Building Your Superyacht Build Team

Life’s short. Build a yacht. Seems simple enough. But building a superyacht is a complicated process. The end result is a beautifully-packaged bundle of systems - which need to work reliably and in perfect harmony. With the right guidance, the process is an exciting and satisfying journey.

Importance of the team

Yacht builders tend to be conservative in their outlook. Why change what’s worked before? They’re also in business to make money and will look to save costs where they can – in particular by interpreting poorly-drafted build agreements and specifications to suit themselves. To a certain extent, builders’ yards are, in reality, pieces of waterside real estate where a multitude of suppliers and subcontractors come together to create the finished article.

So putting the right team in place is a vital first step, the members of which will advise, negotiate and integrate the efforts and wares of countless third parties. And the more exceptional the project, the more exceptional your team needs to be. All the participants should be involved at the outset. Excellent working relationship must be built up and maintained. The smaller the project, the greater the scope for individuals to combine roles, especially when it comes to the vessel’s design.

Key Team Members

Having decided on how and where they wish to use their yacht, a trusted broker is the best starting point for some Members. Trusted is the keyword here. Brokers usually work on commission. Are they looking to build a relationship which could last many happy years, or are they just looking to complete the next deal and meet their sales target? Good brokers will have excellent industry knowledge and will add real value. They are sounding boards for ideas, and arbiters of practicality and good taste: the latter two elements being essential in maintaining resale value.

The next team members to have on board are the exterior and interior designers, plus a naval architect where a custom yacht is envisaged, and a project manager. Designers produce designs, not technical solutions. Even the most accomplished designers won’t know exactly how workable their designs are, and naval architects don’t always have an eye for design. So a project manager will also be needed to coordinate all their efforts, and – diplomatically – seek compromises. The project manager should ideally have recent seagoing experience, as captain or engineer, on a vessel of similar type and size. Everyone in the team – owner included – need honest feedback on what is and isn’t going to work.

Because yachts are sources of liability as well as being assets, and to provide privacy and make accounting easier, yachts are nearly always owned through companies. Trusts can provide an additional layer of secrecy, but keep in mind that obtaining justice can be challenging in some far-flung jurisdictions should your expectations not be met.

Don’t Economise

Costs can be kept down by using a proven hull design. Many builders offer semi-custom yachts, where you’ll be making mostly aesthetic choices. If you want to stand out from the crowd, commercial and even military designs can be repurposed to make striking yachts. You need to be clear on who owns the intellectual property and that you have the right to use such designs.

Some team roles can be taken on by the same individual or company. Exterior and interior design can be carried out by the same person – arguably leading to more harmonious aesthetics. But trying to save costs by omitting any of the core technical skills sets can have significant adverse effects. Oversights at this first stage can require expensive modifications later, causing lengthy delays.

Everyone’s remit must be clearly defined and dovetailed, with strict timescales baked-in to their service contracts. Engaging a good lawyer, with build experience, is crucial here.

Design Essentials

A yacht’s design will be determined, in part, by the minimum technical standards dictated by the Flag State, which in turn may require your yacht to be built in compliance with classification society Rules. These are based on internationally agreed-to standards, which must be adhered to if your yacht is going sail anywhere, and without which you may find it impossible to insure the vessel. They vary according to length, internal volume and use.

But such standards do not generally cover certain aspects, such as preventive maintenance, which, over time, will help support the vessel’s condition and resale value. Remove the panels of any yacht and you’ll see an array of pipes, wires and items of equipment. If it’s too difficult or time-consuming to reach such items, they can be overlooked and will, eventually, fail. The result is not just you and your guests being inconvenienced. Some repairs can be disproportionately expensive, and in extreme cases this can lead to your yacht not being accepted by a buyer when it’s time to sell.

With regards aesthetics, most buyers are reasonably conservative. Avant garde designs are going to look newer for longer, and this will help to maintain their value. But when futuristic tips into plain weird the resale market shrinks rapidly.

The End Result

Playwright George Bernard Shaw once quipped that reasonable people adapt themselves to the world, while unreasonable people adapt the world to themselves – hence progress depends on unreasonable people. Challenging the innate conservativeness of builders and regulatory authorities requires an experienced, imaginative and practical team.

In the case of a full custom yacht, the end result of this exciting pre-build stage should be a design and specification you’re happy with, which is ready to be put out to tender with shortlisted builders, and a team ready to oversee the build. If a semi-custom or series production yacht is your preference, the result is a team which understands your vision and is ready to review, negotiate and modify the builders’ pre-existing designs and specifications.

With your team in place, it's time to chose a Flag State, and possibly a classification society, before engaging a builder.