b and b yacht designs

Boat Profile

An economical center console outboard from B&B Yacht Designs

From Issue   April 2021

A lthough I had owned boats from 10′ to 34′ and captained boats up to 74’, I had never built one. I had experience fixing boats—mostly fiberglass repair, paint, gelcoat—and one day, I decided I was going to build. I began by researching designs and building techniques. Low maintenance and low cost of operation were my top priorities, followed by comfort, seaworthiness, and appearance. There were many designs that caught my eye, but I kept coming back to B&B Yacht Designs. Their boats all appeared to be well-thought-out, practical designs and not just something arbitrarily drawn in a computer program. It was clear to me that designer Graham Byrnes understood the dynamics and build-ability of wooden boats.

I came across an article in WoodenBoat No. 211, listing the five finalists in a design contest titled, “The Pursuit of Pleasure at Two Gallons per Hour.” The winner was Graham’s Marissa 18, an 18′ center-console skiff built in plywood. It was visually appealing and looked like it would be efficient, consuming just 2 gallons of fuel per hour and seaworthy enough for me to feel safe in 2′ to 3′ chop.

I contacted B&B Yacht Designs and purchased the CNC-cut kit. I went with the kit instead of building from the plans, not only for CNC accuracy but also to save time, as I would have a limited amount of it to complete the project.

When I drove to the B&B shop in Vandemere, North Carolina, to pick up the kit, I had a chance to meet with Graham and take a look at a finished Marissa. He was extremely helpful and answered the multitude of questions that can come from someone who has never built a boat before. He asked me what motor I planned on installing. When I told him it would be an Evinrude 60-hp E-TEC, he recommended moving the console forward as well as adding an extra layer of fiberglass, or starting the sheathing with a heavier single layer on the bottom. With such a powerful motor, at the top end of the recommended range of horsepower, the boat could be subject to heavy impacts while taking chop at top speed.

The egg-crate construction of the frames, stringers, and cockpit sole provides a solid base to build the hull on.

T he plywood pieces in the kit are all high-quality BS1088 okoume, and the additional lumber, purchased separately, is straight-grained, knot-free southern yellow pine. Each side, bottom, and chine-flat panel is assembled from three pieces with precision-cut finger joints. The boat is built on a jig that uses the cockpit sole and an egg-crate grid of the frames and stringers that support it. The build is a bit different than a traditional strongback-and-mold setup; the sole rests on sawhorses and supports the three frames, two bulkheads and the stem, eliminating the need for any further temporary support structure. The hull side and bottom panels get glued and screwed to the transom, bulkheads, and stem and, after the epoxy cures, all screws are removed.

The build went as expected—exceptionally smoothly. All panels bent home exactly where they should have; I believe this is a result of the thoughtful design. After I assembled the hull, it ended up being remarkably fair.

I ended up moving the console forward 8” on both Graham’s recommendation and my own preference. I’ve had no problems with the way it is now, but if I were to do it again, I would consider moving it an additional 2” to 4”, just to have more cockpit space in the stern. After sea trials and much consideration on whether to sit or stand at the console, I opted to stand—it feels more natural to me and offers better visibility than sitting. I purchased an aluminum leaning post with built-in storage and rod holders. It is the perfect width for me and almost seems as if it were custom-made for the boat. It has space underneath to store a cooler and a pad on top for an elevated seat.

Also on Graham’s recommendation, I used heavy 1208 biaxial ’glass on the inside of the hull, bulkheads, and stringers—instead of just giving them a coat of epoxy to seal them. On the outside, I put 10-oz ’glass over a reinforcing layer of 1208 on the keel and chines.

The chine flats are an effective means for keeping spray from getting into the boat when it’s on a plane.

After fairing, priming and painting, it was time to outfit and rig the boat. I installed hydraulic steering for the 60-hp Evinrude E-Tec. It was more expensive than a cable system but well worth it for the smoother feel and minimal steering effort. Finding the right prop took some time since the boat is relatively light compared to fiberglass production boats and the 60-hp E-Tec has a larger gear case and lower gear ratio.

Once everything was installed it was time to have the predelivery checks done on the motor and rigging and to see if it was watertight. I have the Marissa on an aluminum torsion-axle trailer with bunks cut to match hull rocker for full support. It tows with no issues and is easily launched and retrieved singlehanded.

The author, preferring to stand at the helm rather than sit, equipped his Marissa with a so-called post to lean against.

T he moment of truth came when the Marissa went into the water for the first time and sat exactly where the plans specified. Stability is good, but if two large adults stand on the same side, the hull will lean quite a bit; that is expected given the beam and the deadrise at the transom. After a few trips, dialing things in and getting used to actually being in a boat that I put together, it was time to move from a calm river and the Intracoastal Waterway to some more open water. My experience of crossing boat wakes gave me high hopes for the Marissa in some real waves. Once I got out in some light chop in open water, my hopes turned out to be well founded. The Marissa really did perform as expected. It cut through the waves at any angle, and the water is thrown down and away by the generous chine flats.

The Marissa is designed to take outboards from 25 hp to 60 hp. The boat here is running a 40hp motor.

The boat handles beautifully in most anything I’m comfortable taking on in an 18’ boat. It turns exceptionally well when I’m cruising winding rivers, and on hard turns at speed the boat just locks in and corners like it’s on rails. The first real trip I took was down and across North Carolina’s Currituck Sound, where it can be a slick calm one minute and steep chop the next. On the outbound crossing, the Sound was nice and calm, and the Marissa cruised easily at 20 knots burning just over 2 gallons of gas per hour. The return trip was a little different. The afternoon sea breeze had kicked up 2′ to 3′ chop, as it typically does in the summer. I didn’t know what to expect, but I wasn’t too concerned since I was pretty confident in the Marissa’s abilities. I thought it was a good test and yet it was a pleasingly uneventful return trip. With the boat cruising at 20 knots, the water just split and went down and out, no pounding of any sort (but that was expected as it was a following sea). Once I was farther from shore and among the largest waves it was time to see how it handled different angles. I was most surprised to see that the best angle was straight into the waves. They just split at the bow and were pushed away and down. Taking them on a bow quarter at 20 knots was a bit much for me. The ride wasn’t at all jarring, but there was a bit more movement than would be comfortable to me for long periods. Slowing to 15 to 17 knots, the excess movement head-on is almost gone.

This Marissa 18 is outfitted with a seat instead of a post

The boat stayed remarkably dry in all angles to the waves. The only times I’ve noticed spray coming over the sides have been when the wind is at least 15 mph and on the beam and, even then, just a small amount would occasionally blow up. Overall, I think the Marissa is one of the driest boats of any size that I’ve owned. I can just squeeze out a top speed of 30 knots with only myself aboard and I feel that’s plenty fast. I spend most of my time cruising 4,000 to 4,500 rpm at about 19 to 23 knots and burning 2 to 2.5 gallons per hour, depending on how many people are aboard. An all-day fishing trip burns just 5 to 7 gallons of gas.

The seat built into the center console provides a good place for a passenger without obscuring the view forward from the helm.

S o far, I’ve taken my Marissa from lower Chesapeake Bay down to Stuart, Florida, and a few places in between. Typically used in the lower Chesapeake Bay and Currituck, Albemarle, and Pamlico sounds, the skiff does exactly what I expected and even more.

The first boat Trey Williams learned to operate was a plywood skiff his grandfather had powered by an Evinrude 18-hp outboard on the Currituck Sound in North Carolina. He purchased his first boat, a 14’ flat-bottomed aluminum johnboat, before he could legally drive a car. Many boats came and went after that, eventually leading to getting his 100-ton masters license and running large boats for a few years. He doesn’t foresee a time when he doesn’t have some kind of boat. He lives in southeast Virginia and has his pick of many bodies of water within a short distance from home.

Marissa 18 Particulars

Length/18′ 0″

Load waterline/15′ 3″

Beam/6′ 10″

Draft/8.75″

Horsepower/25 to 60

Displacement/1680 lbs

B&B Yacht Designs offers the Marissa 18 plans , with full-sized Mylar templates, in either metric or imperial, for $260. A kit of CNC-cut plywood parts and the required solid wood for the stem and keel is available for $3,620. Additional kits for epoxy and hardware are also available.

Editor’s note: We published a previous review of the Marissa 18 in Small Boats 2011 . It was written by WoodenBoat  Senior Editor, Tom Jackson, after Graham Byrnes paid a visit to the WoodenBoat waterfront with his Marissa 18. In the review here, Trey Williams provides his perspective as a builder and owner of a Marissa 18.

Is there a boat you’d like to know more about? Have you built one that you think other Small Boats Magazine readers would enjoy? Please email us!

Share this article

Join The Conversation

We welcome your comments about this article. If you’d like to include a photo or a video with your comment, please email the file or link.

Comments (2)

In the end, how much did it cost w/o engine? How long did it take you? Thanks!

I had my Marissa built from a kit with the forward deck coming back past the second frame and fitted with a varnished curved coaming around. I intended the boat to be built Bristol fashion but, on a handshake sort of contract, the builder had a more yacht-like vision which added a fair amount of extra weight. Only mistake in the build was installing two hatches in the floor deck forward and aft which leak rainwater. This required me add a bilge pump. The boat with a 50-HP Honda maxes out at 27 knots/5400 rpm. But the sweet spot is 18to 20 knots. Found a dolphin on the cavitation plate helps the boat get on plane quicker and stay there at lower speeds when crossing boat wakes. Boat performs as indicated in Trey’s write-up. Great boat, but does require some extra time at launching ramps around the Chesapeake because of the attention and questions.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay On Course

More From This Issue

From The Editor

Hannes Lindemann

For a second crossing, Lindemann upped the ante by choosing an even smaller boat—a Klepper Aerius 17′ folding kayak—for the voyage. “I congratulated myself on having chosen a folding boat,…

Surf Crabskiff

The hull is designed for simplified chine-log construction, which eliminates the necessity for a strongback or jig. All the plywood parts except the rudder fit onto just four 4′ x…

The boat handles beautifully in most anything I’m comfortable taking on in an 18’ boat. It turns exceptionally well when I’m cruising winding rivers, and on hard turns at speed…

Fox Islands

As I rowed around the forested southern point of Ledbetter Island, John, rowing his 14′ lug-yawl-rigged Ilur, WAXWING, was not far behind and just off my starboard quarter. As we…

Blades are moved across the strop with the edge trailing, or, if you’re working with a large blade that’s better worked while stationary, the strop is pushed away from the…

Product Reviews

ProMariner’s ProSport HD6

Batteries for small boats may be used for just a few days and then stored for extended periods, so it is essential to have a system to maintain the batteries’…

As a chopping test, I put the natas up against my Gränsfors Bruks carving axe on a 3-1/2″ maple windfall. The axe, which weighs 2 lbs 3 oz and has…

Reader Built Boats

After Barry ’glassed the interior, installed two 2x6 stringers, foam flotation, and the cockpit sole, he began to design the forecabin and pilothouse. He had read that there were many…

More Boat Profile

The Coot Dinghy

I first saw designer Andrew Wolstenholme’s Coot dinghy at the Beale Park Boat Show around 10 years ago when his own Coot was being sailed on the lake by his daughter Jo. Somehow, that boat caught my…

Selway-Fisher’s 13’ sharpie is a big boat in a small package and accommodates all the gear I need for overnight camping trips; I could probably pack enough in GREBE for…

The Shellback is a 11′2″ sailing and rowing dinghy designed by Joel White. The plans are not overly complicated, and the kit comes with everything needed.

The Tango Skiff has interesting hull extensions that create an attention-grabbing geometry aft of the transom. The additional running surface and buoyancy of the extensions appealed to me because of…

Subscribe Today!

Become a subscriber today and you’ll recieve a new issue every month plus unlimited access to our full archive of backlogged issues.

Already a subscriber?   Sign In

Subscribe For Full Access

Flipbooks are available to paid subscribers only. Subscribe now or log in for access.

B & B Yacht Designs, LLC

• https://bandbyachtdesigns.com/
• United States
• 342 Chapel Creek Dr, Bayboro, NC 28515, USA

All of our plans and kits you've come to know and love are designed, refined and produced right here at our workshop in Bayboro, North Carolina. We know first hand the labor of love it takes to build a boat and we have the sophisticated shapes you want with the performance you expect. Our continued focus on simple, beautiful and practical designs combined with rigorous testing and decades of experience means that we offer the most complete and well thought out kits and plans on the market today. Around the world, the B&B logo is recognized as a symbol of quality and service in yacht design.

Yacht models

Buy B & B Yacht Designs, LLC

• Advertising

Customer reviews

• Netherlands
• United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom

• Remember me Not recommended on shared computers

Forgot your password?

Or sign in with one of these services

• Boatbuilding

B & B Yachts Forum

For builders and others interested in the B & B Yacht Designs family of boats. Hosted with the permission of, and participation by B & B Yacht Designs .

• Start new topic

4,256 topics in this forum

• Recently Updated
• Most Viewed
• Most Replies

About the B & B Yachts Forum

• 70.3k views

• Frank Hagan
• November 19, 2019

Core Sound 17 rope layout for each sail and how it all is suppose to hookup. 1 2

• 9 hours ago

Everglades Challenge 2024 thread 1 2

• Yesterday at 11:58 AM

Looking for some ideas for using ripstop material for cover to keep rain out of boat and store easy.

Cs17mkiii hull 25: spoonbill 1 2, boat cover ideas for the core sound 17 with the mast lying down in the cradle sticking out over the bow a little. it will be on a lift., spindrift 9n #1579 build 1 2 3 4.

• 18.6k views

Anyone have a Core Sound 17 with a weighted lifting keel. Mine has only one rope going to it.

Spindrift 10N #1621 Build Log 1 2 3 4 5

Ob 26 custom hull build 1 2.

Mast Raising onto Pin Problem, Core Sound 17.3

Cs15 article in small craft advisor #73.

Core Sound 17 - For Sale

• core sound 17
• travistramos

Ocracoke 24, Lucky#13 1 2 3 4 6

• 111 replies
• 29.5k views

Mainsail luff: Track vs sleeve vs lacing?

Oc20 - #109, ocracoke 20-b seacock inside bracket.

• Koray Gömeç

Epoxy Pallet

Michigan Messabout--September 6-8

Anyone ever put a 20hp on a core sound 17, sprit storage on mark threes 1 2, need pictures of how bow spit pole hooks up to sail and how other lines hook to sail.

• February 28

Cool Motor Launch

• 17.1k views

Core Sound 20 Mark III #3 "Skeena" 1 2 3 4 45

• 881 replies
• 141.2k views

• February 19

Spindrift 11' build videos 1 2

Member statistics.

• Total Members 6,558
• Most Online 1,923 January 16, 2020
• Existing user? Sign In
• Become a Supporting Member
• Leaderboard
• Online Users
• Email Delivery Problems
• All Activity
• Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use .

Pamlico County Chamber

B & b yacht designs.

Custom small to large boat designs, 3D modeling, custom CNC cutting, custom signs, consultations, hardware, rigging, marine plywood, boat building and repair supplies.

342 Chapel Creek Rd.

Video Spotlight

Robb Report

6 Architects That Are Now Creating Designs for Superyachts

Posted: December 11, 2023 | Last updated: December 11, 2023

1.-real-lead-Symbiosis-by-Kurt-Merki-Jr_05

Exciting yacht design doesn’t require reinventing the wheel. But a fresh view always helps. That’s why more yacht owners are looking for land-based architects and designers for their new build and refit interiors, preferring a cross-pollination of ideas over the tried and true.

The first owner to shy away from the traditional yacht designer set was billionaire Lukas Lundin, who tasked Italian architect Cristina Gherardi Benardeau to design the interior of the 274-foot Savannah. The Feadship, launched in 2015, is largely remembered as the first superyacht with a hybrid propulsion package. But the interior is just as radical.

Benardeau, a designer of retail space for Giorgio Armani and Christian Dior Couture, gave the 262-foot yacht the world’s first “Nemo lounge,” or a bubble in the hull where the owners and guests could see underwater.  It also featured what looked like a floating superstructure, employing long strips of tinted glass inspired by skyscrapers. (The same visual trick was employed later in Oceanco’s 361-foot Jubilee.) Savannah was the first boat to receive full metallic exterior paint job to blend in with the ocean surroundings—an idea later seen on superyacht Kensho, when it delivered in 2022.

Since then, a number of owners and boatbuilders have employed residential architects to do interior designs, as well as offer exterior flourishes (though naval architects complete the structures and running surfaces.) Rome architect Achille Salvagni has done projects for Rossinavi and Azimut, Lord Norman Foster created a series that later became the YachtPlus fleet, Lazzarini & Pickering designed the Benetti Motopanfilo 37M, and next year, Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez will show their talents on Azimut’s SeaDeck Series.

Even residential stalwarts like Zaha Hadid Architects can’t help but experiment with nautical projects. Following the 2016 reveal of the firm’s Unique Circle Yachts series, the studio collaborated with Vitruvius Yachts this year on Britain’s new “royal yacht” project. And more recently, the architects unveiled concept renderings for Oneiric, a proposed catamaran in collaboration with Italian shipyard Rossinavi.

From skyscraper to sea, here are six yachts designed by mainstream architects.

Amer F100, Architect Roberto Palomba

Architect Roberto Palomba has been designing houses for decades. His Milan-based studio, Palomba Serafini Associati, includes the Italian Consulate in Detroit, home décor and even tableware, among its past projects. His first yacht is the Amer F100, which features a unique “Glass Cabin” as the main salon. It was designed in partnership with Ludovica Serafini. “My aim was to change some standard boat elements to create something completely different,” Palomba told Robb Report during the yacht’s world debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival. “Certainly, our perspective offers a fresh look, an architectural vision rooted in the world of architecture and interior design, translated into the realm of yacht design.” The Glass Cabin is an architectural glass box that encases the main salon and formal dining area with windows that are larger than other yachts with similar dimensions. The garden creates openness, light and a continuous connection with the sea. Continuing the theme, reflective surfaces are used on the walls and ceiling across all social areas to bring more light in, while stairs joining the main deck to the bridge are topped by more glass, opening the heart of the yacht to blue skies.

‘Kensho,’ Jouin Manku

Kensho ‘s owner was a first-time yacht buyer who wanted a one-of-a-kind vessel. He looked beyond the pool of yachting talent for a designer who could create a signature statement inside the 246-foot Admiral. The owner eventually decided on Paris design house Jouin Manku, an experienced architecture and industrial design studio, without a single yacht to its name. Co-founder Sanjit Manku took the design brief and ran with it, eschewing traditional yachting layouts for high-volume and big sea views. Variations on the established interiors include lofty 8.9-foot-tall ceilings, open-plan cabin layouts (where the bathrooms are on display) and locating the owner’s salon—more akin to an observation lounge—to the upper deck where the captains’ wheelhouse is traditionally located.  “We drew on our restaurant design experience to create an ambience and furniture that is practical yet opulent,” Manku told Robb Report . “The dining chairs have ski feet that make it easy for guests to slide in and out, and we incorporated flattering lighting rather than ceiling spotlights.” The end result is a stunning, personalized interior that is unique in yachting. 

‘Carinthia VII,’ Bizzozero Cassina Architects

Refits are also getting design overhauls by non-yacht designers. Lürssen’s 318-foot Carinthia VII , first delivered in 2002 and designed by Tim Heywood, was sold in 2022 to a new owner. He called on Italian studio Bizzozero Cassina Architects for what turned out to be a major refit in a nearly record 300 days. The architectural studio is experienced in real estate, including a few of the owner’s private properties. But yacht refits are a recent addition to its portfolio. “The key to any project’s success is to know the person, their lifestyle and the way they think,” architect Paolo Bizzozero said. “Only with these three ingredients can you remedy a truly bespoke environment that works for them and for their life.” Key additions include a 1,334-sq. ft. sundeck, with a large dining table and teppanyaki grill. Equally impressive was the 39-foot-long glass-paneled swimming pool on the main deck (with two large televisions to view live sports), and a 968-sq. ft. air-conditioned gym on the bridge deck that also serves as a winter garden.

Contest G7CS, Bentley Interior

Bentley fans who dream of a book-matched yacht interior might look closely at the 67-foot Contest 67CS.  Commissioned by a private client and launched in November, it is the first collaboration between Bentley and Contest Yachts. with all the design flair Bentley could bring to a yacht. Conceived to match the luxe design of a custom continental GT coupe, the sailboat features the same materials, motifs and craftsmanship on its cars and home designs, including the same hand-stitching found on the Bentley steering wheel and the yacht’s Malvern Chair. Bespoke one-offs include a bar and vanity unit, the captain’s chair and “Egg” table, and a sofa which was hand-built at Bentley’s engineering facility and finished in its signature trim. The brand’s iconic diamond-quilted hides were also included across entire yacht interior. Small details like the tissue box and drink coasters were created from scratch to match the owner’s taste.

‘Entourage,’ Diego Burdi, Burdifilek

Entourage , the second hull in Amels’ 60 Limited Editions range, is the owner’s second yacht. He had clear ideas about the functional layout of the boat, so he appointed commercial design firm Burdifilek to realize that vision. The Toronto-based co-founder, Diego Burdi, adopted a “marine design” approach. “I believe strongly that you should feel like you’re on a boat,” he told Robb Report . That is apparent in areas like the the lower-deck staterooms where the bulkheads hug the curve of the hull. Carved and layered wooden ceilings—a detail introduced from the owner’s experience in real estate—add drama and tactility. Most significantly, Burdi reversed the central stairwell and tucked it into the perimeter of the yacht to create a wider walkthrough and, in so doing, a work of art.

‘Symbiosis,’ Kurt Merki, Jr.

The 279-foot Symbiosis is Studio KMJ’s nature-driven introduction to the world of superyacht design. Unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show, the 3,000 GT concept speaks to a rising trend for biophilic design with 10 nature-driven features. These include a “tree of life” planted on the main deck aft that stretches across two decks, a 1,000-sq. ft. irrigated lawn tended by a gardener and intended for both play and picnics, and a life-sized herbarium called “The Sanctum” where herbs, spices and vegetables can be cultivated. The Swiss designer Kurt Merki Jr collaborated with Axel Massmann, CEO of Yacht-Green, who acted as a strategic advisor on best practices to “green” the superyacht lifestyle. According to the designers, the natural elements are fully buildable. All it needs is an owner willing to take a leap.

More for You

Scalise brings in eye-popping $12M as GOP kicks off 2024 battle to keep House

NPR Editor's Critical Op-Ed Ignites Debate Over Political Bias in Journalism: 'This Essay Has It Backwards'

Fractal pattern identified at molecular scale in nature for first time

Choosing Types of Patio Doors: the Pros and Cons of These Popular Doors

2025 Toyota 4Runner Is Finally Here as a Turbo Hybrid Tacoma SUV

Some Jan. 6 rioters win early release, even before key Supreme Court ruling

Realistic prospect projections for Ravens at positions of need

Speaker Johnson will meet with Trump as the Republican House leader fights for his job

Mark Knopfler on the Most Patient and Wistful Music of His Career

Complete vs. Incomplete Proteins: Understanding the Difference

How to Do Back Extensions Without Jacking Up Your Lower Back

Liam Lawson told to ‘keep his phone charged’ with brutal Daniel Ricciardo verdict delivered

Robert Pattinson Confronts Robert Pattinson as Bong Joon Ho Debuts Wacky, Bold ‘Mickey 17' Trailer at CinemaCon

Exclusive-Russia considers easing gasoline environmental requirements, sources say

23 of Our Readers’ Favorite Recipes

Quantum behavior at room temperature: When laser light makes materials magnetic

NFC East news: Commanders, Giants draft prep; another Eagles legend officially retires

Women Are Working Longer Hours From Home Than Men

George Miller, Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth Debut High-Octane ‘Furiosa' Footage at CinemaCon

Positive steps: Why walking in nature benefits the mind

• Bahasa Indonesia
• Slovenščina
• Science & Tech
• Russian Kitchen

Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

to our newsletter!

Get the week's best stories straight to your inbox

• What to do in Moscow City, if you’re not mega-rich
• Moscow after dusk: 10 places to drink, dance, and groove
• 5 things you must do in Moscow in 2018 between football matches (or without them)
• Sandwiched between Moscow and St. Petersburg: How to spend a perfect weekend in Tver 
• 24 or 48 hours in Moscow: Where to go and what to do in 2019

This website uses cookies. Click here to find out more.

Flotilla Radisson Royal

• See all photos

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Flotilla Radisson Royal - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

Reimagining Design with Nature: ecological urbanism in Moscow

• Reflective Essay
• Published: 10 September 2019
• Volume 1 , pages 233–247, ( 2019 )

Cite this article

• Brian Mark Evans   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1420-1682 1  

976 Accesses

2 Citations

Explore all metrics

The twenty-first century is the era when populations of cities will exceed rural communities for the first time in human history. The population growth of cities in many countries, including those in transition from planned to market economies, is putting considerable strain on ecological and natural resources. This paper examines four central issues: (a) the challenges and opportunities presented through working in jurisdictions where there are no official or established methods in place to guide regional, ecological and landscape planning and design; (b) the experience of the author’s practice—Gillespies LLP—in addressing these challenges using techniques and methods inspired by McHarg in Design with Nature in the Russian Federation in the first decade of the twenty-first century; (c) the augmentation of methods derived from Design with Nature in reference to innovations in technology since its publication and the contribution that the art of landscape painters can make to landscape analysis and interpretation; and (d) the application of this experience to the international competition and colloquium for the expansion of Moscow. The text concludes with a comment on how the application of this learning and methodological development to landscape and ecological planning and design was judged to be a central tenant of the winning design. Finally, a concluding section reflects on lessons learned and conclusions drawn.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA) Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Rent this article via DeepDyve

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

The politics of designing with nature: reflections from New Orleans and Dhaka

Zachary Lamb

Acknowledgements

The landscape team from Gillespies Glasgow Studio (Steve Nelson, Graeme Pert, Joanne Walker, Rory Wilson and Chris Swan) led by the author and all our collaborators in the Capital Cities Planning Group.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Mackintosh School of Architecture, The Glasgow School of Art, 167 Renfrew Street, Glasgow, G3 6BY, UK

Brian Mark Evans

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brian Mark Evans .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Evans, B.M. Reimagining Design with Nature: ecological urbanism in Moscow. Socio Ecol Pract Res 1 , 233–247 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-019-00031-5

Download citation

Received : 17 March 2019

Accepted : 13 August 2019

Published : 10 September 2019

Issue Date : October 2019

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-019-00031-5

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Design With Nature
• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research