Eight design students have been named finalists for the 2026 Superyacht UK Young Designer Competition, where they will have just a day and a half to turn a fresh brief into a complete yacht concept in full view of the public.
The contest takes place at the Southampton International Boat Show on Sunday 20 and Monday 21 September. Organised by Superyacht UK, it puts emerging designers under real-time pressure, developing their concepts live in front of showgoers rather than working to a brief over weeks in a studio.
Finalists receive their brief at 4pm on Saturday 19 September and begin work on Sunday morning. From there, they must balance creativity and visual impact with practical, technical and commercial considerations.
The competition is supported by industry partners Sunseeker, Princess Yachts, RWD, Cockwells and Winch Design. Their involvement brings genuine industry expertise to the event and gives finalists a rare insight into the professional world of superyacht design.
This year's finalists are Roman Aime (Yacht and Powercraft Design, Solent University), Yuan Qi (MA Interior Design, Kingston University London), Adam Platt (Automotive and Transport Design, University of Staffordshire), Sam McMann (Automotive and Transport Design, University of Staffordshire), Oliver Weaver (Automotive and Transport Design, Coventry University), James Horrocks (Automotive and Transport Design, University of Staffordshire), Maya Kim (MA Interior Design, Kingston University London) and Charlotte Redfearn (Automotive and Transport Design, University of Staffordshire).
Their completed concepts will go before a judging panel of leading figures from across the superyacht design sector, who will assess the originality of each concept, the quality of its development, and each designer's ability to communicate their vision.
Michael Beattie, Superyacht UK Manager, said: "The Young Designer Competition gives emerging talent an invaluable opportunity to test their abilities, receive feedback from respected industry professionals and showcase their work to the wider superyacht community.
"The standard of applications was extremely high, and each of our eight finalists has demonstrated real creativity and potential. We are looking forward to seeing how they interpret this year's brief and bring their ideas to life during the competition."
Drawing takes place at the Coffee Station in the New Wave Hall, starting at 9am on Sunday 20 September and concluding at 12.30pm on Monday 21 September. Visitors to the show will be able to watch the finalists at work as their ideas develop from initial sketches into complete yacht concepts.
The prize-giving ceremony will be held on the Boating Stage at 3.30pm on Monday 21 September, bringing the design sprint to its close in front of the same crowd that watched it unfold.
