Baltic Yachts will use the 2026 Monaco Yacht Show to present an update on several projects under construction, including the Baltic 78 Custom. At 23.99 metres overall, the yacht sits exactly at the upper boundary of Luxury Yacht Guide’s coverage and provides a rare custom-sailing example that remains below the 24-metre threshold.
The project was first announced in May and is scheduled for delivery in summer 2027. Monaco therefore represents a chance to discuss an ongoing project with the shipyard rather than a new order announcement, with Baltic showing how construction of the family cruising yacht fits alongside its larger 80 Café Racer and 107-foot catamaran work.
The 23.99-metre length is deliberate and relevant
Baltic publishes an overall length of 23.99 metres, a 22.96-metre waterline and a beam of 6.27 metres. The dimensions give the project substantial internal volume while keeping its measured overall length within the sub-24-metre category used by Luxury Yacht Guide.
Buyers should still confirm regulatory treatment with flag, class and local authorities because legal requirements are not determined by a single rounded length figure alone. Tonnage, use, operating area and registration all matter when deciding how a yacht will be managed.
A lifting keel expands cruising access
The yacht will use a lifting keel with published draft ranging from 2.80 to 4.15 metres. That allows deeper draft when sailing performance matters while reducing draft for selected anchorages and ports that would otherwise be difficult to reach.
A lifting keel adds mechanical complexity as well as flexibility, so owners need to understand inspection intervals, hydraulic or mechanical systems and emergency procedures. The value is greatest when the cruising plan genuinely includes both offshore passages and shallower destinations.
Family cruising is the design brief
Baltic describes the owners as a family with ambitious plans covering regions such as the Mediterranean and Caribbean. The brief calls for safety, easy handling, internal volume and long-range comfort without abandoning the sailing performance associated with lightweight composite construction.
That combination distinguishes the 78 from a pure race yacht or a volume-first cruising platform. The design has to manage loads, sail handling and systems in a way that remains realistic for the owner’s intended crew rather than relying on performance numbers alone.
Judel/Vrolijk and Design Unlimited lead the design work
Naval architecture is by judel/vrolijk design & co, while Design Unlimited is responsible for the interior. Baltic lists a light-craft displacement of about 42 tonnes and ballast of 15 tonnes, showing the level of engineering detail already defined before delivery.
The interior relationship with the sailing package matters because custom yachts often trade volume against machinery, tankage and structural weight. A successful solution will be one where storage, systems access and guest comfort remain useful after the yacht is fully provisioned for a passage.
A semi-fixed bimini supports deck operation
The published specification includes a semi-fixed bimini that can be removed but is not designed to fold. Baltic says the structure will provide weather protection while also assisting access to the mainsail when stowing it.
This is a practical example of cruising design affecting deck architecture. Shade is valuable in warm climates, but the structure also has to avoid obstructing sail handling, visibility and movement around the cockpit when conditions deteriorate.
Monaco brings the project into a broader construction story
Baltic’s Monaco presentation also includes its 107-foot catamaran and 80 Café Racer, both outside LYG’s strict size range. The 78 Custom is the project in that group that remains directly relevant to sub-24-metre luxury-yacht owners.
Keeping those boundaries clear prevents a shipyard-wide announcement from becoming an excuse to cover larger superyachts on LYG. The 78 can be assessed on its own merits while acknowledging that some of its engineering knowledge comes from Baltic’s larger composite projects.
Delivery remains scheduled for 2027
Baltic’s published target is summer 2027, so the yacht is still a construction project rather than a delivered vessel. The next useful milestones will be hull progress, launch, sea trials and confirmation of final measured specifications.
Until then, performance expectations remain design targets. Monaco gives owners and industry visitors a chance to discuss the project with Baltic’s technical and commercial team, but delivery and trial results should be reported only when they are actually achieved.
