Big boys' toys

With Christmas just around the corner, it’s that time of year when we all get stuck for gift ideas. Thankfully, the big boat shows in the northern hemisphere’s late autumn -- Monaco and Fort Lauderdale -- offered some potential for the man (or woman) who has nearly everything. From multi-million-dollar superyachts to powered surfboards. Our Up Over stringer and big-boat buff Tim Thomas compiles his ultimate list for Santa…

With a vast main-deck master suite, four comfortable cabins on the lower deck, excellent guest saloons on the upper and main decks (the latter with drop down side balconies for a seat with a view) and a sundeck that would keep the most ardent libertine happy, Imperial Princess is a triumph.

Extensive customisation options, pleasing aesthetics, a high standard of build quality and finish and an attractive price tag make the 40M a real candidate for the top slot on a Christmas wishlist. Guide price for your own 40M is around £13.5 million ex tax -- outstanding value for a great yacht.

Hang on -- aren’t superyacht tenders usually housed in a swish aft garage? Yes, but not on Nassima -- that space is reserved for a Mini Cooper and two Ducati motorcycles which can be craned onto the dock for shorebound exploration.

An upper deck master suite with great views, main-deck gym, aquarium and heads that feature urinals mark Nassima as something different from the norm, and she can be yours -- she has an asking price of €29.5 million.

From her electric blue hull to the vast aft master suite that overlooks the aft terrace, and from exquisite modern design details to a giant flush foredeck that hides tenders, a spa pool and other toys, Better Place is not easily missed. Not only that, she has great sailing performance too.

Sweeping lines from the outside, and a tropical island rainforest themed interior inside make Nirvana a truly unique yacht -- finished to near perfection by her Dutch builders.

That interior includes vast guest spaces with a few cool features, including two vivariums, and nearly 200 different materials were used to create the subtle jungle ambiance.

This masterpiece of yachtbuilding could be yours in time for Christmas -- she is currently offered for sale at a cool €230 million.

This year Cheoy Lee was back at Fort Lauderdale with a flybridge version of the 76 which shows that adding a top deck doesn’t have to make a boat ugly.

A new interior arrangement meant a main-deck galley, offset interior helm and three large suites on the lower deck. Our pick of the more sensible Christmas wishlistees.

Bearing the angles of a stealth fighter, the 37ft Antagonist just takes your breath away -- and the quality of build is second to none.

It’s capable of hitting 42 knots, but we’d rarely do that – simply because we’d want everyone on the planet to be able to gaze green-eyed on her jaw-dropping looks.

The modern, moody interior is no less stunning, and the whole package means Antagonist is firmly atop the Christmas lust list.

Easy(ish) to operate, compact enough to fit in a decent tender garage, and with giant acrylic domes offering spectacular views for occupants, the U-Boat Worx subs are capable of diving to depths of between 100m and 1,000m depending on the model.

Prices start somewhere near €250,000 and top out in seven figures for the top of the line five-man deep diver.

The ultimate toy -- even if it won’t quite fit in the bath.

The patented JetBoard basically takes a slightly fat surfboard and buries a powerful motor in its belly. Control comes from a snorkel and handle system, operated by one hand.

Having seen the JetBoard in operation, I can attest to its ability. High-G turns and high-adrenalin speed runs are the name of the game, and you could even use the board to catch the big surf (with practice) rather than relying on a tow-in.

The remarkable, insane (and very expensive -- expect to pay €100,000+) the JetLev Flyer was in force in the warmer waters of southern France and Florida, wowing showgoers with aerial dexterity.

Worn like a jet pack but using the thrust of the waterjets to keep you flying, the highly manoeuvrable device is a total blast, and allows you to reach heights of up to six metres or more.

Many superyacht owners have acquired these for their toy stores, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s easier than you think, and requires only a modicum of training. And no one else in the marina will have one…

Built at the Amels yard in Holland to an axe-bow design modified from a proven commercial offshore support vessel platform (developed by Amels parent group Damen), the Sea Axe range offers superyacht owners running short of space the ultimate floating garage.

On display at Monaco was Garçon, a modest 67 metre (220ft) version designed as the support boat to the 87m (285ft) superyacht Ace. On board were every toy you could imagine -- from a complete dive station to four jet skis, a giant custom tender, a Nautique ski boat, a 10.5m Naiad RIB, a smaller RIB, a Bell 429 helicopter and other assorted toys and playthings.

This multi-adaptable support vessel can stay behind to pack up after the parent yacht has gone, and get to the next anchorage early to make sure your toys are in the water when you get there.

Second-to-none engineering and build quality make the Sea Axe one of the ultimate toy chests -- and if you fancy one this size (ex toys) expect to part with somewhere in the region of €32 million.