Instantly recognizable and widely loved, these boats are the best of the boating world

Just like cars, certain boats have also achieved the pinnacle of recognition, the epitome of appreciation. It’s a difficult quality to quantify, but to achieve the status of ‘iconic’, whatever that thing is should have made an imprint on history, and be well loved by those who appreciate them. Of course, to make a mark on history also means that the vessel is from an older time, and much like classic cars, time is a necessary ingredient to increase appreciation. This means that, inevitably, most of the iconic boats here are older ladies.

Riva Aquarama

The Riva Aquarama may be the most iconic boat of all time. She is the quintessence of Italian boat design – elegant, chic, timelessly beautiful. In a sense, she is boating royalty, a true blue-blood from another era. Riva’s creations today are highly sought after, and it was this craft that put the yard on its current path. The first Aquarama prototype, the now-mythical Lipicar no. 1, came into being in 1962. She was 26.3 feet long, could host 8 people, had 2 berths at her bow, and had twin 185 hp petrol engines. Of course, other evolutions of the Aquarama have since been made, and all of them carry that same, enduring appeal that makes them so sought after.

Fairey Huntsman 28

The boat was named after legendary American naval architect Ray Hunt, who pioneered the deep-vee hull and changed the boating world forever. Fairey’s wartime experience in building aircraft gave them a technological advantage at the time, and the Huntsman’s hull was stronger and lighter than all her competition. Literally. She dominated the races and competitions of the 60s, which catapulted her into public consciousness. Not only that, from a design perspective, she is remarkably handsome too. In fact, some call her the Jaguar E-Type of the seas.

Wally 118

This is a yacht straight out of a James Bond movie. The Monaco-based yard has always been known to push the boundaries of boat design, and the 118 is almost scandalously outrageous even for them. It’s not just in the design either. The 118-foot superyacht has 17,000 hp, and a cruising speed of 60 knots. That’s amazing. Her hull is built from carbon fibre, and was tested in Ferrari’s wind tunnels. There’s nothing normal about this superyacht.

Axopar 28 OC

The 28 OC is the youngest boat on the list, but have already attained great recognition through a combination of great design and deep talent. She may well be a future classic. She’s purposeful, almost knife-like, and her beauty comes from that purpose. She hails from Finland, where boats like these are used every day to commute to and from work in the islands. This translates into the overall ergonomics of the boat, from the forward position of the cockpit, to other minutiae like the armrest at the helm station. She can have up to 300 hp of outboard power, making her fast, fun, practical, and relatively affordable.

Sunseeker Superhawk 50

The Superhawk 50 is the largest one in the famous Hawk range by Sunseeker, with an unmistakable sleek profile that exudes presence and power. She’s an open cruiser, with triple 420 hp Yanmars that bring her comfortably to 40 knots. In fact, her ‘standard’ sibling, the Superhawk 48, starred in Die Another Day. The 50 shares the same bones, but is considered to be a special version of the 48, with more fuel capacity and more engine options. She is a sports yacht, and that’s why her exterior deck is designed to be enjoyed at speed.

The Mimosa

The Mimosa is not a model name but the actual name of a boat of 48-feet that was requisitioned, along with other pleasure boats, for Operation Dynamo in 1940. That’s right, Mimosa actually saved Allied soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk, and was of course, featured in the recent movie too. Her 14th owner, who felt there was a deeper story to their boat, successfully unearthed her rich history in 1996. She has been restored beautifully, and is currently moored at Bristol Docks today.

The boating world sails on, but these icons remind us of where it came from, and where it is heading. The list of iconic superyachts is a totally different one, which we will no doubt explore another day. Did we miss any yachts that should be on this list?