Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: MGM Boats

The go-ahead Dun Laoghaire-based MGM Boats team travel to the Cannes Boat Show next week for one of the most important dates on the European boat show calendar. 

The South of France show will have some significant new launches among the 600 boats on display, 140 of which are having their world debut, so it's going to be a very busy six days.

The Irish company – which celebrated 25 years in business this year – will showcase its Prestige Motoryachts, Jeanneau Sail and Power, Lagoon Catamarans and Delphia brands.

"We will have a full-time presence on all stands for the full duration and look forward to introducing some new and exciting new models for 2023 to our clients there," MGM's Martin Salmon told Afloat.

The MGM team will also be working at the Southampton Boat Show (16th - 25th September) on the UK south coast.

Like Cannes, MGM are showcasing Prestige Motoryachts, Jeanneau Sail & Power, Lagoon Catamarans and also Zodiac Ribs. "We will have a full-time presence on all stands for the full duration of the show", Salmon said.

Published in MGM Boats
Tagged under

Leading motor yacht brand Prestige will make a double world debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival next month — presenting the Prestige X60 and M48 to the public for the first time at the show from 6-11 September.
 
The Prestige X60 comes with a design guided by the core concepts of voluminous living spaces, natural light and easy flow of movement onboard. 
 
The result is a yacht that offers an exceptional level of comfort, with multiple areas for relaxation and an entirely open ‘infinity cockpit’ that affords incredible views of the ocean and creates easy access through a large electric sliding door to the saloon.

The Prestige M48 is the first power catamaran from the leading motor yacht brand | Credit: Prestige Motor YachtsThe Prestige M48 is the first power catamaran from the leading motor yacht brand | Credit: Prestige Motor Yachts
 
The Prestige M48, meanwhile, is the first power catamaran from Prestige Yachts. Taller than other power cats on the market, the M48 has a deep bridge deck linking the two hulls, promoting a similar look and feel as a monohull below deck, creating generous, brightly lit refined living spaces and full beam cabins, affording the ultimate in comfort.
 
Twin 320hp Volvo Penta D4s give the Prestige M48 a maximum speed of 20 knots with the reduced wet surface area of this multihull design making it 20% more efficient than a similar-sized monohull — giving a range of 250nm at 18 knots or 600nm at 8 knots from the 1,200-litre tank.

Both will make their public debut at Cannes alongside other Prestige motor yachts on display, namely the 420F, 460F, 520F and 590F. For more details get in touch with Prestige’s Irish agents MGM Boats at mgmboats.com.

Published in MGM Boats

MGM Boats’ partnership with Jeanneau has been particularly fruitful thus far in 2022. Spring’s reveal of the DB range of premium day boats, led by the Jeanneau DB/43, was followed by the Irish debut of the Sun Odyssey 440 — with the first boat delivered to Dun Laoghaire last month.

And the future looks even brighter, firstly as two historic lines of Jeanneau powerboats will each welcome a new flagship in time for September’s boat show bonanza: the Merry Fisher 1295 Fly and the Cap Camarat 10.5 CC.

Magnificent in the interior and on the exterior, with new signature windows in the hull, the Merry Fisher 1295 Fly is perfectly designed for unforgettable family cruising experiences. It’s a motor yacht whose quality is evident in even the smallest details.

A top-down view of the Merry Fisher 1295 FlyA top-down view of the Merry Fisher 1295 Fly

This new model features unprecedented living spaces for relaxing with family on board, with a generous aft cockpit that opens onto the sea with an electrically controlled starboard terrace; a unique forward cockpit with three sun loungers integrated into the deck plan; and a flybridge with U-shaped saloon and generous sundeck alongside the fully equipped helm.

Inside, the focus is on optimal flow of movement between living spaces — with a galley that opens onto the aft cockpit, a large starboard-side door onto the recessed side deck and forward cockpit, panoramic views from the saloon and three cabins that offer an incomparable level of comfort.

The Merry Fisher 1295 Fly doesn’t lack in the propulsion department, either, with three 300HP outboard engines to work in tandem with a hull specially developed for safe cruising, fuel efficiency and maximum comfort.

Meanwhile, in the marque’s 40th anniversary year, the Cap Camarat 10.5 CC represents the largest ever Center Console — part of a design brief to adapt to a variety of activities, from fishing and other watersport to simply sunbathing.

In addition to a versatile, ergonomic deck layout and excellent cruising performance — adopting the hull from the Michael Peters-designed 10.5 WA Serie2, with timeless lines by Sarrazin Design — this is the only 34-foot Center Console offering four comfortable berths.

The Cap Camarat 10.5 CC is the only 34-foot Center Console offering four comfortable berthsThe Cap Camarat 10.5 CC is the only 34-foot Center Console offering four comfortable berths

With its powerful twin 300HP or twin 425HP engines and joystick control, cruising is fast and easy, with full peace of mind for fun outings with family and friends.

Both the Merry Fisher 1295 Fly and the Cap Camarat 10.5 CC will be presented at the Cannes Boat show from 6-11 September and the Southampton International Boat Show from 16-25 September.

Agents from Irish dealers MGM Boats will be in attendance as always so be sure to get in touch for more details.

Looking beyond 2022, MGM Boats will welcome the first Irish delivery of Jeanneau’s new Sun Odyssey 380 in March 2023. But before then Jeanneau will follow the launch of its 60ft and 65ft sailboats with the surprising and innovative Jeanneau Yachts 55 — set to be revealed at boot Düsseldorf in January.

Born 20 years ago, the Jeanneau Yachts line has always been dedicated to owners who love the open waters and are seeking excellence in cruising and instinctive handling for complete peace of mind while sailing offshore.

Unique is the operative word for the Jeanneau Yachts 55Unique is the operative word for the Jeanneau Yachts 55

That means yachts with majestic lines, at once elegant and high-performance, designed with a desire to marry the beautiful with the practical, to expand living spaces and to offer ever-more refined comfort.

Faithful to this promise, the Jeanneau Yachts 55 offers a fresh look with a revolutionary layout turned towards the exterior yet designed with privacy and wellbeing in mind.

For more on these remarkable boats, see the attached press kits below and follow MGM Boats on Facebook for the latest updates.

Published in MGM Boats
Tagged under

‘Mindful cruising’ is the philosophy behind the sustainable boating brand Delphia, available from recently appointed Irish dealer MGM Boats in Dun Laoghaire.

This concept has grown out of 30 years of custom-designed boats inspired by nature, characterised by a more comfortable and relaxed approach to cruising inland waterways and the use of smart solutions and sustainable materials.

And in its latest iteration, with the Delphia 11, electric propulsion makes for results even more in tune with the environment.

In its ambition to be a “nature-friendly” boatbuilder, the Polish brand teamed up with Torqeedo, a leader in e-mobility in the marine industry, to equip its vessels with the Dutch company’s user-friendly and widely serviceable Deep Blue electric drive system.

The Delphia 11 comes in electric and diesel versions — in an elegant Sedan or luxurious Fly­Lounge layout — and among its many remarkable features is its purposely designed solar power (photovoltaic) system, which means you can extend your stay in a secluded area without having to worry about visiting a marina to recharge your batteries.

Meanwhile, the diesel-powered Delphia 12 also comes in Sedan and Fly­Lounge versions, with key features including its low-noise operation, its easy manoeuvring thanks to powerful thrusters and a shallow draft with a 100% displacement hull specially designed by Tony Castro for navigating inland waterways.

For more details, get in touch with MGM Boats via their Facebook page and download the Delphia press kit below.

MGM Boats will have a busy post-summer with both the Cannes Boat show from 6-11 September and the Southampton International Boat Show from 16-25 September.

Published in MGM Boats

Jeanneau is celebrating 40 years of its iconic Cap Camarat range of cruisers.

Since the creation of the line in 1982, an incredible 62 models have been launched by the French boating marque — and Cap Camarats continue to lead as the prime example for cruising in Europe.

Today, over 35,000 Cap Camarats cruise on waters around the world, whether used for sport or relaxing with family, and new models are continually renewing the range’s spirit, Jeanneau says.

What’s more, the maker says that its outboard line has also become an international reference in its class.

And across all their variances and differences, all share the same heritage: incomparable seaworthy qualities, clever improvements, unequalled comfort on board and a timeless elegance.

For further details get in touch with MGM Boats, Irish agents for Jeanneau.

Published in MGM Boats

MGM Boats in Dun Laoghaire are delighted to introduce a new range of electric and low-HP diesel-powered boats from Polish brand Delphia, a part of the Beneteau Group.

The Delphia 11 comes in electric and diesel versions — in an elegant Sedan or luxurious Fly­Lounge layout — and among its many remarkable features is its purposely designed solar power (photovoltaic) system, which means you can extend your stay in a secluded area without having to worry about visiting a marina to recharge your batteries.

Meanwhile, the diesel-powered Delphia 12 also comes in Sedan and Fly­Lounge versions, with key features including its low-noise operation, its easy manoeuvring thanks to powerful thrusters and a shallow draft with a 100% displacement hull specially designed by Tony Castro for navigating inland waterways.

For more details on the Delphia range of cruisers, check the MGM Boats website and follow on Facebook.

Published in MGM Boats

Earlier this month, MGM Boats took out the brand-new Zodiac Medline 6.8 for a spin on Dublin Bay to put the RIB through its paces.

Designed for long days on the water, the Medline 6.8 promises to delight with its exclusive comfort and onboard security.

That means room for 10 to 14 passengers, with two relaxing spaces and a rear U-lounge which can be converted to another relaxing area, with five lockers for safe stowage.

And the icing on the cake? Its signature hull, which provides high stability even on the roughest of seas.

See the MGM Boats website for more on the Zodiac Medline 6.8 and its availability.

Published in MGM Boats
Tagged under

Leading motor yacht brand Prestige has launched the M48 as the first model of its new M-Line.

The M48 is a luxury power catamaran described as “a major step” for the French company and is positioned as “an all-new experience in the art of living well”.

Space is of the utmost importance, with the M48 being cast as “a villa that opens onto the sea”. That means a generous, brightly lit interior with a 20sqm flybridge, and extra-large sun lounge and a volume equivalent to a 60ft yacht in a 50ft vessel.

And the inverted bow design helps “contribute to a unique and harmonious design signature”, says designer Camilo Garroni.

Visits and sea trials are scheduled in Cannes on 9-10 June, ahead of the M48’s premiere at the Cannes Boat Show in September.

Prestige’s Irish agents MGM Boats will have more details in the coming weeks.

Published in MGM Boats
Tagged under

Dun Laoghaire yacht broker MGM Boats be exhibiting on the Prestige Yachts, Lagoon Catamarans and Jeanneau Sail & Powerboat stands for the full duration of the show from 7-12 September.

Gerry Salmon, Ross O’Leary and Joss Walsh will be available to show over a host of new models for 2022 at the event, which will cover two exhibition spaces at the Vieux Port and Port Canto.

As the Cannes boat show promises as usual to be a very busy boat sales event, the MGM Boats team advises making a prior appointment to view your choice of boat:

  • Prestige: 420, 520, 590, 460 S, 690 X70
  • Lagoon: Seventy7, Sixty5, 55, 46, 42, 40
  • Jeanneau Sail: Sun Odyssey 410, Sun Odyssey 440, Sun Odyssey, 490, 54, 60
  • Jeanneau Power: Leader 36, Merry Fisher 1095 Fly, Cap Camarat 12.5 WA, NC 37, Merry Fisher 10.95, Cap Caramat 10.5 WA

To make an appointment or if you would like to receive further information on the boats displayed, contact the sales team at [email protected]

Published in MGM Boats

Next month's Cannes Yachting Festival, from September 7th to 12th 2021 in Southern France sees the profiling of Zodiac’s XXL boat: the Medline 9.

This boat, which has been on the market for a year, will be available for sea trials during the show.

The XXL has all the essential features for spending long periods afloat: equipped with a cabin and removable bed (optional), it's possible to spend a few days on board.

A toilet, a shower, and a kitchen are also added to the standard equipment. The Medline 9 has a double bow and rear sundeck can accommodate up to 14 people, and its bolster can accommodate up to 3 people (two adults and a child).

To store all the equipment and essential items for a nice trip, Zodiac has designed seven optimised storage compartments.

The Medline 9 can reach a maximal speed of 55 knots with dual engines of 2x350CV.

The Irish Zodiac agents are MGM Boats, headquartered in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.

Published in MGM Boats
Tagged under
Page 3 of 13

Ireland's Offshore Renewable Energy

Because of Ireland's location at the Atlantic edge of the EU, it has more offshore energy potential than most other countries in Europe. The conditions are suitable for the development of the full range of current offshore renewable energy technologies.

Offshore Renewable Energy FAQs

Offshore renewable energy draws on the natural energy provided by wind, wave and tide to convert it into electricity for industry and domestic consumption.

Offshore wind is the most advanced technology, using fixed wind turbines in coastal areas, while floating wind is a developing technology more suited to deeper water. In 2018, offshore wind provided a tiny fraction of global electricity supply, but it is set to expand strongly in the coming decades into a USD 1 trillion business, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). It says that turbines are growing in size and in power capacity, which in turn is "delivering major performance and cost improvements for offshore wind farms".

The global offshore wind market grew nearly 30% per year between 2010 and 2018, according to the IEA, due to rapid technology improvements, It calculated that about 150 new offshore wind projects are in active development around the world. Europe in particular has fostered the technology's development, led by Britain, Germany and Denmark, but China added more capacity than any other country in 2018.

A report for the Irish Wind Energy Assocation (IWEA) by the Carbon Trust – a British government-backed limited company established to accelerate Britain's move to a low carbon economy - says there are currently 14 fixed-bottom wind energy projects, four floating wind projects and one project that has yet to choose a technology at some stage of development in Irish waters. Some of these projects are aiming to build before 2030 to contribute to the 5GW target set by the Irish government, and others are expected to build after 2030. These projects have to secure planning permission, obtain a grid connection and also be successful in a competitive auction in the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS).

The electricity generated by each turbine is collected by an offshore electricity substation located within the wind farm. Seabed cables connect the offshore substation to an onshore substation on the coast. These cables transport the electricity to land from where it will be used to power homes, farms and businesses around Ireland. The offshore developer works with EirGrid, which operates the national grid, to identify how best to do this and where exactly on the grid the project should connect.

The new Marine Planning and Development Management Bill will create a new streamlined system for planning permission for activity or infrastructure in Irish waters or on the seabed, including offshore wind farms. It is due to be published before the end of 2020 and enacted in 2021.

There are a number of companies aiming to develop offshore wind energy off the Irish coast and some of the larger ones would be ESB, SSE Renewables, Energia, Statkraft and RWE.

There are a number of companies aiming to develop offshore wind energy off the Irish coast and some of the larger ones would be ESB, SSE Renewables, Energia, Statkraft and RWE. Is there scope for community involvement in offshore wind? The IWEA says that from the early stages of a project, the wind farm developer "should be engaging with the local community to inform them about the project, answer their questions and listen to their concerns". It says this provides the community with "the opportunity to work with the developer to help shape the final layout and design of the project". Listening to fishing industry concerns, and how fishermen may be affected by survey works, construction and eventual operation of a project is "of particular concern to developers", the IWEA says. It says there will also be a community benefit fund put in place for each project. It says the final details of this will be addressed in the design of the RESS (see below) for offshore wind but it has the potential to be "tens of millions of euro over the 15 years of the RESS contract". The Government is also considering the possibility that communities will be enabled to invest in offshore wind farms though there is "no clarity yet on how this would work", the IWEA says.

Based on current plans, it would amount to around 12 GW of offshore wind energy. However, the IWEA points out that is unlikely that all of the projects planned will be completed. The industry says there is even more significant potential for floating offshore wind off Ireland's west coast and the Programme for Government contains a commitment to develop a long-term plan for at least 30 GW of floating offshore wind in our deeper waters.

There are many different models of turbines. The larger a turbine, the more efficient it is in producing electricity at a good price. In choosing a turbine model the developer will be conscious of this ,but also has to be aware the impact of the turbine on the environment, marine life, biodiversity and visual impact. As a broad rule an offshore wind turbine will have a tip-height of between 165m and 215m tall. However, turbine technology is evolving at a rapid rate with larger more efficient turbines anticipated on the market in the coming years.

 

The Renewable Electricity Support Scheme is designed to support the development of renewable energy projects in Ireland. Under the scheme wind farms and solar farms compete against each other in an auction with the projects which offer power at the lowest price awarded contracts. These contracts provide them with a guaranteed price for their power for 15 years. If they obtain a better price for their electricity on the wholesale market they must return the difference to the consumer.

Yes. The first auction for offshore renewable energy projects is expected to take place in late 2021.

Cost is one difference, and technology is another. Floating wind farm technology is relatively new, but allows use of deeper water. Ireland's 50-metre contour line is the limit for traditional bottom-fixed wind farms, and it is also very close to population centres, which makes visibility of large turbines an issue - hence the attraction of floating structures Do offshore wind farms pose a navigational hazard to shipping? Inshore fishermen do have valid concerns. One of the first steps in identifying a site as a potential location for an offshore wind farm is to identify and assess the level of existing marine activity in the area and this particularly includes shipping. The National Marine Planning Framework aims to create, for the first time, a plan to balance the various kinds of offshore activity with the protection of the Irish marine environment. This is expected to be published before the end of 2020, and will set out clearly where is suitable for offshore renewable energy development and where it is not - due, for example, to shipping movements and safe navigation.

YEnvironmental organisations are concerned about the impact of turbines on bird populations, particularly migrating birds. A Danish scientific study published in 2019 found evidence that larger birds were tending to avoid turbine blades, but said it didn't have sufficient evidence for smaller birds – and cautioned that the cumulative effect of farms could still have an impact on bird movements. A full environmental impact assessment has to be carried out before a developer can apply for planning permission to develop an offshore wind farm. This would include desk-based studies as well as extensive surveys of the population and movements of birds and marine mammals, as well as fish and seabed habitats. If a potential environmental impact is identified the developer must, as part of the planning application, show how the project will be designed in such a way as to avoid the impact or to mitigate against it.

A typical 500 MW offshore wind farm would require an operations and maintenance base which would be on the nearby coast. Such a project would generally create between 80-100 fulltime jobs, according to the IWEA. There would also be a substantial increase to in-direct employment and associated socio-economic benefit to the surrounding area where the operation and maintenance hub is located.

The recent Carbon Trust report for the IWEA, entitled Harnessing our potential, identified significant skills shortages for offshore wind in Ireland across the areas of engineering financial services and logistics. The IWEA says that as Ireland is a relatively new entrant to the offshore wind market, there are "opportunities to develop and implement strategies to address the skills shortages for delivering offshore wind and for Ireland to be a net exporter of human capital and skills to the highly competitive global offshore wind supply chain". Offshore wind requires a diverse workforce with jobs in both transferable (for example from the oil and gas sector) and specialist disciplines across apprenticeships and higher education. IWEA have a training network called the Green Tech Skillnet that facilitates training and networking opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

It is expected that developing the 3.5 GW of offshore wind energy identified in the Government's Climate Action Plan would create around 2,500 jobs in construction and development and around 700 permanent operations and maintenance jobs. The Programme for Government published in 2020 has an enhanced target of 5 GW of offshore wind which would create even more employment. The industry says that in the initial stages, the development of offshore wind energy would create employment in conducting environmental surveys, community engagement and development applications for planning. As a site moves to construction, people with backgrounds in various types of engineering, marine construction and marine transport would be recruited. Once the site is up and running , a project requires a team of turbine technicians, engineers and administrators to ensure the wind farm is fully and properly maintained, as well as crew for the crew transfer vessels transporting workers from shore to the turbines.

The IEA says that today's offshore wind market "doesn't even come close to tapping the full potential – with high-quality resources available in most major markets". It estimates that offshore wind has the potential to generate more than 420 000 Terawatt hours per year (TWh/yr) worldwide – as in more than 18 times the current global electricity demand. One Terawatt is 114 megawatts, and to put it in context, Scotland it has a population a little over 5 million and requires 25 TWh/yr of electrical energy.

Not as advanced as wind, with anchoring a big challenge – given that the most effective wave energy has to be in the most energetic locations, such as the Irish west coast. Britain, Ireland and Portugal are regarded as most advanced in developing wave energy technology. The prize is significant, the industry says, as there are forecasts that varying between 4000TWh/yr to 29500TWh/yr. Europe consumes around 3000TWh/year.

The industry has two main umbrella organisations – the Irish Wind Energy Association, which represents both onshore and offshore wind, and the Marine Renewables Industry Association, which focuses on all types of renewable in the marine environment.

©Afloat 2020