Miami Boat Show

As if the Miami Beach scene weren’t already vibrant, every February the Miami International Boat Show ups the ante. This year, from the convention center to Sea Isle Marina and Yachting Center plus Miamarina At Bayside, there will be more than 3,000 boats and yachts on display. Add to the mix the concurrently held Yacht & Brokerage Show along Collins Avenue, and you get the chance to see some of the most inventive designs around, representing hundreds of millions of dollars in luxury and comfort.

We give you an inside look at what will be tied to the docks. The five boats highlighted represent a variety of styles, from retro elegance to contemporary chic, as well as a range of sizes. Furthermore, each builder is prepared to take your order for your very own floating piece of paradise.

Lazzara LSX 92

The LSX 92, measuring 92 feet, continues Lazzara Yachts’ tradition of designing yachts with innovative, eye-catching features. It starts with the sleek, even sexy exterior styling, which makes a more striking impression when the yacht is charging along at a reported 31-knot top speed. Highlights include a hydraulically activated, fold-down balcony off the master stateroom, ideal for enjoying breakfast or simply the beauty of a calm anchorage. The three guest staterooms and the rest of the interior can be outfitted with your choice of exotic woods, including dramatic deep-tone zebra wood. Even more dramatic, however, is the atrium-like setting for the dining area and galley, making this 92-footer feel far larger than it is. If you like to spend a lot of time on deck, you’ll appreciate the transom “beach club.” When your crew offloads the tender contained within the garage just forward of here, they can flip down a wall (fitted with a television, no less) and set up lounge chairs on the teak-laid deck space and swim platform.

Princess 85 Motor Yacht

Making its stateside debut, built by England-based Princess Yachts, this 85-footer has abundant cherry wood lining its walls and sumptuously soft leather furnishings. Better yet, it offers a variety of layout options to take you and seven other friends out harbor-hopping. The standard arrangement includes a central master suite on the lower deck, spanning the yacht’s full width, plus a VIP stateroom forward and two guest staterooms aft, each fitted with twin beds. As an option, the starboard-side (right-side) guest cabin can include a queen bed, letting it serve as a second VIP. Yet another option: transforming the port-side (left-side) cabin into an office, in case you need to keep tabs on business while away from shore. Regardless of your choice, you’ll appreciate the foredeck seating area as well as the flying bridge sunning area, complete with a dining area, sunpad, and (if you so choose) a hot tub.

NISI 2400

The 2400 in this yacht’s name refers to its length: 24 meters, or about 78 feet. Capable of a reported 28-knot top speed, NISI is also making its stateside debut, built by China-based Tricon Marine. The minute you step inside, you’re treated to a casually cool, even beach-y interior ambiance. Teak flooring runs the length of the main deck, which further has a decided lack of walls, keeping the rooms open and airy. Large windows do a good job of bringing the outdoors inside, especially in the below-decks master suite, which has a six-panel portal. Three other guest staterooms benefit from natural light as well, and skylights are further situated above the helm and galley. Of course, safety is just as important as speed and looks, so to that end, NISI is the first yacht smaller than 24 meters to be built to both RINA Charter Class and MCA Commercial (MGN280) certification. In a nutshell, RINA and MCA have some of the strictest construction requirements of all the classification and certification organizations governing yachts.

J-Craft Torpedo

Picture 18 layers of high-gloss finish over meticulously matched mahogany. Then imagine styling echoing that of classic cruisers of the early to mid-20th century. These are just the beginning of the allure of the Torpedo, an aptly named cruiser from J-Craft Yachts. Having successfully sold a few Torpedos in its native Europe (J-Craft is based in Sweden), even showing it off at the Venice Film Festival, the builder is bringing the 41-foot boat to the United States. It’s ideal as either a day boat or a tender to your larger yacht. Either way, you’ll enjoy the soft seating and sunpad, the retro barrelback transom, and cruise speeds around 35 knots, with steering controlled via a joystick. Should you wish to take an overnight trip, the Torpedo can sleep four. And to ensure your Torpedo is truly your own, you can choose from a variety of exterior colors, including traditional mahogany, midnight blue, silver, white, and tomato red.

Riva Aquariva by Gucci

For the man or woman who can’t get enough of the famed fashion house’s accoutrements, the Aquariva by Gucci could very well be the ultimate watertoy. It was created to celebrate Gucci’s 90th anniversary this year. Measuring 33 feet, it bears the styling and high-gloss mahogany that has made Italy-based Riva an in-demand brand, with Gucci white for the high-gloss hull and Gucci’s red and green striping on seating and the sundeck. Gucci’s creative director, Frida Giannini, worked closely with Officina Italiana Design, the design company behind every Aquariva for the past 20 years, on this limited-edition series. “Over the decades the iconic Riva boat has become without doubt one of the most evocative images of Italian style, sophistication and elegance,” Giannini says. “It is a symbol of a glamorous lifestyle that sparks fond memories of La Dolce Vita—a golden age when both Gucci and Riva attracted an enthusiastic following among the international jet set.” If you decide to order an Aquariva by Gucci, note that you can also buy items from a special Riva by Gucci line of accessories, such as watches, shoes, handbags, and scarves. You’ll certainly turn heads wearing them onboard as the boat speeds along at a reported 41-knot top end.