They will definitely be unique when anchored at any marina.

Truth be told, a boater will stand out no matter what, as we challenge the financial norm of the day, don’t we? Pleasure boating, especially in Southeast Asia, is not as widely accepted yet as in Europe – it’s not the trend per se. It may therefore be highly in character for boaters to buck the design trends that seem to dominate the world of yachting today. Yes, boaters do demand certain features and on board layouts, and we certainly like sporty yachts with a modern aesthetic. Builders know what boaters want, and so most yachts today are styled thusly.

While they are captivating to behold, there are yachts too for those who want something different. Something a little left field. Something unconventional. Here are seven yachts that eschew the norm in favour of something else that is strangely exciting.

Grand Banks 85

Grand Banks was the company who first explored the trawler-yacht niche more than 60 years ago. At the time of writing, the GB85 has not launched yet, but there’s no mistaking the DNA. All of the builder’s boats have that classic, ageless charm, and the effortless grace of this soon-to-be flagship is evident. This quaint quality is matched with a now familiar state-of-the-art hull design called the V-Warp hull. The builder aims to make her the “most fuel-efficient, high-speed, long-range cruiser of this size in the world” and we certainly welcome that.

Gozzi by Mimi Libeccio 13.5

This yacht is romance in boat form. Even though the Naples shipyard affectionately calls their creations gozzi, which is a traditional wooden boat with Levantine origins, they are actually made through a modern process called vacuum infusion. At 13 metres, the Libeccio is really in a class of its own when it comes to design. What’s more, the deck is made from valuable old teak wood too.

Itama 75

Yachts of her size are luxury homes on water. Not so the Itama 75. She is a beachside villa, where space and water and wind combine to create fabulous new experiences. Her profile is clean and uncluttered. The wide expanse of wood forwards of the main cabin is unlike most yachts today who use the area for an additional living space. It’s as if she was designed to be uncompromisingly elegant, and no uncouth cushions are permitted to mar her perfect form.

Toy 51 Fly

Here’s a quintessentially American boat, with a name that immediately tells of her fun-loving nature. The Toy 51 Fybridge is classified as a lobster boat, a class of blue-collar boats that, yes, first specialised in lobster fishing. This unique design has since passed into recreational boats as well, and you can recognise it easily. The bow is usually higher to brave waves, while the lower freeboard was to ease the labour of fishermen who brought their catch on board. The cockpit is situated squarely in the centre of the boat, and they have an obviously large area aft. Would you want a yacht with such industrial credentials?

Beneteau Grand Trawler 62

Maximising on board comfort and utility was the goal for the Beneteau Grand Trawler 62. We don’t often extol the virtues of yachts with displacement hulls, but when executed well these yachts are remarkably stable and efficient. The GT62 is such an example. Customer feedback was taken in 2020, and three key areas of the trawler experience were found to be the most valued: slow speed, space and comfort, and simple luxury. The yacht was designed to revolve around these values, which shows in her larger waistline. She won’t get you anywhere fast, but you will be able to smell the roses along the way.

Hatteras GT65 Carolina

Here’s a sports fisher that is no miser in terms of creature comforts. Hatteras’ line of sport fishers are highly acclaimed all over the world, with every review lavishing these crafts with praise. Not only are these yachts talented, their unique design makes them instantly recognisable anywhere. Sure, she may be built with a singular vision, but that doesn’t mean she can’t do so in style.

Azimut Yachts Verve 47

Launched last year in the 2020 Miami Yacht Show, the Azimut Yachts Verve 47 gained instant recognition and acclaim. She is a yacht ahead of her time in terms of design, a wondrous mixture of hard angles and gentle curves, while her quadruple outboard engines are anything but subtle.

Relative to other industries like cars, yacht design has more freedom, and pushing the boundaries can create some hitherto unseen masterpieces. What do you think? Are you a fan of more conventional styles or do you wish boat designers thought outside the box more? Let us know if there were some great additions to this short list that we may have missed.