New Boat: Okean 80 Flybridge Motor Yacht

Okean 80 Flybridge Motor Yacht

Okean brings its transformational philosophy to its new 80-foot flagship

We’re seeing a trend toward making yachts more open to the sea, air and sky, so they feel less like condos on the water and more like private floating islands. Okean has been at the forefront of this movement since it launched its 50-foot Flybridge Motor Yacht in the U.S. market with dealer HMY Yachts in 2017. That blunt-bow, three-stateroom yacht opens up like a flower in bloom, with both aft bulwarks folding out and down to extend the on-deck living space. The Okean 55 Sport, a day boat with even larger hull balconies, soon followed, along with an explorer-yacht version of the 50 Flybridge, the 50X.

Now, with the U.S. debut of the Okean 80 Motor Yacht at the 2021 Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, the Brazilian shipyard and its Italian yacht design partner, Paolo Farragni, have taken their open-deck concept to new lengths (pun intended). The result is a four-stateroom, 25-knot motoryacht that unfolds its decks like Swiss Army Knife blades.

The fun begins with the swim platform, which has a hydraulic center section that raises to create a diving board or lowers to give swimmers and divers easy entry to the water. Next to it is a Med-style passerelle that lifts and lowers at the touch of a button. The swim platform not only facilitates water sports, it also expands the deck area for the beach club. Incorporating a settee and small refreshment center, the beach club area is accessed by opening up the yacht’s transom door.

Gallery: Okean 80

Have a closer look in the gallery below:

Moving up to the main deck, there are two bulwark balconies on each side that can be opened either together or separately, extending the overall beam by nearly 6 feet. The Okean 80 I was aboard at the boat show came with lounge chairs that can be moved out to the beach club or onto the balconies so owners and guests can further enjoy those spaces.

The salon has sliding glass doors aft and on both sides. There is a forward bulkhead made out of “smart” glass, which is engineered with gas trapped inside. When the panel is clear, it lets owners and guests in the salon look through it and the windshield beyond, allowing for a panoramic view of the water. When the gas inside the smart glass is activated, the bulkhead becomes opaque, creating a privacy screen between the salon/galley and the captain at the helm. Interestingly, you can also project the helm electronics display onto this smart glass or turn it into a TV.

All of the furniture and cabinetry in the salon, dining area and main-deck galley are designed to be low-profile so they won’t obstruct the view. While this maximizes the open-air living experience, it also forces the U-shaped galley to be so compact that there is no room for a full refrigerator, and only limited storage.

The Okean 80’s lower bridge, forward of that glass bulkhead, also may be a bit snug for some owners’ tastes, although it does have a pantograph door providing access to the walk-around side decks. The flybridge helm, which has three seats and space for an array of electronics, more than compensates. Anticipating that some customers may prefer to go with just the upper station, Okean offers an optional layout for the 80 that removes the lower helm altogether and encloses the flybridge with side windows that open and shut electronically.

The large flybridge undoubtedly will prove to be a favorite gathering spot for owners and their guests. It features a full dining area, wet bar with fridge and a forward sun lounge, along with plenty of space for additional seating when the tender is in the water.

With all the open-air options for entertaining and relaxing on board, it’s easy to forget that this is actually a four-stateroom motoryacht. The lower deck encompasses a full-beam master suite graced with huge side windows, a forward VIP and a twin-berth guest suite. To port is an open media room that converts to an en suite stateroom when its pocket doors are closed. Aft, there are generous quarters for up to three crew.

Okean has announced that its next step is to go back and fill in the gap in its lineup by introducing a 68-foot Widebody Motor Yacht, due to launch in 2023.