Stunning Homes On The Water

The pandemic has lured yacht owners to the seas as many well-designed vessels rival land-based residences when considering livability, design and safety.

- Emma Reynolds

When COVID-19 stay-at-home orders were implemented in March 2020, billionaire and Hollywood entertainment mogul David Geffen promptly boarded his superyacht Rising Sun to self-isolate in the Grenadines. Around the world, several yacht owners did the same to safely isolate with their families while surrounded by the ocean and fresh air.

As the pandemic raged on, the yacht industry uniquely saw several transactions to first-time yacht owners. “IYC had a record year in sales of large yachts, many of which were to first-time buyers in 2020,” says Stefanos Makrymichalos, CEO of IYC (iyc.com), one of the leading yachting companies that organises sales and charters of superyachts worldwide. “This could be indicative that a wider clientele is seeing the benefits of owning a yacht in times such as these.”

Yachts are known for their extravagant amenities, but owners are enlisting designers to create spaces geared for more long-term stays: offices equipped with the best technology as people continue to work from home, wellness spaces and rooms that serve dual functions.

Mark Mantione, North American CEO of Metrica (www.metrica.de), a global leader in luxury superyacht and residential interiors, says that owners are using their yachts more frequently. “In a pandemic, a yacht is like an owned island. Nowadays, larger yachts are equipped with everything you need to work and live on board. As a result, we have seen owners staying onboard for months, even supporting and doing research for COVID-19 scientists.”

Mark Berryman, founder of the eponymous UK-based design firm (www.