WRITTEN BY: Rob Bowman
Dec 26, 2023 
2024 brings in a new season of boating, new models, cool gadgets, and great opportunities for you to live the yachting lifestyle to the fullest. Innovations in design, coupled with some of the coolest toys and equipment, allow you to enjoy your free time on the water like never before. From anglers looking for a little extra edge against the competition, to cruisers wanting to extend their adventure a few more weeks, the future of boating is happening right before our eyes.
At SI Yachts, we have been helping people into the perfect boat for them since 1964. Not only do we carry the top manufacturers in the industry, we have expert sales professionals that have been doing this for decades, many with lifelong customers. If you're considering buying a yacht this year, whether its your very first boat or your 20th, please contact us today at Sales@SIYachts.com or one of our yacht sales locations, and one of our team members can begin discussing your plans for hitting the water this year!
Our recommendations when buying a yacht in 2024:
RECOMMENDED NEW YACHT OVER 80 FEET: PRINCESS Y80
At just under 84-feet in total length, the new Princess Y80 allows you to experience the exceptional standard that has become synonymous with the Princess Yachts shipyard. The Y80 will make its North American debut at the 2024 Miami International Boat Show and has been nominated in the 'Best New Series' Category at the 2024 Boat International Design & Innovation Awards. The Princess Y80 can achieve up to 33 knots and comfortably accommodate up to 8 guests on board for the ultimate sophisticated yachting experience.
The Princess S80 will also make its debut in the fall of 2024 and will replace it very popular predecessor, the S78.
RECOMMENDED NEW YACHT OVER 65 FEET: ABSOLUTE NAVETTA 70 & PARDO P75
The Absolute Yachts Navetta series has been wildly popular thanks to its long-range cruising performance that is more efficient than its competition in the luxury flybridge category. The new Navetta 70 will debut in 2024 and will have accommodations for up to 8 guests, plus a generously sized crew quarters. As with its siblings in the range, the Navetta 70 features massive windows throughout the salon and lower decks, along with creatively designed exterior social areas. All of the new Absolute models feature moveable furniture for the owner to be able to create the perfect arrangement for their needs on the flybridge.
The latest Pardo Yachts model to be announced in the walk-around range is the P75, a luxurious vessel characterized by the expansive cockpit and deep stern swim platform that can be used to launch water toys. Notable features on the Pardo P75 includes multiple lounge areas, fold-down terraces port and starboard, a carbon fiber T-top, and incredibly comfortable accommodations. Standard power on the P75 features three Volvo Penta D12 IPS 1050 engines IPS 1350 also an option) for a top speed of 36 knots.
RECOMMENDED NEW YACHT OVER 50 FEET: ABSOLUTE 52 FLY & PRESTIGE F4
While the Absolute 52 FLY (above) technically made its debut in 2023, inventory for 2024 has just started to enter the U.S. market. This stunning yacht features a ground-breaking new design that allows for significant volume throughout each space, larger windows on each deck, and small, innovative details that enhance your view of the ocean no matter where you sit. The 52 FLY has quickly become a trend-setter in the sub-55 foot luxury yacht category.
The new Prestige F4 will make its North American debut in 2024 and will be the newest model of the F-line series. Taking over for the previous Flybridge series, the new F-series features a new hull shape with beautiful lines, a newly redesigned 'Ocean View' galley, a new position for the owner's suite, and a fresh set of high-quality finishes through the yacht. Owners will have an advanced set of information and controls through Volvo IPS, Ship Control, Seanapps, Seakeeper stabilization, and Garmin Surround View.
RECOMMENDED NEW SPORTFISHING YACHT: VIKING 90 CONVERTIBLE
The SI Yachts team just successfully delivered a Viking 90 Enclosed Bridge and now we are turning our attention to the 90 Convertible, which first made its debut at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show. Viking's focus with the new 90 was on speed, performance, and amazing interior comfort. The 90C is a complete battlewagon on the outside and a luxury cruising yacht inside, complete with accommodations for up to 10 guests with a crew quarters. The fighting cockpit is a serious 224 square feet and features a 203- gallon transom fishbox/livewell. With close proximity to the Viking shipyard, our team can offer unparalleled service throughout your new build process.
RECOMMENDED NEW CENTER-CONSOLE: VALHALLA BOATS V-28 BAY BOAT
Whether you're looking for a center-console tender for your larger sportfishing yacht or simply love inshore/nearshore fishing, the Valhalla V-28 Bay will undoubtedly impress. This will be the smallest Viking-built center-console in the Valhalla Boatworks range, but it has big boy features. The V-28 can be powered with up to 450HP, either Mercury or Yamaha depending on your taste in engines. There are dual 25-gallon livewells in the deck of the casting platform, optional live wells that can be added for a total of 120 gallon capacity, and dual in-deck fish boxes.
RECOMMENDED NEW POWER CATAMARAN: PRESTIGE M8
Power catamarans are one of the fastest growing segments when it comes to different types of yachts being designed. They have become popular for their stability, their excellent fuel efficiency, and enormous space on board. Now, the Prestige M8 will take center stage in the battle for supreme power cat designs. The M8 boasts a 350 nautical mile range and incorporates exceptional socializing areas thanks to the 30-foot beam.
WHAT ARE THE YACHT TRENDS FOR 2024?
When looking towards the future of yachting, the trends seem to have remained the same - create more space for activities, open up the interior to the exterior as much as possible, and integrate technology throughout the boat to make it more like home. Moveable, unfixed furniture is no more common on cruising yachts, a trend that allows owners to move their sofas and chairs around to make the most of their space. Refinement of some of the usual yacht trend talking points are likely to stick around for 2024 as well including solar energy, electric engines, apps for control of your yacht's systems from your mobile device, and of course, better capabilities to run your business while on your yacht.
NEW ELECTRONICS TREND FOR 2024: STARLINK STANDARD
High-speed internet while out cruising on your yacht is not a new thing, but yachts for sale on the brokerage market that already have Starlink set up will sell better in 2024. "More and more boats are now either being ordered with Starlink as an option or owners are equipping their yacht with it after its delivered," said Jay Hendrix, Vice President of SI Yachts. "If it's already on there and we list the boat for sale, we find that to be a feature that helps sell that yacht over others on the market." Starlink can now delivery 5TB of data to all guests and crew on board with only a latency of less than 99MS.
MOST USEFUL PRODUCT IN 2024: QUICKSTEP YACHT BOARDING SOLUTION
Sometimes boarding a yacht from a marina dock, especially depending upon the tide, can be a challenge. Enter Quickstep Marine. They offer multiple solutions of easy boarding stairs for various types and sizes of boats. They are quickly set up and engineered to withstand the salty conditions of the ocean. Aircraft-inspired tread designs offer stable footing and there is even a two-step solution now available. If boarding your boat can be a challenge, we highly recommend visiting QuickStep Marine.
RECOMMENDED YACHT TOY FOR 2024: LIFT 3F EFOIL
The new Lift3 F eFoil is the new way to explore the surroundings of your yacht in a more personal way. The Lift eFoil technology utilizes a state-of-the-art battery system, a fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) propeller, a durable, aero-dynamic board, and a Bluetooth hand-controller to give you the ultimate foiling experience. Customize yours with your own colors and even the name of your yacht! The latest model offers more than 100 minutes of ride time before recharging is needed.
WILL 2024 HAVE MORE AVAILABLE YACHTS FOR SALE?
It's no secret that the last few years of surging boat buying activity increased the wait time for new yachts built at the shipyards, but also depleted the inventory on the brokerage market. Will buying a yacht in 2024 be any easier? "We are starting to see much more normal wait times when you custom order a yacht," said Jay Hendrix. For Viking and Princess, you can receive your yacht within 12 months in most cases. SI Yachts is also ordering more inventory from the manufacturers to have boats on hand at our locations.. The brokerage market continues to be down overall in number of listings compared to 2018-2019 levels. Late-model, pre-owned yachts that have been well-maintained and have service records seem to still sell fast and for close to asking price.
THINKING OF SELLING YOUR YACHT IN 2024?
If you're considering selling your yacht this year, contact your favorite SI Yachts Sales Professional or email our headquarters at Sales@SIYachts.com, to receive a complete market evaluation of what your boat may sell. We are happy to provide you with a customized plan as to how we intend to price, advertise, and sell your yacht through our proven, successful strategy. Don't let your boat get lost in the crowd by listing it with the mega-sized dealers! You can also fill out our online form - What's My Yacht Worth - to receive your boat's market evaluation. We look forward to earning, and keeping, your business!
