CLUB class
From the mid 2000s to today, yacht designers and builders have placed increased focus on water access. Recent deliveries such as the Oasis 40M and Alpha Yachts’ Spritz 102 have replaced the back end of the boat with terraces with sea views. The beach club is taking on a whole new dimension.
A few years ago, designers shifted the focus from the top deck, which was seen as the main recreation area on a yacht, to the lower deck, specifically the transom area. Who were the trendsetters? The 105-metre Lady Moura, built by Blohm+Voss in 1990, really pushed the envelope, and her fold-down terraces were an early inspiration, although her beach club wasn’t at water level. The Jon Bannenberg-designed Lürssen Coral Ocean, delivered in 1994 as Coral Island, was another custom yacht filled with innovative features, including balconies and guest water access. “Coral Ocean already had a lovely stern and open sea access,” says designer Pieter Van Geest, although he says, “Eco [now Zeus] had the first low aft deck with open sea access.”
Then there was Princess Mariana (now Pegasus VIII), a 79-metre Espen Øino-designed superyacht delivered in 2003. It had a floodable tender garage/beach club and side balconies.
It’s hard to pick one single influencer, but what is certain is that moving away from classic wraparound transoms like the charming canoe stern and opening up water access was becoming a (now ), had such a feature. “’s owner requested a sauna in the transom area, so in 1996 a mini beach club was born – all at just 34 metres,” he says.
