At this years show it became apparent that many designers are starting to explore the concept of ‘expedition vessel’, and to incorporate some of these thoughts into new vessel designs. For future owners this is good news. A vessel can be made beautiful, practical and capable at the same time ensuring that present and future owners can have a vessel that really does suit the purposes for which they bought it.

It was fun to talk to designers about some of the hard-won lessons gleaned from decades of expeditions (on a multitude of vessels) as to what works and, often more importantly, what does not work.

We look forward to working with a couple of designers (and eventually the builder) to create a beautiful expedition vessel that has a pedigree based on solid experience, one that allows her to honestly wear the title ‘Expedition Vessel’ even before she takes her owner to the ends of the Earth.