Non-liquid assets of particular prestige undoubtedly include yachts, a definition under which very different realities fall, from the sailboat for short outings to the 100-meter-plus ship capable of exploring the oceans.
They unite them to be luxury assets of great prestige, but with high probability of depreciation over time, associated with high maintenance costs; in September as many as three fairs within the space of three weeks and a few hundred kilometers away offer us the opportunity to explore this particular sector.
Monaco capital of SuperYachts
The last in terms of time, but the most prestigious is undoubtedly the Monaco Yacht Show (MYS), held September 25-28 in the Principality. It is the realm of large international brokers and shipyards offering platforms already on the market and over 30 meters, both for sale and for charter. Although it is a niche, the high unit price and prestige that comes with it attracts many UHNWIs who for four days explore opportunities to charter yachts on a weekly basis for prices even over half a million, or become owners.
The palm of the most expensive yacht goes to Kismet, a 'monster' of over 120 meters and over $350 million in demand (3 million the weekly charter rate...), while for 300 thousand euros or a little more you can rent, brand new 47-meter SanLorenzo equipped with helicopter and seaplane.
In spite of the 'green' emphasis, only 9 sailboats were present out of the 120 or so in total, with two yachts of particular interest for their innovative design but grounded in tradition, and characterized by unmistakable desing: the high-performance WallyWind 110 from the Ferretti group, and the hybrid Swan 88 from the Finnish Nautor shipyards.
There are very few boats that are destined to last thanks to cutting-edge construction techniques and, above all, quality design, and the Italian shipyard SanLorenzo is leading this trend with a 50-meter steel yacht styled by Architect Piero Lissoni.
Cannes and Genoa steer the mid-range market
If Monaco is the realm of multimillionaires and brokers, Cannes and Genoa are instead discovering complementary offerings to Monaco, yachts under 24 meters (length beyond which rules and costs change) presented directly by shipyards.
These are mass-produced solutions that can be customized, with decidedly more approachable costs for both purchase and management, often within a million euros.
Genoa remains important for the Italian market, while Cannes leads both the powerboat and sailboat markets, with an entire port dedicated to the latter. While Cannes is dominated by French shipyards, including many builders of increasingly high-performance catamarans, such as the Excess series, which starting at less than half a million makes it possible to live serenely on a boat, Genoa sees Italian shipyards such as Cantiere del Pardo with a new series of monohull models Grand Soleil, Solaris and the competitive Mylius.
The allure of great classic sailing
September is not just the month of the nautical market: from Imperia to Saint-Tropez, historic sails are showing off, with owners committed to preserving their unchanging beauty even as they vie for supremacy in hotly contested regattas.
Preserving a traditional wooden boat is certainly no easy or costly undertaking, but the relative cost is repaid by essentially zero capital depreciation compared to newly produced boats.
A niche choice driven by the pursuit of values that do not fade.