Design Innovation Award, the close relationship between design, planning and boating

On large yachts interior design is expressed with the excellence of projects such as the Magellano 60 by Azimut awarded for Motor Boats over 14m LH "for the dual use hull which allows for the optimization of consumption and emissions, and for the living solutions which offer navigation attentive to the quality of life on board".

As well as SX100 by Sanlorenzo, winner in the Superyacht over 24m LH category "for the new layout - designed by Piero Lissoni - which manages to to amaze once again with new solutions for relating to the outside world and attention to total quality".

The tendency for shipowners to choose the signature of great designers for the interiors of their boats is in fact undergoing a certain acceleration.

On smaller scales the balance between function and interior design is more challenging. Levanzo 25 by Lilybaeum Yacht Srl, a young entrepreneurial company founded by Giorgio Maggio, 25 years old, and Vincenzo Marco Pecorella, 26, was awarded for the Sailing or Motor Vessels up to 10m LH “for the comfortable spaces, with accurate execution and finishes, in the proposed dimension".

The project by Alessandro Chessa - Akes Design guarantees safe and dry navigation even in rough sea conditions. The award given to the Dufour 41 by Dufour – Felci Yacht Design, interior Ardizio Design - for the Sailing boats up to 14m LH recognizes the "bright interiors studied in detail combined with a high-performance hull, respecting the DNA of the shipyard".

For Sailing Vessels over 14m LH, Jeanneau Yachts 55 by Jeanneau was awarded "for the original layout which allows flexibility and enjoyment of the spaces on board, in a well industrialized product”. The award for Motor Boats up to 14m LH goes to Frauscher 1212 Ghost Air by Frauscher "for the personal and captivating interpretation of the day-cruiser, masterfully created at the level of choice of materials and finishes".

Moving on to the pneumatic units, the award goes to the "maxi dinghy" Flyer 36 by Ribitaly Srl - design Luca Macchi LM Design Studio - "thanks to the successful interpretation of the medium-sized Rib (rigid inflatable boat), which integrates all the on-board functions for a versatile use”. For Multihulls, the award goes to the Prestige M8 catamaran by Prestige - Garroni Design, Marc Lombard, Valentina Militerno De Romedis - almost 20 meters of floating villa, "for the original interpretation of the multihull, which allows for comfortable spaces and a good level of seaworthiness".

A very relevant theme is that of sustainability, not only for materials but also for nautical accessories and equipment.

BF350 by Honda Motor Europe Ltd. Italia "stands out for its high electronic-mechanical contents which make it very efficient and high-performance in propulsion"; while Radar Dome GMR to reach a level of image clarity that makes navigation even safer".

Honorable mentions were awarded to Northern Light Srl for Ecoracer 30 One Design "for having demonstrated the ability to transform a prototype into a series vessel, using experimental techniques with sustainable materials” and to Mediter Yachts Srl for Velja 43, “for a very innovative concept that reinterprets the boat in a Mediterranean key”. Also awarded was the Liguria International Special Prize obtained by Oblò by F.lli Razeto and Casareto.

As a "project that further brings the nautical world closer to the possibility of balancing performance and sustainability", the BGH by Bluegame - a Sanlorenzo brand - was awarded the Innovation Award of the fourth edition of the Design Innovation Award. A project that is significant of the experiments with hydrogen of the main shipyards, indicating the possibilities opened up by the use of this sustainable propulsion system also for pleasure boating.

Finally, like any self-respecting award, two special Lifetime Achievement Awards were awarded for the 50th anniversary of two Italian shipyards committed to innovation in the field of design and sustainability: Gruppo Permare, a nautical company founded in Sanremo in 1973 and Cantiere del Pardo, a historic brand that has been producing premium sailing and motor yachts since 1973.