CL Yachts expects to launch its first CLB88 by July before the model is succeeded as the brand’s flagship by the groundbreaking CLX96, which is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. Both yachts have been drawn by Milan-based Jozeph Forakis Design.
‘Born a rebel’ according to Martin Lo, CLX96 has been designed by Joseph Forakis, who designed the upcoming CLB88 for Hong Kong-headquartered CL Yachts
A Cheoy Lee brand, CL Yachts launched in 2018 by producing the CLA76 and CLB72 before turning to Forakis for its two most recent models. For the CLX96, the builder said it aimed to deconstruct the traditional motor yacht and reinvent it in a holistic way, and has promoted the new model as a premium-performance Sea Activity Vessel (SAV).
Martin Lo, Director of CL Yachts, said: “We wanted to offer those aboard the SAV a truly authentic experience, one that celebrates wellbeing – the true luxury of modern life. To execute our end goal meant starting with a blank page, not cluttered by the components that usually go hand-in-hand with traditional motor yachts.
“This is one of the reasons we partnered with a designer from outside the yachting industry for this project. CLX96 was born a rebel.”
The CLX96 has a reverse windshield on both the main and upper decks
Forakis has given the yacht a distinct profile, distinguished by a pilothouse with a reverse-angle windshield inspired by offshore vessels, with large up-down windows on both sides and the aft bulkhead. Forward of the pilothouse on the skydeck is the ‘Terrazza Portoghese’, a space that combines with adjacent areas to form a communal zone.
The foredeck features the ‘Piazza del Sole’, where sun pads transform from coffee tables to sunbeds and more, while the saloon is a loft-like area with large windows offering virtually uninterrupted views.
Forakis said: “I was born in a New York City loft and I wanted to capture that sense of the limitless possibility of living in open spaces. I wanted the feeling of being on the ocean to follow you everywhere, inside and outside.
“CLX96’s distinctive profile, which is instantly iconic, is born from observations of living habits at sea and reconsidering the preconceptions of space, comfort and conviviality. Of course, comfort is a priority on a luxury yacht, but I also want those onboard to always be aware that they are on a ‘vessel’ built to transport them through space and time.”