2023 Southampton Boat Show preview: 13 of the best new boats

May 30, 2023

Britain's biggest boat show returns will an impressive line-up. We pick out 13 of the best new boats going on display at the 2023 Southampton Boat Show...

It’s packed line-up, but if you don’t have the time to see them all, we’ve picked out a baker’s dozen of boats that we think are especially worthy of your attention at the 2023 Southampton Boat Show. Keep scrolling to read more, or click on the links below to jump to the boat you want to see.

Though quite classical to look at, the Squadron 58 hides an array of fun modern features

One of the few major world debuts taking place at the 2023 Southampton Boat Show, the all-new Fairline Squadron 58 is big news. The old Squadron 58 (2001-2009) is still fondly remembered as one of Fairline’s all-time greats and the new one looks every bit as promising.

Fairline is describing it as ‘a Squadron like no other’ and yet there’s no mistaking the DNA. The exterior has a similar profile to the existing Squadron 50 and Squadron 68 models and it uses the same distinctive trio of aft superstructure fins that have been a trademark of the Squadron line since 1991.

Elements of the inside look quite familiar too, like the aft galley design and the layout of the lower deck with a full-beam owner’s cabin amidships, a starboard twin and a forward VIP. However, the closer you get, the more modern this boat looks.

For instance, in the saloon, the threshold between the lower galley and the upper lounge is subtly angled as are the patio doors separating it from the cockpit. Even the flybridge furniture and bulkheads in the owner’s cabin use playful angles to add interest and free up space where it’s needed most.

The drop-down terraces and dual-access bar look superb

There’s a lot of modernity in the external areas too – not least in the cockpit, which uses modular seating, so you can face forward toward the saloon or aft, through the elegant glass balustrade.

There’s also a new beach club design, with a sliding submersible bathing platform, plus twin drop-down balconies. These enable you to double the deck space at the push of a button – and the fact that the aft bar connects the galley both to the cockpit and to the port terrace makes this region all the more enjoyable.

Up top, rather than dividing the flybridge into distinct zones, the Squadron 58 uses the starboard side for the steps, the wet bar and the twin helm. That frees up the entire port side for an integrated seating and sunbathing unit that extends all the way from the forward screen deflector right aft to another glass balustrade that angles out from the deck to increase the sense of openness.

Seakeeping should be first-class and it should be pacey too. The standard Volvo Penta D13-900s should give 32 knots while the optional D13-1000s will add a couple more.

LOA: 58ft 4in (17.80m)Beam: 16ft 4in (4.99m)Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D13-900-1000sTop speed: 34 knotsStarting price: £1,798,800 (inc VAT)

Although we have already covered Sunseeker’s new Superhawk 55 at some length in previous issues, this is the first chance for UK showgoers to see it in the flesh. We reckon it’s worth the price of admission alone so you can finally see what all the fuss is about and make your own mind up about Sunseeker’s new approach to the legendary Superhawk name.

While the heritage is all about performance craft like the Superhawk 50, which left an indelible mark with its intoxicating looks and performance, the new Superhawk 55 is a far broader proposition in every sense of the word.

It still looks engagingly potent and the wraparound double-curved windscreen and central helm position speak volumes about its sporting intent. But as befits today’s more accommodation-hungry market, this is a taller, beamier, more luxurious craft than any of its predecessors.

In place of slender forward quarters, it features a sizeable and brightly lit lower saloon and galley with ensuite cabins fore and aft. The twin 725hp Volvo Penta IPS950s are also less extreme than you might expect.

But while a top speed just shy of 40 knots might seem modest, it’s good to see that jack shafts have been used to improve weight distribution and optimise the handling. The cockpit layout is also intended to be more versatile than ever before.

Highlights include a big three-person sunpad, L-shaped corner seats that slide in towards the table for dining, and a huge central wet bar with all the mod cons, including a pop-up waterproof TV.

The forward sunpad also slides forward to reveal a second hi-lo table and foredeck dining area and the aft one conceals a large watersports locker for Seabobs or inflatable SUPs as well as a garage for a Williams Minijet.

So while the new 55 isn’t quite as fast or as fun to drive as the Superhawks of old, that’s really not the point. With its class-leading tender garage and toy storage, expansive entertaining spaces and impressive lower deck accommodation, this latest Superhawk is more than a match for its current day boating rivals.

If you’re after even more space below decks we also hear that Predator and Sportsyacht models based on the same hull are currently being considered by Sunseeker so keep your eyes peeled for more revelations in the coming months. We can hardly wait.

LOA: 56ft 2in (17.13m)Beam: 16ft 2in (4.93m)Engines: Twin 725hp Volvo D11 IPS950sTop speed: 38 knotsStarting price: £1,535,000 (ex. VAT)

Another boat that made its debut at Boot Düsseldorf in January but hasn’t yet been see at a UK show, the Princess S72 is bound to have British punters queuing along the pontoons at the 2023 Southampton Boat Show.

We always expected it to deliver sportier styling and a greater emphasis on outdoor living than the Princess Y72, what we didn’t anticipate was just how small the sacrifices would be in terms of space and practicality.

Certainly, the flybridge may be a little bit shorter and the galley/saloon a bit smaller but they’ve done such a good job of rejigging the layouts that you’d barely know it. The flybridge is in fact remarkably large for a boat with this kind of sporting profile – and with the wet bar now positioned in the aft corner, the smell of cooking should waft away with the prevailing wind.

The only thing missing up here is the Y72’s big sunpad but the designers have managed to compensate for that on the deck below where a generously sized sunbed conceals a garage large enough for a Williams 395 and a pair of Seabobs in a separate locker.

You also get a longer cockpit with the addition of a lovely aft-facing seat tucked into the port corner, so for most people, that’s likely to be considered a net gain. Inside, the bright single-level saloon provides a forward lounge behind the twin helm and an aft dining station opposite a wraparound galley.

All enjoy uninterrupted views through big windows and because the sociable sportbridge is set a good way aft, there’s plenty of room for a large sunroof above the lower helm. With that and the side deck door open, it really does feel like a hardtop sportscruiser rather than a sportsfly.

And if you tick the options box for the full-fat 1,800hp engines, it’s also a couple of knots quicker than the Y72. The lower deck, however, is exactly the same as the Y-class boat and that’s a very good thing.

It features a full-beam owner’s cabin with a private staircase and spacious ensuite bathroom. There’s also a large ensuite double in the bow, plus a pair of central twin cabins with shared access to the day heads.

Here, as elsewhere, the S72 feels like an exceptionally polished piece of work. In fact, it does such a good job of delivering the space and practicality of a flybridge with the looks and performance of a sportscruiser that it may tempt a few Y Class buyers its way.

LOA: 74ft 9in (23.09m)Beam: 17ft 11in (5.45m)Engines: Twin MAN V12 1650-1800sTop speed: 40 knotsPrice: £5 million (approx)

Making its UK debut is the second boat in Prestige’s crossover X line, the Prestige X60. At 62ft in length, it adopts a similar profile to the original Prestige X70, with an inverted windscreen and larger than usual aft deck and beach club. But it uses a subtly evolved version of the X70’s main deck layout.

While on the X70, a full-beam saloon pushes the side decks up onto the flybridge, the X60’s saloon occupies the entire starboard side but stops short of the full beam to port, leaving room for a deeply bulwarked deck on this side of the boat.

A sliding section of glass towards the aft end of the saloon opens up a large aperture onto this deck for plenty of airflow through the saloon and the fact that it sits directly opposite the big aft lounge area makes plenty of sense.

That pushes the galley forward into the space behind the helm, where a second smaller side door provides easy access to the foredeck on the starboard side too. At a stroke, this arrangement helps answer a criticism levelled at the X70 that, in the absence of side decks, it was much harder to rig fenders and take a lazy line forward when berthing stern-to in the Med.

Back outside, the foredeck uses a set of multi-purpose seats on either side of an octagonal table, all set deep in a sunken recess at the forepeak to help make the most of the squared off bow without obscuring the view from the helm.

And at the aft end, a large fold-out aft-facing lounge seat on the transom, just beneath the elegant glass balustrade, fully validates Prestige’s talk of a beach club. The lower-deck feels equally distinctive. It comprises a full-beam owner’s suite with its own private staircase and a lavish transverse bathroom with a spacious walk-in wardrobe that doubles as a changing area.

There’s also a forward VIP and a guest twin, plus plenty of hanging storage. And if long-distance cruising is your thing, you’ll appreciate the fact that there’s a handy spot for a washing machine beneath the access steps to the guest cabins.

Power comes from twin 600hp Cummins QSC8.3 diesels and in a rare pandering to the owner’s propulsive preference, Prestige is offering either V-drives or Zeus pods too.

LOA: 62ft 0in (18.91m)Beam: 16ft 0in (4.87m)Engines: Twin 600hp Cummins QSC 8.3 V-drives or Zeus podsTop speed: 25 knotsPrice: £1.65m (ex. VAT)

It’s all about Med-style luxury with four-season practicality

Originally introduced at the 2021 Cannes Yachting Festival but making its first appearance here at the 2023 Southampton Boat Show with UK dealer Argo Yachting, the Pardo Endurance 60 subverts the brand’s formula for walkaround Med-style dayboats with a welcome extra dose of four-season practicality.

At 59ft long, with a reverse bow and forward-raked windscreen, it’s certainly a very handsome boat and it’s extremely secure too, thanks to a fully enclosed wheelhouse and walkaround side decks with such lofty bulwarks that there’s no need for any guardrails.

The E60 also adds the upper deck that the brand’s pilothouse-equipped GT line lacks. Accessed from the port side of the cockpit, the compact, low-slung flybridge is designed to offer extra space and flexibility while keeping the centre of gravity as deep as possible.

It can be specced with or without a second helm station and there’s an unusual decking section ahead of the wind deflector, which makes a great place to sit with a view or tostow a couple of bikes or SUP boards.

Back down in the cockpit, a pair of fold-down bulwarks creates an extra 180ft² of cockpit space with great access to the water. The hydraulic hi-lo swim platform is big enough for a proper jet tender and there’s also a retractable sunshade that projects aft from the pilothouse structure.

As for the pilothouse itself, it certainly provides all the protection you need but it also uses an aft galley with drop-down windows on both sides to ensure that when you open things out, the aft end becomes every bit as party-friendly as Pardo’s more classical open boats.

If extended cruising is your thing, the E60’s three cabins, three bathrooms and optional double crew cabin will come as welcome news – and so will the fact that, like the forthcoming E72 of the same Endurance line, the E60 puts running efficiency at the heart of the package.

With a pair of IPS 700s or 800s for a top end in the region of 25 knots, it’s clear that this is more about quiet, comfortable passagemaking than outright pace.

LOA: 59ft 4in (18.08m)Beam: 16ft 10in (5.13m)Engines: Twin Volvo Penta IPS700-800sTop speed: 25 knotsStaring price: €1,927,080 (inc. VAT)

This four-berth boat marries rapid offshore performance with day cruiser luxuries

Cormate’s new Chase 32 is designed to combine the performance of a pedigree offshore RIB with the comfort and luxury of a high-end day cruiser. Based on the award-winning Chase 34, with a narrow beam and a deep vee, performance is of course a major selling point – and to help tailor it to your needs, there are plenty of engine options.

With the base 300hp Verado or Mercury sterndrive set-up, you’re looking at a top end in the region of 45 knots. And with Mercury’s mighty 600hp V12 outboard and the big block 8.2L V8 sterndrive also on the cards, 70 knots plus is also a very realistic possibility.

But with its open walkaround layout, this is a versatile boat too. Aft of the twin helm seats there’s an integrated wet bar with double hob, fridge, sink, optional ice makerand wine fridge.

There’s also a dining space for six, plus a large convertible sunlounger and an additional sundeck at the bow. And remarkably, this boat can still sleep four people in two cabins, while also finding space for a separate heads/wet room.

LOA: 32ft 6in (9.89m)Beam: 8ft 8in (2.63m)Engine options: Inboard/outboard from 300-600hpTop speed: 45-73 knotsStarting price: £254,356 inc VAT

With prices from £86,950 inc VAT, the value on offer here looks exceptional

This new eight-person day cruiser from prolific Polish builder, Parker, will be making its UK debut at the 2023 Southampton Boat Show. Like most Parker models it treads a very attractive line between practicality, performance and price.

It might be quite a compact platform but in the absence of side decks, there’s a full-beam cockpit with a step-through screen and plenty of room for a big port dinette with a table. When you convert it into a sunbed, a reversing backrest at the port co-pilot seat enables it to extend right forward without in any way obscuring the staggered companionway.

The fact that the screen runs so far aft also means there ought to be decent protection underway, even at the dinette. You also get a sink in the port console plus room for a slide-out gas stove.

Down below, there’s a bright, modern cabin with long raked windows and multiple foredeck skylights. The bed’s footprint looks decent and, remarkably, this boat also manages to squeeze in a separate heads compartment.

LOA: 26ft 11in (8.20m)Beam: 8ft 1in (2.46m)Engines: Single outboard up to 300hpTop speed: 40 knotsStarting price: £86,950 (inc. VAT)

Though bristling with day spaces, the Antares 12 can sleep up to eight

After 45 years in production, people know what to expect of the Antares line and the latest flagship honours that heritage by improving the range of things you can do with your boat. For instance, although it naturally lends itself to dayboating in sunny climates, this new model is also designed with an eye on extended cruises too.

Both the owner’s cabin and the main twin come with ensuite bathrooms – the latter shared as a day heads – and there’s still space for a highly modular third cabin that can be specced as a single berth, a double berth or a storage room.

Factor in the convertible settee in the wheelhouse and this boat can sleep up to eight people at a time. On the main deck, the fact that the structure is offset to port provides plenty of breadth for a large C-shaped dinette opposite a proper galley with a broad companionway running fore-and-aft between them.

There is also a three-part aft door that completely opens up the saloon to the L-shaped seating area of the cockpit, where the flybridge provides some handy overhead shelter and a fold-down bulwark creates some useful extra space.

Up at the helm station, a big skipper’s door gives you direct access onto the secure starboard side deck, enabling you to head forward to a bow space that makes very decent use of the beam-forward design with a three-person sunpad.

The flybridge is also impressive with forward-facing seats for three, plus a wet bar module and a U-shaped sofa with table. Its quest for family versatility does of course make this quite a substantial boat and the engine options reflect that.

You can go for twin V10 400hp Verado outboards or triple V8 300s for up to 900hp and a top speed of nearly 37 knots. Since the twin Volvo D6 diesels found in some earlier versions are twice the weight of the Mercury V10s, it’s easy to see why outboards are the go-to choice here.

But with unchanged fuel tanks, the quoted range of 127 nautical miles at 20.5 knots with the thirstier twin V10s might prove a touch restrictive for some.

LOA: 42ft 7in (12.97m)Beam: 12ft 5in (3.78m)Engines: Twin 400hp/triple 300hp Mercury outboardsTop speed: 37 knotsPrice: To be announced

The 22’s slick and efficient hull can be matched with all kinds of electric, petrol and diesel options

Rand Boats claims its new Source 22 is one of the most affordable electric boats on the market, as well as one of the fastest – and though it can’t achieve all of that at the same time, it’s a seriously interesting boat.

When propelled by Torqeedo’s Deep Blue 50 outboard, it carries a price tag of less than €100,000 but when fitted with Rand’s more powerful 170kW electric inboard motors, it should be capable of short bursts of up to 50 knots and sustained cruising at 28 knots.

If you’re not ready for electric propulsion, there are also outboard petrol and diesel options up to 250hp but in all cases, the deep-vee hull with its length-to-beam ratio of 4:1 and near-plumb bow should be highly efficient.

The open layout also looks easy to enjoy, with a foredeck sunbed, a centre console with a raked screen and a long cockpit with two helm seats, a table and a convertible transom sofa. The bimini top stows neatly away and there are also some integrated tow mounts for watersports.

LOA: 22ft 0in (6.70m)Beam: 7ft 7in (2.30m)Engine options: Inboard/outboard diesel/petrol/electricTop speed: 50 knotsStarting price: €63,900 (ex. VAT)

Compact exterior lines hide a surprisingly spacious interior

Making its SIBS debut at the 2023 Southampton Boat Show, is the smallest boat in Bavaria’s award-winning SR line. Elevated hull sides, a charming transom dinette and a first-class drive ensure it does an amazing job of transferring the SR line merits into a relatively compact sportscruiser.

Narrow side decks help provide maximum cockpit space for a large port dinette, a starboard galley and a raised helm. You can opt for a full-scale fabric sunroof or a smaller fibreglass unit here, as well as a camping cover that turns the cockpit into a climate-controlled day space and a sun shade for extra shelter aft.

While the elevated chaise longue to port of the helm is an acquired taste, the volume down below is impressive. Thanks to a bright, bulkhead-free layout, it delivers a generous double in the bow and a large transverse guest double beneath the cockpit, plus an attractive lounge with breakfast bar, lounging space and separate heads.

Its price might hover perilously close to that of the Bavaria SR36, but this remains a very fine family boat.

LOA: 37ft 5in (11.4m)Beam: 11ft 4in (3.46m)Engines: Twin Volvo Penta D4 300sTop speed: 32 knotsStarting price: €248,000 (inc. VAT)

This is the largest and most versatile boat Ryds has ever built

Swedish brand Ryds hasn’t had a UK dealer for years but brokerage chain Boatpoint has now take it on and will be showing a pair of new models. At nearly 24ft, with inboard or outboard propulsion and a neatly conceived walkaround layout, the 735 is the largest boat Ryds has yet built.

It provides the versatile day boating spaces for which the builder is well known alongside facilities for weekends away. It also looks like a modern and user-friendly package with plenty of features to back that up.

A ready-rigged canopy sits on the front of the console so you don’t have to lift the aft bench to erect it. There are plenty of storage solutions here too, including dedicated fender compartments. A raised bow sunpad provides room for four, and, further aft, the five-man cockpit table can be adjusted for larger parties thanks to folding side seats.

There’s also an attractive aft-facing bench and down below, the cuddy cabin makes great use of that foredeck elevation with a remarkably spacious double bed and a separate heads compartment.

LOA: 23ft 7in (7.20m)Beam: 8ft 6in (2.58m)Engines: 175-200hp outboardTop speed: 48 knotsPrice: £109,500 (inc. VAT)

It’s high-spec, high-performance and highly desirable

Those in search of year-round fun would do well to check out Nordkapp’s Grancoupé 905. Practical, spacious and stylish, with dramatic hull lines, inverted screens, tinted windows and high-contrast detailing, this is a radically modern take on the sporting family coupé.

Even in its standard form, it’s a tempting adventure boat, and thanks to sociable outdoor zones fore and aft, plus convertible pilothouse shelter and a pair of decent cabins, it’s versatile too.

But the no-holds-barred V12 model ramps things up in a serious way. For a start, there are no optional extras because everything is included. That extends from the Webasto heating, hot and cold water and electric soft top to the bow and stern thrusters, convertible cockpit and fully featured heads.

Then there’s the engine. While the base 905 is available with a 300hp outboard or twin 225s, this premium variant comes with Mercury’s 7.6-litre V12 Verado 600hp motor for ferocious pick-up and speeds in the region of 55 knots.

LOA: 29ft 11in (9.12m)Beam: 9ft 9in (2.98m)Engines: Single or twin outboards from 300 to 600hpTop speed: 55 knotsStarting price: £240,450 (inc. VAT)

Very few boats in the world can do as much with 41 feet as this

Jeanneau’s new Merry Fisher flagship packs an enormous amount into its 41ft length. The main deck saloon features a rotating helm seat on the starboard side so the skipper can stay involved with the people at the port seating section.

Further aft, the galley is entirely open to the cockpit, with a fold-out bar that neatly straddles the two spaces. There are deep windows here for big views, plus opening sections for extra ventilation.

Most of the refrigeration and storage duties are taken care of in a neatly integrated unit on the starboard side, which keeps the saloon open and the galley surfaces free. The cockpit itself ramps up the practicality again with an asymmetrical design featuring a long L-shaped settee and table.

That does mean there’s no cockpit access from the port side of the swim platform but Jeanneau has compensated for that with a handy side gate to port, plus an electrically operated fold-down bulwark to starboard. The ladder to the fly does its part, too, with quite a steep design that avoids swallowing up too much space.

The use of outboard propulsion also helps free up plenty of volume beneath the deck for some very generous storage spaces. Further forward, that cleverly offset superstructure helps maximise the width of the starboard side deck, enabling easy access both to the skipper’s side door and to the excellent forward lounge.

A rotating helm seat keeps you involved in the party

Up here, a trio of forepeak seats takes full advantage of that beam-forward bow. They face aft, toward triple sun loungers, creating a brilliant place for up to six people to escapethe main party.

Up on the flybridge, there’s room for a sunbed ahead of the starboard helm, plus a C-shaped settee that wraps round the port side, once again enabling the skipper to rotate the seat and join in the fun.

The cruising credentials look decent, too, thanks to a forward owner’s cabin, plus a pair of convertible twin cabins and two bathrooms, each with a separate shower. And yet in spite of these features, a triple rig of 300hp outboard motors will still see the new flagship Merry Fisher right up to 40 knots.

If that breadth of talents appeals to you, the 2023 Southampton Boat Show model will come with £100,000 worth of extras, including diesel heating, a flybridge galley and all kinds of trim and electronics upgrades for an all-in price of £549,995.

LOA: 40ft 9in (12.41m)Beam: 12ft 6in (3.80m)Engines: Triple 300hp outboard enginesTop speed: 40 knotsPrice: £549,995 (inc. VAT)