Windy in Cannes shows why chase boats now need yacht-level diligence

Windy Boats has confirmed that its sales team will be present at the 2026 Cannes Yachting Festival, represented by Espen Oino Sales, Merveille Nautic and Olympic Marine. The announcement is short, but it matters for buyers because the premium chase-boat segment is no longer only about choosing a ready-made catalogue boat. It is increasingly about specification, delivery timing and service support after the first season.

Windy’s official site shows a broad SR family, from the compact SR26 to the SR77 project. At Cannes, a builder does not need a single headline launch to be relevant. The presence of the sales team and partners points to configuration-led conversations: fast dayboat, villa chase boat, superyacht tender or standalone cruiser for an owner who does not want full-crew logistics.

The Real Questions Are Operational

Windy has a reputation for finish and seakeeping, but that does not remove the technical checklist. For a chase boat supporting a larger yacht, buyers should look at boarding height, cockpit dryness in side wind, fendering, cleats, engine access and service response after heavy summer use.

For a private dayboat the priorities are different: shade, refrigeration, heads, storage, noise at cruising speed and safe movement to the foredeck. These details rarely show in a clean profile photograph. A Cannes meeting should start with routes, guest numbers and storage needs, then move to upholstery and colour choices.

Why It Matters For Buyers

Small luxury powerboats are no longer a separate side purchase. Around 24-35 metre yachts, a second fast hull can decide whether a day at anchor feels effortless or awkward. The same trend appears in the way the Saxdor 460 GTS pushes dayboat thinking towards small-yacht expectations.

For W Yachts, Windy’s Cannes presence is a useful prompt to ask whether an owner needs a tender for a larger yacht or a proper standalone dayboat. Those are different briefs. One supports another asset; the other has to carry the whole weekend.