October 31, 2022

Monthly News - October 2022

-pic of the month- Codecasa Conferment of Doctorate Honoris Causa

Aicon CEO Receives Honorary Award at the Italian Film Festival

Aicon is pleased to announce that it’s CEO, Marc-Udo Broich, received an honorary award during the "Gran Gala della TV" event at the Italian Film Festival held in Milazzo September 27.  The award is in recognition of Broich’s entrepreneurial skills, together with his dedication and determination which gave new life to a revered brand of Italian yachting - Aicon. And for his love of Sicily and it’s people where he chose to invest his resources and time. His passion for “Made in Sicily” is further enhanced by exclusively utilizing Sicilian materials and labour in the construction of the new luxury Aicon Yachts. 


Bayliss Building Progress

One year ago, Bayliss broke ground on a new paint facility, and since then the skyline has drastically changed! The towering 10,000 square foot building will house a state-of-the-art top coat booth in conjunction with a smaller parts booth and a prep/assembly bay from Global Finishing Solutions. This addition will greatly enhance the Bayliss finishing process and quality; a long project, but a very important addition to the BBW campus. Upon completion in early December, our new paint facility will allow us to accommodate boats up to 90' with full towers. 


Cantiere Delle Marche New Shareholders

Cantiere Delle Marche is glad to announce that on today’s date the acquisition of 100% of the capital of the company has been completed through a management buy out supported at 75% by Austrian FIL Bros Family Office while the 25% goes to the company’s co-founders Ennio Cecchini and Vasco Buonpensiere. At the same time, Ennio Cecchini former CEO of CDM becomes the new President and Vasco Buonpensiere, current Sales & Marketing Director, is appointed CEO.  Tom Schröder, own­ers of FIL Bros Fam­ily Of­fice, says: “I have an im­mense pas­sion for yacht­ing and I found out that CDM’s man­age­ment and staff share this pas­sion of mine com­bined with the com­mit­ment to build some­thing spe­cial, some­thing that has no equal in the yacht­ing in­dus­try. To­gether with Vasco and En­nio, since both of them play a key role in the share­hold­ing struc­ture, and all em­ploy­ees that will be fur­ther in­volved and mo­ti­vated in the com­pany growth, we will con­sol­i­date CDM po­si­tion in the in­ter­na­tional arena as one of the best yacht builders in the world – con­sis­tently with what has been done in the last 12 years. Our goal is to de­liver 3 or 4 ex­plorer yachts per year to Own­ers who wish to sail the seven seas and reach in safety and ut­most com­fort even the high­est lat­i­tudes, yacht that will dis­tin­guish them­selves for their ex­tra­or­di­nary qual­ity. The ac­qui­si­tion is aimed at strength­en­ing and fur­ther de­vel­op­ing CDM’s ac­tiv­ity to­gether with co-founders En­nio Cec­chini and Vasco Buon­pen­siere, true builders of the ex­tra­or­di­nary suc­cess of CDM, still at the helm of a com­pany that with a far­sighted ap­proach spe­cial­ized it­self in the con­struc­tion of ex­plorer yachts of un­sur­passed qual­ity and de­sign, real lit­tle ships in steel and alu­minium.”  The com­pany’s will be man­aged with a long-term vi­sion in mind and with the de­sire to de­velop it through grounded and prag­matic ac­tions while keep­ing all those pre­cious char­ac­ter­is­tics that made CDM be­come an in­ter­na­tion­ally re­puted player: qual­ity, ex­clu­siv­ity, great at­ten­tion to each Client in his/her own speci­ficity. Twelve years af­ter its foun­da­tion, CDM is the 12th ship­yard in the Global Or­der Book 2022 by length of yachts un­der con­struc­tion, closely fol­low­ing the largest yards and his­tor­i­cal brands world­wide.  New CEO, Vasco Buon­pen­siere, says: “What we have in mind are am­bi­tious and vi­sion­ary goals yet we know that we will get them as is in the spirit and his­tory of CDM. Con­sid­er­ing that our pro­duc­tion is to­tally sold up to 2026 and that the Value of Pro­duc­tion will dou­ble within 3 years com­pared to 2021, we will fur­ther fo­cus on our brand po­si­tion­ing, a brand that al­ready got in­ter­na­tional recog­ni­tion. CDM is maybe the only Ital­ian brand which plays on equal terms with the best North­ern Eu­ro­pean ship­yards, as wit­nessed by many Own­ers who chose CDM af­ter own­ing yachts built by Dutch and Ger­man ship­yards.”  CDM, founded in 2010 while the cri­sis hit hard the in­dus­try, thanks to the vi­sion of its founders Cec­chini e Buon­pen­siere and their pro­found knowl­edge of ship and yacht build­ing, be­came the undis­puted world leader in the ex­plorer yachts seg­ment (with just shy of 60% of the ex­plorer yachts mar­ket), be­com­ing an in­ter­na­tional ref­er­ence for the in­grained qual­ity of its yachts, their de­sign and tech­ni­cal as­pects.  “Over the years, while stay­ing true to CDM’s found­ing mis­sion, we have been able to move for­ward, de­vel­op­ing new ideas and de­signs al­ways think­ing out of the box, never fol­low­ing trends but cre­at­ing new ones,” says the newly ap­pointed Pres­i­dent En­nio Cec­chini. “Our goal was to de­sign and build the best pos­si­ble ex­plorer yachts for a grow­ing num­ber of ex­pe­ri­enced yacht own­ers, true ex­plores them­selves. When we de­cided to spe­cial­ize CDM pro­duc­tion, Vasco and I had a clear vi­sion of what would hap­pen in the yacht­ing in­dus­try and time has proved us right: that of ex­plorer yachts is nowa­days rec­og­nized as a trend.”  With an Or­der Book of as many as 13 ex­plorer yachts (with a to­tal length of 504 me­tres and a Gross Ton­nage of around 5000GT) CDM and its new share­hold­ers will not sleep on lau­rels and are com­mit­ted to give the com­pany a fresh im­pe­tus for a brighter fu­ture.


Codecasa Fulvio Conferment of Doctorate Honoris Causa

On Monday 17th, 2022, at the Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte in Viareggio, took place the Ceremony to award the Laurea Honoris Causa to Cavalier Fulvio Codecasa, patron of the Codecasa Shipyards, acknowledging his merits for the important and incisive entrepreneurial work carried out in the international yachting history.  In collaboration with Fondazione ISYL and Navigo The Degree was conferred by Prof. Maurits van Rooijen, President of the Academic Senate/Strategic Team of Gioya (Higher Education Institution) of Malta, by Eng.Vincenzo Poerio (President of the Tuscan Nautical and Ports Technology district), with the attendance of a delegation of Malta led by the Minister Clifton Grima.  Proudly, we wish to congratulate our Fulvio for this umpteenth great success. 


Ferretti Group and David Beckham for Unicef Children of El Salvador

The David Beckham Unicef Fund and Ferretti Group have come together for a charity auction, where a magnificent, limited edition Riva Anniversario boat will be auctioned, and the entire proceeds will help protect children in El Salvador whose lives are threatened by violence.  The collaboration springs from David Beckham’s role as a Goodwill Ambassador for Unicef, a role he has held since 2005. Unicef works to save children's lives, defend their rights, and to help children fulfil their potential in almost every country on Earth.  To mark his 10 years as a Goodwill Ambassador, David set up the 7 Fund with Unicef, to support children around the world by providing better health care, education, and protection.  In El Salvador, the 7 Fund is working in the six most violent areas to help prevent and respond to acts of violence against young people. The goal is to help children go to school, to make public spaces safer and child friendly, and to strengthen child-protection services and make them more accessible.  The 7 Fund aims to provide every child in these six areas with the chance to play sport in safety, so they can develop resilience and learn vital life-skills.  Ferretti Group is committed to supporting David Beckham’s 7 Fund for UNICEF: a magnificent Riva Anniversario will be auctioned off, and the entire proceeds will be donated to safeguard children in El Salvador.  “I am so proud of my work with Unicef. As a Goodwill Ambassador and founder of the 7 Fund, I have seen first-hand the vital work that Unicef does around the world. Unicef is there every day in homes, schools, and communities, helping children realise and fulfil their potential. I am so pleased to see how we are helping children in El Salvador. The projects we support there protect the many children who live in the shadow of violence. Thank you to Ferretti Group for supporting this cause, which is so close to my heart.” said David Beckham.  Riva Anniversario is the special, limited-edition boat created by Riva to celebrate the shipyard’s 180th anniversary as well as 60 years of the iconic Aquarama. Only 18 units will be made, and one has been immediately earmarked to support the 7 Fund for Unicef’s work. This will raise vital funds for El Salvador’s most vulnerable children and raise greater awareness of their situation and the work that Unicef is doing for the most disadvantaged children and adolescents.  “All of us who sail the waves know that there is a law of the sea that we all hold dear: that you must do all you can to rescue those in danger who need help”, commented Alberto Galassi, Ferretti Group CEO. “I am grateful to UNICEF and to our friend David Beckham for this chance to support a project that can make a real difference to the lives of thousands of children and their families. There is no better way to celebrate Riva’s 180th year, and I am certain that our owners will be eager to compete for such an exclusive, iconic boat while offering hope and opportunity to so many people.”  The silent auction will be open for four months, concluding in Miami on 16 February 2023, when the Riva Anniversario will be handed over to the most generous bidder.  


Frauscher Spain Celebrating Its Anniversary

A major milestone ten years ago was the further internationalization of the Upper Austrian company with its Spanish branch. Today, as a flagship store, it serves as an entrance ticket to the Frauscher world for customers from all over the world. In the new winter storage facility, customers receive exclusive on-site service for their Frauscher boat.  The Port Adriano marina in Mallorca has been home to the Frauscher test centre for a decade. With around 440 moorings, numerous restaurants, bars and luxury shops, this is one of the most sophisticated, modern harbour in the Mediterranean region. Visitors can get to know the Frauscher range of models and arrange a test drive with the on-site sales team.  "Frauscher España is a kind of flagship store for our customers & retailers from all over the world", explains Managing Director Stefan Frauscher. "In Port Adriano, potential customers can see for themselves the magic combination of innovation, design and performance in our product range, and a test drive will get them even more intrigued." The success of our Mallorca location meant that a significant investment was now required in order to continue offering the very best service to local customers. That is why Frauscher España opened its new 2.750 sqm winter storage facility, so that even more Frauscher customers could have their boats serviced by the shipyard specialists over winter.  The service team at Frauscher España has played a key part in its success over the last decade. When you are out at sea, it is vital to have confidence that everything is working correctly and that someone has taken care of your boat beforehand. The local Frauscher team takes personal responsibility for cleaning, maintenance and servicing tasks and will also carry out specific installation or renovation work.


Gulf Craft Partners with Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation

Gulf Craft, one of the world’s leading boat and yacht manufacturers is collaborating with Dubai Institute of Design & Innovation (DIDI) as part of its on-going commitment to make the United Arab Emirates a global yachting centre of excellence.  Together, Gulf Craft and DIDI are introducing a bespoke project across the fall 2022 semester, where a studio class made up of talented students in their second, third and fourth year will take on an exciting new learning challenge: ’Create new Strategic Brand- and Design Innovations for Gulf Craft.’


Horizon FD Series Continues to Grow

The American market demand for large, high-volume yacht builds is reflected in the latest edition of the Horizon FD Series Order Book. Now available in print and online, this unique publication is the ultimate log of every Horizon FD Series built or in-build to date, complete with customization details and owner testimonials.  Volume 12 outlines the ever-increasing number of new FD Series yacht builds and sales in recent months, with the U.S. market accounting for exponential growth in new builds 90 feet and above. The largest FD Series yacht built to date the Tri-Deck FD110 was recently delivered to an American owner and will soon be followed by the delivery of the Tri-Deck FD100 to another American customer, with new orders of these models now in build for eager clients.


Pardo and Falconeri Collaboration

Cannes Yachting Festival 2022 was the perfect event for Pardo Yachts to proudly announce its new collaboration with Falconeri, refined Italian brand specialised in the creation of cashmere knitwear and the highest quality natural yarns, perfectly in line with Pardo Yachts' philosophy.  The partnership between the two brands, which continued also during Genoa International Boat Show, has led to the creation of a capsule collection: this selection of garments perfectly combines the high quality of the raw materials, which has always distinguished Falconeri, with the maritime vibe typical of the world of Pardo Yachts. The result of this collaboration, in addition to shirts and T-shirts in the freshest linen, is the must-have reversible sleeveless down jacket in technical fabric and ultralight cashmere, the brand's evergreen product.  It was indeed during these first major exhibitions that ushered the international boating season that the entire Falconeri x Pardo Yachts collection was on display at the Pardo Yachts stand.  Parallels spontaneously emerge with core values common to both philosophies. Among them, attention to detail, respect for the environment and sustainability stand out, as well as the focus on tradition and Italian style.  Whether we are talking about the finest yarns or precious wood essences, the high-quality standards that characterise the products of the two brands are concrete and tangible. The effortless luxury expressed by Falconeri garments thus fits perfectly with the iconic and distinctive lines of the Pardo Yachts hulls, recognised worldwide as synonymous with quality.


Sunreef Twentieth Anniversary

This year during the Monaco Yacht Show, Sunreef Yachts celebrated the company’s 20th anniversary. On September 30th the Yacht Club de Monaco hosted Sunreef Yachts’ anniversary reception which gathered partners, customers and ambassadors for a unique evening celebrating two decades of innovation and excellence. The company seized this opportunity to take a look back at its biggest achievements and to share some exclusive news.  The event attracted numerous guests from all over the world, including prominent figures such as former Polish president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Lech Walesa, sustainability entrepreneur Nico Rosberg or professional explorer Mike Horn.  


Sunseeker New Middle East Distributor

Sunseeker is delighted to announce the appointment of a new distributor in the Middle East. Trading under the name Sunseeker Gulf, the distributor will exclusively represent the British motor yacht builder in the region and will be led by the experienced John Bush and Brett Noble.  Sunseeker has been a key player in the Middle East market, supplying new yachts to customers for over 20 years. The appointment of Sunseeker Gulf will allow Sunseeker to develop its presence in the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain, with its head office based in Dubai. Following the phenomenal success of the Sunseeker Showcase in Poole and Hong Kong, Dubai will benefit from the new showcase concept that offers an unparalleled client experience.  Sunseeker Gulf will enhance a global development strategy for the yacht builder. This new appointment in the Middle East will allow Sunseeker to participate in regional events and lead-generation activities.  Sean Robertson, Sales and Marketing Director at Sunseeker, commented: “Our new alliance with Sunseeker Gulf will offer the market direct and unprecedented access to the entire Sunseeker range. Yachts ranging from 55 to 160 feet will offer prospective customers a diverse portfolio of luxury motor yachts, from the all-new and incredibly exciting Superhawk 55 to the magnificent 100 Yacht and recently launched Ocean range.”  Douglas Culverwell, Director of Distributor Development, added: “We are delighted to unveil Sunseeker Gulf as our new distributor in this critical market. Their strength and expertise will offer exceptional customer service and ample opportunity to develop our presence in the region.”  John Bush, Founder of Sunseeker Gulf, commented: “We are incredibly proud to embark on a new venture with Sunseeker. Representing an iconic brand in a growing market will enable us to develop our business in the Middle East. We are very excited to present the incomparable quality found in Sunseeker’s yachts. As true leaders in yacht design and innovation, this is an exceptional new offering to the Middle East market which sees us represent one of the most prestigious yacht brands in the world today.”  Sunseeker Gulf will debut at Dubai Yacht Show 2023 with a stunning line-up of luxury motor yachts.


Tecnorib Best of Boats Finalist Again

The Pirelli 50 by TecnoRib is amongst the finalists for BOB, the Best of Boats Award, in the category Best for Fun. Inflatable boats have only historically been finalists in the awards twice, and both were from the sleek TecnoRib Walkarounds line.


Viking Investing in Technology

Investing in technology and machinery is one of the many ways we build a better boat every day. Our new Eastman computer numerical control (CNC) cutter serves as the latest example of that commitment to our mantra, helping us build more efficiently. This automated, computerized system is used to precisely cut materials (up to 1-3/4” thick) such as foam, fiberglass and carbon fiber that are used to build a variety of parts in our boats.  Albert Uhl Jr. (son of Vice President of Manufacturing Albert Uhl Sr.) oversees the new Eastman CNC operation. Al, along with John’s team, has completed more than 30,000 computer-aided design (CAD) drawings, 400 pattern changes and an immense amount of bill of materials in just the past year.  The operation begins with Berta opening the software, selecting the part based on the BOM and initiating the gantry. The Vidir carousel feeds the materials onto the base of the machine, which uses a perforated vacuum to hold the material, ensuring a precise cut. The Eastman CNC cutter then slices and labels each part with an airbrush system, and the finished product is conveyed off the table for distribution to each department in both our New Gretna and Mullica plants.

Viking the Clam Bake

Viking Employee Appreciation Clam Bake was a huge success. “Turnout was fantastic, and it was truly a great day for everyone,” said Viking Executive Vice President Drew Davala. Viking’s manufacturing facility was transformed into a lively carnival as kids decorated pumpkins, created sand art and reveled in a host of amusement rides. Families were toured through the manufacturing facility as well as world-class yachts.  And food was abundant with burgers and dogs, roast pig, plump local clams and sweet Jersey corn. “The clambake is an annual event my father, Co-founder Bill Healey, established over 30 years ago,” said Viking President and CEO Pat Healey. “Today is all about the boatbuilders and their families.”  The annual event is planned and organized by the Human Resources Department. More than 100 managers, administrators and staffers jump in to put on a festive day for the best boatbuilders in the world. 

Viking Dealers Master Degree

Viking and Valhalla Boatworks pride itself on the amazing dealer network and the relationship. To encourage this relationship and increase product knowledge, Viking offers a Master’s Program for its authorized dealers. Recently, Bluewater Yacht Sales team members visited the Viking and Valhalla facilities for a two-day learning experience. Hosted by the Sales Department, the team from the Mid-Atlantic region began with a hands-on tour at the New Gretna facility observing each stage of production and ended the day with classroom-style learning. Day two consisted of a factory tour at the Mullica location, going over new factory improvements as well as learning the V Series build process. Bluewater’s Sales Professional Connor Hall added, “The Master’s Program is beneficial because it allows Bluewater as a company to continue our product and market education. It is a perfect way to get us geared up for boat show season and sell some boats!”


Wajer Thirty Year Anniversary

To celebrate the Wajer Thirtieth anniversary, the Dutch boat and yacht builder made a digital timeline from the hull of the first Captain's Launch to the reveal of the Wajer 77 and all the milestones in between. In the Wajer Thirty Year timeline click on the photos to view a video of Dorus and Dries Wajer, explaining the story behind each photo.

Wajer End Summer Season Travel Trip to Corsica

A select group of Wajer owners, made the crossing from St. Tropez to Corsica. A look back on an incredible journey for the Wajer owners. From a bumpy ride at sea, due to heavy winds to a breath taking helicopter ride to explore the island. From lunch on the beach to dinner in a cave. Wajer can’t wait for the next edition in 2023!

Wajer Owners Challenges 2022

Fun, competition and more fun during this year’s edition of the Wajer Owners Challenges in Ibiza and France. Teams were put to the test in four different challenges at sea. Although in France we found an unexpected added challenge in the weather conditions, it was a great day. The winners took home the Golden Flagpole.


Wider Announces Partnership with Northrop and Johnson

Wider has unveiled a partnership with Northrop & Johnson to sell two of its superyachts, a 170ft and a 210ft, that currently make up the builder’s superyacht range. Northrop and Johnson, specifically Joe Foggia as yacht broker, will have exclusive sales and management rights for the two models in North America. The partnership marks an alliance between one of the industry’s most innovative yacht builders with a world-class brokerage house. “We look forward to working with Northrop & Johnson in North America,” said Marcello Maggi, who heads up W-Fin Sarl, the holding Company that owns 100% of Wider equity. “We have found that their unrivaled expertise in yacht sales and management, coupled with a deep reach both within the industry and with potential buyers, makes them an excellent match for the vision we have for our superyacht division. Northrop & Johnson’s network is unsurpassed in the industry, and a major reason why we decided to work so closely with them. Furthermore, this agreement mirrors the one that Wider recently entered into with MarineMax, though that partnership is focused on the builder’s catamaran division.” Part of the vision Maggi mentioned includes Wider’s new facility in Venice, Italy, that is dedicated to the exclusive production of superyachts. That state-of-the-art yard is a hub for mega yachts production. All design and engineering for the yachts is also done in house thanks to the Centro Stile Wider. The partnership with Northrop & Johnson is simply a new milestone in Wider: “It’s a match that will catapult Wider a step ahead in our ambitious plans” concludes Marcello Maggi.

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