VMG (Velocity Made Good), a new US-based shipyard focused on high-performance luxury trimarans, has launched. Its first project, the VMG 53, is a 16-metre (53ft) trimaran currently under construction, with delivery planned for January 2027.
The company is headquartered in New York and aims to develop offshore cruising trimarans that combine performance with onboard comfort and long-range capability for private use and extended passages.
The idea behind VMG originated during an offshore sailing race off the coast of New England, where co-founders Michael Schwartz and Karl Reed first sailed together as crew. After that passage, discussions turned to what an ideal sailing yacht should offer, particularly whether speed, comfort, safety and handling could be combined in a single platform without compromise.
Work on the project began three years ago in Cape Town, South Africa. What started as a concept has since developed into the VMG 53 programme, which is now in build.
Schwartz brings more than 25 years of experience in product development, manufacturing and commercialisation, having built and scaled companies across industrial, food production and cycling sectors.
Reed has worked across yacht operations, management and brokerage, including roles as a professional captain, delivery skipper and multihull specialist. His background in yacht delivery and operations has shaped a number of the practical requirements in the design.
The name Velocity Made Good refers to a sailing performance metric that measures progress towards a destination rather than raw speed. In this case, VMG is used to describe a design approach focused on efficiency in engineering decisions.
The VMG 53 is being developed with a group of specialist partners in yacht design and construction. Naval architecture is led by VPLP Design, a French studio known for multihull development and its work on high-performance ocean racing trimarans. The studio is responsible for the vessel’s overall design and structural architecture.
Interior design is led by Christophe Chedal Anglay. Thorne Yacht Design is responsible for engineering and technical development.
Construction of the first VMG 53 is underway in partnership with Evolution Marine Manufacturing in Cape Town, a composite boatbuilder specialising in performance yachts. The build focuses on combining offshore sailing capability with accommodation designed for cruising use.
“From the beginning, our goal has been to create the yacht we wanted to own ourselves,” says Schwartz. “We believe that we have the unique opportunity to combine world-class design, practical cruising capability and true sailing performance in a way that hasn’t been achieved before in a production trimaran. Through the VMG 53 and our future models, we aim to make the most cutting-edge trimaran technology accessible to all.”
The first VMG 53 remains under construction, with work continuing towards the planned January 2027 launch.
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