Cannes gathers pace. After two days, launches and power catamarans lead the conversation

After two days, the Cannes Yachting Festival has found a convincing rhythm. The pontoons are busy, the main launch presentations draw substantial crowds and conversations on the stands are going beyond a quick look from the quay. Owners, prospective buyers, brokers and shipyard representatives are stepping aboard, comparing layouts and asking about delivery dates.

That is not yet proof of exceptional sales. No serious conclusion about the show’s commercial result can be reached halfway through the event. It does show, however, that there is genuine activity, a substantial number of meaningful launches and no shortage of yachts worth inspecting. Two developments are especially visible: the attention surrounding world premieres and the rapidly expanding presence of power catamarans.

The organiser describes this year’s edition as bringing together more than 680 exhibitors and over 710 boats and yachts, ranging from five to 55 metres. Numbers alone cannot determine whether a show is successful, but the scale is tangible on the ground. The Vieux Port remains the centre for motor yachts and major launches, while Port Canto brings together sailing yachts, brokerage yachts, water toys and smaller powerboats.

Cannes is running a well-organised show

An event divided between two harbours can easily become confusing. This year, however, the separation is logical and the information flow is working well. The organiser provides current exhibitor and boat lists, show maps and an updated schedule of press conferences. Press offices are operating in both ports, while presentation times are being revised as the week progresses.

That may sound like an operational detail, but at a show with several hundred exhibitors it has a direct effect on quality. When visitors do not lose half a day searching for the correct pontoon, they can inspect more yachts and hold more useful conversations. When journalists receive an updated launch schedule and a daily official image selection, news about the boats reaches readers more quickly and accurately.

Cannes also makes good use of the town itself. The Vieux Port provides a dramatic setting for large motor yachts, while Port Canto allows other sections of the market to have their own space without feeling like a secondary exhibition. Transport between the ports is unavoidable, but the overall structure remains understandable even for a first-time visitor.

Power catamarans are becoming much more visible

The most striking change can be seen in the power-catamaran section. The Power Cat Village at Pantiero no longer feels like a small addition to the main motor-yacht display. It represents a distinct and fast-developing part of the market. More importantly, the boats are not variations on one formula. Cannes now brings together fast outboard-powered craft, family cruising yachts, larger explorer designs and luxury catamarans intended for extended living aboard.

Aquila is showing a particularly broad power range. The Aquila 35 Sport makes its world debut, while the 45 Sport receives its European debut. They are joined by the Aquila 46 Coupe, 46 Yacht and 50 Yacht. The 35 Sport measures 10.81 metres in length with a beam of 4.49 metres. Standard propulsion is a pair of 300hp Mercury Verado V8 outboards, with twin 400hp V10 engines available as an option. It is a good example of a power catamaran entering territory that was once occupied almost entirely by fast dayboats and compact weekend cruisers.

At the other end of the scale is Sunreef. The Polish yard is presenting the world premiere of the Ultima 88, alongside the 80 Sunreef Power and 100 Sunreef Power. These are full-size luxury yachts in which the twin-hull platform is used primarily to create immense living space, broad exterior decks and a stable base for longer periods aboard.

Lagoon is showing the EIGHTY 3, a power catamaran announced as a world premiere. Bering has brought the BC60, the first hull in its aluminium explorer-catamaran range, while Bulgarian builder OMAYA is presenting the OMAYA 50. The official exhibitor list also includes specialists such as YOT Power Catamarans and GranOcean.

This variety matters more than the raw number of catamarans. It shows that the twin-hull motor yacht is no longer associated only with charter operations or with buyers moving across from sailing. It is competing with conventional motor yachts in the mid-size market and also among large luxury vessels.

Buyers have more choice, but they still need to compare the trade-offs carefully. Additional beam creates space and stability at anchor, yet it may increase berthing costs and reduce the number of available marina spaces. Lower fuel consumption does not follow automatically from having two hulls: the finished displacement, propulsion package and figures at real cruising speed all need to be examined. Cannes makes it possible to inspect several competing designs in one day and to see where a brochure promise becomes a practical advantage — or fails to do so.

Launches are giving the show its energy

There is also substantial movement around the new-model presentations. Ferretti Group has announced six world premieres in Cannes: the Ferretti Yachts 720, Itama 70, Pershing GTX90, Riva 56’ Rivale Super, Riva 96’ Argo Super and Custom Line Navetta 35. Each addresses a different use of a yacht, from the open and fast Itama through the performance-focused Pershing to the more measured, long-range character of the Navetta.

Azimut has brought the Fly 70 for its world premiere. The flybridge yacht is designed to create a more continuous connection between its interior and exterior living areas. It is displayed alongside the Seadeck 9, Magellano 27M and Grande 44M. Attention is not limited to the largest boat. Visitors are comparing the use of space, visibility from the helm, access to the water, crew areas and the effort required for day-to-day operation.

The Aquila, Lagoon and Sunreef launches mentioned above are drawing similar attention. Groups gather around the new boats, and stepping aboard can require a scheduled appointment. That is encouraging for the yards and the organiser, but interest should not be confused with signed contracts. The commercial result will become clearer only when builders can point to firm orders, paid deposits and order books that remain intact after the show.

A positive atmosphere is a beginning, not a sales result

The show is shaping up well because there is a great deal happening. The programme includes launches, press conferences, meetings with designers and sea trials. Exhibitors have not restricted themselves to familiar boats with different upholstery. Across the harbours, there are new hulls, reworked deck arrangements and practical attempts to respond to changing patterns of yacht use.

At the same time, record claims should be treated with care. A crowded pontoon is not an order book, and a queue for a premiere does not mean that everyone waiting is ready to buy. The audience includes owners, prospective clients, brokers, crews, suppliers and people attending simply because they enjoy boats.

Reports of yachts “sold at Cannes” also need context. The phrase can describe an order signed during the show, a contract agreed earlier and announced at the event, or a yacht built for stock that has now found a buyer. All three outcomes are positive for a builder, but each tells a different story about demand.

What buyers should check before the show closes

A serious buyer should use the remaining days for more than viewing launches. Before leaving a yacht, it is worth obtaining clear answers to five questions:

Our first-time visitor’s guide to Cannes also explains how to plan appointments across both harbours and prepare for meetings with shipyards.

1. What is the first realistic production slot, and will it be written into the offer?
2. Which features on the display yacht are standard, and which are separately priced options?
3. Who is responsible for warranty and after-sales support where the yacht will be used?
4. What are the realistic annual costs of fuel, crew, berthing and scheduled maintenance?
5. Can a sea trial be arranged on a yacht with a specification close to the one being ordered?

It is also worth observing how the seller responds to questions about delivery, final price and local service. A launch presentation shows a yacht at its best. The precision of the answers provides a better indication of what the relationship may look like after the contract is signed.

A strong start to this year’s edition

After two days, the Cannes Yachting Festival is fulfilling its most important purpose: showing in one place where the market is heading. The 2026 edition is well organised, features numerous genuine premieres and offers clear evidence of the growing importance of power catamarans.

We do not yet know how many conversations will turn into sales. We do know that the industry has arrived in Cannes with new yachts, and that visitors want to inspect and compare them. If this level of activity continues through Sunday, the show can reasonably be called a successful edition — first in terms of attendance, presentation quality and market activity, and only later in terms of signed business.

RynekJachtow.pl is reporting from Cannes and will continue to cover the most important premieres, the expanding power-catamaran sector and the features that matter to future owners. We will also examine which claims made on the pontoons stand up to scrutiny on price, delivery and long-term service.