Leaders

Lex Raas, MarineMax, Aquila, Power, Catamarans, Powercats, 54, 50, Hydroglide Foil, Leopard, The Moorings

Aquila’s Lex Raas: Driving the Cat Pack (Part 2)

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

Aquila’s Lex Raas: Driving the Cat Pack (Part 2)

August 23, 2021
9:37 pm

Part two of Yacht Style’s interview with Lex Raas of MarineMax, who has spent the past decade driving the global popularity of powercats with Aquila. It’s the South African’s latest industry-shaking move, having helped create Leopard Catamarans and led the rapid growth of charter multihulls with The Moorings.

Lex Raas, President of Aquila, at his home in Hawaii

What has been the feedback to the underwater Hydro Glide Foil System developed by Morrelli & Melvin, first made available on the Aquila 36 Sport?

It’s amazing how much take-up we’ve had. It has been chosen on about a third of the orders since it has been available. It works amazingly well and improves efficiency and ride. It’s more foil assist than really foiling. To get the same speed as twin 300hp engines and the foil, you’d put on twin 400hps and no foil.

Both would reach the upper 40s in mph, but the 300s offer better economy because most of the time people are running the boats at 35-37mph (30-32 knots). With the foil, you’ve got 35 per cent more range or efficiency at those speeds. That’s massive. The foil has less depth than the props so you can beach the boat – they’re strong. We’re putting them on the 44, where the efficiency or range improves by about 18 per cent and the ride is notably better because the foil lifts the boat so there’s more tunnel clearance.

Aquila’s Lex Raas: Driving the Cat Pack (Part 1)
Lex Raas of US-based MarineMax has spent the past decade driving the global popularity of powercats with Aquila. It’s the South African’s latest industry-shaking move, having also helped create Leopard Catamarans and led the rapid growth of charter multihulls with The Moorings during a 50-year career in building boats.

The challenge is that the 32 may often have the same engines as the 36 and many people simply choose to pay the extra money to get an extra cabin, extra toilet, more space. Most times we lose a 32 sale to a 36, not to another brand, which is fine for us. Sales are not as strong as the 36, but I’m confident the 32 will do well as there’s now more separation on price – we needed to keep the price ‘lanes’ further apart.

Moving to the other end of your range, why did you launch the first units of the 54 Yacht and the new flagship 70 Luxury at the same time?

By accident! The 70 was designed and developed a long time before the 54. We did a lot of surveys because we had to see how to differentiate the 70 from the competitors out there. A lot of motor yacht owners and buyers were interested in large powercats but didn’t like the ‘squared-off’ look and wanted something sleeker and sexier.

The Aquila 54 features a cockpit bar connected to the open aft galley

They also wanted speed more like a monohull motor yacht of that size, so the 70 is a relatively narrow powercat. It was also intended to be semi-production, maybe a couple of units a year, with a flexible interior, high-end furniture and equipment, carbon-fibre bulkheads and so on.

Our 48 had not been as successful in the private market as the 44, so we had a big gap between the 44 and 70, and the 54 fits right in. The 54 is a production boat and the beam-to length ratio is more like the 44 and cats by other traditional catamaran builders.

The Aquila 54’s optional full-beam master suite is forward of the saloon

We started developing the 54 much later than the 70 but we got so interested in the 54 that we fast-tracked its development. The 70’s launch was slowed down because of this and it just so happened the first units came out at the same time.

Have you been surprised by sales of the 54? They’re astonishing for a big new boat. It’s crazy. I’ve never known a boat sell so well even before it has been shown. The 54 follows the looks of the 70 even though it’s almost as wide (it has a 25ft 2in beam compared to 26ft 11in on the 70). It’s a very high-volume boat with the option of three, four or five cabins, so there’s flexibility in the design. The forward full-beam master suite is a massive thing. J&J did a magnificent job.

The Aquila 54 features an innovative crane concealed in the flybridge overhang

It also has a cool crane system that I designed with J&J and uses Harken sailboat equipment. The crane slides aft out of the flybridge to attach to the dinghy, extends to put the dinghy in the water, then retracts. It keeps the boat looking clean. The 70 has a central platform that tilts like a slipway, which is quicker but uses up length, which we can afford on the 70 but not the 54.

How has Aquila grown since 2017 from being a US-centric brand to becoming genuinely global including growing sales in Asia, where Simpson Marine is among dealers?

Yvan Eymieu has done a really good job since becoming International Sales and Distribution Manager in 2017. Business is about people. I knew Yvan from The Moorings, managed to convince him to join us and he’s been stellar. I’ve been asking him what he’s eating because we need to share it!

Aquila’s new flagship 70 Luxury

He has pushed us hard in certain areas to consider his markets. On the 54, we have a full Asian layout, on the 70 we have a full Asian layout which is also somewhat European with the galley below, so there’s a much more open saloon. There are now a range of layouts ready to go.

Interestingly, when he was first setting up the international network, he was looking at catamaran dealers, then we all realised we should be working with motor yacht dealers and positioning ourselves differently. Look at MarineMax itself, for starters, which is selling Azimut, Galeon and Aquila. As well as catamaran lovers, we’re also appealing to monohull motor yacht owners.

The Aquila 70 has a purpose-built 14ft tender stored in the central platform

Some people were worried about a new catamaran brand, but if I hear of someone else building catamarans, I’m like, ‘bring it on’, because I believe there’s room for all of us. Catamarans are just starting. The more people marketing catamarans, the better for all of us and it’ll drive all of us to keep building better boats.

Your son Jean is CEO of Sino Eagle’s US office, while Alain was appointed Aquila’s Brand Manager last year. How is it working with your sons – and do you have any other family working with you?

Ha ha – we have another son, David, and a daughter who’s a doctor. Jean and David used to work at The Moorings with me, then David moved into marketing and has his own company. Last year, we were looking for a Brand Manager and Alain said he was interested, so I suggested he speak to Dave Bigge, our VP of International Sales. He said, wow, he’ll be perfect. I didn’t hire Alain, but I’m proud he’s onboard. Working with family can be a double-edged sword, but people know I’m tougher on family than others.

The platform and aft steps on the Aquila 70 create ‘stadium seating’

Alain reports to Dave Bigge, while Jean is part of Sino Eagle, so he reports to Frank Xiong. It’s cool to be able to work with two of my sons. I don’t know how many more years I’ll keep doing this, so hopefully they can take over some of my work!

How do you feel looking back at what you’ve achieved, particularly in the catamaran sector?

The true success of Leopard and now Aquila have been due to the management executives at the various times to support my vision, even though it seemed ‘right field’ to most industry folk at those times. Right from racing rowing boats at school, racing sailboats later and the 50 years I’ve spent developing boats and in executive positions at marine companies, I’ve recognised you need the right people around you to get to the top.

The roomy aft cockpit on the Aquila 70 Luxury

While my vision may seem related to the product, that’s only a third of what I focus on with a new brand. As mentioned, the other two are distribution and manufacturing, and they’re more difficult to establish. You need all three to succeed.

For Aquila, we now have one of the best boat factories in the world with the Xiong family, MarineMax as distributors in the US led by Brett McGill, and the amazing work that Yvan [Eymieu] has done in setting up an international dealer network that represents the best in their markets. It has been truly a remarkable result in the few years that Aquila has existed.

The Aquila 70 interior features Natuzzi furniture from Italy

It has taken a village of amazing folk to get to where we are today, building 14ft to 70ft pure power catamarans. And the cool thing is, we’re only getting started.

http://www.aquilaboats.com

http://www.simpsonmarine.com

LEX RAAS, PRESIDENT, AQUILA

Raas is co-founder and President of Aquila Power Catamarans, a collaboration between MarineMax and Sino Eagle (Aquila is Latin for eagle). Born in South Africa, he owned a sailboat manufacturing facility before becoming a local dealer for Beneteau. From 1986-1994, Raas worked for Beneteau, firstly as Technical Commercial Manager in France, then in the US heading Customer Service and Engineering before becoming CEO of Beneteau USA, and again in France as Director of Design. In 1994, Raas began 16 years with The Moorings charter company in the US, instigating the production of Leopard catamarans at Robertson & Caine in South Africa. Initially Director of Logistics, he was promoted to VP of Operations in 1997 and CEO in 2001 and oversaw the company’s merger with Sunsail. In January 2012, Raas joined MarineMax as President of Charter and Special Initiatives.

Aquila’s Lex Raas: Driving the Cat Pack (Part 1)
Lex Raas of US-based MarineMax has spent the past decade driving the global popularity of powercats with Aquila. It’s the South African’s latest industry-shaking move, having also helped create Leopard Catamarans and led the rapid growth of charter multihulls with The Moorings during a 50-year career in building boats.

Aquila’s Lex Raas: Driving the Cat Pack (Part 1)

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

Aquila’s Lex Raas: Driving the Cat Pack (Part 1)

August 16, 2021
10:34 pm

Lex Raas of US-based MarineMax has spent the past decade driving the global popularity of powercats with Aquila. It’s the South African’s latest industry-shaking move, having also helped create Leopard Catamarans and led the rapid growth of charter multihulls with The Moorings during a 50-year career in building boats.

Raas at his home in Maui, where he regularly paddles and races in the Pacific Ocean on his multihull outrigger canoe

How did your boating journey around the world begin?

I grew up in South Africa, moved to France, then moved to the US, France and US again, and spend much of the year in Hawaii. We’ve dragged our kids through three continents, which has been fun and good for everybody, I believe.

I’ve been in the boating game all my life, really. My dad was very much into sailing and racing, so I grew up sailing and skiff rowing in South Africa. I dropped out of school and started building boats, building my first trimaran when I was 15. I’m now 65, so I’ve spent the last 50 years in the industry!

I went to college for a while and sort of finished up school, but didn’t enjoy it, so went back to building boats. My wife and I had a factory with about 80 staff. We were building small production sailboats, based on Quarter Ton Cup and Half Ton Cup, and I was also racing. In the early 1980s, we became the South Africa importer for Beneteau and that went so well that we shut down our own factory.

The 44 is among Aquila’s Yacht flybridge range featuring inboard engines; Aquila 44 photos by Nicolas Claris

In 1984, sanctions were taking effect, there was a recession and by 1985 the exchange rates divided by three, so it was ‘game over’ for importing boats. One of my kids had finished high school, one was close and the other two were young, so it was time to think what we should do as a family. I saw the challenges in the future in South Africa for my kids.

I reached out to Beneteau and they said I’d have a job with them as soon as I got to France. I didn’t even have it in writing, but we took the kids over to France.

Tell us about your time at Beneteau, which involved more big moves.

At that time, Beneteau was setting up its operation in the US (in Marion, South Carolina). I was about nine months into my job in France when they asked if I wanted to move to the States and I said, let’s go. A lot of my job was almost Americanising the brand, so I was able to learn a lot about the American market. There were significant differences, although there are less today.

The 44 Yacht has been Aquila’s best-selling model

I was CEO of Beneteau USA for a short while, then they asked me to take charge of the entire development office in France, so I went back and spent the last year-and-a-half of my eight years with Beneteau in this role. In those days, Beneteau was the trend-setter by a long shot, so it was a cool role.

What led to the move to The Moorings?

I was selling Beneteau boats to The Moorings, so got to know them well. Because my kids were in high school and university, we wanted to go back to the US and The Moorings offered me a job in 1994. It was a more junior position, Logistics Director, which I’ve done a couple of times when moving companies – take a step down but look up at where we can go. I eventually became CEO and later oversaw the merger with Sunsail. I was with them until 2010, just after the global economic meltdown.

What led to the production of Leopard catamarans at Robertson & Caine in South Africa?

When I joined The Moorings, I oversaw purchasing the boats, specs and customer service. The Moorings had six or seven French-built catamarans. I had always been a bit of a multihull guy and thought catamarans was the way to go.

As shown on the Aquila 44, the high platform steps double as seats

At that point, there was only a handful of catamarans in the Caribbean and I surveyed people who used them. Fundamentally, they loved catamarans, but they didn’t like certain aspects like the galley being below deck, the traveller in the cockpit and engines too small for when they wanted to motor upwind.

I realised catamarans were the future of charter, made a presentation to build some new designs and got the go-ahead from the Executive Committee. Then they asked who was going to build them. I needed to find a builder, but nobody was interested. I approached the big catamaran builders in France, but they wouldn’t make the changes I wanted, which included a big platform at the back, traveller on the top and a lot of other things that are normal on catamarans today.

Aquila’s signature features include the cockpit bar connected to the aft galley

In the end, I called up my buddy John Robertson in South Africa, where we had built some racing boats together and asked him if he was interested in building some cats. We talked and that’s how it started. The Moorings placed an order for 18 Leopards.

We launched the Moorings 4500 (Leopard 45) in 1997 and it won Boat of the Year straight out of the block and the huge growth in catamarans in The Moorings began. We went from cats making up a few per cent of our fleet to 60 per cent by the time I left in 2010. Sailing cats had been super niche, but now they’re mainstream.

So, what led to the power catamarans?

That’s a fun story as well. At The Moorings, we started a power charter business called Nautic Blue. We bought some monohull motor yachts because we thought powerboat owners wouldn’t even think of power catamarans – there were no powercats back then. However, we had a lot of issues with reliability, props, shafts, because they just weren’t built for charter.

The forward stairs from the flybridge to the cockpit are another signature Aquila feature

The interesting thing is that the boat would break down and we’d tell the customers they could use a sailing cat, but don’t put up the sails – just drive it. Then guys were coming back, saying, ‘Wow, we’re back next year! This is the best vacation we’ve had.’ And that was all because they’d been on a catamaran. So, then we just converted the sailboat hulls, added to a flybridge, and that’s how Leopard powercats started in 2005.

We changed the name Nautic Blue to Moorings Power. We originally chose Nautic Blue, a different brand, because we thought powerboaters and sailors don’t really mix, but that was rubbish. They do mix because they all just want to have a good time in the Caribbean. By the end of 2010, after 16 years, I left on a one-year non-compete clause and then started working for MarineMax.

A cabin on the Aquila 44 Yacht

How did joining MarineMax lead so quickly to Aquila?

We started MarineMax Vacations and Aquila at pretty much the same time. As MarineMax is a powerboat company, we decided to focus on building powercats because there were already a lot of sailing cats in the Caribbean and Leopard were the only real powercats. I was lucky to have the support of Bill McGill, co-founder and then-CEO and the father of current CEO Brett McGill.

We asked quite a few builders, but each said they didn’t see a future for powercats, so there I was again, looking for a builder. This time, we approached Sino Eagle because they had built some Leopards, so there was a relationship. I called Frank Xiong of Sino Eagle and put him together with Bill McGill and we started Aquila, with MarineMax placing some orders.

The Aquila 36 Sport became one of the best-selling motor yachts in the US of its size

On both occasions (starting Leopard and Aquila), if I hadn’t really believed in what I was doing, it could easily have not happened. However, I’ve been very fortunate in having great support each time. I’ve worked for the world’s biggest sailboat builder, the biggest charter boat business, now I work for the biggest boat retail business and all of them had incredible people to work with.

I could never have done what I’ve done without these people and CEOs like Bill McGill, who supported me even when there was a lot of opposition in the industry and sometimes internally. They’ve all changed their minds now. And I’m still here at MarineMax, heading development at Aquila and keeping the relationship with Sino Eagle on a strong footing.

How did Aquila grow from building powercats for MarineMax Vacations?

I need to emphasise that the charter business is such a small piece of Aquila. We’ve probably only got about 20 or so boats in the MarineMax Vacations fleet, so charter is a tiny piece of our business compared to other catamaran builders.

The hugely popular Aquila 36 is available in multiple versions

The Aquila boats were really developed as private boats and adapted a bit for charter, the opposite to some other brands. What I quickly realised when I joined MarineMax is there is no better company to sell boats. They are amazing, ultra-professional. They have everything covered for a boat owner.

I always say, no stool stands on one leg. To have a successful business model in the boating industry, you need three legs: innovation, distribution and manufacturing. If any of those aren’t working, it’s not a long-term play. We’ve used J&J Design from the beginning and now we’ve expanded to other designers because we’re moving into different segments of the industry.

Aft view of two versions of the Aquila 36 Sport

Which models and features have established Aquila’s reputation?

The 44 Yacht was the first boat of that size with a full-beam master cabin, so that was a real breakthrough. The forward stairs from the flybridge to the foredeck became part of our DNA for the inboard boats and it’s so practical, so you see it on the new 54 Yacht and 70 Luxury.

Innovation is sometimes taking two good ideas and making them into a great idea. Quite often, a lot of the things I did, I wouldn’t say it was completely my idea. Probably someone has already done it, but they didn’t do the other three things that connected to it and brought it all together.

The 32 is currently Aquila’s entry-level Sport model

The aft bar connecting the cockpit and the galley was new when we started but is common now. Because you have so much room on cats, you need to create different places to hang out. Another feature I like is our steps from the swim platform. They’re high but if you turn around, you’ll see they’re big enough to use as seats and face the water. We have almost stadium seating at the back of the boat.

For our bigger boats, we have bulbs at the front of the hulls. Cats have quite narrow bows and carry a lot of weight due to the flybridge and hardtop. For example, the 44 is a relatively short boat with a lot of height. If you’re going into chop, the bulb creates an enormous amount of additional buoyancy, which dampens the motion, so all our inboard yachts have bulbs.

The Aquila 32 Sport was relaunched in 2021 with an extended hull, fixed swim platform plus new seating configuration and hardtop

Our next most popular boat was the 36, a fast outboard with two cabins; it’s like a crossover with motor yachts. It created a completely new position in the market and took a lot of market share against established monohull yacht brands in the US. We can’t build them fast enough.

We recently created the Cruiser version by adding aft sliding doors, so you can enclose the saloon. We now have three versions: the real sporty version with the low windscreen; the full-height windscreen with the back open, which I call ‘semi-sport’; and now the full windscreen with sliding door, like a proper cabin cruiser.

Note: Part 2 of the Lex Raas ‘Leader’ interview from Yacht Style Issue 60 will follow soon

Multihulls Special 2021: Aquila joins ‘big league’
Yacht Style’s annual Multihulls Special highlights how Aquila has joined the big league of catamaran builders with the releases of its fast-selling 54 and flagship 70 models.

GMBA’s Oscar Siches on superyacht rules and regulations

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

GMBA’s Oscar Siches on superyacht rules and regulations

August 16, 2021
10:19 pm

Oscar Siches of Global Marine Business Advisors (GMBA) sheds light on large yacht certifications, the main classification organisations and other yachting bodies.

When we see ‘Lloyd’s’ in any boat or ship documentation, images arise of engineers wearing helmets and contorting themselves in cramped places within ship’s bilges or a yacht’s engine room – and this association is fair. Lloyd’s is the oldest marine classification society, assuring quality in the design, construction and maintenance of a vessel.

To confirm, Lloyd’s Register does not have any connections with Lloyd’s insurance and Lloyds Bank, although it does share some history with Lloyd’s List shipping intelligence. In London almost 300 years ago, Edward Lloyd was the owner of Lloyd’s coffee house on Lombard Street, where ship owners and insurers got together to exchange news about their ships. In 1734, Lloyd circulated a sheet with all the shipping news he had, which would become the Lloyd’s List.

In 1760, he and his customers created the Register of Shipping, where all events of each ship were recorded to evaluate risk and provide information about the condition of the vessel. Through various changes of protocol and of the organisation itself, it became the Lloyd’s Register of Shipping (LR) in 1914. Ships were qualified by quality of hull (with a letter) and quality of mast, rigging and other equipment (with a number).

As an example, a ship or boat qualified as Lloyd’s

✠ 100 A1 LMC today means:

✠ New ship built under special survey in compliance with LR rules

100 Suitable for sea-going service

A Hull built or accepted into class by LR rules and maintained in good and efficient condition

1 Good and efficient condition of anchoring and mooring equipment as per LR rules

LMC Propelling and auxiliary machinery constructed, installed and tested under LR rules

CLASSIFICATION SOCIETIES

Most other classification societies started in the 19th century, copied the concept, and the protocols are similar. Lloyd’s is the toughest, which often means it can be more expensive to fulfil their requirements, and some users prefer their yachts to be qualified by other societies that are ‘softer’ in their conditioning, while always respecting safety and quality.

Examples of this can be the time between full inspections or the wear allowed for the links in an anchor chain. But Lloyd’s is still Lloyd’s, recognised everywhere and the one calling the shots. IACS (International Association of Classification Societies) is constantly trying to harmonise the classification terms.

The 12 current members are American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Bureau Veritas (France), China Classification Society (CCS), ClassNK (Japan), Croatian Register of Shipping (CRS), DNV (Norway), Indian Register of Shipping, Korean Register, Lloyd’s Register (UK), PRS (Poland),

RINA (Italy) and Russian Maritime Register of Shipping.

Most classification societies created a special yacht department to deal with the recreational marine sector, where UK-based Lloyd’s and US-based ABS together share more than 60 per cent of the international large yacht fleet.

Lloyd’s Register class has been issued to boats (ships) larger than 24m or 100GT since the 1970s. GT is a cargo (space) volume calculation and should not be mistaken for displacement, which is the weight (mass) of the boat. For example, a rectangular barge with a length of 50m, a 10m beam and a height of 4m would have a volume of 2,000 cubic metres.

Allowing for 100 cubic metres of machinery and crew space, its remaining volume would measure 1,900GT, the space dedicated to ‘cargo’. The exact formula is a little more complicated, but this should explain the basic concept.

SUPERYACHTS AND MEGAYACHTS

Over a decade ago, the aim of an ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations) meeting in Fort Lauderdale was to establish an international agreement on what was a ‘superyacht’ and what was a ‘megayacht’.

A load-line length of 24m was the agreed size to establish the start of the superyacht category. It was easy as some countries already used that measurement to define skipper licensing or areas

of navigation.

Building a yacht above 24m affects various issues including using certified welders for constructing the hull, stability requirements, shaft material and diameter, fuel tanks, feeding pipes and vents. There is little room to ‘cut corners’ on technical design quality and building standards, which affects design and construction costs. The actual classification process is a small cost when embedded from the outset of the project.

However, defining a megayacht was a bit more difficult, with 60m (200ft) viewed as a reasonable starting point. However, in the USA, it’s still common to call a yacht of over 60m a superyacht, while across whole of Europe, 24m is viewed as the starting point for such yachts.

To complicate things further, The Superyacht Report, as the leading source for large-yacht news, published their large yacht fleet data starting from 30m (100ft). Due to the list’s popularity, lots of people associate superyachts as starting from 30m. The inconsistency of the definition remains to this day. No global body has managed to make a standard prevail and be globally accepted.

KEY ORGANISATIONS

Aside from classification societies, I’d like to highlight some other organisations relevant to yachts. MARPOL (‘Maritime Pollution’) is The International Convention for the prevention of Pollution from Ships and is under the IMO (International Maritime Organization), a body formed by 174 countries, 80 NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and 74 GOs (governmental organizations).

MARPOL started in 1973 and entered into force in 1983. It is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes. MARPOL covers possible pollution under six annexes: oil, noxious liquid substances in bulk, packaged harmful substances, sewage from ships, garbage from ships, and air pollution from ships.

A misconception is that MARPOL only applies to big ships or large yachts. This is not the case. MARPOL applies to every ship or craft on the water, whether it’s a small rowing boat or a supertanker. Pollution is pollution.

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is an international maritime treaty which sets minimum safety standards in the construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships. The convention requires signatory flag states to ensure that ships flagged by them comply with these standards.

The first version of SOLAS Treaty was passed in 1914 in response to the sinking of the Titanic passenger liner. Yachts must comply with SOLAS chapter V independent of size or tonnage.

SOLAS Chapter V: Safety of Navigation:

This chapter requires governments to ensure that all vessels are sufficiently and efficiently manned from a safety point of view. It places requirements on all vessels regarding voyage and passage planning, expecting a careful assessment of any proposed voyages by all who put to sea. Every mariner must take account of all potential dangers to navigation, weather forecasts, tidal predictions, the competence of the crew and all other relevant factors. It also adds an obligation for all vessels’ masters to offer assistance to those in distress and controls the use of lifesaving signals with specific requirements regarding danger and distress messages. It is different from the other chapters, which apply to certain classes of commercial shipping, in that these requirements apply to all vessels and their crews, including yachts and private craft, on all voyages and trips including local ones.

All other SOLAS regulations apply to commercial yachts over 12 passengers and yachts over 500GT (+/-50m/180ft). The 500GT SOLAS compliance is like a classification but concentrates on safety issues of human life at sea. A yacht over 500GT can’t use wood over a certain thickness within the guest or crew accommodation.

Fire prevention and fighting systems are specified, and GMDSS (Global Maritime Distress and Safety System) must be implemented, with increased provisions and regulations for radio systems, electronic emergency call devices, liferafts, life jackets, other safety floating devices and so on. SOLAS-approved equipment can be easily identified with a small rudder wheel mark.

International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) is part of SOLAS and compulsory for any yacht over 500GT and its flag. ISPS is a safety protocol both for the yacht and for the harbour, which should adjust the security levels accordingly. A yacht with a lower security level should increase it (eg. by posting more crew on watch).

A harbour with a lower security level should act accordingly (eg. by creating a fenced perimeter around the quay where the yacht is tied up). Each ISPS harbour and yacht must have a security officer within their crew or personnel who is responsible for the adequate set-up of the security measures.

The International Safety Management (ISM) Code was triggered by the sinking of the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry in 1987. The accident was the result of a sum of onboard actions that were neglected or incorrectly executed.

ISM takes care of procedures for conducting both internal and external audits to ensure the ship is doing what is documented in the procedure’s manual. That includes but is not limited to crew training, periods of watches, maintenance, certification of safety equipment or regular management reviews.

Finally, if you’d like a compact summary of such regulations, download Manta Maritime’s ‘The rules and regulations applicable to yachts over 24m in length + engaged on international voyages’: www.mantamaritime.com/downloads/compliance_chart.pdf

OSCAR SICHES, CMP

With a background in navy school, offshore racing and cruising, Siches has broad experience in the boating industry, having skippered sail and power yachts in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean for private and charter clients. Born in Argentina and based in Spain, he was a partner and manager of two marinas in Palma de Mallorca. He’s now a consultant for the design and operation of marina projects and a designer of customised marina elements, and has been a speaker at more than 30 marina conferences in 12 countries.

A Certified Marina Manager and Certified Marina Professional, he is also a member of ICOMIA’s Marinas Committee and the PIANC Recreational Navigation Commission, Convenor of ISO/TC 228 Working Group 8 – Yacht Harbours and a founding member of the Asia Pacific Superyacht Association (APSA) and the Global Marina Institute, where he was Director for six years. He’s also one of the founding members of the Global Marine Business Advisors (GMBA), a network of 18 industry senior experts located in 17 countries across five continents available individually or in teams to help expand marine-related businesses.
www.gmba.blue
oscar.siches@gmba.blue

GMBA celebrates first anniversary
Global Marine Business Advisors marks its one-year anniversary with an expanded network of members in 17 countries in five continents.

Profile: Hong Seh Marine shining in Singapore

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

Profile: Hong Seh Marine shining in Singapore

August 4, 2021
3:05 pm

Singapore’s Hong Seh Marine represents Ferretti Yachts, Riva, Pershing and Custom Line, plus Boston Whaler, with new yacht sales balanced by thriving brokerage and yacht management divisions.

Hong Seh Marine’s Edward Tan and Della Rugdee on a Ferretti Yachts 780

When Edward Tan and his Hong Seh Marine team settled down for a photo shoot on a Ferretti Yachts 780 in ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, it was a fitting setting. That’s because two units of the newly styled 780 – both sold by Hong Seh Marine last year – are scheduled to arrive in Singapore in August and September, one for an owner upgrading to his third Ferretti Yachts model.

“It’s just a perfect boat for Singapore,” says Tan, who founded Hong Seh Marine in 2008 as a division of the Hong Seh Group, his family’s business that dates back over eight decades in Singapore. “The number of Ferrettis have definitely increased in Singapore in recent years. It’s really become a player in the market – and the size of the yachts have been increasing.”

Hong Seh Marine at the Singapore Yacht Show

Quickly entrenched as one of Singapore’s leading yacht dealers, Hong Seh Marine recently expanded its office at ONE°15 Marina, where the company and Ferretti Group exhibited an impressive display of models during the annual Singapore Yacht Show in the years prior to Covid.

Even before Hong Seh Marine was founded, the Hong Seh Group had a partnership with Riva from the 1990s. But the Tan family’s boating business origins started long before that, in 1936, when Tan’s great-grandfather and grandfather started a ship chandlery on Beach Road.

That company evolved to trade in chemicals, paints and plastics, with Tan’s father Alfred – currently Managing Director of Hong Seh Group – joining in 1966.

Hong Seh Marine’s Riva sales in recent years include a 110’ Dolcevita (above) and a 100’ Corsaro

The luxury lifestyle focus soon emerged after Alfred Tan created Hong Seh Motors in 1982. Initially focused on car rentals and leasing, he soon acquired the Ferrari dealership and added Maserati in 1999, although Hong Seh Motors is now focused on electric vehicles, importing Tesla into Singapore.

Edward joined the family business in 1997, having graduated from the University of Denver. He recalls being sent to learn the trade at the Ferrari dealership in Mill Valley outside San Francisco.

“I went to understand what it’s like to work at a dealership, to get a different perspective away from the family business, and bring that type of operation back to Singapore,” Tan recalls.

In the meantime, Hong Seh had begun a partnership with Riva and famously sold a 70ft Corsaro 20 to the King of Malaysia in the late 1990s. Tan remembers the sale, having joined His Majesty on a trip soon after the boat was delivered.

The balcony of Hong Seh Marine’s office at ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove

“It was a fantastic yacht,” Tan says. “I went on the Riva with His Majesty when he was delivering supplies to villagers up a long river. We were fortunate enough to join his entourage on this yacht, deliver the supplies and then head back to Kuala Lumpur.”

MOVING INTO MARINE

After a decade working in the automobile industry, Tan saw an opportunity to add another arm to the family business and founded Hong Seh Marine in 2008 when it became the official dealer for Riva, which had been part of the fast-expanding Ferretti Group since 2000.

“My father always had a passion for cars – performance cars and specialty cars, and I had always thought about what else I could bring into the business,” Tan says. “We’d been used to seeing the luxury lifestyle and large sums of money transacted while selling Ferrari and Maserati. We saw people enjoying the better things in life and being able to afford it.

Hong Seh Marine sold two units of the newly styled Ferretti Yachts 780 last year

“So, after a few years working in the automotive industry, I realised yachting might be interesting to look into because the clientele is similar and we’re always looking for ways for people to enjoy life.”

For Tan, it was a natural move as he’d always been comfortable in water – “I could swim better than I could run” – and had grown up enjoying the sea and watersports.

“Since I was a kid, I’d always liked being in the water, whether swimming, diving, yachting. That led to me wanting to bring that type of lifestyle to our existing customers and a new group of people that could enjoy it.”

Due to his family’s business ties, Tan says Hong Seh Marine has benefited from “a regular bank of clients”, but says he had to learn the yachting industry from scratch to understand what boat owners require and what it takes to retain them as clients.

Edward Tan founded Hong Seh Marine in 2008

“Our thought has always been to provide our customers with the best possible service at any time. No matter where or when, if you need us, we’ll be there,” he says.

“When we started the marine business, I had to learn how to pilot the boat, maintain a boat, get crew, washing, anti-fouling, ship chandling and so on. At that time, we were cleaning our own boats; now, we provide captain and crew. We started from zero, so I know what first-time boaters go through.

“We want people to enjoy yachting, so we see things from the perspective of an end user, which we also are. We want owners to enjoy yachting as an experience. We provide the full infrastructure, so they don’t have to lift a finger.”

EXPANDING RANGE

Hong Seh Marine made a major move by adding the Ferretti Yachts and Pershing brands to its portfolio in 2013, as Ferretti Group was expanding its presence in the region by opening an Asia Pacific headquarters in Hong Kong.

Pershing sales have included a 74 and the 9X (above), the 92ft X line flagship

“We had been selling Riva for four or five years and felt we wanted to do a little bit more. With Riva, your clients are limited, so we asked Ferretti Group if they’d consider letting us handle other brands,” Tan says.

“Each one has its own characteristic. Riva is the Rolls-Royce of production yachts. Pershing is the ultimate sports car of the seas – high speed, luxurious, a little bit zen. Ferretti Yachts is perfect for bringing friends and family on board to spend quality time. And almost all Ferretti Group boats are Class A certified so we’re not worried when clients travel offshore.”

Hong Seh Marine then underlined its new ambition by opening an office at ONE°15 Marina in 2014. Sales included the Riva 88’ Domino in 2016, while the following year’s sales included Riva’s then flagship 110’ Dolcevita as well as Ferretti Yachts 850, 700, 550 and 450 models.

Hong Seh Marine has expanded its team in recent years

With several of the new owners wanting full-time captains and crew, Hong Seh Marine created a yacht management division in 2017. Crew receive STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) training, and superyacht crew are certified at the Galileo Maritime Academy in Phuket.

GROUP BENEFITS

The yacht-management department has continued to grow over the years as sales rise, with Tan now defining models between 65-100ft as the stable core of the new-yacht sales division. At the same time, brokerage became increasingly significant as owners frequently looked to upgrade, typically within the Ferretti Group portfolio, explains Della Rugdee, Senior Yacht Broker.

“Owners who buy a Ferretti, for example, will typically upgrade within the brand or even within the Group, such as to a Riva or a Custom Line. This is the power of the Group and what they can provide to our clients,” says Rugdee, who joined Hong Seh Marine in 2016.

Senior Yacht Broker Della Rugdee joined Hong Seh Marine in 2016

“It helps a lot having a Ferretti Group office in Asia because we get real-time responses, so we’re not waiting seven-eight hours for Europe. Many have been with Ferretti Group for many years and based in Asia for a long time. Several speak Mandarin, which helps with a lot of our local clients. Overall, our clients feel they’re being well taken care of not just by the dealer but by the shipyard itself, which is why we have so many repeat clients.”

Tan says the Ferretti Group’s international presence is also key for clients, who may have business interests or residences around the globe.

“Our clients are often Singaporean, residing here or with links to Singapore, although some may be in Malaysia, around Asia or in Europe,” he says.

Custom Line sales have included a Navetta 28, a model succeeded by the new Navetta 30 (pictured)

“They might want to keep a boat in Singapore, the south of France, South Africa, Taiwan or Hong Kong, for example, and because we have a relationship, we assist them. And because we’re a representative of the Ferretti Group, we’re able to link our clients with a wide network as the Group has offices all around the globe.”

Hong Seh Marine’s clients also enjoy attending the Ferretti Group’s famously lavish parties including the annual Private Preview in Monaco, where Elton John, Duran Duran, Sting and Lionel Richie have led the entertainment in recent years.

Along with new model launches and premieres around the world, several clients also attended Ferretti Yachts’ spectacular 50^th anniversary in Venice in 2018, featuring an air show by the Italian Air Force.

Hong Seh Marine clients have attended the Ferretti Group Private Preview in Monaco where Lionel Richie performed in 2019

Hong Seh Marine also regularly entertained clients by organising convoy trips to the likes of Indonesia or Malaysia every few months, although that has been curtailed during Covid.

NEW MARKET

The company even expanded its ONE°15 Marina office in 2019, an overall reflection of the steady growth in staff, crew, business divisions and yacht sales. Even during Covid, demand for new yachts has been solid, although sales in Singapore have been limited by stock, with Hong Seh Marine already ordering units for 2022.

However, with residents confined to Singapore, a new generation of boat buyers has emerged, which has bolstered the brokerage market and introduced more clients to the dealer. Before Covid, the revenue split between new and pre-owned sales was 50/50, but now brokerage is dominant, Rugdee says, with the company even selling boats to other parts of Asia and Europe.

Hong Seh Marine has represented Ferretti Yachts since 2013 and last year sold a new 670

“Brokerage is big-volume sales for us. People want to buy a boat and use it right now,” she says. “A lot of new local owners have just got their licence while repeat clients are upgrading with us and some have even expanded their fleet. People buying 30-40-footers are buying from the existing market and the sellers are moving up to 40-50ft.

“We’ve seen younger-generation parents wanting to bring boating and the watersports culture to their kids at a young age and families engage with us because we can take them out on small 20-30ft boats.”

It has been 13 years since Tan founded Hong Seh Marine and Covid has seen his clientele further diversify from solely the owners of the ‘Rolls-Royce of production yachts’, while the recent acquisition of a charter boat, Partybus (see below), is further evidence of a company prepared to evolve.

Hong Seh Marine is Singapore’s leading home-grown yacht dealer

“The Covid period has been good for the yachting industry overall,” he says. “Previously, yachting was seen as more exclusive. Now, you have everybody trying a boat, with people seeing if this lifestyle interests them. I think it has been an eye-opening experience for the people who have never tried it before. They’ve dipped their toes in the water, so in that sense it has been good.”

http://www.hongsehmarine.com.sg

Note: Hong Seh Marine recently acquired its first charter boat, Partybus. For details, see Issue 60’s special feature on charter – the Singapore chapter will soon be published online.

New Ferretti Yachts 780 for Singapore
Two units of the restyled Ferretti Yachts 780 are scheduled to arrive in Singapore through Hong Seh Marine.

Water Revolution Foundation: Driving Superyacht Sustainability

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

Water Revolution Foundation: Driving Superyacht Sustainability

June 29, 2021
7:01 pm

Robert Van Tol, Executive Director of Water Revolution Foundation, speaks to Yacht Style about the organisation’s efforts to neutralise the superyacht industry’s ecological footprint.

Louis van Beurden (Treasurer), Dr Vienna Eleuteri (Vice Chair), Robert Van Tol (Executive Director), Henk De Vries (Chair), Martin Redmayne (Board Member) and Philippe Briand (Board Member)

What led to the creation of the Water Revolution Foundation?

The founders wanted to get like-minded yachting companies together to work on tackling the industry’s environmental impact and reducing the use of valuable natural resources. With its affluent clientele, yachting is in a very strategic position to drive change and be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.

Being innovative, often even custom building, and with a strong passion for the water and exploring the beauty of nature, yachting has all ingredients to become a force for positive change and a steward of our beloved oceans. The realisation and utilisation of this position was missing, so Water Revolution Foundation was founded to provide a collaborative platform to drive sustainability.

How does the organisation collaborate with other yachting bodies also working towards setting standards on environmental and operational issues?

We naturally seek collaboration where it fits. We work closely with SYBAss (Superyacht Builders Association), which has permanent consultancy status to represent the interest of the superyacht industry at IMO (International Maritime Organization).

We are in contact with ICOMIA (International Council of Marine Industry Associations), PYA (Professional Yachting Association), LYBRA (Leading Yacht Brokers Association), Yacht Club de Monaco and other organisations. Wherever we see fit, we look for and welcome collaboration.

How is the Foundation appealing to superyacht builders and owners?

Yachting is a specific niche within the maritime sector. Where commercial shipping mostly looks at the economic ROI, yachting has different drivers for its clients to purchase a yacht and how to approach the reduction of environmental impact. We believe rewarding those who invest in more environmentally friendly technology is more effective and a positive approach that we need as an emotionally driven, niche sector.

It all starts with measuring, which is why we launched our Yacht Assessment Tool, a software tool customised for large yachts that’s able to assess the entire environmental impact of these complex products. It’s based on life-cycle assessment (LCA), so it not only assesses the impact when it operates but includes the build, maintenance and refit stages a yacht goes through in its life cycle.

By comparing and rating yachts on their environmental credentials, we expect the incentives to be worth the investments and that clients will want to go far beyond only fuel savings. It will hopefully lead to a new summum of luxury, sustainable luxury.

Damen Yachting (SeaXplorer 77 La Datcha pictured) is an Anchor Partner

We’re working on expanding the list of benefits for yachts with a better rating. However, we also take care of the existing fleet by providing the tools to scientifically assess and improve the yachts, to be upgraded on the rating index.

With our newly launched Database of Sustainable Solutions, we also aim to collect, verify and promote existing sustainable solutions that everyone should be aware of and should implement, and where new R&D budgets can further build upon. These solutions are expected to provide concrete ways to upgrade the yachts, showing how all our tools are interlinked.

What has been the feedback on the Yacht Assessment Tool?

Assessing provides insights to what the impact factually is and where most of this impact comes from. This provides the basic information on how to improve with the quickest and most significant reduction. It also provides for a re-thinking process of choices, such as in build materials, onboard systems, interior materials and energy load.

The first success lies in the conversations and reconsiderations that are coming from the assessment and the data collection that’s required, which wasn’t a topic two years ago. This will lead to more conscious and better-informed decisions, both for the industry, such as designers and builders, and for clients and their teams.

How was the Foundation’s superyacht designers roundtable earlier this year?

Yacht designers are major influencers of any new project because they’re involved so early on, when a lot is still possible. Recognising this shared responsibility and especially opportunity strengthens the group to make forward-thinking proposals to their clients. Yet they also recognised what support they need to take on this role. Sharing knowledge and solutions is the way forward, so we’re looking for regular editions of this roundtable, which started spontaneously.

Sanlorenzo (62Steel pictured) is another Anchor Partner

How is the Yacht Environmental Transparency Index progressing?

We have been working on YETI since March 2019. It was initiated to better showcase effects of new technology proposed for new projects and to reward the choice of these solutions. This index became our first joint industry project, with 11 leading shipyards, four naval architecture companies and three knowledge institutes collaborating to develop a very sophisticated rating system for large yachts.

Yachts are very complex and we again need to take the life-cycle assessment approach. We are making good progress and will start testing the beta calculator with a peer-review group. It’s crucial for the sector to make and be able to show significant progress. The yachting sector is under public scrutiny all the time, so any effort in sustainability needs to be real, effective and scientifically sound, as well as supported by the industry. We expect to present YETI 1.0 in November.

What else are you working on?

We’re launching our first ocean conservation project. Yachting is intrinsically connected with the oceans and directly depends on their well-being. The oceans should become major stakeholders of the yachting industry and be looked after. It’s the most crucial natural resource, for humanity but also for yachting. The yachting community can take their passion for the seas to a whole new level and become true ocean stewards and an example for sustainable ocean use.

Has the Foundation had to ‘change the goalposts’ for any reasons since it was founded?

The support for our mission and work has only grown since our founding, despite the Covid-19 challenges. We have not adjusted our course; we have only reconfirmed our commitment to it. It’s a collective journey and a steep learning curve for all involved. The success lies in the fact we started within the yachting sector, so we have its best interests at heart, while being ambitious and strict on what needs to happen to become much more sustainable and future proof. We were founded to help the industry become more sustainable and that has been appreciated as well as effective.

We remain a lean organisation and challenge new partners to formulate a project within their field of expertise and where they see the need for improvement. We can dedicate 100 per cent of their contribution to that project if it meets the criteria and is in line with our mission. In the end, we are a collaborative platform, and initiatives for improvements are most effective when they come bottom up.

Does Water Revolution Foundation have any plans to expand its guidance outside the superyacht sector, to builders and owners of smaller yachts?

Plans, yes. Ultimately, we would like to see yachting becoming what Formula One is for the automotive sector – an arena for prototypes, hubs for innovation, pushing for technological solutions and leading the way towards a sustainable maritime sector, in harmony with the oceans it sails on. Size does not define that; ambition and vision does.

http://www.waterrevolutionfoundation.org

WATER REVOLUTION FOUNDATION

Robert Van Tol, Executive Director

Founded in 2018, Water Revolution Foundation is an independent, international, science-driven, non-profit organisation started from within the superyacht industry that’s taking the lead to neutralise the sector’s ecological footprint and preserve the world’s precious oceans. The Board and the Foundation’s partners see an urgent need to accelerate the implementation of sustainable and innovative technology in the superyacht industry to lower its impact and save the world’s oceans. Water Revolution Foundation’s mission is to drive sustainability in the superyacht industry through collaboration and innovation.

Anchor Partners: Abeking & Rasmussen, AkzoNobel, Benetti, La Ciotat Shipyards, Damen Yachting, Feadship, Heesen, De Koninggroep, Lürssen, MB92, Oceanco, Rybovich, Sanlorenzo

Note: The original article appeared in Yacht Style issue 59

YACHT STYLE Issue 59 Out Now
Yacht Style’s annual Multihulls Issue highlights new models from the world’s leading cruising catamaran builders and features reviews of the Aquila 70, Lagoon 55 and Bali 4.8, as well as MCY 76 Skylounge and Ferretti Yachts 500, while Gulf Craft Chairman Mohammed Alshaali, Lee Marine and Water Revolution Foundation are also in the spotlight.

Frankie Chau on NextWave’s ‘Ultimate Lifestyle’ yacht management

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

Frankie Chau on NextWave’s ‘Ultimate Lifestyle’ yacht management

June 14, 2021
4:48 pm

NextWave has expanded its yacht-management services to include Ultimate Lifestyle, a luxury-hotel level of service matching the high standards owners expect in other aspects of their life.

As some companies find when creating a yacht-management department, there’s often an underlying belief from some owners that a captain and boat boy can “do the job”. Indeed, regular cleaning and upkeep such as maintenance and basic mechanical check-ups have long been the standard request to yacht-management companies.

Unfortunately, many yacht owners come to believe this is the norm and the only level of service that can be provided in Hong Kong. However, this can result in a low-level experience when owners are onboard their yacht, one that’s different to their day-to-day lifestyle whether they’re at home, the office or in high-end dining venues.

From our perspective at NextWave, an owner’s lifestyle on their yacht should be no different to life in their opulent residence or when they’re on holiday in a luxury resort. Their lifestyle standards should not drop when they go to sea in their own multi-million-dollar yacht.

Yacht owners’ lifestyles can be maintained from their home or office to their yacht, ensuring they enjoy life aboard to the full. At NextWave, we pride ourselves on being able to provide yacht owners with a continuation of their day-to-day standards by delivering a superior level of care throughout their use of the yacht, offering professional services and experiences while they’re onboard.

For example, when you stay in a six-star luxury hotel, you would be treated to the best hospitality by professionals. You would dine in a Michelin-star restaurant, be presented with luxurious tableware and silver cutlery, experience fresh food made by the best chefs and enjoy service by professionally trained service staff.

Fine wine would be recommended and decanted into refined crystal glasses by an in-house sommelier. Satisfying desserts provided by the patisserie and quality coffee by an experience barista would follow your meal. Meanwhile, your room would have been carefully prepared by meticulous housekeepers. So, why would you settle for an inferior quality of services when aboard your yacht?

After realising there’s no need to settle for less, many owners request the same standards or an even higher level of luxury on their yacht, and you can too. All such services and more are now available via the professionals within the NextWave Ultimate Lifestyle service offered by our yacht management team.

This realisation is completely changing the mindset of current yacht owners in Hong Kong. NextWave is going above and beyond to help yacht owners see that their life onboard has no limits. The luxuries available in life are also available at sea for the owners, their family, their friends and their special guests, ensuring unforgettable experiences on every trip.

With the trend of yacht owners moving up to larger superyachts, we have already been inundated with a growing demand for the higher standards offered by our Ultimate Lifestyle option. In addition to our crew training in maintenance, service and seamanship, our yacht-management managers and crew attend professional courses on hospitality, bartending and wine-pairing.

With experience of yachting around the world, we deem such services to be normal and crucial to yacht ownership. We understand some yacht owners may be new to this and a little reluctant to commit at first, so we’re offering a free trial day for selected customers and superyacht owners.

Once experiencing the difference you can enjoy onboard, we have no doubt this will become the norm for you and your guests, being the envy of all your friends. Walk onboard to expertly chosen scents and fresh bouquets of flowers straight from the florists. Be greeted by your personal service staff trained in fine dining, serving your favourite dishes. Enjoy a cocktail by your private bartender, while you relax and admire the beauty of your pristine yacht with attention to detail provided throughout.

Our professional Ultimate Lifestyle team is ready to cater to your preferred preferences. Whether you use your boat every day or just want to create a special day or stayover weekend, we have packages available.

FRANKIE CHAU

Chau is a co-founder and Managing Director of NextWave Yachting, a dealership formed in 2012 by a group of friends in Hong Kong who turned their love of life on the water into a business. As well as being a dealer for the likes of Sunseeker, Sealine, Fjord, Chris-Craft, Vanquish and Heyday, NextWave has strong brokerage and yacht-management divisions, which both had their best year in 2020. The company also has a charter division and represents water-toy brands like JetSurf, Lift Foils, Seabob, Aquaglide, Yachtbeach, Belassi, JetXTender, Oxoon and Scubajet.
www.nextwaveyachting.com / frankie.chau@nextwaveyachting.com

NextWave flying Sunseeker flag in Hong Kong
NextWave was already one of Hong Kong’s largest yachting companies, but its recent appointment as the city’s Sunseeker dealer has raised the profile of a dealer now developing a ‘Seek More’ showroom in Repulse Bay and bringing a special Manhattan 68 to the city.

Mohammed Alshaali on Gulf Craft’s big ambitions

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

Mohammed Alshaali on Gulf Craft’s big ambitions

June 2, 2021
8:07 pm

As co-founder and Chairman of Gulf Craft, Alshaali has steadily developed the UAE shipyard into a global brand, yet by 2025 he wants it to be among the world’s top five superyacht builders, he reveals in an exclusive interview with Yacht Style.

Mohammed Alshaali co-founded Gulf Craft in 1982

With Gulf Craft turning 40 in 2022, how do you feel the company is positioned today?

In the past 40 years, we have carried the UAE flag all over the world, proudly displaying and selling our vessels as ‘Made in the UAE’. We have reached a stage where we see every marina in the world displaying a Gulf Craft boat.

We have started planning our 40th-anniversary celebrations and are looking forward to an exciting year. Our sights are set on further expansion of our product range and international presence, with an aim to be one of the top five superyacht builders by 2025.

How has the company evolved from humble beginnings to appearing regularly in the top 10 and top 20 of the Global Order Book for superyachts in recent years?

When we launched Gulf Craft in 1982, there was no marine infrastructure or skilled labour force available in the UAE. We were not able to turn to local suppliers for support.

Majesty Yachts is Gulf Craft’s flagship brand

Our shipyard is vertically integrated, which means that we manufacture almost all components of our products in-house, except for major machinery. This was borne out of necessity but became one of our greatest assets as it has allowed us to control each level of our manufacturing process and assure an optimum level of quality.

How has Covid-19 affected your business and operations?

The Covid-19 pandemic has presented many challenges as well as opportunities for us. At one point, the global supply chain had ceased completely, making it very difficult to receive materials from overseas.

Reduced manpower due to social distancing continues to be a challenge, but our operations team worked tirelessly to keep the shipyard up and running throughout the year and successfully delivered two superyachts at the height of the pandemic.

The new Majesty 175 is Gulf Craft’s biggest-ever yacht

Towards the end of 2020, we started to see demand pick up for boats and yachts of all sizes, with many people choosing boating as an ideal way to escape the confines of a lockdown. What better way to socially distance safely with your family than out on the water!

And despite the challenges of the pandemic, in late 2020 Gulf Craft proudly launched and sea-trialled our flagship Majesty 175, the world’s largest composite yacht in production today.

Which are Gulf Craft’s major regional markets?

While the Gulf remains our home and core market, over the last 10 years we have been focused heavily on our global expansion. Gulf Craft products are now proudly displayed around the world in all major markets, including Australia, Southeast Asia and the Mediterranean.

The Majesty 140 was displayed at the Fort Lauderdale show in 2019

In 2019, we began to push heavily into the United States and were honoured with the award for ‘Best in Show’ for our Majesty 140 during the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

How does Asia fit into Gulf Craft’s target markets?

Gulf Craft sees Hong Kong and Southeast Asia as key markets in our global expansion strategy. We recognise a lot of growth opportunities in the region and the appointments of Farfalla Marine in Hong Kong and several Southeast Asian markets as well as B Yachts in Singapore mark important steps towards that goal.

Alongside your role as Chairman, Gulf Craft has had several changes of CEO since the departure of Erwin Bamps, from Gregory Yeakle to your daughter Abeer as Acting CEO and

now Talal Abdin Nasralla. What are the new CEO’s strengths and what are the biggest changes you hope he can implement?

Talal Abdin Nasralla, who joined the company late last year as Chief Strategy Officer, now has the mandate to implement the company’s new global growth strategy with a focus on strengthening its continued development and capabilities. He had previously been director of private banking at Barclays PLC and worked as director at Credit Suisse AG. He was also director of the Executive Office at Shuaa Capital.

Talal Nasralla, CEO of Gulf Craft

Abeer Alshaali will assume the role of Deputy Managing Director. She will extend guidance to the executive management team and oversee the expansion of the company’s network in the US, Europe and other key markets.

How do you enjoy working with your daughter, now Deputy Managing Director?

While our strategy is to continue to expand operations, move into new markets and broaden our range to fill the needs of all boaters, Gulf Craft is a family business at its core. Many members of our team have been with us for over 25 years and are instrumental in our continued growth and development.

Abeer Alshaali is now Deputy Managing Director

Abeer has been a part of the Gulf Craft family since her childhood. Boating is in her blood and she is fully prepared to fulfil my vision for the company’s future. She will also oversee the expansion of the company’s network in the US, Europe and other key markets.

How does it feel to finally launch the flagship Majesty 175?

We started building the Majesty 175 four years ago. We continued our commitment to build and produce high-quality, world-class yachts and received a great response from buyers from various regions.

Gulf Craft premieres Majesty 175
The UAE builder showed the world’s largest composite production superyacht in public for the first time at Dubai Harbour.

At 780GT, the Majesty 175 is the world’s largest composite production yacht and redefines the industry’s expectations on what can be achieved using advanced composite materials. This yacht cements Gulf Craft’s position as an industry leader in innovation and technology. We look forward to delivering the Majesty 175 to her owner, a prominent Emirati businessman, later this year.

What led Gulf Craft to focus on all-electrical systems – apart from the engines and generators – on the first Majesty 120, which was recently delivered to its owner?

At Gulf Craft we focus heavily on product development and innovation. We are committed to the environment and focusing on the future and sustainability, so we continue to introduce new technologies such as solar energy and electric propulsion.

The first Majesty 120 passes the new Ain Dubai observation wheel

Moreover, we have introduced advanced materials in our production including adding materials such as Kevlar and carbon-fibre to our building process.

Aside from your flagship brand Majesty, which of Gulf Craft’s ranges do you think has the most potential to grow in Asia?

With five brands in the portfolio building products ranging from 31-175ft, Gulf Craft manufactures yachts and boats that appeal to a wide audience such as Touring passenger vessels, Silvercraft family day boats, Oryx Sport Cruisers, Nomad explorer yachts and the flagship Majesty Yachts.

The Nomad 95 is the flagship of the Nomad range

With the diversity in Asia, there is a market for each of our products in certain regions, but I particularly see growth opportunities for the Nomad range, since they offer comfortable long-range cruising, which is ideal for exploring the region.

How do you believe the UAE has handled Covid and do you think the country is able to bounce back in the industry with the Dubai International Boat Show and Expo 2021, whenever these events can be held?

All sectors around the world have been affected by the pandemic. However, the United Arab Emirates is considered one of the top countries in terms of addressing the crisis. Considering these unprecedented circumstances, acting quickly helped support the local economy. The UAE has set an example in how to manage a crisis of global proportions.

Gulf Craft’s Oryx 379

Amid the pandemic, our main goal has been the safety of our personnel and preparing the company for future growth and development. While we always have new projects underway, much of our energy is focused on showcasing the Majesty 175. This yacht cements Gulf Craft’s position as an industry leader in innovation and technology.

Expo 2021 (currently scheduled for October 1, 2021-March 31, 2022) is a great opportunity for us to showcase Dubai, while bringing together the international community to promote innovations in sustainability and mobility. Highlighting the UAE industry and ‘Made in UAE’ products during the event will solidify the country as a frontrunner in technology and commerce.

MOHAMMED ALSHAALI

Alshaali is Chairman of Gulf Craft, which he co-founded in 1982 and developed into the Middle East’s most prolific yacht and superyacht builder. He has held many international roles including UAE’s ambassador to the USA, ambassador to the Security Council, representative at the UN European Office in Geneva, and finally Minister of State for Foreign Affairs before retiring in 2008 and dedicating himself to Gulf Craft. Its dealers in Asia include Farfalla Marine (Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos), B Yachts (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia) and Go Boating Thailand (for Silvercraft and Utility Series).
www.gulfcraftinc.com
www.farfallamarinegroup.com

Note: The original article appeared in Yacht Style Issue 59 (May-Jun 2021)

Farfalla Marine appoints new GM in HK
The Gulf Craft dealer across multiple markets in Asia has appointed Jason Hawkes as its General Manager in Hong Kong.

The rise of new-build yachts in Asia

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

The rise of new-build yachts in Asia

May 29, 2021
1:18 am

Associated with some of Asia’s most iconic new-build, Julian Chang offers his views on the increasing demand for yachts built in this region and what to look out for.

Kingship Voyager 144, Pearl

Having had the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the ocean on our family yacht in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand since my youth, and having had the experience of building three megayachts in China that received awards in Europe, USA and Asia, I’d like to share my views about new builds in Asia.

One of the major contributions in the increase in new builds in Asia is because of the lower prices yacht owners can enjoy. Just comparing across-the-board prices of Asian yards and the well-established international yacht builders, the prices could be 20-40 per cent lower depending on the size of the yacht, the quality, the build time, and the shipyard’s dedication and expertise.

Another contributing factor is the increasing number of Asians interested in yachts. As the usage of the yachts can be different locally, there’s more acceptance of designs catering to Asian tastes.

Puccini Yachts PY78

Kingship Marine is among the top yacht builders in Asia. As an example, look at the specifications of its Voyager 144, the exterior and interior, and the space it offers. Horizon Yachts is also at the forefront of yacht building in Asia and well recognised outside of this region, with buyers in North America, Europe and Australasia.

Puccini Yachts is a smaller, upcoming shipyard, set to make a name for itself as it concentrates on yachts below 78ft. It gives a minimum two-year guarantee with prices in the region of 50 per cent lower than the top international yacht brands. Puccini uses Italian designers, so the lines are like most European yachts. Volvo Penta engines and other foreign equipment are standard.

Pride Mega Yachts has won awards in Europe and is a leader in building large, custom superyachts in Asia. Its most unique yacht is the 88.15m Asean Lady, which won an award for innovation in Monaco in 2005. Its latest award was for the 88.5m Illusion Plus, which was on display at the 2018 Monaco Yacht Show.

Asean Lady

All said and done, it does not mean one can just flip a coin to pick an Asian yacht builder. First-time owners wanting to build in Asia should follow a few easy steps to pick the right shipyard. Cost is a key motivation but look at other aspects besides the lowest price.

• Check the shipyard’s financial strength. This could be easily done by consulting your personal banker. The verification will be in relation to the amount you are spending on your yacht.

• Choose a shipyard that has built at least three yachts for foreign clients. This should give the shipyard the experience of understanding the needs of a foreign client.

• Hire a local owner’s representative while building your yacht to ensure your thoughts and standards are communicated accurately. Someone who knows the language and understands the local culture is of utmost importance.

• Lastly, my main suggestion for buyers wanting to build in Asia – especially if choosing a relatively new yard – is allow more time for construction compared to the more established international builders.

JULIAN CHANG

Chang has spent much of his career in the family business, constructing offshore vessels including oil rigs for the likes of Shell, BP, ExxonMobil and Petronas. In his 35 years in the offshore energy, leisure and yachting industries, he has amassed a total of 620 projects including the construction of high-rise office buildings and high-rise residences. In 1998, Chang began his involvement in building megayachts and is a founding member of the Superyacht Singapore Association, a Board Director of The International Seakeepers Society and President of The International Seakeepers Society Asia. Managing Director of Raffles Yacht since 2013, he also spent five years as a Director, Southeast Asia for Fraser. Since 2019, he has been a Senior Advisor, Asia for Burgess. His hobbies include diving, fishing, chess, motorbiking, bird-watching and karaoke.
www.rafflesyacht.com.sg / julianchang@rafflesyacht.com.sg

Note: The original article appeared as a Column in Yacht Style Issue 59.

YACHT STYLE Issue 59 Out Now
Yacht Style’s annual Multihulls Issue highlights new models from the world’s leading cruising catamaran builders and features reviews of the Aquila 70, Lagoon 55 and Bali 4.8, as well as MCY 76 Skylounge and Ferretti Yachts 500, while Gulf Craft Chairman Mohammed Alshaali, Lee Marine and Water Revolution Foundation are also in the spotlight.

Lee Marine: Smooth Operators

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

Lee Marine: Smooth Operators

May 20, 2021
2:49 pm

Thailand’s Lee Marine is Riviera’s longest-serving international dealer and offers larger steel yachts by Cantiere delle Marche and superyachts through Northrop & Johnson Asia, although confidentiality prevents the dealer from announcing several exciting projects.

Joshua Lee founded Lee Marine in Thailand in 1997

As Riviera stages the world premiere of its 645 SUV at the 32nd Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, the Australian builder’s longest-serving international dealer won’t be present. Lee Marine was founded in Phuket in 1997 and has been representing Riviera in Thailand since 1998, but travel restrictions mean founder Joshua Lee and colleagues can’t be at Sanctuary Cove this year.

However, that doesn’t mean Lee and his team aren’t keeping busy. As well as Riviera, which produces five ranges of fibreglass motor yachts from 39-72ft, Lee Marine also works closely with Cantiere delle Marche (CdM) as a ‘preferred partner’ of the Italian builder of steel motor yachts from 80-150ft. The Phuket-based dealer is also a broker for a huge range of yachts, new and pre-owned.

Furthermore, since 2018, the company has also owned the licence for Northrop & Johnson in Asia, making it a regional representative of one of the world’s leading brokerage houses.

The Lee Marine office in Ao Po Grand Marina in northeast Phuket

Representing a global firm like N&J forced Lee Marine to advance its digital capabilities, while Covid deepened that knowledge. Lee is now very used to communicating and selling remotely with clients to offset the absence of local boat shows and the inability to travel to others, including in his native Australia.

“Now, we’re mostly marketing and selling yachts digitally, selling yachts ‘sight unseen’. We’ve sold two 40m superyachts this way. It’s amazing, really,” Lee says from his company headquarters in Ao Po Grand Marina, where staff include General Manager Martin Holmes, Lee’s first employee in 1997.

“Since Covid, boating has become the hot new thing in Asia and we’re sitting right in the middle of arguably the best playground in the region.”

Lee is Managing Director of Lee Marine and Northrop & Johnson Asia

The Australian has seen a lot of changes in the industry since he was a charter skipper in the Whitsunday Islands before eventually settling in Thailand by way of Hong Kong, where he worked as a securities trader.

However, the combination of developing the Northrop & Johnson business in the region and adapting to selling yachts in the ‘new normal’ has both challenged and energised Lee Marine’s Managing Director in recent years.

“The yachting industry continues to grow digitally, even more rapidly recently due to the pandemic. Brokers release more information online with yacht specifications, details and images that may have previously been confidential. However, more readily accessible facts ultimately benefit the end user, the client,” Lee says.

General Manager Martin Holmes has been with Lee Marine since 1997

“Although Asia has antiquated rules for yacht classifications and various procedures, the modern brokerage is digitally savvy, with the capability of selling products remotely. Lee Marine is now very data-driven and properly prepared, which has been proven by our sales and achievements.”

Despite sales of over 700 yachts and over two decades of successful business, Lee has kept his company focused on Thailand and not expanded across the region, in keeping with the company tagline, ‘We aim to be better, not bigger’.

“Through experience, we recognise big is not necessarily best. We have slowed down to concentrate more on the clients we have, as opposed to seeing how many we can get.”

AUSTRALIAN CONNECTION

Lee Marine is now in its 23rd year as a dealer for Riviera, which was founded in 1980. The builder currently produces 22 models across its Flybridge, Sport Yachts, SUV, Sports Motor Yacht and Belize ranges from its facility in Coomera near Sanctuary Cove, south of Brisbane and north of Gold Coast.

Lee Marine is Riviera’s longest-serving international dealer (6000 Sport Yacht shown)

Lee Marine has been a perpetual partner of the Queensland yard since 1998, when it sold a Riviera 38 soon after being appointed as the dealer for Thailand.

“Being so pleased with the brand and the service, the owner of the 38 went on to buy a further two Rivieras, upgrading each time,” Lee says. “Our relationship with Riviera is based on respect, trust and conscientious customer care. Clients faithful to this proven brand are happy owners and offer feedback that Riviera heeds.”

Lee says his clients generally prefer Riviera’s larger models, from 45ft upwards, and believes that the brand’s boats are well suited for Thailand’s climate.

Riviera’s Sanctuary Cove show display includes the 72 Sports Motor Yacht

“Riviera boats are well-built, reliable, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. They’re also keenly fit for this tropical weather,” he says. “Riviera boats typically ‘over spec’. Everything is bigger such as the engines, gensets, watermakers, fridges, air-con BTU, the AV, galley equipment, sinks, showers, and fuel and water tanks.”

Lee Marine is now collaborating with Riviera on “an exciting, upcoming project”, but as with some other recent builds, the dealer is unable to disclose details at this stage.

ITALIAN EXPERIENCE

Lee Marine was long associated with Ferretti Group, having been a dealer for the Ferretti Yachts, Pershing, Riva and Custom Line brands for over two decades until the partnership ended earlier this year.

Lee Marine is a preferred partner of Cantiere delle Marche, which builds steel yachts from 80-150ft

Lee himself looks back with pride on the role his company played in representing such prestigious brands in Asia. Today, the relationship continues in a looser form, with Lee Marine remaining a broker for Ferretti Group products over 30m along with other superyachts from selected shipyards worldwide.

“We are brand loyal. Our two-decade marriage with Ferretti Group was an incredible voyage of which we are quite proud. Together, we helped build a firm presence for Ferretti Group in Asia,” he says. “Having sold over €100 million (about US$120 million) of Ferretti Group product, our valued clients gained a treasure trove of incredible memories to cherish.”

Lee Marine has since re-established its relationship with Cantiere delle Marche, having formerly spent six years as the builder’s exclusive distributor for Asia-Pacific. Only founded in 2010, CdM builds steel motor yachts from 80-150ft that provide a strong range of models in the heart of the superyacht sector, also allowing a seamless transition for Riviera clients to upgrade.

CdM’s ‘little ships’ include the four-deck Darwin 102, which has a range of 5,000nm

“With CdM, we are delighted to revive our efforts to assist clients wishing to move from moulded fibreglass to custom steel yachts, suitable for those who prefer the ability to have longer-range adventures with more self-sufficiency and comfort,” says Lee.

“Having built, bought, enjoyed and sold many yachts during an owner’s yachting progression, an aficionado emerges. Often, this is the time Lee Marine introduces a ‘little ship’ from Cantiere delle Marche for their consideration. We see CdM as the future for ‘lifetime’ owners because the build quality is northern European standard.”

Lee Marine has already sold three CdM custom yachts and Lee anticipates many more sales following his company’s renewed focus on the brand. Again, as with Riviera, he indicates that Lee Marine is collaborating with CdM on a major new project, but details remain confidential.

Interior of Archipelago, the fifth Darwin 102

Lee believes there an increasing number of yacht owners in Asia and that CdM is an increasingly attractive proposition as more clients and prospects are looking for extended cruising, beyond the region’s traditional preference for day trips and short-term use.

“We’ve seen a growth in local yachting and boat ownership since we started over two decades ago, and it’s growing all the time. At the same time, yachting in Asia has developed far beyond only short trips.”

SUPERYACHT SPECIALISTS

Considering how long Lee, Holmes and several of their colleagues and associates have worked in the industry, it was a natural progression that the company eventually came to specialise in superyachts as well as production yachts.

Lee at the presentation of the 69m Feadship Samaya, delivered in 2017

This was highlighted when Lee Marine represented the owner of the 69m Samaya, with the company introducing the client to Feadship in 2014 and overseeing the 226ft custom build, which was launched in late 2017.

The following year, Lee acquired the licence for Northrop & Johnson Asia, taking on the role of Managing Director, while Holmes also wears a second hat, as N&J’s General Manager in the region. Jim Poulsen was appointed as a Yacht Broker for the brokerage after working for Lee Marine in Phuket for well over a decade.

Lies Sol was appointed as Retail Charter Broker and Charter Manager in 2019, having worked for N&J in Thailand under for five years before spending a year with another international brokerage.

Northrop & Johnson Asia’s recent sales include Rhine, a Sunseeker 131

Late last year, Greg Dagge joined the team as a Yacht Broker, the regional industry stalwart adding further experience to an already strong team, which earlier this year announced the back-to-back sales of the Sunseeker 131 Rhine and the 97ft sailing yacht Taronga, which were based in Hong Kong and Phuket respectively.

Lee admits that representing a firm as large as Northrop & Johnson both changed and challenged Lee Marine by pushing the dealer to engage in a new level of digital marketing and communication, as well as focusing on charter for the first time.

“As one of the world’s leading, full-service superyacht brokerages and charter companies, Northrop & Johnson is truly a global corporation. They were pleased to have a strong presence with a base in Phuket, but initially it was difficult for us and different because it wasn’t about being tied to promoting a particular shipyard or brand. This relationship, like many, was challenging at the beginning, yet the journey is well in hand now,” Lee says.

Taronga is also among Northrop & Johnson Asia’s 2021 sales

“Ultimately, Lee Marine and N&J complement each other extremely well because both firms bring their own strong core base. Lee Marine brokers and its team are regional specialists, either from this area or having lived here for years, and offer unequalled services and quality products.

“Northrop & Johnson specialises in charters, over 1,000 sold a year, as well as sales. Together, we’re strong competitors on all fronts, from entry-level boats to the world’s leading superyachts.”
www.leemarine.com
www.northropandjohnson.com

N&J Thailand sells two superyachtsO
Northrop & Johnson’s Thailand office announces the sales of the Sunseeker 131 Rhine and the 97ft sailing yacht Taronga.

David Walder: New yacht or brokerage?

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

David Walder: New yacht or brokerage?

April 27, 2021
9:30 pm

To buy new or pre-owned, that is the question. Simpson Marine’s David Walder answers.

A new Fairline Squadron 53 is scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong in June

One of the most common dilemmas faced by my clients is whether they should purchase a new or a

pre-owned boat. Having worked in the yacht sales industry since 2003, I know that this is a complex question and there is no ‘one size fits all’ response. Both options have advantages.

A good yacht broker will take the time to get to know their client, understand what motivates and interests them, probe how they envisage using their boat and help navigate them towards the right yacht for their needs.

Buying a yacht is an emotional purchase that should lead to countless happy memories, shared with friends and family, so getting it right is essential. Following are some of the primary considerations when debating new versus brokerage.

TIME

The fastest route to yacht ownership is to buy a pre-owned yacht as it is possible to be out on the water almost immediately. There tends to be plenty of choice on the market, giving you a variety of brands to consider.

The first Bluegame BGX70 in Asia is available for immediate delivery

On the flip side, a new boat purchase can be a lengthier process. There are often long lead times for the yacht to be built to your specification. That said, yacht sales companies often have brand-new yachts available for immediate delivery, making it possible to bypass the wait. An effective broker has the inside track on what is available within their market.

CUSTOMISATION

While buying a new yacht may take longer than buying a pre-owned one, it does offer you the chance to put your own stamp on it. The earlier a client is involved in the build process, the more scope there is for customisation – especially with larger yachts and superyachts.

If you are looking for a pristine yacht, personalised to your desired specification, then a new build is the best choice. If you are new to yacht ownership and have not accumulated the experience to know how best to customise your yacht, an experienced broker can lead you through the process.

A Sanlorenzo SL104 is among pre-owned yachts for sale

There is also the option to purchase a pre-owned yacht and personalise it through a refit or refresh. Several shipyards in the region have experience in refit work and a good broker would be able to recommend the best yard to suit your needs. This can be a cost-effective way to purchase a yacht and still tailor it to your needs.

LATEST TECHNOLOGY AND DESIGN

A great advantage of choosing a new yacht is that you will benefit from the latest models and designs, along with state-of-the-art technology and equipment. In addition, new builds are often more eco-friendly and efficient to run.

However, be aware that a new yacht may have teething issues at the start. By working with

a reliable yacht broker and their commissioning team, these will be ironed out quickly.

In contrast, with a pre-owned boat, although you may not be investing in the most up-to-date design and technology, most have been well tested and any initial problems should have been resolved.

Additionally, some buyers are actively looking to purchase a classic yacht that’s no longer in production, such as a Riva Aquarama, for example. This is often a labour of love, with owners prepared to forego cutting-edge technology in exchange for a classic piece of maritime art.

BUDGET

Budget often drives the final decision on whether a buyer chooses new or brokerage. A new build yacht is usually more expensive than an equivalent second-hand model, although maintenance costs should be much lower during the first years of ownership and there’s the added protection of manufacturers’ warranties. Furthermore, financing options for new yachts are typically more attractive than for pre-owned yachts.

When buying brokerage yachts, budgets tend to stretch much further, but as mentioned, it’s worth noting that older yachts invariably need more work and ongoing maintenance.

Choosing your dream yacht can seem both daunting and complex. A reputable yacht broker will work hard at developing an open, trusting relationship with you, to understand your needs and get you onboard your perfect boat.

They will guide you to make informed choices, making the yacht ownership process positive, enjoyable and smooth sailing from the outset. If you are considering purchasing a yacht, please do get in touch.

DAVID WALDER

Sales Manager for Simpson Marine in Hong Kong, Walder has worked for Asia’s largest yacht dealership since 2013, having spent most of his life around boats. After studying Maritime Leisure Management in the UK, he worked as a yacht broker from 2003. He holds Boat Retailers and Brokers Association (BRBA) boat sales qualifications and has received training by the Association of Brokers and Yacht Agents (ABYA). An active member of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club and Aberdeen Boat Club, he regularly races on Etchells and Beneteau yachts, and spends much of his free time cruising local waters.
www.simpsonmarine.com / david.walder@simpsonmarine.com

Yacht Style Issue 54 Out Now: The Charter Issue 2020 - LUXUO
Yacht Style has released Issue 54 (July-August), its Charter Issue for 2020. Flying Fox, the world's largest charter yacht, stars on the front cover of the 208-page magazine, as the 136m megayacht prepares to return to Asia later this year.

Shipyard review: Absolute, Italy’s inland innovators

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

Shipyard review: Absolute, Italy’s inland innovators

April 22, 2021
3:39 pm

Located over 100km inland of coastal cities like Genoa and yacht-building hubs like La Spezia and Viareggio, the Absolute facility is a self-contained hub of in-house innovation, automation, craftsmanship and friendly, family-style management. By Clare Mahon.

Absolute is situated outside Piacenza, situated 60km southeast of Milan in northern Italy

I’m driving around looking for the Absolute shipyard, my instincts and my navigation app at war. There’s not a body of water in sight. A green sea of freshly ploughed fields is all around me and the aroma is of farmland, not low tide.

Feeling I must be way off track, I pull over to see what’s wrong. Suddenly, a truck loaded with Volvo Penta IPS engines passes me. Follow that truck, I tell myself, and soon I’m there.

The entrance to the five-hectare production facility

Sergio Maggi and Marcello Bè founded Absolute in 2002 in an area outside of Piacenza where the other major industry is … tomato canning. After all, Piacenza is in northern Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, renowned for its local produce including ham, salami, cheese and pasta, as well as wine.

This, plus the fact the Med is about 100km south, make it an unusual location for shipbuilding, but Maggi and Bè are locals and wanted to stay close to their roots and the hardworking local talent.

Co-founders Sergio Maggi (above, centre) and Marcello Bè (below, far right) in meetings

The two had met while employed at Cantieri Nautici Gobbi, but when the company was sold, they decided to branch off and establish a yard of their own. Four years later, looking for ways to increase automation in their production lines, they asked former boss Angelo Gobbi to join them at Absolute.

“We started with nothing much more than a good first boat,” Maggi says. “Going forward, we had an idea of what we wanted, but we didn’t know how to get there. Angelo is our visionary. He had the knowhow and guided us to where we are today.”

TEAM FIRST

Absolute is all about teamwork and efficiency, not ego. Gobbi happily joined his former employees as a partner and put his skills to work creating a state-of-the-art facility spread over almost 50,000sqm – imagine seven football pitches – where boats are built using an optimised production chain called Integrated Structural System or ISS.

A hull prepared for deck trimming

Hulls are hand-finished while their corresponding interior structures are precision cut by robotic arms using CNC technology. Dedicated teams then assemble the interiors in modules and lower them into the hulls.

After the interiors have been mounted and sealed, the hulls are taken out of their moulds and the running systems are installed. The organisation and automation are astounding, and the shipyard works around the clock.

GRP lamination

After the human workforce goes home, robots and computers take over, fetching supplies from a large and recently expanded automatic warehouse then setting them up for the next day’s work.

While Absolute is open to every kind of software upgrade and technological improvement, Maggi says that building a yacht will never be a fully automated or entirely industrial process.

Automated machinery in the warehouse

“We can try to organise delivery and production to the highest degree, but there will always be a lot of handwork involved in laying a hull and mounting running systems. We design everything in 3D and nothing is left to chance, but we will still always need humans to do quality control,” Maggi says.

It’s this blend of humanity and technology that makes Absolute Yachts special. Everything at Absolute is done in-house by a tightly knit team headed by management and ownership that are one and the same. “And we’re here all day, every day,” says Cesare Mastroianni, CCO and Vice President of Sales.

Giuseppe Bertocci (Head of Production), co-founders Sergio Maggi and Marcello Bè, Paola Carini (Administration & HR), Angelo Gobbi (President), Patrizia Gobbi (General Manager) and Cesare Mastroianni (CCO & Vice President of Sales)

The shipyard staff is like an extended family, but unlike most families, they work well as a team and seem to like each other. This all-in-it-together approach allows Absolute to move quickly and stay flexible.

“We have invested in our people,” says Mastroianni. “We don’t need to have a lot of meetings. Sometimes we just discuss ideas by the coffee machine.”

IN-HOUSE CREATIVITY

Maggi, who on top of being a co-founder also heads the design department, echoes Mastroianni’s words.

“We believe in staying independent and doing everything in-house. Yes, maybe you miss having people bring you new ideas from outside, but if you do that, you’re always trying to chase a new concept, looking for solutions to new problems,” Maggi says.

Absolute uses 3D printing and modelling in their yacht designs

“Absolute’s approach is more like adaptive evolution because the team that has created all the best features of previous yachts know which ones to apply to new models. We’re building on our experience and the suggestions we get from our owners and dealers.”

Absolute works with a ratio of about one stylist to three engineers. “The stylist does their part, then shows their work to the engineers and they take over the project,” Maggi says.

“This means we have a perfect synergy between our production and our style departments. They go hand in hand, and this helps us to guarantee quality. We don’t go for impact or extras – everything is functional.

The bodywork department

“Maybe an owner who’s looking for a status symbol won’t like what we do, but an owner who wants to live aboard and enjoy their yacht in safety and comfort will find what they’re looking for in an Absolute.”

Keep in mind that these are Italians, so style, even if it’s functional style, is always part of the package, as are bon vivant touches like wine cellars and stemmed glasses designed to adhere magnetically to tabletops. And in a yachting market that’s constantly changing, Absolute likes to stay a step or two ahead.

“We try to come up with two new boat designs per year because the market is changing all the time,” Maggi says. “It usually takes us about a year to develop a model, but in my head right now I’m thinking of four or five new projects – two we’ve just begun, two in the final stages of planning and one that’s still to come. The cycle is continuous and keeps us busy.”

Absolute’s quality department overlooks the factory floor

One thing that seems like it will never change is Absolute’s love for a certain propulsion system, Maggi confirms. “Volvo IPS forever! When we were designing our first model, we heard that IPS was coming and we contacted Volvo right away. I think we were the first to use them.”

From a builder’s point of view, Maggi loves how IPS works with industrial production methods and can be mounted in a smaller aft space. And he also likes the client comfort that comes with reduced noise and vibration, as well as the improved fuel consumption.

FROM LAND TO SEA

While Absolute’s ultra-sophisticated build technology seems to know no limits, the dimensions of Italy’s autostrada expressways pose some strict ones for a yard located quite some distance from the sea. Yachts over 52ft are divided into hull and superstructure before being trucked down to the open water, otherwise they wouldn’t fit through tunnels or under overpasses.

The superstructure of a 60 Fly is prepared to be lowered onto the hull

“We have a lot of experience in designing for the maximum possible size for overland transportation and we’re very quick at dissembling and re-assembling our yachts,” Mastroianni says.

“I can’t reveal any secrets, but over the years we’ve perfected a kind of plug-and-play system for re-joining the electrical and hydraulic systems between hull and superstructure. We can have a yacht up to 58ft ready to go in just 36 hours, whereas larger yachts are ready with all commissioning systems tested in 10 days.”

Just as Absolute’s production system is all in-house, its sales network is entirely run by their own dealers, which in Asia include Hong Kong-based Absolute Marine, whose orders for the city include the new Navetta 64, set to arrive in late 2021.

An Absolute Navetta 48 in the test pool

“We invest in the yard, its technology and in new models but we also invest in our dealers, backing them up and keeping them informed,” Mastroianni says. “We began working in the Far East in 2012 in China and then in Hong Kong. Later, we began working in Japan and Taiwan and lately in Singapore. We have recently appointed a dealer in Thailand.

“Thomas Woo [of Absolute Marine] in Hong Kong is one of our top dealers, both for the volume of boats that he sells and for the fact that he sells consistently well across our entire range. It’s a niche market, but he knows his business.”

The Navetta 73 is Absolute’s flagship – the first unit in Hong Kong was delivered in 2020

Boarding an Absolute yacht, you may find yourself curious about the unusual, volume-maximising lines, but rest assured that you’ll step back to shore impressed by the build quality and the planning and intelligence that have gone into getting the most liveability out of every millimetre.

SUNNY FUTURE

Absolute is constantly updating its range to keep on top of market trends and is still receiving acclaim for the Navetta 64 that debuted late last year, due in large to the innovative option of a convertible aft cabin beside the swim platform.

This year’s new models will be the 48’ Coupé and the 60 Fly, the former introducing a new series featuring solar power, while the latter offers the option of solar panels on the hardtop.

Absolute 60 Fly features forward master
The upcoming Absolute 60 Fly features a full-beam master cabin forward on the lower deck, following the designs on the Italian builder’s larger models.

Maggi says: “The 60 Fly will be a new reference point for flybridge yachts, a boat that will establish the parameters for this typology of yacht in the years to come.”

Not surprisingly for a shipyard that loves engineering as much as design, Absolute set up a mini solar energy plant to find the best type of solar panels to mount on its yachts, with the system to be rolled out on the 48 Coupè.

The master cabin on the 60 Fly is forward

Translucent solar panels in the roofing will produce energy for running the boat’s hotel systems while also letting light, but not heat, filter into the saloon. You can drop anchor, turn off your engine and generators, and enjoy the clean air and silence. Interestingly, Maggi says the Coupè design is more reflective of Absolute’s earliest ranges (Sport Cruiser, Sport Yacht, Sport Line) than the subsequent Fly and Navetta lines.

“The 48’ Coupè is the modern heir to our first boats, but things have changed in the meantime. Clients used to want something fast and glamorous, and didn’t really care about living on the water. Now, on top of moving fast, our clients want a comfortable boat where they can entertain and stay aboard for extended periods of time. Now, you need function and ease of use,” Maggi says.

Absolute 60 Fly features forward master
Italian builder plans to debut 48 Coupé at Cannes Yachting Festival in September 2021

“The Coupé still has a sporty soul and delivers on the water, but it’s also comfortable and sustainable. We designed extra-large windows that open and close like car windows, so there’s as much fresh air moving through the boat as possible. The aft section has openings in the gunwales and glass under the aft railing so you can see the water at all times.”

Ironically, the Absolute shipyard doesn’t have such views of the sea, but it does have a management team with a crystal-clear vision of what they want for their clients and how to deliver it.
www.absoluteyachts.com

Sharly and Stephen Chun on their Absolute 58 Fly
Sports car lover Stephen Chun and his wife Sharly are hands-on owners of an Absolute 58 Fly, which they keep between Aberdeen and Sai Kung, and take out up to four times a week.

Mike Simpson: Finding Freedom in a Beneteau

Leaders / yachtstyle2020

Mike Simpson: Finding Freedom in a Beneteau

April 19, 2021
11:23 pm

Mike Simpson has reawakened his love for sailing since buying a new Beneteau Oceanis 46.1, which he has named Freedom in tribute to a yachting lifestyle he has promoted since founding Simpson Marine in 1984.

Mike Simpson remains hands on as Managing Director of Asia’s largest yacht dealership

When Mike Simpson talks about freedom, he may not rival Mel Gibson’s rousing speech as William Wallace in Braveheart, but he’s still pretty convincing. And these days the word has a double meaning for the man who founded Simpson Marine in 1984 in Hong Kong, where he still lives on Lamma Island and makes his way to his Aberdeen office and back driving his long-serving Windy speedboat.

Simpson believes freedom is ultimately what yachting is about, leading to the company’s tagline, ‘Yachting Freedom Since 1984’. And he also chose Freedom as the name of the Beneteau Oceanis 46.1 he bought last year, over two decades since he last owned a sailing yacht.

“That word is in the Simpson Marine tagline for a reason. It captures the whole idea of sailing, enjoying the sea breeze and the oceans. It’s all about freedom, this sense of escape. That to me is the greatest enjoyment of boating, getting away from all the pressure of work, of city life,” says the Managing Director of Asia’s largest yacht dealership, who employs over 100 staff in seven territories.

“It’s just the exhilaration of it. When you’re out on the water, you’re cutting yourself free. There’s this sense of total escape and freedom. It’s always with me whenever I get out on the water. You’re out in a different world and you can just let the pressure and stress drop away. Freedom is a metaphor for sailing.”

Simpson owns the First Line version of the 46.1, the second-largest model in Oceanis range

Simpson has sailed in many parts of the world including North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia, and it was sailing that brought him to this region. Having been travelling since retiring from the British Army in the 1970s, he was in Taiwan when he started building a yacht to sail around the world.

Although he reached Singapore on his first attempt and Hong Kong on his second, each time somebody took a liking to his boat and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. On the third attempt, Simpson ended up selling his yacht in Singapore again and received an order for another yacht. “The penny finally dropped and I realised I had stumbled on a business opportunity,” he smiles.

BENETEAU LOYALTY

Beneteau was the first major brand that Simpson started representing and he’s now in his 36th year as a dealer for the iconic French builder. He took it on in 1985, a year after creating his company and a year before the launch of the Oceanis line.

Since he last owned a sailing yacht in the 1990s, his sailing has included occasional days out and regattas on friends’ boats in Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia, as well as longer cruises during summer holidays in Europe, where he keeps a house in France.

Freedom (foreground) was part of last November’s Boating Rendez-Vous organised by Simpson Marine and Groupe Beneteau Asia-Pacific

However, Covid scuppered his usual summer plans last year as boating activity and ownership in Hong Kong had enjoyed a sharp rise, with residents, unable to holiday abroad, spending more time exploring their own city’s natural attractions. It was partly Covid and partly luck that led to Simpson finding Freedom.

“It was serendipitous because I usually try to get across to Europe in the summer, spend time at my house in France or flying my aeroplane back in the UK. Last year, that wasn’t possible, so I stayed in Hong Kong and watched everyone else getting out on to the water,” says Simpson, whose company sold 112 new and pre-owned yachts last year, recording over US$200 million in sales.

“It was amazing how many sales we were getting because of the lockdown, so obviously the message penetrated to me, that maybe I should be doing the same thing.”

Simpson had considered an Oceanis 51.1 before a well-specced First Line version of the Oceanis 46.1 became available in Hong Kong, after the intended buyer in the Philippines asked Simpson Marine to sell the yacht.

“I went on board and really liked the look of it, the layout and the equipment on board,” Simpson says of the 46.1, part of the seventh generation of Oceanis models. “It just seemed to fit the bill perfectly.”

FAST, FUN AND ROOMY

Boasting an overall length of 48ft, the model has a Pascal Conq-designed 45ft hull that offers a roomy beam of almost 15ft. Compared to the standard version, the First Line version has a 3ft-taller mast, 28 per cent more sail area, Harken deck fittings, a deep lead-bulb keel and the Performance running rigging.

Simpson bought his new Beneteau Oceanis 46.1 after realising he would be spending more time in Hong Kong than usual

“It’s just a blast. I’ve been doing eight to 10 knots relatively easily. This is a yacht you could happily take to the Philippines and you’d be roaring down there in the right wind,” says Simpson, who typically takes his yacht out at weekends.

“The great thing about this new Oceanis range is it offers many qualities of the First range, especially if you opt for the performance package. It’s for owners who want a yacht that’s fun to sail, light, fast and easy to operate.”

Simpson is a big fan of the cockpit, which has long sofas either side of a folding table, plus sun loungers either side of the companionway. At anchor, the transom folds down to become a swim platform.

“It’s a very large cockpit with a big table so you can sit down with a group of friends and have lunch al fresco or you can eat down below with a group. And because it has two wheels, you’ve got a clear passage through the cockpit, to the lower-deck stairs and aft, where you’re straight onto the swim platform and into the water.”

Nauta Design handled the deck layout and the interior, which Simpson is also a big fan of, having seen the Italian studio elevate this aspect of Beneteau’s sailing yachts and Lagoon’s catamarans during his time representing the Groupe Beneteau brands. Freedom has a three-cabin, two-head layout, with a forward owner’s suite and two aft guest cabins, one with an ensuite.

Stock photo of the Oceanis 46.1 interior by Nauta Design shows the roomy living area

“The interior by Nauta Design is beautiful. It’s a fantastic interior for a 46ft yacht, with a very big saloon, good galley, very large owner’s cabin, plenty of large sea-view windows, plus lots of deck hatches and portholes for ventilation,” he says.

“It’s a very well equipped yacht, with everything you need for cruising and living on board, with masses of stowage space and lockers, like the deep bow locker where you can store a gennaker. I find pretty much every feature and aspect works extremely well.”

Freedom’s technical equipment includes a generator and airconditioning, a fridge, microwave, hob and oven in the galley, as well as an electric winch for the mainsail. He admits sailing yachts have changed in many ways since he last owned one.

“The decks have been cleaned up and improved from a safety aspect, with all the lines led aft from the mast, under cover. And we never dreamt of electric winches – you had to use a bit of muscle power,” he laughs.

“There has been a lot of refinement in the details. The interiors are now really nice and the choice of fabrics and materials are so much better than when I last had a yacht in the 1990s.

Stock photo of the impressive forward owner’s suite on the Oceanis 46.1

“Two steering wheels are also new. In my day, you had one big wheel that blocked access to the sea and you didn’t have the same space in the cockpit. Even having a generator and air-conditioning on a sailing yacht this size wasn’t common back then. They’re great features in this part of the world.”

GLOBAL CRUISING

Simpson’s sailing history has included trips along the east coast of the US and the “rather colder and more rugged” west coast of Canada. He says his most adventurous destinations include sailing out of Venezuela to the Los Roques archipelago, while in contrast, the Caribbean’s peak season in the northern winter offers stress-free cruising through its island chain.

friend who was an experienced mountaineer and adventurer, so we had a great time on that trip,” he recalls. “And I loved the Caribbean in the winter because you’re always beam-reaching whether you’re going north or south.”

However, he still believes the Mediterranean ticks most boxes for cruising, while admitting there’s still much of Asia he has yet to explore.

“If I’m looking at an area to cruise in, the Med is hard to beat. It’s not always the best wind, but you’ve got such interesting places with so much history and culture, beautiful little ports with lovely little restaurants on the quayside. That to me is magical. I could spend a long time cruising around the Med and always have plenty of variety and interesting things to see and do,” he says.

Simpson has sailed all around the world

“Los Roques was beautiful. I sailed there with a “Having said that, look here in Asia. I’m now exploring more of Hong Kong. Double Haven is a spectacular place to cruise and stay overnight. And from here, you’re just a few days sail to the islands in the Philippines and then you can head into Indonesia, which I haven’t done yet, but that’s something I’d love to do.”

Having promoted the freedom of the yachting lifestyle through Simpson Marine for over three decades, Simpson spearheaded a collaboration with Sanlorenzo in 2015 that had initially included a gradual exit strategy for him to ease into retirement.

However, at the same time as a potential buyout from a mainland investor failed to materialise, Simpson has found himself rejuvenated by both the success of Sanlorenzo Asia and other businesses within the Simpson Marine Group, which also represents Bluegame, Fairline and Aquila, and operates large brokerage, charter and yacht-management divisions.

“Mentally, I had started thinking about the exit plan and what I was going to do such as sailing and flying my plane, but the company has been going from strength to strength and it has been amazing to see what has happened. I’ve really got back into it and here I am, still at the helm and enjoying it,” Simpson says.

“I’ve got a great team around the region and particularly here in Hong Kong, where the main market is. While my team keep doing a great job and run the business, and I can still take a month or two off each summer to do my flying and carry on sailing, I’m happy with where I am. Whatever happens, the main thing is to stay active. I don’t plan to retire for a long time.”
www.simpsonmarine.com
www.beneteau.com
Note: The original article appeared in ‘Owner’ in Yacht Style Issue 58

Beneteau Cup entries rising fast
The Beneteau Cup Hong Kong in mid-May already has 15 entries, with only the first 20 assured of a place at the event’s evening gala at Middle Island.

Asia's leading yachting lifestyle media

Leaders

Aquila’s Lex Raas: Driving the Cat Pack (Part 2)

SHARE

SHARE

Editor's Picks

EDITOR'S PICKS

Aquila’s Lex Raas: Driving the Cat Pack (Part 1)

SHARE

SHARE

Editor's Picks

EDITOR'S PICKS

GMBA’s Oscar Siches on superyacht rules and regulations

SHARE

SHARE

Editor's Picks

EDITOR'S PICKS

Profile: Hong Seh Marine shining in Singapore

SHARE

SHARE

Editor's Picks

EDITOR'S PICKS

Water Revolution Foundation: Driving Superyacht Sustainability

SHARE

SHARE

Editor's Picks

EDITOR'S PICKS

Frankie Chau on NextWave’s ‘Ultimate Lifestyle’ yacht management

SHARE

SHARE

Editor's Picks

EDITOR'S PICKS

Mohammed Alshaali on Gulf Craft’s big ambitions

SHARE

SHARE

Editor's Picks

EDITOR'S PICKS

The rise of new-build yachts in Asia

SHARE

SHARE

Editor's Picks

EDITOR'S PICKS

Lee Marine: Smooth Operators

SHARE

SHARE

Editor's Picks

EDITOR'S PICKS

David Walder: New yacht or brokerage?

SHARE

SHARE

Editor's Picks

EDITOR'S PICKS