NautiBuoy: the bridge between yacht and water

A review of NautiBuoy's inflatable marine platforms and its range of complimentary accessories…

NautiBuoy’s marine platforms have exploded in popularity in the superyacht industry because of their functionality and ability to add another dimension to the yachting experience. Providing easy access to the waterline, the multi-functional inflatable platforms can be configured in various ways for various uses, including as a guest leisure area, watersports equipment dock and crew maintenance tool.

The platforms’ flexible modular function, as well as their trademark teak effect surface, is a key appeal for superyachts: multiple platforms can be connected end-to-end, side-to-side, and in L and T shapes, to various parts of a yacht to support guest leisure activities or crew operations. The 55m motoryacht Gene Machine (pictured above), for example, is renowned for its vast range of superyacht toys, and has five NautiBuoy platforms on board to maximise its watersports offering. Chief Officer Tom Milton describes how the crew puts them to a plethora of uses.

“Once, while cruising in the Norwegian fjords, we were stern-to a field and set up all the platforms in a line off the passerelle so that guests could use them to get to shore...”

“NautiBuoy platforms are brilliant because they can be configured in so many different ways,” Milton explains. “We set up our NautiBuoys alongside the gangway, or off the beach club and swim platform. It creates extra space for guests to play, chill out, and swim. We often attach our jet skis and paddle boards so that guests can use and dock toys on their own. Once, while cruising in the Norwegian fjords, we were stern-to a field and set up all the platforms in a line off the passerelle so that guests could use them to get to shore. We’ve even used our NautiBuoys as a seaplane dock – they happened to be the perfect width!”

While the platforms are mainly used as a central hub for watersports activities – a practical space to secure all the yacht’s toys and allow safe and easy docking for guests – NautiBuoy’s range of accessories build on their functionality to create a 360-degree system. Comfort seats and ladders are available to achieve a beach club at water level experience. C-Docks can be added on as innovative docking stations for Seabobs, E-foils and most electric surf boards. This summer, NautiBuoy has also launched three different options of inflatable steps (pictured below), allowing easy access to the platform set ups even on the largest of yachts with very high transoms.

On board Gene Machine, the NautiBuoy platforms undoubtedly enhance the guests’ yachting experience. “They effectively extend the boat by several metres, bringing everyone closer to the water while providing an extremely sturdy base,” Milton says. “Our guests have grown to love the NautiBuoys and request them all the time.”

The platforms are also used by Gene Machine’s crew for operational purposes. “NautiBuoys are also great for yacht maintenance: painting the anchor chain, cleaning the anchor pockets, or scrubbing the waterline,” Milton adds. “We always use the fitted NautiBuoy covers when we’re painting or doing anything messy, which keeps them in excellent shape.”

As yachts increase in size, guests can feel increasingly disconnected from the water. NautiBuoy has provided the industry with a simple solution that bridges that gap between the yacht and the water, as well as providing flexible functions to make day-to-day operations for yacht crew easier.