What superyachts will look like in a post-pandemic world

The pandemic is changing superyacht design, Caroline Siona White reported for The Telegraph .
The ultrawealthy want superyachts well-equipped for both adventure and self-sufficiency, so they can escape from the world in the event of a future pandemic.
Some billionaires have been self-isolating at sea during the coronavirus pandemic.
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As superyachts have become the picture of safety in a pandemic world for the 1%, those who design them are stepping up their game.

The ultrawealthy are creating a new future of superyachts as they look for customized vessels well-equipped to withstand future virus outbreaks, Caroline Siona White reported for The Telegraph . And what they want all ties into crafting the ultimate quarantine experience at sea.

Some want a superyacht that marries the best of a commercial vessel and a yacht, White wrote: luxurious with the right tech and features made for expeditions and adventure that will get them very, very far away. Think an ice-breaking stern or an extensive spa to relax after a long day of heliskiing.

Jim Dixon, director of yachts and aviation at Winch Design , told White younger generations were already more interested in these qualities before the pandemic, which seems to be accelerating the trend. "Anything to do with exhilaration: experiences, adventures, [and] sports seems to be very much of the moment," he said.

But most owners are seeking a yacht environment that focuses on privacy and self-sufficiency, White wrote, one that enables them to spend time with family and that has all they need at their disposal to remove themselves from the world. On board, that translates to more volume and comfort.

Billionaires have been self-isolating at sea

Superyachts have always been about escape, but that's taken on new meaning in the age of the coronavirus. Billionaires have been chartering superyachts for months at a time to ride out the pandemic, Business Insider's Dominic Madori-Davis reported .

In March, entertainment mogul David Geffen, posted to Instagram that he was self-isolating on his $590 million yacht Rising Sun in The Grenadines, sparking backlash in the process.

But Geffen isn't the only one floating his pandemic days away at sea. Jonathan Beckett, the CEO of yacht broker Burgess , told The Telegraph 's Alan Tovey that wealthy people are looking for ways to "weather the storm" and that a yacht "in a nice climate isn't a bad place to self-isolate."

Large yachts have enough storage room to hold supplies that can last for months, Beckett noted, meaning the vessel can spend a longer amount of time at sea without docking. "Clients are arranging for their children to be schooled on board, with cooking lessons from the yacht's chef and time with the crew in the engine room learning about technology," he said.

On the other hand, Rumble Romagnoli, CEO of Relevance , a luxury digital marketing company headquartered in the superyacht hub of Monaco, told CNN that he thinks self-isolating in the middle of the sea would be unrealistic and tedious, even with luxurious amenities on hand. "It's not like a villa,"he said. "It can be quite claustrophobic."

But it looks like that might not be the case for the superyacht of the future.

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