Oliver Weaver, an Automotive and Transport Design student at Coventry University, has been named the winner of the 2026 Superyacht UK Young Designer Competition following one-and-a-half days of creativity, technical thinking and intensive design work at the Southampton International Boat Show.
Oliver wins a four-week internship at Sunseeker. In conjunction with RAI Amsterdam, he will also be invited to attend Metstrade 2026 in Amsterdam, giving him the opportunity to experience a major international marine industry event and connect with professionals from across the sector.
Roman Aime, who studies Yacht and Powercraft Design at Solent University, took second place and wins a two-week internship at Sunseeker. Whilst, third place went to Charlotte Redfearn, an Automotive and Transport Design student at the University of Staffordshire, who wins a one-week internship at Cockwells.
Organised by Superyacht UK, the annual competition gives emerging designers the opportunity to respond to a professional brief, showcase their creativity and present their work to leading figures from the superyacht design sector.
This year’s finalists were challenged to design a 50-metre explorer-style yacht that would serve as its owners’ principal residence in the Norwegian Fjords while remaining capable of travelling anywhere in the world. The yacht had to operate using energy sources that produce no direct carbon dioxide or methane emissions while within the UNESCO World Heritage fjords, without compromising the comfort and character expected of a luxury vessel.
The brief also called for accommodation for ten people across one owner’s cabin and four guest cabins, space for tenders and toys, and a beach club that would strengthen the owners’ connection to the ocean. Finalists presented an exterior profile, a block general arrangement, interior and exterior designs for the beach club, and their approach to the yacht’s environmental requirements.
After receiving the live brief at 16:00 on Saturday 19 September, the eight finalists began work at the Coffee Station in the New Wave Hall on Sunday morning. Visitors to the Show were able to watch as they developed their initial ideas into yacht concepts before presenting them to a panel of industry judges.
The finalists:
- 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
- Charlotte Redfearn, Automotive and Transport Design, University of Staffordshire
Explaining the judges’ decision, James Shakespeare of Princess Yachts commented: “The standard of the competition was extremely strong this year. All of the judges were impressed by the way every finalist approached the challenge and really engaged with the brief. Oliver stood out for his all-round ability. He produced stylish drawings, a well-thought-out design with strong original ideas, and presented his concept extremely well. Ultimately, his entry ticked every box for us.”
Reflecting on his experience, Oliver said: “It was an absolute pleasure to take part. The competition is very well regarded, particularly within Europe, but it also has a global reach. The brief offered a great deal of freedom and scope to explore different design ideas. As a stylist, that gave me the opportunity to experiment with different forms, shapes, surfaces and layouts. It was a brilliant experience, with lovely people, and a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure to the industry and meet everyone involved. I am delighted to have won.”
Michael Beattie, Superyacht UK Manager, added: “Congratulations to Oliver and to all eight finalists, who produced exceptional work in a remarkably short time. The competition is about creating meaningful routes into the superyacht industry, and Oliver’s invitation to attend Metstrade, with the support of RAI Amsterdam, is a fantastic extension of that opportunity. Thank you to our partners and judges for helping us champion the next generation of design talent.”
The competition was supported by industry partners Sunseeker, Princess Yachts, RWD, Cockwells and Winch Design, whose involvement brought professional expertise to the event and gave the finalists direct insight into the world of superyacht design.
For more information about Superyacht UK, visit www.superyachtuk.com
