Rio Yachts has selected a Smartgyro SG20 for the new Sport Coupé 50, adding gyroscopic stabilisation to a 15.24-metre shaft-drive cruiser created around year-round use. Smartgyro lists the installation among its Cannes 2026 projects, while Rio describes the model as a “world boat” designed for extended cruising in varied climates.
Rio’s Sport Coupé 50 uses a fully closable saloon with climate control so the main deck can switch between an open-air layout and a protected interior. Large opening side windows, a fully opening cockpit door and a louvred roof are intended to preserve the connection with the sea when conditions allow.
The yacht is designed for more than summer cruising
That year-round brief makes roll comfort increasingly important because owners are more likely to spend longer periods aboard and use the yacht in a wider range of weather conditions.
Smartgyro SG20 complements a shaft-drive layout
The yacht is offered with twin Cummins engines and conventional shaft drive, with 600hp units standard and 715hp versions available. Rio quotes up to 35 knots with the higher-output package and confirms that the design is prepared for a gyroscopic stabiliser.
Smartgyro says the SG20 has been selected for the new model, giving the yacht active roll reduction without relying on external fins or appendages below the hull.
Accommodation targets extended stays aboard
Below deck, the Sport Coupé 50 has three cabins, including a midships owner’s cabin, forward VIP and a third twin-bunk cabin that can alternatively be configured for crew. Two bathrooms and six berths support the long-range cruising brief.
A 2,000-litre fuel capacity and 400-litre freshwater tank further distinguish the model from a pure day boat, making onboard comfort systems more relevant to how the yacht is intended to be used.
Cannes puts the installation in front of buyers
Smartgyro is using the 2026 show season to demonstrate stabilisation systems aboard several partner yachts, with the Rio project forming part of that programme. For buyers, seeing the stabiliser integrated into a finished engine room is more useful than considering the unit in isolation.
The key questions are installation access, service clearances, power demand and the amount of roll reduction achieved in representative conditions. The SG20 installation gives Rio another comfort feature to support the Sport Coupé 50’s all-season cruising proposition.
