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Unveiled in June 2026, the VMG 53 is beginning to reveal how its designers plan to balance performance and life on board. VMG has just released the first renderings of the interior of the trimaran currently under construction in Cape Town. Christophe Chedal Anglay was commissioned to design the interior.
Rather than permanently assigning each room to a specific function, the design relies in part on convertible spaces. This approach is particularly well-suited to a trimaran. Unlike a catamaran, whose two hulls can accommodate a significant portion of the living spaces, a trimaran concentrates life on board more around its central hull and the deck above it.
It is therefore essential to make the most of every square meter without adding more equipment, partitions, and?as a result?more weight. On a performance-oriented multihull, performance remains a key factor.
A cabin for sailing, a lounge for entertaining
The most unique design feature is the space located near the central helm station. During voyages, it is intended to serve as the owner?s cabin. The practical benefit is that the owner remains close to the navigation systems and controls when he needs to rest.
The VMG 53 features three helm stations, including a protected central station. VMG has positioned it in close proximity to the area where the controls are grouped, the navigation station, and the living quarters. The design thus aims to concentrate the essential functions in a single area of the boat when sailing with a small crew.
Once the crossing is complete, the layout changes. The manufacturer has designed this cabin to be opened up and converted into a shared space. Folding doors and retractable partitions then allow it to open onto the saloon, thereby enlarging the living area.
A video projector can use one of the partitions as a screen. Conversely, when the room returns to its function as a bedroom, a switchable glass panel can be made opaque to preserve privacy.
Christophe Chedal Anglay cites Japanese architecture as one of his sources of inspiration. The idea is not so much to add more rooms as it is to adapt their function depending on the time of day or the stage of the journey.
Switch between crossing and cruising
This modularity primarily reflects two quite different uses of the same boat. During an offshore crossing, the priorities are watch duty, rest, quick access to controls, and ease of movement for a small crew. At anchor, the needs shift toward larger common areas and greater privacy among those on board.
VMG envisions a scenario in which the owner can leave the cabin near the helm once the boat has reached its cruising speed and use a cabin located in a side float.
The general principle is clearer: avoid permanently allocating a large area to a cabin that might not serve the same purpose depending on the current itinerary. This approach also applies to the VIP cabin located forward on the starboard side. Its berth can be converted from a single to a double configuration, while storage and furnishings are designed to accommodate different crew sizes.
The VMG 53, therefore, does not simply aim to increase the number of beds. Rather, its layout seeks to vary the balance between private and communal spaces.
Materials chosen for their intended use as well
The first images also reveal the color palette chosen by Christophe Chedal Anglay. Cork plays a prominent role, paired with eucalyptus and a suede-like fabric made without animal materials.
VMG highlights the sustainability of these choices. However, without information on the origin, certifications, or life cycle of the materials, it is too early to draw any environmental conclusions. Their merits, on the other hand, can be assessed from the perspective of design and use.
The same cork flooring should thus extend from the interior to the exterior, from the aft cockpit to the foredeck. This continuity visually minimizes the break between the saloon and the outdoor spaces. It also supports the goal of treating the deck and the interior as a single unified space rather than two distinctly separate areas.
The colors follow a similar pattern. The exterior sections feature darker shades, while the narrower spaces inside the hulls are painted in lighter tones. For the first unit, the shipyard also announced that the exterior paint will shift from dark green to bronze highlights depending on the light.
For now, these choices reflect a rendering and a boat currently under construction. VMG notes that the wood, textiles, flooring, and colors may vary from one owner to another, while the overall design of the hulls and deck will remain consistent.
The first VMG 53 is scheduled for January 2027
Construction of the first VMG 53 is underway at Evolution Marine Manufacturing in Cape Town. VPLP is handling the naval architecture for the project, while Thorne Yacht Design is working on its technical development.
In its September 2026 press release, VMG announced that the first unit would be delivered in January 2027. This deadline will, above all, provide an opportunity to compare the concepts presented in the images with the reality of a completed trimaran.
Because, ultimately, the appeal of this interior doesn?t lie in its colors or its video projector. It has more to do with a very practical issue for a long-range cruising trimaran: how can the same space be used for multiple purposes without complicating life for the crew? On the VMG 53, the answer clearly lies in the transformation of the spaces. Now it remains to be seen how this works on the water.
