Paramount Yachts Sells Sunreef ULTIMA 88 for Florida–Bahamas Cruising
By Stephen Yardley · Edited by Stephen Yardley
Paramount Yachts has announced its first US sale of a Sunreef ULTIMA 88 to a Florida family. The in-build 26.8-metre power catamaran is scheduled for delivery in December 2027 and intended for Florida and Bahamas cruising.
Paramount Yachts has announced the sale of an in-build Sunreef ULTIMA 88 to a family based in Florida, describing the transaction as its first American sale of this model. The announcement was distributed on 29 October 2026, shortly after the boat's world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival. Delivery is scheduled for December 2027. The buyers intend to use the yacht primarily between Florida and the Bahamas, rather than immediately place her into a wider international charter programme.
The story is a signed new-build transaction, not a launch or handover of a completed yacht. Paramount has not disclosed the contract price, the identities of the buyers or a detailed customisation schedule. Robert Riva, the brokerage's founder and chief executive, presents the deal as an example of choosing a vessel around an owner's intended waters and patterns of use. That approach is central to understanding why this particular catamaran attracted the family.
The broker says shallow draught was one of the buyers' principal considerations. That is a practical priority for the Bahamas, where attractive anchorages and approaches can be constrained by depths, shifting sand and the condition of navigational channels. A shallow-draught design may offer more options than a deep-keeled vessel of comparable length, although no boat is exempt from surveying the depth beneath its hull or using current local information.
Planning a cruising programme requires more than comparing the published draught of two yachts. A captain must consider real water depth at the expected state of tide, the nature of the seabed, weather exposure and where safe anchor handling is possible. The ULTIMA 88's multihull form fits the family's stated ambition of exploring relatively sheltered island waters, but vessel-specific operating limitations should always be established through the final specification and professional advice.
Sunreef's ULTIMA 88 is a power catamaran measuring approximately 26.8 metres, or 88 feet, and belongs to a performance-oriented series with a distinct architectural profile. Its twin-hull arrangement creates a broad platform for accommodation and deck circulation, while the builder emphasises a combination of dynamic handling and generous interior volume. Those are characteristics of the model family and should not be confused with the detailed sea-trial results of the Florida family's unfinished vessel.
The model was presented internationally at Cannes in September 2026, marking a high-profile stage in the development of the ULTIMA range. Sunreef had previously announced the launch of an initial ULTIMA 88, and other examples are being built for different owners. That context is useful because the Florida order should be understood as another contract for a developing production family, rather than the debut of an entirely new yacht design.
Paramount describes the ULTIMA 88 as offering more than 4,100 square feet of living space, a figure illustrating the accommodation potential of a wide multihull platform. Such headline area measurements are useful for comparing broad design ambitions, but they can encompass different types of interior and exterior space depending on the manufacturer's definition. A prospective owner should therefore examine actual deck plans instead of assuming all quoted area is enclosed living accommodation.
The relationship between the main saloon and exterior terraces appears to be a central part of the model's appeal. Large windows and easy circulation can allow guests to move from a shaded interior to open-air seating throughout a day in the islands. The arrangement is particularly relevant for a family expecting to spend considerable time at anchor. It does not necessarily determine how this particular client's yacht will be furnished or divided into cabins after personalisation.
At the stern, opening bulwarks expand what Sunreef calls the Ocean Lounge, creating a larger area beside the sea when the yacht is stationary and conditions permit. The aft arrangement also accommodates a garage for water-sports equipment. These design features connect with the family's wish to explore anchorages, because enjoying a yacht's surroundings often involves the ease of launching a tender, entering the water and returning aboard safely.
Fold-out terraces and hydraulic mechanisms require appropriate crew procedures, maintenance and operational limits. They cannot be regarded simply as decorative extensions of the deck. Owners should understand the conditions under which they may be deployed, where passengers should stand and how equipment is secured for passage. The manufacturer can explain the systems fitted to the delivered yacht, and captains must integrate them into vessel-specific safety arrangements.
The broker's published description identifies a full-beam owner's suite with a private sauna, guest accommodation and bright communal spaces within the ULTIMA 88 design. That gives a sense of the lifestyle the model seeks to support: privacy for the principal owner, a degree of separation for visiting family and a shared central living area. The final layout, finishes and optional equipment of the Florida order have not been separately released.
Luxury accommodation is not merely a matter of fitting additional features into a hull. Storage, air-conditioning, sound insulation and service access determine whether a complex interior remains comfortable over several weeks. Owners who plan to move repeatedly between destinations may place greater value on a practical tender arrangement, reliable laundry facilities and adequate provisioning space than on a formal room used only occasionally. Design conversations should reflect those daily needs.
Sunreef offers conventional and hybrid propulsion configurations for the ULTIMA 88 platform. The builder has described a performance-led approach that also seeks to preserve the quiet and comfort expected aboard a large luxury catamaran. A hybrid configuration could allow some operation under electric power, subject to installed system capacity and operating conditions. The Paramount announcement does not identify which propulsion option was chosen for the family's individual yacht.
That distinction matters in reporting a new-build sale. It would be inaccurate to attribute the performance, operating range or emissions claims of an optional package to a boat whose final specification has not been made public. A knowledgeable purchaser would request verified consumption information, expected charging or generator arrangements and the implications for maintenance. The finished yacht's actual capabilities should ultimately be assessed using official build documentation and sea-trial results.
Robert Riva spent five years as a sales director for Sunreef Yachts before founding his Fort Lauderdale-based brokerage, according to Paramount's announcement. The company credits him with representing more than $250 million in yacht sales over his career. Those are broker-supplied professional figures rather than independently audited turnover for the brokerage itself, and the amount should not be presented as the value of the Florida ULTIMA 88 contract.
Working with an established manufacturer requires familiarity with specification choices, production schedules and the many conversations that occur before delivery. A broker experienced in a particular brand may help owners distinguish between a showroom feature and a component relevant to their cruising programme. That expertise is useful only when supported by accurate documentation and transparent advice. The final responsibilities of builder, broker and owner representatives should be made clear in the purchase agreement.
The expected delivery in December 2027 places this contract within a period of continuing construction and commissioning. During that time, equipment choices, internal layouts, inspections and testing will need to be coordinated with the builder. The disclosed date is a schedule, not confirmation that the yacht is complete or that all later handover conditions have been satisfied. Build programmes can change, particularly when owners request extensive personalisation.
Future reports should distinguish between launching a hull, completing the interior, conducting sea trials and delivering the finished vessel to its owner. These stages are often separated by months. For a family planning to begin cruising in the Bahamas, practical arrangements may also include insurance, registration, crew familiarisation, berth planning and the selection of equipment appropriate for local waters. None of those details has been confirmed in the sale announcement.
The commercial significance of the deal lies in the reason given for the purchase. Paramount says its clients wanted room for family and friends, performance suitable for island passages and access to shallow-water destinations. Those needs helped narrow the choice to a particular type of catamaran rather than simply the largest yacht available. The announcement does not establish a broader market statistic or show that all American buyers now favour this configuration.
Nevertheless, the transaction demonstrates how a clear cruising brief can shape a substantial new-build decision. Owners considering similar purchases should begin with their likely routes, the number of people aboard, the services they expect and the operating costs they can support. The Florida ULTIMA 88 is now in the construction pipeline. Its full story will emerge when the builder confirms the final specification, commissioning and eventual delivery.
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