ukraine, the Cannes Yachting Festival eliminated the Russian pavilion for 2022.

New Yachts

Among the noteworthy premieres expected this year is the Sanlorenzo SP110, a design by Zuccon International Project. The model marks Sanlorenzo’s entry into the sportboat segment with the Smart Performance (SP) range. Bernardo and Martina Zuccon collaborated with Sanlorenzo’s development and product manager, Tilli Antonelli, while Piero Lissoni looked after the décor.The SP110 is described as a high-performance boat “in terms of style and technical features, but also from a functional and ergonomic viewpoint,” according to Sanlorenzo.

Also expected at the show is the Pirelli 50. Like other classes of boats, rigid-hull inflatables are getting bigger; the Pirelli is a 49-footer designed by TecnoRib in collaboration with Mannerfelt Design studio. It’s intended for daily use as a support vessel for a superyacht. The Pirelli 35 and 42 will also be on display.

Italian builder Apreamare’s new Gozzo 45 is making its debut in Cannes. The builder calls it “an elegant, classy cruiser with a timeless, strongly Mediterranean style.” The hull was designed by Umberto Tagliavini of Marine Design with the support of Cataldo Aprea, while Marco Casali handled the deck. There are no steps on the main deck, which is in keeping with a walkaround design plan. The layout below includes two staterooms, a dinette and two heads. A third stateroom is available as an option. Apreamare will also have the Gozzo 35 on hand.

Also from Italy, the Lomac yard, led by the Lo Manto family, returns to Cannes with five models. The Adrenalina 10.5, powered by twin 300-hp Mercury or Yamaha outboards, will make its world debut. The boat is family-oriented with a “decked bow” that creates more cabin space and a high-performance bottom. Also in the Lomac display will be the GranTurismo 11.0 with twin 300-hp Yamaha outboards, the 12.0 with triple 300-hp Yamahas and the 12.5 with triple 300-hp Mercury engines.

Many boats are making their European premieres, including the Majesty 120 from Gulf Craft Marine in the United Arab Emirates. It’s a 121-foot, carbon-fiber yacht, and almost all hydraulic systems have been eliminated in favor of a transition toward electric power. The interior is from Cristiano Gatto Design, and the exterior design and naval architecture are by Gulf Craft.

Britain’s Pearl Yachts will have its flagship 95-footer and the new addition to the Pearl fleet, the 62. Arcadia’s Sherpa 80 XL is also expected to be on display, along with Arcadia’s A85, an 82-foot yacht that inspired the development of the Sherpa concept.

Blu Emme Yachts will show its Evo R4 XT for the first time in Europe. It’s a walkaround model developed by Valerio Rivellini and accessories manufacturer Besenzoni, which created a custom swim platform for the 43-footer. The Evo V8 that made its global debut at last year’s festival will return for 2022.

Other Attractions

CMC Marine will be in Cannes with a focus on electric accessories, including the Stabilis Electra line of fin stabilizers, Dualis Electra thrusters, the Directa steering system and the compact Waveless stabilizer. Besenzoni returns with its BeElecric series of windlasses and pasarelles. Besenzoni will also exhibit its P 265 and P 263 helm seats, as well as the LP 100 Plus multifunction ladder that will be on the new Nerea NY40, which is making its world debut.

In the propulsion segment, MTU is introducing a Hybrid Propulsion Pack for large yachts. Mercury’s 600-hp V-12 Verado outboard will be making its Cannes Yachting Festival debut, and Suzuki is showing an outboard equipped with a device that collects microplastic debris.

Looking at forward-thinking technology, the Innovation Village is expanded for 2022. It focuses on new technologies and startups. The “green route” will have more than 60 exhibitors with a focus on ecology and sustainability. Cannes has multiple venues with electric and hybrid boats in the Vieux Port. One of the most revered locations on the Côte d’Azur, the Old Port of Cannes is bordered by the boarding quay for the Lérins Islands, and to the east by the Albert-Edouard jetty that runs along the Palais de Festivals. The Old Port will host more than 500 boats and the Luxury Gallery, an area dedicated to the luxe lifestyle.

On the other side of La Croisette, Port Canto will host 120 new sailboats, including catamarans and monohulls from 33 to 92 feet, with more than 20 global launches. Port Canto also will have a brokerage and toys area with preowned yachts from 72 to 184 feet available for sale or charter. 

This article was originally published in the September 2022 issue.