“Yacht Technology”: 2023 trends

We have taken a look at some of the most intriguing technological trends for yachts in 2023.

In recent years, technology has revolutionized many aspects of our lives, and the yacht industry is no exception. Yacht owners expect to enjoy the same conveniences and online connectivity they have on land

1. STREAMING ONBOARD: Connected Technology on Superyachts

Our lives are becoming increasingly integrated with the online world. From instant access to new movies and TV series that we binge-watch in a matter of days, to internet connectivity for online work meetings, and even live streaming to watch sporting events. Having the ability to access all these services, which have become part of our daily routine, even while onboard our yacht, becomes essential.

Today, with the most advanced satellite technology, there are companies offering reliable and ready global connectivity to meet all needs, including safety, comfort, and entertainment while onboard.

Among the latest VSAT and 4/5G data hardware, Excelerate Marine provides unmatched integration and support services to ensure the best connectivity solutions for your yacht, so you can stay connected while onboard. Aiming to deliver groundbreaking internet speeds at sea for both superyacht owners and commercial vessels, another yacht streaming solution has emerged from Starlink Maritime.

Starlink Maritime is another innovative venture by Elon Musk, which has so far provided coverage for all cruising areas in the northern hemisphere. However, in 2023, the service will expand, allowing yachts to connect to high-quality internet from anywhere on Earth, thanks to the impressive

Starlink satellite network.Whether you want to stream the Monaco Grand Prix from Port d’Hercule to follow the on-track action, enjoy a movie night with your family in the Norwegian fjords, or stay updated on business matters from the comfort of your private superyacht, both Exelerate Marine and Starlink Maritime enable you to stay connected from the most remote cruising destinations worldwide.

Maritime streaming services are revolutionizing the onboard experience and shaping the future of recreational boating. With unparalleled levels of entertainment and connectivity now available at sea, connected technology is undoubtedly a trend for the boating industry in 2023.

 

2. Navigation Stabilizers on Smart Yachts

Considered by many in the yachting world as an essential piece of yacht technology, active stabilization has transformed the luxury boating experience. Even the largest yachts are affected by ocean waves, but marine technology developed by innovative companies like Quantum and Dynamic Marine Systems (DMS) has significantly improved onboard comfort. This ensures that you and your guests can maximize enjoyment from your yacht and the seafaring experience. As stabilizer technology continues to advance, it remains one of the most important technological advancements in terms of onboard comfort.

From gyroscopes to interceptors, fins to yachts combining various systems, there is a wide range of active stabilization methods, all of which reduce roll and improve comfort on your yacht. By combating the pitch and roll motion of your yacht, the latest developments in this technology, such as Quantum XT and Quantum MAGLift, can reduce your yacht’s roll by up to 80%.

While enhancing onboard comfort to make the cruising experience even more luxurious, stabilizers also enable your yacht to handle larger waves. As a result, fuel consumption is reduced, and the time spent in the spectacular destinations you choose to visit is increased by taking more direct routes.

Stabilizers are essential for most yacht owners and highly valued in the charter market, making life at sea even more elegant for you and your guests. Not to mention the safety advantage of eliminating unexpected rolling, significantly reducing the risk of tripping and falling on board.

Of course, this innovative technology that can literally transform your cruising experience comes with a cost. However, with a variety of stabilizers now available on the market for a wide range of yacht types and sizes, almost all modern superyachts set to hit the water for the first time in 2023 boast the latest stabilization technology.

3. Invisible Technology – Clean Design with Integrated User Interfaces

It is rare to see a superyacht with poorly thought-out or non-luxurious interiors. Typically, the defining factor of every superyacht is a unique interior that has been tailored to meet the owner’s personal preferences and needs. Often adorned with the finest furniture, fabrics, and surfaces, yacht interiors are meticulously designed to create luxurious and elegant spaces.

However, when it comes to practicality and creating a ‘home away from home,’ interior designers are challenged to minimize the visual impact of televisions, remote controls, and gadgets in these carefully crafted projects.

Dutch company Van Berge Henegouwen (VBH) might have the answer to this need, both for owners and designers. Launched at the 2022 Monaco Yacht Show, their cutting-edge invisible technology for superyachts has been developed in collaboration with shipyards and yacht interior designers, offering a clean and intuitive solution to this problem.

Ocean Independence
Ocean Independence
Image Credits: VBH

The new product, now capable of being installed on any yacht, includes a Magic-UI control panel and a blended screen that, when not in use, are invisible and seamlessly integrated into the yacht’s walls/surfaces.

Adaptability is also crucial when it comes to yacht construction. “One of the biggest challenges during any yacht project is that technology continues to evolve, and you don’t want a new yacht with old technology,” says Casper Kleiman of the Dutch company VBH, which creates audio, video, and IT products for new yacht builds and refits. VBH confirms that in the past, systems had to be physically connected, which added to the challenge of designing a yacht that would be launched three years later. But now, this is changing thanks to software-based connections. “By using a flexible software-based backbone, it is easier to connect new hardware at a later stage of the build,” says Kleiman. “We have used it on a recent 87-meter yacht.”

VBH’s invisible technology will undoubtedly set a precedent for cleaner and more aesthetically pleasing yacht interior design, both in new builds and refit projects throughout 2023.

4. EMOTIONAL ROOMS

Credits: VBHThe modern consumer is all about the experience that technology provides,” says Levine. “Millennials are starting to drive these conversations. Whether they are children or grandchildren of owners, they are much more willing to pay for exceptional experiences rather than things.” Meeting this demand is the rise of dynamic, interactive, and so-called “emotional” technology on board, designed to enhance the guest experience.

California Audio Technology, based in Sacramento, creates “dynamic entertainment experiences” and is looking to do more with less, including fewer equipment. The company is working on an audio specification that will allow DJs or bands on board to be accompanied simply by their laptops or instruments without the need to bring a bulky PA system and the time and logistics required for installation. Working with production company Blue International Talent, they are developing a marine system specification that takes into account the individual sound and lighting needs of a yacht, no matter how high they may be.

Image Credits: Blue International Talent

Meanwhile, VBH is focusing on creating atmosphere and showcasing increasingly extravagant examples of interactive bars, walls, and corridors that can transform the space of a superyacht using displayed content on screens. “Instead of using such screens only to show movies or TV programs, we can use them as integrative backgrounds,” says Kleiman. “They can add additional depth and meaning to the space of a boat.”

Perhaps as a necessary remedy to all this technological overload, Videoworks has developed what it calls the Emotional Room, a system that uses an algorithm on a neural network to assess people’s mood in a space and adapt the lighting and music accordingly. Cameras in the room will scan guests’ faces to determine their emotions by mapping “points of interest” on their faces, such as eyes, lips, and cheekbones. The neural network will then learn how different settings, from lighting configuration and placement to music selection, in the room affect human emotions. This self-learning system evolves as it is used and is designed to replicate the conditions it records as the most enjoyable.

Emotional Rooms will begin appearing on yachts from late spring this year, including in a project with one of the top Italian builders. Not only is superyacht technology improving in giving us what we want, but soon it will do so even without us asking for it.

Boat International
0

Your Cart