Monthly News - June 2010

-pic of the month - Ferretti Group Designer Gianni Zuccon Awarded at Satec

Azimut Benetti Group Fourth Yachting Gala

Azimut-Benetti Group goes to Cannes for the fourth Yachting Gala, the most exclusive and prestigious private boat show. 25 boats from the three Group brands; Azimut Yachts, Atlantis and Benetti available for the one thousand plus guests arriving from all over the world, both for sea-going trials and an exclusive cruise to the Lérins Islands. During this unique event Azimut also presented the first preview of the new Azimut 64. After Varazze and Viareggio, Azimut-Benetti Group has chosen the international charm of the Cote d'Azur for the fourth Yachting Gala, the now traditional event that attracts over one thousand visitors from every corner of the world, every year. They're drawn by the amazing opportunity to take part in a real private boat show: two days jam-packed with surprises and events. This year, the event programme was inspired by the atmosphere of the most exclusive yachting clubs: dream boats on course for islands set in crystal-clear waters, elegant breakfasts on the beach, candle-lit dinners just a stone's throw from the sea. Additionally there will be a gala evening with night-time yacht parade, a Gloria Gaynor concert and, as a finale, a dance party right on the beach. It's in this wonderful context that the company has chosen to present its latest addition: the Azimut 64, a yacht over 20 metres in length, the natural successor to the Azimut 62, a model that has had unprecedented sales success, with 200 sold across the world. The Azimut 64, probably the most complete flybridge in its category, is distinguished by its stylistic innovation, exceptional safety levels and excellent sailing qualities. In Port Canto, the guests of the Yachting Gala, which this year sees a significant number of visitors from Brazil, the emerging luxury boat target market, had a fleet of 25 boats at their disposal for visits and sea-going trials. There was also a romantic cruise towards the Lérins Islands just off the coast, where a visit was planned to the famous Cistercian monastery of Notre Dame de Lérins. The luxurious, exclusive atmosphere of this year's Yachting Gala was further enhanced by the top level partners who have chosen to contribute to the success of the event: BMW; Damiani; Lavazza; Montblanc; La Perla; Pratesi; Wills, the luxury car hire firm; artists Serge Van de Put and Rodolfo Viola; Foglizzo, creator of luxury leather furniture; Cantine Scrimaglio; haute couture stylist Marco Contiello; MTU, manufacturer of advanced diesel engines and the Private Banking division of Intesa Sanpaolo. Azimut-Benetti is the leading and most prestigious builder of mega yachts in the world. The Group, which owns the prestigious brands Azimut Yachts, Benetti and Atlantis (each targeting a specific area of the nautical market) as well as Fraser Yachts, a leading brand in the services sector, operates in 67 countries worldwide via a sales network of 138 offices.


Carver Receive State Loan

The state of Wisconsin said it would loan Carver and Marquis Yachts up to US$1.5m to help create 315 jobs at its facility in Pulaski, Wisconsin. The facility currently has 275 workers. Former Genmar brands Carver and Marquis were acquired by J&D LLC during the Genmar bankruptcy assets sale. Former Genmar chairman Irwin Jacobs and John Paul DeJoria are the principals in that company. Jacobs told the paper that he is optimistic that the company will grow beyond the 315 employees. Pulaski Village president Keith Chambers argued against the loan because of the Genmar bankruptcy proceedings. Jacobs said he was "hopeful" he could pay many of the suppliers back by doing business with them.


Chris-Craft Search for Swimsuit Model

Chris-Craft and Boating Magazine is looking for the next Swimsuit Model. This new fun initiative by the pleasure boat inventor gives the chance to take part in a professional photo shoot on a beautiful Chris-Craft boat in Southwest Florida, and also be featured in a national magazine, on the web, and on a calendar. The winner will also get the chance to join Chris-Craft at the Fort Lauderderdale Boat Show to sign autographs on her calendar page.


Fairline New Welsh Dealer

Fairline Boats has appointed Blue Water Marine as its official dealer in Wales and the North of England. Trading as Fairline Wales, the company will offer sales and after sales services, including boat maintenance and park and launch from its Hafan Pwllheli Marina location in North Wales. Blue Water Marine also runs an on-site chandlery and parts department. The company has been in operation for 15 years and recently announced plans to expand its existing showroom to include additional sales offices and an all-new customer lounge.


Ferretti Group Designer Gianni Zuccon Awarded Yacht Pioneer 2010

In the frame of UCINA – SATEC’s annual meeting held in Genoa the 28th and 29th of May, the “Boating Pioneer 2010” award was awarded to Gianni Zuccon, well known designer of many and famous yachts. UCINA, the association of Italian yacht and pleasure boat builders, presents this annual award to an individual within the recreational boating and yachting sector for their leadership and contribution to the global growth and development. Gianni Zuccon’s awarded was accompanied by the following quote from UCINA: Giovanni Zuccon was born in Rome in 1944. In 1984 with the wife, the designer Paola Galeazzi, he founded the Zuccon International Project, industrial and yacht design company. Since then he has been working with the best Italian shipyards. He has been awarded prestigious prizes in Italy and abroad for his career in the yachting sector and for his important role as professor who, every day, transmits the love for yachting to future ship designers. Giovanni Zuccon, an architect and designer, is an Associate Professor of Industrial Design at the Faculty of Architecture "Ludovico Quaroni" of the University of Rome “La Sapienza”. His professional activities are focused mainly on planning and designing industrial products for the yachting and transport industries. For almost thirty years he has been designing the superstructures, compartments and interior furnishing of yachts for pleasure boating (both custom and for industrial production). In 1976 he started working in the Posillipo shipyards in Sabaudia and later moved to the Baglietto shipyards in Varazze. He has been working with the Ferretti Group since 1990, designing models for the Ferretti Yachts, Custom Line, CRN, Bertram and Mochi Craft shipyards and with the Apreamare shipyard. In the past few years his career and projects have earned him important awards in Italy and abroad. He is also a professional architect working in the field of civil architecture for the service sector and for support facilities.

Ferretti Group Presents Yacht Squad

TheFerretti Group a world leader within the sphere of the design, construction and sale of motoryachts, with a unique portfolio of some of the most prestigious, most exclusive brands in the nautical world, presents the innovative Yacht Squad project. Said project has been established through the working relationship between Everything Marine, the well-known Venetian company providing yacht with provisions and supplies, and the CRN and Ferretti Custom Line brands. Devised to satisfy the requirements of the most demanding Owners, Yacht Squad guarantees a top quality service, ranging from catering to sourcing a particular gastronomic product, from supplying specific furnishings for interiors and/or exteriors to sourcing a cashmere counterpane or latex pillow, from china crockery to silver cutlery, flowers to candles, personalized bathrobes to lamps. Each and every wish an Owner may have can be satisfied by the team of Yacht Squad professionals, and all parts of the yacht can be personalised, including salons, the galley, cabins, the gym, heads, external deck and swimming-platform. The painstaking attention Yacht Squad pays to Clients continues over the years, with an assistance service covering all the products supplied. Said service has the incomparable advantage of being offered by a single supplier, one who knows CRN and Ferretti Custom Line yachts perfectly, and can guarantee excellent levels of quality regards both its work and its staff. The Yacht Squad project, which combines, the quality and expertise of CRN and Ferretti Custom Line, two of the most prestigious brands on the international nautical scene, with the professionalism and creativeness of Everything Marine, is presented to Clients during the stage in which the yacht is personalised, in order to integrate onboard supplies and accessories even before the yacht is effectively used. Owners are subsequently provided with a manual, containing the answers to all the requirements which may arise when they are actually using the yacht or ship. Information includes how to restock the supplies necessary for life onboard, for example, that of the owners and crew and, of course, the yacht itself . Besides this, Everything Marine staff are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Ferretti Group has chosen to offer CRN and Ferretti Custom Line Clients a five star service, one which has been added to the Group’s already extensive range.


Jarrett Bay Line Up at Big Rock Pig Pickin

Jarrett Bay is co-hosted the Pig Pickin’ on Sunday, June 13th at Jaycee Park. Great food by McCall’s was offered and tours on the latest Jarrett Bay 64, and the 34 semi production model. From the Big Rock festival onwards to the end of this month Jarrett Bay also offered the following discounts 10% for haul outs, 20% for labour, 20% on Jarrett Bay apparel, and big savings on docking and fuel.


Heesen Yachts Receives 2 Neptunes at 2010 World Super Yacht Awards

Heesen Yachts is proud to announce that on May 22nd in London’s Guildhall their yachts Celestial Hope and Blind Date were each awarded with a Neptune trophy, the highest recognition a yacht builder could hope to receive. The 47-metre Heesen, Celestial Hope wins the ‘Semi-displacement or Planing Motor Yacht of over 40-metre Length’ category. The 46,7-metre Heesen Blind Date takes the prize for ‘Displacement Motor Yacht Below 500 Gross Tons’.

Heesen Signs Two Contracts in One Week

Heesen Yachts proudly announce the sale of two contracts: a 50-metre fully custom semi-displacement motor yacht and a 47-metre full displacement motor yacht, hull number seven for this semi custom line. These are the third and the fourth contracts to be signed at Heesen since the beginning of 2010. Heesen’s order book now consists of fourteen yachts currently in construction, which will be delivered to their owners by the end of 2013. These figures confirm the strength and financial reliability of this world-renowned company.


Princess New Morocco Distributor

Princess has signed an exclusive distribution agreement for Morocco with Akwalys International, operating under the commercial title Princess Yachts Maroc. Akwalys is based in Mohammedia on Morocco's Atlantic coast. Plans are underway for a showroom in the Moroccan capital Rabat and for another on Morocco's Mediterranean coast. Managing director Frédéric Chauvin and marketing director Philippe Bouis manage Akwalys International.


Riviera Exits Administration

Riviera has received written notification on Friday June 25, 2010 from the company’s Deed Administrators that the Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA) established in conjunction with Riviera’s creditors on January 22 this year has now been completed and thus Riviera has now officially exited from Administration. Following the withdrawal of the business for sale previously announced on April 9, 2010 and the finalisation of the administration, Management and the Receivers are now planning Rivieras’ exit from receivership later this year. Under the terms of the DOCA, all current and former employees have received all of their unpaid wages, superannuation, annual leave and any relevant redundancy payments. Current Riviera employee’s entitlements will continue to accrue and be available to those employees in the ordinary course of business. Unsecured creditors have also received a dividend payment under the terms of the DOCA. The payments to employees and unsecured creditors have effectively cleared all pre-administration appointment unsecured claims against the company enabling it now to trade in its own right, outside of the formal administration process. This move also paves the way for the business to prepare to exit Receivership.

Riviera Praises Staff

Riviera, Australia’s most awarded pleasure boat builder commended the efforts and commitment of its entire workforce during the 2010 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show by treating them to a spit roast lunch yesterday. About 300 staff celebrated at the company’s Coomera manufacturing facility after taking a tour of the newly released 43 Open Flybridge and receiving an update briefing from the company’s Chief Executive Officer on the business’s recent successes at the boat show. Riviera CEO John Anderson said so many staff had given their all in the lead-up to the show -finishing boats, completing the new 43 Open Flybridge and physically preparing the company’s massive 12 boat display that their efforts deserved special recognition.

Riviera to Excite at Sydney Boat Show

Riviera, Australia’s most awarded pleasure boat builder will showcase for the first time in Sydney, the much anticipated new 43 Open Flybridge and will announce the company’s next exciting new model at the Sydney International Boat Show starting on July 29. Hard on the heels of the successful launch of the 43, Riviera is about its next model release which will be announced at the Sydney International Boat Show. Riviera CEO John Anderson said Riviera’s latest models had been well received and the market eagerly anticipates what our next new model will be. Veteran blue water sailor and Melbourne businessman, Ian Reynolds will be the guest of honour at the Riviera display with his 56 Enclosed Flybridge, Investigator IV, the vessel he used to circumnavigate Australia, which will be on display and open for inspection. You will have the chance to meet Ian and discuss with him his voyages and learn from his immense experience. Mr Reynolds, at the age of 79 embarked on the challenging task of circumnavigating ustralia, some 9,000 miles, clockwise from the Gold Coast returning home in October 2008.


Sea Ray Aquapalozza Final Line Up

Sea Ray Boats has released the final lineup of musical acts to perform at the AquaPalooza 2010 Signature Event, which is scheduled for Saturday, July 10, at The Reserve at Lake Travis near Austin, Texas. As announced previously, the event, hosted by Sea Ray and its local dealer Sail and Ski Center, will have Brad Paisley headlining in front of a crowd of thousands of concert-goers on boats. The opening acts will begin at noon on Saturday and will continue until Paisley takes the stage at 5 p.m. Following is the list of performers in order of appearance: AquaPalooza Battle of the Bands Winner, Matt Stillwell, Joanna Smith, Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann, and Brad Paisley. Lake Travis is located in the beautiful Texas hill country, a short drive from both Austin and San Antonio. Lake Travis is a gem among Texas lakes, with approximately 19,000 acres of crystal clear water and 250 miles of shoreline with countless unspoiled coves and creeks to explore. The lake offers 15 marinas and 11 public boat ramps, as well as numerous powerboat, houseboat and PWC rental facilities. The Signature Event will be held at Mile Marker 22 at The Reserve at Lake Travis, a new waterfront resort between the Pace Bend and Point Venture areas of the lake. The Reserve encompasses one of the nicest and most pristine points of land on Lake Travis, which will be perfect for an on-water event of this magnitude, Watkins explained. When completed, The Reserve’s facilities will include a world-class marina restaurant and equestrian center, making it one of the premier home and boating resort areas in the Southwest.


Sessa New Designations

Sessa turns to the future with optimism and determination with fresh ideas for the upcoming season backed by strong industrial management, as has been in place for the past two years. Having been lead for over 50 years by Raffaella Radice who has been a key asset to the yard and who has no doubt contributed in making Sessa an industry leader, today the yard is being newly reorganized, reaching for improvement and growth of our entire industry. Therefore, Raffaella, although still remaining president, will support Massimo Radice as the newly nominated CEO and Riccardo Radice as the new Vice-President. Having been Sessa Industrial and Product Director, for many years, 44 year old Massimo Radice’s role will be to create and follow up on our vision for the future, to promote development and fulfill our ambitious financial goals. The new Vice President, Riccardo Radice, will continue in his key role leading the marketing team along with be in charge of the “product style”. At the same time, he will lead the expansion of Sessa in Europe, our core market, along with be in charge of the “product style”. At the same time, he will lead the expansion of Sessa in Europe, our core market, along with new markets across the world. Our reorganization plan means that Sessa can also proudly announce the arrival of Alfredo Cofano into the group and who will lead our industrial management. Having been for many years at the renowned Riva shipyard, where he developed a precise system of industrialization, Alfredo Cofano is proud of his wealth of experience in the industrial sector at both the national and International levels. His skills and unique approach to organization mean that he is the perfect candidate to guide and push forth Sessa’s, into more competitive sectors, as was seen with last year’s launch of the flagship C68 and of the first Fly-Bridge model. The arrival of Cofano further confirms Sessa’s goal to continue with a management strategy started two years ago with the arrival of a new management team: Andrea Loro, who was previously the Commercial Director of Yamaha Motors Marine Italia; Sophie Dupuy, who comes from leading French Yacht builder, as the Communications Manager; and last year, Paolo Maggioni, as the Administrative and Financial Director, whose experience comes from working with multinationals in the industrial and media sector. 2010 also will see the launch of new products, once again highlighting the strong investment that Sessa has and continues to put into practice. This strategy remains so even during times of economic hardship, where quality and innovation still represent the key for the next few years to allow for growth and expansion. The six new products are part of Sessa Marine’s three ranges, from the Key Largo to the cruiser range with the launch of the highly successful C35’s successor as well as two new yachts of 48 and 54 feet. Our forecast for next year, starting in September at Cannes, is positive and foresees an economic growth due in part to the launch of six new models and the expansion into new markets in developing countries. In the near future, work in Catanzaro will begin to expand the production facilities. There will be an area for technical and logistic offices (400 m2) and a new plant of 2500 m2 dedicated solely to fiberglass lamination. This plant will be equipped with a pressurized painting booth for applying metallic paints, along with hi-tech technologies for infusion and vacuum laminating processes.


Sunseeker New Partner

FL Partners has bought a significant majority stake in Sunseeker International, one of the world's pre-eminent luxury motor yacht manufacturers. Sunseeker exports globally from its base in Poole in Dorset, employs over 2,300 people, and has specialised in the design and manufacture of luxury motor yachts for over forty years. Sunseeker is a world class brand and is renowned for quality, speed, style, grace, space and luxury - attributes that make Sunseeker boats instantly recognisable in any marina worldwide. FL Partners (owners of the Racing Post) together with a number of UK and Irish investors have provided £25 million of new capital to Sunseeker, whose management have also co-invested with FL. This new capital follows on from a period of significant capital investment as the Company invested £40m plus in successfully expanding its manufacturing facilities and product range in Poole to deliver yachts of up to 40m in length, with plans and capacity to expand to 50m yachts. The strength of its brand and the consistent release of innovative and exciting new models across its range has allowed the Company to continue to generate strong revenues through the downturn. Sunseeker's global brand is now supported by its youngest ever product range, leading market positions and a strong balance sheet. FL also refinanced Sunseeker's current debt with a long term package provided by Macquarie Bank and Haymarket Financial. Co-founder Robert Braithwaite remains the largest single shareholder outside of FL Partners, and will be President and non-executive Chairman of Sunseeker International (Holdings) Limited. Stewart McIntyre, currently Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed Managing Director. Joining the board with Peter Crowley and Neill Hughes of FL will be Andy Macfie of Souter Investments LLP; Souter Investments is transport magnate Brian Souter's personal investment vehicle.


Sunseeker Team Gear for Macmillan Dorset Bike Ride

A team of engineers who work on the Predator 130 are getting ready for the 38 mile cycle route on the Dorset Macmillan Bike Ride which takes place on Sunday July the 4th. The team are aiming to raise as much money as possible that will go towards Macmillan Cancer Support who improve the lives of people affected by cancer, providing practical, medical, emotional and financial support.