New US-based shipyard VMG (Velocity Made Good) is launching the VMG 53, a luxury performance trimaran designed to challenge the dominance of high-end catamarans. Developed over three years with designers VPLP and Thorne, the vessel introduces twin engines and a central tender garage to the production trimaran market.
The luxury multihull market is seeing a shift toward trimaran designs that prioritize both Grand Prix speeds and high-end living amenities.
VMG 53 and the Shift to Luxury Performance
Co-founders Michael Schwartz and Karl Reed developed the concept over three years to bridge the gap between extreme performance and commercial viability. To achieve this, VMG partnered with VPLP and Thorne for design, Christophe Chedal Anglay for interiors, and Evolution Marine in South Africa for composite manufacturing.
The VMG 53 introduces several technical departures from traditional trimaran architecture. Most notably, it utilizes twin engines, a configuration VMG suggests provides redundancy and maneuverability without the standard reliance on thrusters. This engine layout also enables the inclusion of a central tender garage, allowing a single operator to manage a dinghy and centralizing weight more effectively than the davits commonly used on multihulls.
- Smart Glass Integration: The main deck suite features smart glass that turns opaque at the touch of a button for privacy and serves as a projection screen for media or navigation data.
- Dual Helm Configuration: The vessel offers both aft helms for direct steering and a forward cockpit and helm.
- Sail Control: A forward sail pit allows for centralized control of the sails and a hidden powered daggerboard.
- Accommodations: The layout includes three guest cabins and a full owner’s hull located to port.
Industrial Challenges at Neel Trimarans
Technological Trends in Multihull Design
The current generation of performance multihulls is increasingly discarding traditional design rules in favor of structural efficiency and modularity. Industry trends now include routing structural loads directly through the coachroof and utilizing modular flat-pack builds to streamline production.
The VMG 53 specifically leverages the legacy of VPLP, whose trimarans have historically dominated ocean racing. VMG stated that the industry has long anticipated the day this technology would be realised in a commercially produced vessel
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