“I had felt there was a niche in there—a lot of yacht designs were just stuck,” Kevin Schöpfer says. “So I thought, ‘How do we break the mold a little?’” Judging from his two concept yachts, Oculus and Infinitas, this architect-turned-yacht designer didn’t just break the mold; he shattered it.

The 250-foot Oculus and 300-foot Infinitas were intended to showcase softer, smoother lines versus traditional rectangular lines. In addition, with the input of renowned naval architecture firm Sparkman & Stephens, Schöpfer achieved a “consistent level of design that takes the outside and brings it inside.” Oculus’ rounded exterior features—resembling the jaw and eye socket of large oceanic fish and mammals—are echoed inside, through a cylindrical dining room and a rounded elevator rising through a staircase. Infinitas’s exterior was inspired by an infinity loop and flip-flops the way a yacht is typically used by placing a pool deck area between the salon and dining room. No contracts have been signed (yet), though the reaction has been enough to encourage Schöpfer to develop more designs that range from 150-250 feet. Preliminary costs: $95 million for Oculus and $115 million for Infinitas; schopferyachts.com. —Diane M. Byrne

Yacht  Watch

Built in 1929, Lelanta is 80 feet of classic schooner style and elegance from the drawing boards of the world-famous sailboat designer John G. Alden. Fully restored over the past several years, Lelanta features a handcrafted teak and butternut wood interior, accented with inlaid leaded glass cabinetry and antique lamps and artwork. The master stateroom has its own hatch for fresh breezes as well as access to the cockpit. Two more guest staterooms plus a crew cabin, all forward of the salon, ensure that guests and helping hands can come along on cruises.  $950,000. sparkmanand stephens.com. —D.B.