Coco Chanel once said that luxury is not the opposite of poverty, but the opposite of vulgarity. The yachting industry is often considered to be the pinnacle of luxury, and a superyacht is perhaps one of the most expensive personal assets that an individual can own. It is also an industry that has marketed itself to people for whom money is no object, and it has told them ‘if you can dream it we can build it’. While this notion has led the market to financial prosperity, it also leans towards opulence, exuberance, and in some unfortunate cases vulgarity. 

The niché world of superyacht design is plagued by connotations of impracticality, wasted spaces, and unnecessary features. It’s a painful reality to grapple with for industry veterans such as Tony Castro, whose previous works include the Justine III – a design which won the One Ton World Cup and became the first yacht to win all 5 races in the world championship. In celebration of Castro’s 40-year anniversary in yacht design, SuperyachtNews spoke with him at MetsTrade to discuss the ever-evolving landscape of the sector and to pay homage to Pelagic Yachts – a range of vessels designed to explore the Antarctic and other remote parts of the globe.

Pelagic Yachts is known for its high-performance sailing yachts, which are designed to be fast, comfortable, and seaworthy. The company…