Hottest Yacht Toys for Fall and Winter

Toy Box

Most yachts have a fully stocked onboard toy box that provides hours of fun in the sun. Here’s a look at the latest & hottest tenders & toys.

DJI Phantom

Phantom 2 Vision+ from DJI

The whir of rotors overhead gets your attention, but it’s not a helicopter you hear — it’s the Phantom 2 Vision+ from DJI. This remote-controlled camera drone is designed for ease of operation. A “quadcopter” with a 1080p high-definition video and 14-megapixel still camera mounted to its body, this drone is ready for action. DJI’s “smart” flight controls let you fly it in virtually every direction; even tilted downward to 90 degrees. The Phantom 2 Vision+ features three-axis stabilization and is GPS-enabled. It will hover in place if you take your hands off the controls, even adjusting for wind. DJI’s mobile app lets you see what your drone sees and fly it with your mobile device.

Wider 42

Wider 42 Day Cruiser

Italian builder Wider burst onto the yachting scene in 2010 with the launch of the innovative Wider 42 — a day cruiser with sides that slide open when the boat is at rest to create a “wider” living and entertaining platform on the water. This year, Wider introduces its newest model at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, the Wider 32. The sleek, axe-bow cruiser was designed by Fulvio De Simoni to be the perfect tender for the Wider 150 or any other superyacht, thanks to its spacious cockpit and comfortable seating. It features diesel power to match the mothership’s fuel, delivering a top speed of 37 knots. Wider offers the 32 in a wide range of colors and encourages owners to personalize to their heart’s content.

Triton Submarine

Triton 1000/3 LP Yellow Submarine

The ultimate yacht “toy” undoubtedly is your own private submersible, allowing you to explore the wonders of the deep in surface atmosphere, air-conditioned comfort. Since 2007, Triton Submarines has been building luxury submersibles designed exclusively for yachts. This year, the company is showcasing the new Triton 1000/3 LP, a three-passenger submersible capable of diving to 1,000 feet (305 meters) at its Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show display. The design for the 1000/3 LP was driven by customer demand for a submersible that could be integrated into an existing superyacht tender garage without the need for a major refit. The sub incorporates a forward acrylic hyper-hemisphere for two passengers and a rear steel hyper hemisphere for the pilot and the vessel’s internal systems.

Hinckley Yachts Water Jet

Hinckley Yachts Talaria water jet boats

The Hinckley Yachts Talaria water jet boats are handsome enough to serve as tenders to the most elegant superyachts. Hinckley’s latest launch is the Talaria 43, a sleek Downeaster with an innovative new feature: Its aft salon windows and sliding door retract electronically at the push of a button, opening the pilothouse to beautiful views and balmy breezes. Like the rest of the Talaria line, which ranges from 29 to 55 feet, the new 43 is water-jet powered, which means you can run over crab pots with impunity, and the draft is a scant 28 inches. Hinckley’s next-generation JetStick II enhances the driving experience with ultra-smooth control and a virtual anchoring system that almost makes it a pleasure to wait for a bridge to open. www.hinckleyyachts.com

Freestyle Cruiser Inflatables

Away Turn your vessel into an amusement park with Freestyle Cruiser. The company’s custom-built inflatable slides comprise top-grade, 28-ounce Firmatex vinyl to fit any yacht’s precise specifications. Freestyle Cruiser slides come with ergonomic handles to enhance user comfort, fill and relief valves that keep the slide at a consistent pressure, a convenient universal water sprayer and an ultra-slick cover sheet. Keen for customization? Freestyle Cruiser will emblazon the slide with the yacht’s logo. Its latest offering is the new Freestyle Cruiser Curved Slide, which is uniquely designed to give sliders a thrilling ride and shoot them out closer to the swim platform in order to exit the water and hop back on the slide quicker.