First yacht to generate its own drinking water from air will be built in the U.S.

SXR 68 XL © Altitude Water

In a major breakthrough for marine innovation and sustainability, Florida-based Altitude Water has partnered with RM Design Pro to develop the SXR 68 XL, a 68-foot hybrid yacht that will become the first U.S.-built vessel to generate its own drinking water directly from air using fully integrated atmospheric water generation (AWG) technology.

Designed from inception with built-in sustainability, not bolted on, the yacht also features hybrid propulsion, solar regeneration, AI-based controls, and a fully American-made supply chain; delivering off-grid performance without sacrificing luxury or environmental standards.

"This is more than a yacht, it's an off-grid, energy-efficient vessel that produces clean drinking water without relying on desalination or bottled water," said Jeff Szur, Founder and COO of Altitude Water. "By designing the AWG system directly into the yacht's core infrastructure, we've eliminated the taste, reliability, and maintenance issues that plague traditional marine water systems."

The SXR 68 XL is being positioned as a new benchmark in sustainable yachting, meeting stringent United States Coast Guard (USCG), The American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier IV standards to ensure charter-readiness and fast-track certification. It is being entirely designed and built in the United States.

The partnership was initiated through M2 Holistic Studio, a design firm known for integrating wellness, sustainability, and technology into luxury environments. As distributors and early adopters of Altitude Water's technology in new homes, M2 introduced Altitude to yacht designer Rogerio Mariani during the SXR 68 XL's conceptual design phase.

"I knew there was a reason I chose M2 Holistic Studio to lead the interior design of the yacht," said Rogerio Mariani, Founder of RM Design Pro. "When they introduced Altitude Water's technology as a potential sustainable solution for onboard water, I was instantly intrigued."

"We integrated Altitude's AWG system with our AI-based Yacht Integrative Control Systems & Monitoring (YICSM), a breakthrough that can now be replicated in future builds," continued Mariani. "After several meetings with the Altitude team, it became clear we weren't just improving this vessel, we were creating a system that could help transform the yachting experience."

"We immediately saw the value of bringing atmospheric water generation into the marine world," said Marta Halwany and Mahria Carolihna, Co-Founders of M2 Holistic Studio. "Our goal has always been to design spaces that nourish the body, mind, and planet. This project was an opportunity to make that philosophy tangible on the water."

Unlike conventional reverse osmosis (RO) water makers, which rely on seawater desalination and extensive filtration, Altitude Water's AWG system creates pure, great-tasting water from the humidity in the air- no plumbing to the sea, no salt corrosion, and no plastic bottle waste.

"We've placed portable AWG units on yachts for years," Szur said. "But space is at a premium, and the real vision was always full integration. With this partnership, we're finally delivering a built-in, self-reliant water solution that can scale across the yachting industry."

The result is a fully modular, solar-regenerative yacht that eliminates the need for external water provisioning, expands off-grid capabilities, and enhances charter Return on Investment (ROI) -- all while dramatically reducing environmental impact.