Can you help?
If you propose a Yacht, caén you update it with a picture (original one and also other ones if the yacht has been refited), and also info like year of built, yard, owner, size...

I'm specially trying to find any info on M/Y Carinthia V ?

Thanks for your help.

Note that the list does not give all 200 yachts. We were going to press with our August issue in 2002, when we got the word that Jon had passed away. I quickly wrote a story and asked Dickie Bannenberg and the rest of the Bannenberg team for assistance in compiling a partial list of Jon's designs. They graciously came through with far more information than I could have ever expected under the circumstances.

M/Y Kayana, built by Vosper ThornyCraft. Here is a picture of her: http://www.expeditionyachting.....html

I also came across this yacht: http://1stclassyachtcharters.c...girl/ and in the description it was stated that she was a Bannenberg design. I don't know anything about this yacht so I don't know if that is true or false.

This:
http://www.bcryachts.com/index...gb=-2
but he designed only the interior so I don't think it's something you're looking for.

And also this although it's not really a yacht:
http://www.cruisedirect.com/sh...#CONT

And this old 26m yacht built by Esterel in 1973. I didn't saw whan I watched the list last time any Esterel built in '73. Only in '71 and '74 so maybe it's just a mistake in the date. I really don't know.
http://www.marine-world.com/bo...6%20M

If it's not wrong, hope it helps ...

Which yacht is your favorite Bannenberg design, and why?

I never get tired of Jon Bannenberg's designs. Most of them were breaking new ground when launched, and became instant classics. I think they look just as fresh and timeless today.

The yacht industry is booming. Many of the design features we see on the yachts today were first featured on a Bannenberg Yacht years ago. Oversize vertical portholes? Check. Raised sheerline? Check. Stark vertical windows? Check.

Here are three Bannenberg yachts that have inspired me throughout the years.

Southern Cross III: she is huge, fast, unconventional, made from GRP, looks like nothing else and has a striking profile (shame with the refit, the greenhouse on top is terrible, and the stretched stern messes up her proportions). She looks magnificent and ready to swamp you in this picture from Elite Yacht Charters: http://www.eliteyacht.com/images24/ip.jpg

Mystique: a small ship or a huge raceboat? You decide. But she is one of the best-looking and well-proportioned yachts ever launched. The interior is brilliant, the layout is fresh, and I would die to have that master bedroom view. She has her own website: http://yacht-mystique.com/index.htm

Never say Never: a spaceship. Incredible to think that she was launched in 1985. Again, I hate the refit. When will they stop messing up great designs? Picture of how she is supposed to look, from Oceanfast Webpages: http://www.oceanfast.com.au/im...3.jpg

Honorable mention goes to:

Opal C for pushing that oversize round porthole theme to the limit and looking generally racy and having a cool layout.

True Blue for pushing that oval vertical porthole theme to the limit and looking generally racy and having a cool layout.

Carinthia VI for being one of the most famous yachts ever.

That would be correct!

Now, does somebody have any real contributions to this thread?

I always loved that cosy middle salon on Azteca. Looked like the perfect retreat.

Let me first begin by saying there will never be another Jon Bannenberg in the future of yachting. It's hard to recap such a stellar career. There will be look-alike yachts, imitators, but none with the master's touch. As Diane said, he was a true genius! Only one and there is no leader now.

I know there will be people thinking I am jealous or have to find something in another's work to make mine look better - but this could only be the farthest from the truth. My discussions and opinions mirror what other's say on the docks…. And it is just talk. When it comes down to it we still are a group of specialists and we all have our opinions. I do not believe I have ever met a person that actually 'hated' his work… well, maybe one [and he is a sailor].

Remarkable that his time was devoted to developing the modern motoryacht for he was an avid sailor himself, but he did not have a following by traditionalist sailors.

Anyway, I can agree that Mystique was one of his finest early creations.

There are topics here & there on the net that touch on this subject, but none delve into it - and I do so with the highest respect. Personally, I have a problem with yachts that do not have a deep keel for no matter where they rest - at sea or in berth, they bob like a duck. I find nothing flattering is a 150ft+ boat that can't rest unless there is no wind. A large number of his yachts were built for speed and thus had a shallow draft. The other thing important to me in the design of a yacht is purely from a docking standpoint. A yacht needs an amidships area on the main deck to tie-up using a spring line. [I don't care how you do it, but even earlier versions of the Feadship Gallant Lady had an opening in an otherwise full beam main deck for docking.] In any sort of weather, this is the line that connects the boat to the dock. Nowadays, we have all sorts of bow thrusters and directional pods to make up for this, but this is only a recent development. In any sort of head wind, you don't have the proper control at docking without things having the propensity of turning to a disaster if the winds change or pickup. Your center of control is lost. In the Med, people may not even know or use the spring line, but in the States, we do. Our yachts are not typically parked astern.

So, for what it is worth, that has always been my personal design concern, and I never nit-pick on any person, place or thing - only things that involve safety or comfort. So you see, these are not personal, but true design issues for me. Let others chime-in on their likes or dislikes, but mine are probably different. These issues did not stop me from enjoying the full range of yachts he created.

Cheers -

The man dominated "our" industry for 30 years, most of the time pushing limits, breaking new ground and challenging common beliefs. And we still see his influence in a large percentage of the yachts launched. You are absolutely right there will never be another Jon Bannenberg.

On the "practical" side, it is interesting that you mention mooring and seaworthiness. I have thought the same thing many times, especially when looking at the many light and fast boats in the Oceanfast jet-squadron. "How do they dock this thing in tight places? With over-powerful waterjets, shallow draught and high profiles catching the wind?" Must have been a real challenge. I remember reading an article about docking Parts VI, and it seemed like a nightmare.

That said, I am glad that somebody build large and light and fast "raceyachts" like the Oceanfasts. They push limits, they look great, and although not as seaworthy as a displacement-hull, they are still nice yachts. It all depends on what you want and how you tend to cruise. And in the hands of a skilled captain, you can do the impossible with a twin waterjet installation. Add some clever software these days, and anybody can do it.

I served in the Navy on the bridge of a large SES-catamaran minesweeper. Twin huge MTUs coupled to waterjets for propulsion, and not quite so huge MTUs for the lifting fans. No bow-thruster, but the option to direct the airstream through nozzles in the bow for thrust. We never used that option, because it blew everybody on the dock away We also drenched everybody with our jets, but that was just fun.....

We had twin throttle/steering levers, and it didn't take me long to go sideways/forward, completely sideways, circling around the axis, and so on. Using the joystick and software, it was even easier. Wind of course added to the challenge, but we never had any accidents in port.

Back to Bannenberg yachts: I also have wondered where they fit the spring line, but upon further inspection you will find that there is a place for it on most of the yachts. It might be on the deck above main level, or in the central tender garage, or some other place, but it is there. I don't think any captain would go to port without having all the lines in the right places.

Wow, did I write all this? You really got me started now.

I agree with both of you, that there is no leader anymore in yacht design, but I don't think it is needed anymore. Bannenberg showed that there were alternative paths to go in terms of design, nowadays we have a number of good designers who have that in their minds and they go their own ways.

As for favourites... many... Mystique definitely, but also Acajou, Parts VI, Beaupré, Coral Island... Paraiso and Azteca are beauties, but they lack outdoor deck spaces.

Anyway, the cover shot was breathtaking, Acajou never looked better. But have you seen her now? A disgrace! Ok, she was damaged and repaired and refitted.... but what have they done to her? My oh my.

http://www.boatdesign.net/gall...views

Now that's something I want for Christmas!

There is no question we saw a most classy gentleman become the hottest property in yacht design. Oceanfast came and went on his name alone. Nevertheless, this subject cannot go without properly noting Fritz de Voogt’s involvement – the forever Godfather of Yacht Design – Modern and Real.

That brings to mind something in the design arena too. In those early days, there was no such thing as a yacht stylist. The money earned from the yacht lines drawn had no value to a project - besides building the yacht, the only money to made was in the interior design…. Interior design has always had such a huge markup value and JB had his own furniture factory.

So, it is easy to see how these different layers added to everything we saw produced. I don’t have all the details, but some of you know what I am talking about.

Anyway, I wanted to post this bit, and I will add tomorrow some responses to our earlier post.

This will be a very good conversation.


Modified by Yacht_Designer at 8:16 PM 3/8/2007

Regarding important yachts, I think we also should mention Lady Ghislane, one of the most famous JB designs of all time (because of her owner, but also because of the striking styling and unconventional layout).

Another important yacht was the one he built for himself. I remember I was a bit disappointed when I heard that the most successful motor yacht designer was going to build a sail yacht, but Beaupré turned out to be interesting, although not his finest moment in my eyes.

(you can find her layout on her site: http://www.bakhshish.com/bakhabout.html)

Her layout places the engineroom in-between the crew cabins, and the crew mess, and its seems the only way for the crew to move to and from their cabins to the crewmess, is by crossing the main deck guest area above, or by having to go outside on the maindeck, up one level, and back inside through the bridge, before moving down two decks again. Traffic wise this must be a small disaster… (unless there is the possibility for the crew to move back and fore underneath the engineroom, but I don't know if there is, so feel free to correct me on this one..)

Bakhshish does feature twin cabins for her crew (instead of tiny bunkbeds), which is unique for a yacht of her size.. (it should be the standard, really!)

Bakhshish' bathing platform, and in fact whole stern, must have been inspired by that on Coral Island, it perfectly combines functionality with beauty...

But it is a flaw as a consequence of having all guest cabins on a full beam main deck. Lovely yacht though!

I don't know about "inspired by" because both date from the same period. Both have however spectacular stern designs, which where typical Bannenberg. Do you remember the first time you saw the stern of Parts VI or even the big wing on top of Opal C her stern ? I had never seen anything like that before.

I feel that several of JB's yachts have less than optimal layouts, especially from a crew/practicality point of view. I guess that is the price you pay for having a striking exterior and great guest areas.

Example: True Blue. Great exterior, lovely interior. The dining room is aft of the tender garages, but the galley is forward. And there is no pantry. You have to carry everything a long distance between the garages and put it right on the table. I don't know if this is really a problem, but it seems unpractical to me.

Would be interesting to hear from someone who has been a crew onboard a JB yacht.

That said, I have asked myself many times how JB managed to turn all traditional thinking upside down and sell it at a premium! There is no secret that shipyards were not only happy to build the complicated structures, but JB supplied first class drawings so it was still very professional.

Same as with crew I have met, some were always complaining of the awkward design when it came to daily maintenance, but they were also proud of taking care of such a piece of art...

If I may take my first tentative steps here in the Bannenberg thread, I think you make some fair points. Despite my Dad's father being Dutch, he never had the smoothest of relationships working in Holland and your Oceanfast sum up is probably pretty fair too.

He didn't, for the record, ever have his own furniture factory. Of course he designed countless one-off pieces - almost all of which were made by the interior subcontractors working with the particular shipyard. Occasionally, they were made by specialist subcontractors. But a Bannenberg furniture factory ? Sadly not, although I agree it sounds like a good business model.

Will try to contribute usefully to this thread, I assure you . Not here to just make corrections.......

Hi, you are more than welcome to make corrections. Internet forums are today sources for a lot of knowledge and too often we can read stories in daily papers taken directly from forums like this, including mistakes or without any reference to reality.

Btw, I was reading an interview with Jon, made fifteen years ago, where he said; "I am convinced that the yachts of the future will be like those that I am creating now..." He was right, but could have added - the best yachts of the future!

i thought the business logo of the horse head was his furniture studio... i don't know where i read that? we always welcome comments/correction, as they keep us honest. maybe it was worded that he makes his own furniture, but with the subcontractor reference left out. [could have been a translation error or poor writing] appreciate.

welcome aboard.

We were down in Palma yesterday for Blue Bird. She will be ready in about a month.......

The horsehead is the logo for Marblehead - the Bannenberg yacht management company.

Since I owned and was professionally involved in fine Arabian horses for so many years, I came across a crystal horse head [almost identical to his logo] and added it to my collection, in JB’s memory. It sits on my home office desk.

Continuing with the discussion - there were many yachts built at a loss to various yards, which historically, always amazed me by the fact the money had to come from elsewhere. My Gail III, Lady Ghislaine, and I think the other yacht was Sheergold all by Amels were built at a loss to the company [and then Trump later bought Amels]. The most famous of losses was of course to Benetti with Nabila who listed so much at her launch she had to have all her marble removed and reinstalled as veneer. Ah, those were the days. We still hear of yards doing work at a loss, and I say it has always happened and I guess will continue, just to be part of a project, or get your example/build out there as advertisement.