Wider’s Moonflower 72 superyacht has a fold-down beach club

Schenelle Dsouza 

Italian shipbuilding company Wider gets its name from its fascination with yachts that are, well, wide and spacious, housing the best of amenities. Staying true to that, the company recently unveiled its latest project, the Moonflower superyacht.

Having a beach club on your yacht has become one of the biggest trends for yachts around the world. While most people enjoy taking a dip in the ocean or relaxing in the jacuzzi, others enjoy  an open space for lounging and other activities. In fact, Wider was among the top shipbuilding companies to popularise this trend.

Lounging space

A 235-foot superyacht, Moonflower has made headlines for its massive fold-down terrace which transforms into a spacious beach club. The impressive club features two folding bulwark terraces, a sunken sea-water pool, stepped access to the ocean and a walkaround, 1,200-square-foot platform named “The Island”.

The concept for Moonflower was first penned down in 2018 by Milan-based Nauta Design, for an owner looking for a flexible layout that was open to the elements. The steel hull has a displacement running surface, with a tiered aluminium superstructure, and a helipad on the bow. While all of these features pleased the owner, the decision to build the boat was put on hold until a design review at the start of this year, which prompted construction to begin at the Wider shipyard in June.

Specifications and features

The Moonflower 72 features quite a few trendy elements like heavy use of glass connecting the indoors and outdoors, a private “cosy nest” forward on the main deck, and the inclusion of new technology to streamline life on board, such as the artificial intelligence system onboard. It will study the movements of the owner, their guests and the crew to attune onboard amenities to their routines. For example, the system detects human presence so that if one of the cabins is empty, the lights will automatically go off. This in turn helps to reduce energy consumption.

The use of innovative technology has been Wider’s calling card since the company’s launch in 2010. The expandable deck craze began with the company’s premier model, the Wider 42. From then on, expandable decks have become so popular that they have been incorporated into yachts of every size, from 25-footers to gigayachts.

“The Moonflower 72 retains all the key features of modern yet timeless design, onboard liveability and maximum connection with the marine environment – fundamental characteristics of all Nauta projects,” said Mario Pedol, CEO of Nauta Design.

Moonflower’s on-deck pool features a hydraulic mechanism that raises the teak bottom flush with the deck when the pool is not in use. The yacht also has Wider’s hybrid propulsion system, with two variable-speed generators, a sodium-nickel battery bank and an energy recovery unit.

Sustainability is key

Moonflower will also be built with state-of-the-art sustainability features in mind. Pedol says “sustainable and maybe even vegan materials” will be incorporated into the interior design, though the company is yet to release any images. The Moonflower 72 is scheduled for delivery in summer 2025.

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