Cloudbreak

Cloudbreak takes her name from a famous surf reef in Fiji, and that says a lot about the man who commissioned her. He is a committed skier, and he asked Abeking & Rasmussen for something close to a high-tech mountain chalet that could travel anywhere by sea. Her first season took her to Alaska and to Komodo, and the shipyard describes her as explorer, spa and open-air club in one hull, with a certified helipad that makes heli-skiing possible wherever mountains meet the coast.

Espen Øino gave her an ice belt and a raked bulwark at the bow that works as a built-in wave breaker, so she looks purposeful rather than glossy. Christian Liaigre's interior pulls the other way. Light timber, an open fire in the main saloon, a glazed winter garden higher up and a lift serving four levels make it feel like a warm lodge, which is exactly what you want after a cold morning in a tender among the ice.

Two details show how much thought went into the plan. On the lower deck a corridor of about sixty metres runs from the beach club, gym and sauna straight to the guest cabins, so you can walk back from a massage in a bathrobe without crossing the saloon. Her owner also wanted somewhere to spend a warm night in the open, so there are beds on deck for anyone who prefers the sky to a cabin ceiling. An observation tower, the eagle's nest, is the place for spotting whales.

With a range of around 8,500 nautical miles at 13 knots she moves between oceans without drama. Judges took notice early: 2017 brought her a World Superyacht Award plus two ShowBoats prizes, one for the exterior and one for the interior layout.

Cloudbreak is made for an extended family, or a band of friends, chasing adventure without giving up comfort: diving, kitesurfing and long days ashore, then the sauna and the fire. Mornings might begin with the personal trainer or on a yoga mat; for some, evenings end with a massage. She makes less sense for a group that only wants to hop between beach clubs on the Riviera; her strengths are wasted on short marina runs, and a smaller, faster yacht covers that circuit better.