A Focused Look
- The Sunreef ULTIMA 88 is a performance catamaran built at Sunreef Yachts’ Ras Al Khaimah shipyard in the United Arab Emirates, combining monohull speed and agility with the stability and spacious interiors of a multihull, and making its global public debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2026.
- Its signature Ocean Lounge, framed by opening bulwarks and a dedicated aft garage, creates a direct, open connection between the living deck and the water.
- Spanish tennis champion Carlos Alcaraz selected the ULTIMA 88 as his first yacht, underscoring the model’s cross-cultural appeal.
- The Cannes display also included the best-selling 100 Sunreef Power, 80 Sunreef Power, Sunreef 60, Sunreef 70 and Sunreef 80.
Design and Structural Philosophy
The ULTIMA 88 resolves a tension that has long complicated catamaran ownership: the trade-off between sailing performance and volume. Sunreef’s engineering team in Ras Al Khaimah addressed it by narrowing the hull profiles to sharpen waterline behaviour while simultaneously raising the interior ceiling heights to preserve liveable headroom. The outcome is a hull geometry that reads as a performance craft from outside and as a well-proportioned residence from within.
At 88 feet, the platform sits in a segment where performance and contemporary styling carry equal weight for buyers arriving from competitive sailing backgrounds and from charter fleets. The shallow draft extends the ULTIMA 88’s cruising range into anchorages and bays that deeper-keeled monohulls cannot access — a practical advantage that amplifies the yacht’s appeal in the Mediterranean and Red Sea alike.
The Ocean Lounge and Onboard Architecture
The Ocean Lounge is the interior and exterior element that most directly defines the ULTIMA 88’s character. When the bulwarks fold open and the aft garage rolls back, the distinction between deck, water and sky effectively dissolves. Sunreef designed the space for both relaxed anchoring days and more formal entertaining at sea, and the two uses require no reconfiguration — the same proportions serve both.
Generous living areas across the saloon and hull cabins follow the same principle: volumes are sized for comfort rather than stripped back for weight savings, a choice that reflects the ownership profile the ULTIMA 88 targets. For Gulf-based owners accustomed to luxury lifestyle across the Gulf at that standard, the spatial generosity will read as expected rather than exceptional — which is precisely the correct calibration for the segment.
Ras Al Khaimah and Sunreef’s Regional Manufacturing
Building the ULTIMA 88 in Ras Al Khaimah positions the model squarely within the GCC’s expanding advanced-manufacturing narrative. Sunreef Yachts’ shipyard in the emirate operates as a full-production facility rather than an assembly point, which means the structural engineering, composite work and finish are all carried out under direct quality control in the UAE. For regional buyers, that provenance carries weight that a European-only production run would not.
The yard’s output now extends beyond the ULTIMA 88 to include the 100 Sunreef Power and 80 Sunreef Power — both described by Sunreef as best-sellers — along with the sailing range displayed at Cannes. The depth of the line-up confirms that the Ras Al Khaimah facility is a permanent strategic investment rather than a speculative expansion, and that gives prospective owners confidence in long-term service and aftersales support within the region.
For more on the ULTIMA 88 and the full Sunreef range on display at Cannes, visit Sunreef Yachts directly. Stay ahead of the latest releases. Subscribe to our newsletter for editor-curated coverage of luxury lifestyle across the GCC.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sunreef ULTIMA 88 and what makes it different from a conventional catamaran?
The Sunreef ULTIMA 88 is a performance catamaran built at Sunreef Yachts' shipyard in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, designed to combine the agility and speed of a monohull with the stability, spacious interiors and shallow draft of a multihull. Its signature Ocean Lounge, with opening bulwarks and a dedicated aft garage, gives the design a defining connection between onboard living and the sea.
Where is the Sunreef ULTIMA 88 being built?
The ULTIMA 88 is manufactured at Sunreef Yachts' shipyard in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, positioning the vessel as a direct product of the region's growing advanced-engineering and marine industry.
When and where was the Sunreef ULTIMA 88 first shown to the public?
The ULTIMA 88 made its world premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival 2026, where visitors could step aboard alongside Sunreef's best-selling 100 Sunreef Power and 80 Sunreef Power models.
Which notable clients have chosen the Sunreef ULTIMA 88?
Spanish tennis champion Carlos Alcaraz selected the ULTIMA 88 as his first yacht, reflecting the model's appeal to a global, sport-oriented ownership profile.
What other Sunreef models were displayed alongside the ULTIMA 88 at Cannes 2026?
In addition to the ULTIMA 88, Sunreef Yachts displayed the 100 Sunreef Power, 80 Sunreef Power, Sunreef 60, Sunreef 70 and Sunreef 80 sailing yachts across the Cannes Yachting Festival's Porto Canto sailing section.
