30 Key Industry Leaders Unite to Deliver YORP

More than 30 key players from across yachting are backing this groundbreaking new program, delivering specialist live lectures in a range of topics.

To request a YORP brochure and for all enquiries please contact [email protected] or call Andrew on +44 (0) 7566 218506.

A Talking Point

As we turn the corner of the year and approach the delightful chaos of boat show season, there is no shortage of stories currently vying for our attention. One development which has been getting the industry talking is the launch of the Yacht Owner Representative Program (YORP).

Devised by the Superyacht Builders Association (SYBAss) alongside industry stalwarts IAMI and GUEST, The Crew Academy’s YORP courses kick off for the first time in October. This game-changing program aims to professionalise the industry by setting a brand new benchmark for the qualification of the owner’s representative position.

With the industry taking to the idea like a duck to water, The Crew Academy’s YORP courses have already got the backing of an unprecedented number of key players from across yachting, including top shipyards, designers, lawyers, owner’s representatives, build captains and other industry specialists.

These partners will be delivering specialist live lectures each week. With topics as diverse as ‘Brokerage & Insurance’, ‘Class, Flag States & Compliance’, ‘Security, Cyber, Confidentiality & Media’, as well as technical insight from a range of experts, YORP encompasses everything an owner’s representative needs to know.

A Dream Team

The range of subcontractors who have partnered with YORP is both wide and globally reaching, including such important industry organizations as Lloyd's Register and Cayman Island Shipping (CIS), with technical expertise provided by the Norway-based Kongsberg Maritime. Insurance and legal knowledge will be bolstered also, thanks to the partnerships of Howden Sturge, Clyde & Co and John Leonida respectively, all bringing their valuable contributions to the group.

Other prominent yachting specialists who have joined YORP include Project Management experts IDEA and Pinpoint Works, submersible manufacturer U-Boat Worx, marketing platform Virtuall, Romeo Foxtrot security solutions, MSOS (Medical Support Offshore), Lighting Design International (LDI), Coating Consultants for Superyachts (CCS), Superyacht Rubbish, yacht sanitation experts Jets, and recruitment specialists The Crew Hunter.

Furthermore, YORP has also benefited from the expert input of over a dozen build captains and industry specialists, alongside numerous owner’s reps and project managers from across yachting, representing brands as diverse as Damen Amels, Tankoa, San Lorenzo, Feadship, Benetti, Azimut, Ulstein Design & Solutions (UDS) and more.

Why do we need YORP?

Currently, as a consequence of a lack of industry regulation, anyone can take on both the responsibilities and title of ‘owner’s representative’, whether or not they have the credentials, experience or any suitability for the role.

The enthusiasm with which the industry has already responded to YORP speaks volumes about the pressing need for a program such as this within yachting and also nods towards its potential future impact.

Furthermore, as Tom Solbakken, YORP’s Project Manager explains, it is the dozens of partnerships which YORP has already established with key figures throughout yachting in its development that make it stand out from the crowd as a totally unique offering:

“The industry has never seen anything like this before in terms of both the sheer number and caliber of people involved in developing the program – these include representatives from top shipyards, experienced yachting companies, captains and many more.” “It has also been a rigorous process in terms of selecting the appropriate partners from our side too – we were looking to work with those with whom we have shared values, and who are as passionate about helping to educate the industry as we are."

What to expect from YORP

YORP takes the form of a dynamic and tailored four-course program. The Crew Academy will be delivering three of these courses, with specific learning objectives developed exclusively for SYBAss by The Crew Academy’s experts from across the industry (both crew and shoreside). Delivery of the program takes place online over Zoom and on the Crew Academy’s 4th Generation VLE platform.

The Academy’s part of the YORP offers well over 200+ hours of learning across the three courses and YORP covers all of the occupational competencies and responsibilities to qualify individuals to take on the role of yacht owner’s representative with both confidence and competence.

Notably too, The Super Yacht Alliance will create an official register of certified owner’s representatives, enabling owners to select their representative from a qualified group. In order to join the register, it will be mandatory to have completed one or more of the YORP courses.

Is YORP right for me?

Thanks to both the breadth and depth of its content, although YORP is primarily aimed at individuals who are ready to take the leap of becoming certified owner's representatives – captains, engineers, yacht managers, yacht brokers, yacht surveyors, technical consultants and so on – the course is also invaluable for those looking to gain greater understanding of the role of the owner's representative.

Harnessing expertise from such a wide range of partners also means that YORP is set to be both highly engaging and totally unique in its delivery style and format, which has been carefully crafted.

As Solbakken explains:

“As a team, we also have worked hard to ensure that YORP is going to be a highly interactive, accessible and enjoyable experience for all of those taking part, incorporating self-study, podcasts, documentation, presentations, articles, videos, interviews and live lectures.”

Due to exponential demand for the YORP program, the first cohort has already been expanded from 20 to 40 participants, and currently includes a diverse range of the industry’s most forward-thinking individuals, including owner’s reps, company owners, captains, chief engineers, project managers and even a yacht management founder, as well as many more

To request a brochure, and for all enquiries to join October or any of the 2024’s three intakes, please contact [email protected] or call Andrew on +44 (0) 7566 218506

Join our free webinar

The Crew Academy is also hosting a free webinar on Wednesday 13th September to introduce the roster of 30 industry experts who will be leading the program, alongside a Q&A during which the organizers will answer any and all burning questions. Sign up here.