Smooth Running with the New AB 95

Speed or serenity? It’s a decision that yacht owners often have to make when determining their preferred mode of travel at sea. Fast yachts can be thrilling, but they are usually louder and less comfortable than a slow-going displacement yacht. A world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Yachting Festival, the AB 95 was designed to bridge the gap between high performance and high comfort.

AB Yachts has built its reputation on exhilarating performance, and with 6,000hp and a 50-knot top speed, the AB 95 stays true to the pulse-quickening spirit that shaped its legacy. Yet with an added focus on noise dampening and what the shipyard calls an “almost total absence of vibrations”, the Italian builder aims to redefine what highspeed yachting can feel like.

“Every model in the AB Yachts range has always been defined by speed and high performance,” says Marco Casamonti, Creative Director of Archea Associati, who created the exterior and interior of the AB 95 and likens the company’s design evolution to that of the Porsche 911 – refined over time while staying true to its essence.

The 28.45m AB 95 slots into the shipyard’s range between the AB 80 and AB 100, explains Giorgio Mattei, Deputy Chairman of Next Yacht Group, AB Yachts’ parent company. “It completes the range with a model that combines the sporty spirit of our smaller yachts with the comfort and space typical of the larger ones,” Mattei says.

For the AB 95, AB Yachts wanted to evolve its design language and onboard experience without abandoning the DNA it has spent more than 30-plus years refining. The AB 95 needed to look fast, feel fast and be fast, without living in service of speed alone.

“Working with Archea Associati, we created a yacht that merges architectural sophistication with AB’s unmatched naval engineering,” Mattei says. “Every detail, from the reverse-angled windshield that expands the flybridge to the seamless flow between indoor and outdoor spaces, is conceived to enhance contact with the sea while ensuring the highest comfort.”

Cruise and Sport

The AB 95 will be available in two versions: cruise and sport. The cruise version was launched first, with the sporty AB 95S due to be introduced in 2026. “The sport version is dedicated to those who appreciate the classic lines and traditional design of AB Yachts,” Casamonti says.

One easily identifiable difference between the two, the designer points out, is the windshield. The sport version has the traditional look of a high-performance yacht with a backward-slanted windscreen that conveys its own sense of speed, while the cruise version has a forward slanted windscreen. Not just about style or increasing space in the bow, Casamonti says this choice also speaks to sustainability.

“Traditional windshields, slanted backward, tend to absorb heat and transfer it to the interiors, increasing energy consumption for cooling,” he says. “With this new solution, the AB95 reduces overheating and improves overall efficiency.”

Meeting the need for the boat to “look fast”, the AB 95 boasts an extremely sleek hull that sits low on the water. The exterior needed to be “capable of conveying a sense of speed even when stationary,” Casamonti says.

The exterior lines have a gentle undulation that’s meant to mimic the movement of water. The long window that runs along the hull from bow to stern was chosen to create a sense of dynamism, as if the glazing represents the motion of a yacht’s wake. Contrasting tones between the hull paint and darker superstructure further stretch the AB 95’s profile, making the yacht appear even more streamlined.

Waterjet Power

At the heart of any yacht in the AB lineup is its waterjet propulsion, a key attribute that makes AB stand out from other go-fast yacht builders. The AB 95 is powered by triple 2,000hp MAN V12 engines, with two steerable waterjets and a central booster by MJP.

“Waterjets have always been central to the AB Yachts philosophy,” Mattei says. “They offer a unique combination of speed, manoeuvrability, comfort and safety that traditional propulsion simply cannot match.”

Waterjets reduce vibration and noise by eliminating exposed propellers and shafts, which can cause cavitation – the formation and collapse of air bubbles that create rumbling and vibration underwater. By drawing water in and expelling it through a controlled jet, the system delivers smoother thrust with less structural vibration, resulting in a quieter, more comfortable ride at speed.

There’s also a bonus of waterjets requiring a reduced draft compared to external propellers, making it easier for waterjet-powered yachts to cruise and anchor in shallow waters. The AB 95 draws only 1.35m at full load.

But it wasn’t enough for AB Yachts to rest on its waterjet laurels when it came to more cushy seakeeping. The AB 95 also benefits from the Seakeeper 26 stabilisation system, which works at rest and underway, cutting roll dramatically to make the boat feel steadier and more comfortable for guests and crew. And putting a priority on noise dampening and low vibrations was also key to the brief for the interior.

“The use of ultra-lightweight materials with specialised coverings provides excellent acoustic insulation, delivering an unprecedented level of sound comfort for a sports yacht,” Casamonti states.

Calm Inside and Out

Step inside, and the AB 95 subverts the usual expectations of a fast yacht. Here, the driving idea is calm, not aggression. The interiors are simple and refined, with a minimal colour palette. White deckheads and panelling complement the darker colours chosen for the furniture and the high-gloss black bar that sits at the forward bulkhead, separating the main saloon from the wheelhouse.

“The interiors of the AB95 are surprisingly spacious and comfortable, proving that extreme performance and liveability can coexist in perfect harmony,” Casamonti says.

Alcantara – a soft, synthetic, suede-like microfibre material known for its durability – envelops the wooden surfaces, eliminating sharp edges. “This choice is fundamental at high speeds, ensuring smooth and safe movement onboard,” he adds.

For Casamonti, a guiding vision of the interior was to create harmony between the inside and outside living areas on the AB 95, showcased in the use of teak floors continuing from the exterior to the interior. “They are not two separate entities but parts of a single design idea where function and aesthetics merge,” he says.

Forward of the wheelhouse, two staircases clad entirely in teak from wall to floor with curved steps lead to the accommodation below. The teak is also used in a waterfall effect, flowing from the wall behind the wheelhouse into the ceiling of the lower-deck passageway.

The AB 95 is offered with three or four cabins for up to 10 guests, supported by two crew cabins for four crew. A full-beam owner’s cabin straddles the boat amidships.

Outdoor spaces weren’t any less considered, with two floating carbon-fibre staircases leading from the aft cockpit to the spacious flybridge, which spans the entire roof, while there’s also a foredeck lounge with lots of lounging space. Guests could happily sit in either of these spots and feel the breeze as the yacht flies across the water.

“What defines AB Yachts is not only speed but also the emotion, the thrill of driving a yacht that feels alive under your command,” Mattei says. Equal parts thrilling and composed, the AB 95 proves that speed and comfort can share the same wake.

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