-pic of the month- Beneteau Inaugurates Permanent Barcelona Base
Azimut Aims for Top Spot in USA
“Our objective is to become the top-ranking shipyard in the USA over the next two years,” commented Federico Ferrante. The President of Azimut|Benetti USA added: “The sale of 15 yachts worth about US $50 million at FLIBS 2018 is the best way to describe the outstanding success achieved by Azimut Yachts, the leading foreign shipyard in the United States. This success rewards our propositions, which increasingly feature sophisticated content in terms of design and technological innovation, and our ability to offer outstanding local reach and a five-star after sales assistance service. We’ve achieved this result, which makes America the brand’s main market, representing 38% of total value of production, thanks to the partnership with MarineMax, the most highly reputed dealership on this market”. The good health of Azimut Yachts in America is also underscored by the rise in the number of visits to the stand - up 20% on last year - not only by people from the US, but also from Canadian and South America. Florida continues to confirm its position as the area with the best sales figures, followed by the Northeast and Midwest, while the lines best loved by US owners are the Flybridge Collection, followed by the Grande Collection, of which a 27-meter model was sold at Fort Lauderdale, the big sister of the 25-meter yacht that made its American debut at FLIBS. To continue to extend the brand’s occupation of the US market, Azimut Yachts and MarineMax intend to increase its presence at the country’s main boat shows and to implement a multi-faceted program of events to strengthen owners’ sense of belonging to the Azimut Yachts community and to win over new owners.
Beneteau Inaugurates a Permanent Base in Barcelona
After a lengthy study of where to locate and open a new permanent trials base, Beneteau set its sights on Port Ginesta in Barcelona. The inauguration, attended by Annette Roux, Luca Brancaleon, general manager of Beneteau, Pere Padrosa, general manager of the marinas and airports of Catalonia, Rodolf Guasch, the brand’s Catalan dealer and 35 European journalists, took place in late October. The Port Ginesta base will allow customers, journalists and partners to try out new sailing yachts and motorboats all year round, in addition to big boats proposed by the Vendée boatyard. Among the four sites considered – Barcelona, Cannes, Palma and Nice – Port Ginesta was the clear choice for technical reasons and for its overall attractiveness. Yves Mandin, manager of the project and of the Premium Service, stressed that apart from the close proximity to an international airport, the city’s vitality and its cultural influence, “Barcelona has a mild climate and excellent sailing conditions. The Port Ginesta marina is well-sheltered and access to the sea is quick, with no channel as you enter the port. What’s more, we have succeeded in obtaining a dedicated building for 3 years and eight 15-metre moorings in the marina. It has also been agreed to extend this to cater to smaller boats.” The permanent nature of the Catalan base reflects the serious need for a top-quality service among future buyers of big boats business women and men, and company managers, who all lack availability. Up until now, Beneteau combined ten days of press trials and customer trials twice a year. This short-term solution meant that you had to wait several months before being able to try out the boat that interested you. By offering trials all year long in a dedicated base flying the brand’s colors, Beneteau is giving its customers and the press with a new experience centred on high availability of boats and teams with increasingly customized guidance and greater comfort. The approach was an instant success, since the week after the inauguration saw 50 European journalists succeed each other for 200 trials at the base in Port Ginesta, along with 70 customers from 12 different countries.
Benetti Appoints New Chief Commercial Officer
The new organisational structure of Benetti starts to take shape following the recent appointment of Franco Fusignani as CEO, with the arrival on the team of Sebastiano Fanizza as new Chief Commercial Officer and Nick Bischoff as Country Manager for Benetti Americas. As part of the process to consolidate the presence of Azimut|Benetti Group on strategic foreign markets, Benetti announces the appointment of Sebastiano Fanizza as Chief Commercial Officer and Nick Bischoff as Country Manager for the Americas. Fanizza, who began acting in his new capacity last October 22nd and reports directly to the CEO, has a mission to pursue the company’s commercial strategy development programme, as well as holding responsibility for brand positioning and development activities. With a degree in mechanical engineering, he began his professional career as an engineer for Iveco. He then joined Azimut Yachts in the role of After Sales Manager, occupying management positions of growing responsibility at international level before finally becoming Sales and Service Director for the EMEA and APAC regions. After a parenthesis of about three years in Nautor’s Swan as Commercial and Business Development Director, Fanizza now returns to the Azimut|Benetti Group, with the goal of building up the Benetti management structure. Roberto Corno, after closing numerous sales during his thirteen years at Benetti, including a giga yacht over 100 meters in length, has been appointed Vice President Benetti Sales CIS & East Europe in the new Benetti Sales structure. He will report to Fanizza and work to develop what is a very familiar market for him, having contributed over the years to strengthening the Company’s commercial penetration in this area. His mission is to consolidate Benetti’s market presence and seize further existing development potential. Another new arrival, also reporting to Fanizza, is Nick Bischoff who began work as Benetti Country Manager for the Americas since October 1st. He has been set the task of structuring the Sales area in North, Central and South America, of strengthening the Brand’s presence and of seizing the untapped development potential in this strategic market. With this new addition, the Benetti Sales team can rely on the yacht market expertise and networking experience gained by Bischoff during his many years in top commercial and management roles at leading international yachting businesses.
Benetti Shines During Livorno Half Marathon
More than 2,500 athletes took part in the Livorno Half Marathon on Sunday November 11. At the event, Livorno residents and a host of yachting enthusiasts had the chance to admire first hand the Benetti and Lusben shipyards, which opened their doors to sports lovers and visitors, including many families with children, to mark the occasion. The festive spirit of Half Marathon Sunday proved to be a big win for the city of Livorno as a whole. Against the backdrop of high attendance, the Benetti shipyard threw open its doors to welcome numerous visitors in what is rapidly becoming a sporting tradition for the city. For the second year running, the committee of employees who work at the Benetti and Lusben shipyards decided to contribute to the event by organising an open day at the Company’s Livorno production site. A guided itinerary wove its way through the industrial sheds and megayachts, offering visitors the chance to visit the areas where the mega and giga yachts that have made Livorno and Tuscany a center of yacht building excellence on the world stage are created and come to life. Highly successful novelties this year were the introduction of an area dedicated to entertaining the youngest visitors with their families and visits to the recently opened Benetti museum. “It has been thrilling, for me as well as Benetti’s and Lusben’s associates, seeing how much this event brought on visitors’ curiosity and interest, particularly for the youngest among them” said Franco Fusignani, Benetti CEO, who added “I’d like offer my warm thanks to the whole municipality and everyone who contributed their precious help to ensure the success of this great event”. Benetti and Lusben would like to thank once more all the sponsors who contribute to the event organization: Ab Telematica, Abate, Arredomare Yachtline, Bertazzoni Servizi, BG Safe, Calistri, Carpensalda, Cargol Engineering Consultancy, Cosnav, Euro El, Falegnameria Gazzeri, Fiorillo, Gb Mec, Gestione Bacini, Gioiosa Arredi, Idroil, Isol-yacht, L.M.N., Labromare, Landi Lubrificanti, Leghorn Yachts, Legno Line, Madame Polè, Madonna Service, Manrico Francesconi, Martelli Termoidraulica, MSP di Perna, Navaltecnica, P.F.T., Pascri, Promat, Rangers, Samos, Sealine, S.C.M., SCM Marine Equipment, SGM – Valmec, Sirio, Sogese, Team Italia, Technorefit, Tecnel, Verme, Versilia Marine Service.
Feadship Refit and Services Opens for Buisness
Feadship has announced the formation of a globally operating company called Feadship Refit & Services, which will be responsible for implementing Feadship’s new customer support strategy referred to as: “My Feadship”. Combining all the services previously offered by the individual Feadship yards, the My Feadship programme is arranged around three pillars: Feadship Rebuild (major refits in the Netherlands), the Feadship Services Network (a partnership with four leading yards in the Med and US) and the Feadship Authentication Certificate (quality standard for new builds and existing Feadships). The new company has been established to protect the pedigree of the Feadship fleet and meet the growing demands for Feadship expertise among clients keen to protect the unique DNA of their Feadship. The refit, repair, service and after-sales activities have traditionally been in the hands of teams from the three Feadship yards in the Netherlands (Aalsmeer, Kaag and Makkum) and the refit design and engineering operations run by Feadship De Voogt Naval Architects. Feadship Refit & Services combines all these activities and will also incorporate the fourth Feadship yard in Amsterdam when it opens in May 2019.
Ferretti Group Conquers America
Ferretti Group once again conquers the American audience at the 59th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, scheduled from October 31st to November 4th, with its magnificent fleet of 18 boats, including 2 premieres for the American market. The United States, which has always been an area of strategic importance for the Group, has been characterized in 2018 by extremely positive figures: with a growth of over 9% compared to 2017, the Americas now account for 36% of the Ferretti Group market. This extraordinary result is due above all to the great sales success in Florida and in the Northeastern United States, where Allied Marine operates, the historic American yacht marketing company and exclusive dealer of Ferretti Group, that has its own headquarters in Fort Lauderdale.
Ferretti Group Alongside Scuderia Ferrari in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2018
If a Formula 1 of nautical excellence were ever launched, the Ferretti Group would unquestionably start in pole position. In the meantime, the ties between the Group and the exclusive club of the fastest cars in the world are increasingly close. Part of this is due to the official sponsorship deal that sees the Riva logo displayed on the helmets of the two Ferrari drivers: Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen. The Group’s yachts are becoming a more and more regular sight at Grands Prix in coastal locations. This was the case in Monte Carlo, where Riva looked out over everyone from the Riva Aquarama Lounge on the first floor of the Yacht Club de Monaco, and will be also true of the final race of the season, in Abu Dhabi. The Ferretti Group yachts are ready to steal the show from the racing cars, once again shining the spotlight on quintessential Italian know-how and nautical prowess. For the entire race weekend from 23 to 25 November, the following will be available for visits and test sails: Custom Line 120’, Riva 100’ Corsaro, Pershing 82, Riva 76’ Perseo and Riva Aquariva Super. The grand finale is expected with trepidation in the shape of the now customary and eagerly awaited final evening event for celebrities, guests and owners. Once again, this year, it will be held in the exclusive Cipriani Restaurant, which for the occasion will take on the alluring, legendary appearance of a temporary Riva Lounge. The evening is expected to be characterized by sublime dishes and highly-sophisticated musical entertainment, which will give the event a unique, almost indescribable atmosphere.
Ferretti Customline Honored at 2018 Builders Awards
The choice to invest in Research & Development has once again rewarded Ferretti Group and its commitment to innovation. Further evidence came last night, November 13th, at the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam, where Ferretti Group received a major recognition from the jury of the Boat Builder Awards, a prestigious event organised by METSTRADE and IBI magazine. Specifically, the Boat Builder Award in the category “Collaborative Solution Between A Superyacht Builder and Its Supply Chain Partner” went to the innovative lounge door on Custom Line 120’, designed by the Ferretti Group Engineering Department in collaboration with Francesco Paszkowski Design studio and developed in conjunction with Mecaer Aviation Group, an important player in the aerospace industry. The invention is an innovative glass door that breaks new ground in the nautical world, with undeniable benefits in terms of both practicality and aesthetic appeal. The door, installed at a 45° angle, can either open traditionally with the two panels sliding sideways, or exploit a tilting mechanism to rotate upwards and disappear into the ceiling. Both operations are performed by electric motors, with the tilting rotation made possible by twin worm gears. The system also includes a non-reversible gear motor that ensures safe operation in the event of electrical failures. Through this high-tech mechanism, the tilting door creates a continuity between the cockpit and lounge areas, forming a single environment of over 80 square meters. “Innovation is a door to the future, and in this case it is literally a door: the innovative glass door designed for the new Custom Line 120’. This accolade rewards our Group's significant investments in Research & Development, an area of the yacht-building industry which could be defined as the search for new levels of comfort and the development of solutions capable of improving the on-board experience” said Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi. “There isn’t a single investment in R&D that wasn’t rewarded in the form of customer satisfaction.”
Fraucher Future of Yachting
Following the motto "The Future of Yachting", the Frauscher Bootswerft welcomed more than 300 guests to the shipyard at Lake Traunsee and presented several technical innovations and new products. Frauscher will be launching three new models including the Frauscher 1017 GT Air, which will celebrate its official premiere at the BOOT 2019. In addition, the shipyard gave a sneak preview of the air model of the Frauscher 1414 Demon – the award-winning flagship of the Austrian shipyard, which has been sold more than twenty times since 2016. The Frauscher 1414 Demon Air and the 1017 GT Air both combine the premium design and first-class driving characteristics of their closed predecessors with even more generous space and high-quality details. CEO Michael Frauscher, responsible for production and development, explained: “At Frauscher Shipyard we see ourselves as 'Engineers of Emotions', always wanting to provide our boat owners a great time on the water. Our development work, therefore, focuses on both – technical innovation and design – with the objective of offering best in class products at all times." The shipyard underlined its innovative strength with the presentation of two projects in cooperation with the renowned automotive brand BMW and the engine manufacturer Torqeedo. Electric boat enthusiasts will benefit from the cooperation, as the shipyard's electric drive systems are now even more powerful and efficient. This is ensured by a 150 PS engine and the integration of a state-of-the-art battery technology from the automotive industry (batteries usually used for BMW i3 models). The result is a significant increase in efficiency of 30 percent and optionally a considerably higher maximum speed. Stefan Frauscher, Managing Director Strategic Marketing and Sales, about the cooperation with BMW: "From the very beginning, innovation has a high priority in the development history of our shipyard – therefore we are always reaching for strong partners, who work together with us on pioneering solutions for the entire industry. " As an absolute highlight, the shipyard showed first renderings of the Frauscher 777 Specter – a highly efficient electric boat to be launched in autumn of 2019. The e-boat sets new standards in terms of efficiency, maneuverability and meets the highest design standards. The musical surrounding of the evening was provided by the Viennese band Russkaja.
Gulf Craft Chairman Honored with Award
Mohammed Alshaali, Chairman of Gulf Craft wins another global recognition for his remarkable contributions to the world's leisure marine industry over the last thirty-six years. The International Superyacht Society recognizes him as the Business Person of the Year at the 28th ISS Design & Leadership Awards Gala event held on 31st October 2018 in Florida, USA. A proud moment that opens a new chapter for Gulf Craft, the award highlights Mohammed Alshaali's pioneering work and relentless efforts to create sustainable growth for the maritime industry and its establishment as a key pillar of the manufacturing industry. Over the decades, he has helped to enhance the footprint of Gulf Craft from being a regional boat manufacturer to a globally and highly respected shipyard that ranks in the top 10 superyacht builders of the world. Today, Gulf Crafts' boats, yachts and superyachts sail the oceans of the world and fulfil the needs of diverse customers around the world. Mohammed Alshaali started his career as one of the UAE’s key diplomats holding positions such as UAE Ambassador to the USA, representative of the UAE at the European office of United Nations in Geneva and many more. Alshaali finally served as a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs before retiring and devoting his full time to Gulf Craft in 2008. ISS was founded in 1989 to represent a growing yacht industry worldwide and to ensure sustainability and excellence by building global alliances. The society also aims to recognise achievement with annual peer-reviewed awards programme as well as provide educational opportunities and networking events. The other ISS yacht design and leadership award categories that recognized outstanding people for excellence in their area of superyacht expertise included the Distinguished Crew Award, Leadership Award, Awards of Distinction, Excellence in Innovation and ISS Fabien Cousteau Blue Award.
Hatteras Introduces New Hatterascal
Hatteras is delighted to announce that highly successful anglers Chris and Laura Jessen, owners of Fish Tank Sportfishing, and their award-winning captain, Ben Horning, will campaign the all-new Hatteras GT59 Hatterascal during the 2019 tournament season. The Jessens and Capt. Ben have had tremendous success fishing competitively in their Hatteras GT63 Fish Tank in Costa Rica since December 2014, winning first place in five tournaments and placing in eight others. Among their many awards, Laura was recognized by The Billfish Foundation (TBF) as its 2015, 2016 and 2017 Top Overall Tagging Lady Angler as well as top winning lady angler in four tournaments. Chris was the Top Overall Release and Tagging Angler in 2016, and Capt. Ben was the 2016 Top Tagging Captain.
Jarrett Bay Tournament Dominance in 2018
Several Jarrett Bay teams placed on the leader board during the Bermuda Triple Crown Series, plus many more notable victories including: Builder’s Choice won first place at the Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament with a massive 911 pound blue marlin. Fender Bender won second place overall at The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament with a 514 pound blue marlin. Weldor’s Ark won first place and a record purse of $2.6 million at the White Marlin Open in Ocean City. Mama Who won first place at the Casa de Campo Blue Marlin Classic. Jaruco won third place on Leg III of the Los Suenos Triple Crown.
Maritimo Builds Future with New Plant
Leading Australian motor yacht manufacturer, Maritimo, is close to completing a multi-million dollar expansion of its original Gold Coast plant which will 'future proof' the business and create Australia's most advanced and environmentally sensitive marine industry manufacturing facility. The works which have been ongoing for more than a year will be completed early in 2019 and will virtually double the company's original manufacturing base. Plans for the expansion started in late 2017 with the purchase of a 3.09 hectare commercial site adjoining Maritimo's factory in Waterways Drive at the Coomera Marine Precinct. The site in McPhail Road, backing onto the Maritimo factory, has been a hive of activity since then. Company founder and marine industry doyen, Bill Barry-Cotter, said when completed the combined manufacturing plant would cover 4.664 hectares and would be one of the most advanced in the industry. The McPhail Road purchase increased Maritimo's land holding by 197 percent and its total building areas by 52 percent. "We conducted a root and branch review of our entire manufacturing operation and this new facility has enabled us to streamline and refine how we design and manufacture boats and at the same time dramatically improve the working environment for our people," he said. CEO Garth Corbitt said the completion of the new manufacturing facility would come as Maritimo's global expansion was stepped up and followed on from its most successful year ever in 2018 with record sales across the globe. "Ongoing the company will continue to market approximately half of the vessels we produced internationally and our new improved base will enable us to do that efficiently and cost effectively ultimately resulting in a better product for our customers and a better environment for our people," he said. "Our total manufacturing plant under roof is now 16,550 square metres excluding office space," he said. Prior to the McPhail Road acquisition and building works Maritimo's production facility covered 10,840 square metres including 1028 square metres for the race team headquarters. The acquisition will see a further 5710 square metres added. Maritimo General Manager Operations, Phil Candler, said the expansion enabled Maritimo to grow and increase the size of its vessels as and when it sees fit without having to make any significant factory changes. He said benefits were already flowing with the new product and design team being shifted from the company's Hope Harbour facility into the refurbished existing building on the acquired site. "We now have the new product and design team located with R and D and have virtually trebled their space in an area which enables better interaction with manufacturing and a more productive flow of ideas and information between design and production," he said. Candler said the improvements and advances in-built into the new combined facility were substantial and significant and would also make for a work environment without peer in the marine sector in Australia. Even rainwater run off will be harvested and filtered before being returned to the environment and used to nurture gardens and landscaping. He said the new buildings enabled Maritimo to redistribute current resources at Waterways Drive which would enhance productivity and quality of workmanship. "The new lamination shed has greater capacity and volume than before which creates better air flow through the building and mobile designated air extraction units can be deployed to anywhere in the building where there is a need in the work process flow," he said. "Walls in the new sheds have been insulated to reduce heat, the volume of air in the facility has been increased to better the work environment, there are new lunchrooms, toilets and showers, 230 square metres of portable mezzanine areas have been purchased enabling us to tailor workplaces specifically to the needs of the day, we have greater storage for moulds, both inside and out, and have created more designated detailing and cutting bays with state of the art extraction." Candler said the expansion has seen a doubling of Martimo's CNC router machinery with router one and 3D Design technology located together in McPhail Road building one to assist with new product development. A new CNC router was moved into the existing wood shop at Waterway's Drive in one of the new buildings he said a streamlined manufacturing process would see vessels enter at one end and then make their way through the facility emerging at the other end virtually completed. "We have the capacity to have four vessels engineered at one time as they progress through that facility," he said. "This design and production process allows us to cater for a wide variety of different sized vessels and to increase the size of our models in the future if we wish to." Candler said the blueprint for the new combined facility and its various different elements came about after extensive consultation with the different crews on the factory floor to get feedback on what worked the best. "We have minimised waste in terms of time, manpower and materials, we have streamlined the process to provide an improved and higher quality product and we have created an environment for both manufacturing workers and the R and D and design department to excel," he said. Candler said as part of its expansion Maritimo was increasing its apprentice intake and was continuing its training and development of current staff while undertaking a substantial manpower drive aimed at increasing the overall workforce by 30 percent.
Maritimo Extends Americas Reach with Third Appointment
Leading Australian luxury motor yacht manufacturer, Maritimo, has continued to expand its reach in the Americas with yet another appointment of a major marine brokerage business as a dealer partner, the third in recent weeks. Maritimo Americas' President, Dave Northrop, said he was delighted to have Chesapeake Yacht Center, Baltimore, join the Maritimo network saying the exclusive 'white glove concierge dealer' had raised the bar in terms of customer service, promoting a high quality boating lifestyle and going the extra yards for clients. Established in 2010 CYC is owned and operated by partners Josh White and Ryan Dobb and it is one of the largest dealerships in the mid-Atlantic and one of the most successful and respected in the USA. "Josh's links to boating go back to his great grandfather Bronza Parks who is a legend in the Chesapeake Bay area," said Northrop. "After decades on the water with his great grandfather and then his mother and father Josh has salt water flowing through his veins and when the opportunity arose in (insert year) he established CYC with Maryland local Ryan Dobb he jumped at it. "The firm has a solid reputation for exemplary customer service and professionalism and we are sure the Maritimo brand and awareness will be greatly enhanced as a result of their involvement." The appointment of CYC as a dealer partner is the latest move in Maritimo's establishment of a network of highly professional and experienced representatives of the brand in the Americas. Josh White said CYC was delighted to be joining forces with Maritimo to represent the brand in the Chesapeake Bay area. "Our business is based on doing things differently and providing a better boat ownership experience for our customers and this ethos fits perfectly with the Maritimo team," he said. "The opportunity to become involved with Maritimo is exciting and we are confident strong sales will result as more boaters became aware of the brand and its various models." Northrop said the climate controlled flybridge motor yachts will resonate well with boaters in the Chesapeake Bay area and the exciting new X range, which has changed the world of sport yachts internationally, should also prove extremely popular. Maritimo's CEO, Garth Corbitt, said the appointment of CYC added yet another layer to Maritimo's international outreach. "Our markets in Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia are firing and we are committed to increasing our reach in the Americas and also in Europe," he said. "Forward orders now stretch out to 2020 and we have embarked on a major employment drive seeking to increase our current workforce by approximately 30 percent to help us meet the demand for our vessels. "Maritimo's reputation internationally is gaining momentum and the Americas is an exciting market for us to be active in." Northrop said Maritimo's build quality and sea worthiness, being designed to handle some of the most challenging ocean conditions in the world around Australia, resonated strongly with US boaters. "We are extremely excited about Maritimo's future here and the appointment of top flight operators such as CYC will add to our momentum," he said. "It is fair to say that the response from our customers to the revolutionary X60 sport yacht and the new generation of flybridge motor yachts has been over whelming and with professionals like Josh and Ryan and their team helping us increase the awareness of the brand globally the future looks extremely bright." The CYC appointment follows closely on the heels of the appointment of B & E Marine and Colony Marine by Maritimo. Caption: CYC owners Ryan Dobb (third from the left) and Josh White (second from the right) are the latest to join the Maritimo dealer network in the Americas.
Ocea Shipyard Turns Thirty
It was in February 1987 that Roland Joassard and Fabrice Epaud founded Ocea by taking over a shipyard in Les Sables-d'Olonne. In thirty years, the shipyard turned into a major industrial group that has since diversified into maritime safety and security, passenger transport, working boats and, of course, motor yachts. Business is spread across a wide range of geographic sectors and markets Ocea generates 95% of its turnover from exports which today ensures a sound financial position. In 2012, Ocea launched Orion plan focusing on optimization and industrial reorganization for Ocea Naval in order to fully upgrade its production tool. A large part of this plan involved building the new production site in Les Sablesd'Olonne where the yachts are made. “It’s a smart building that has given us a competitive edge and allowed us to expand our range of vessels to larger boats”, says Roland Joassard. The site can now accommodate units up to 85 meters. Ocea is currently building the world's largest aluminium patrol boat (84 metres) that will be launched in the coming months.
Overmarine Mangusta Awarded Best in Show
Upon its US debut, the Mangusta Oceano “Namastè”, the three deck in Overmarine Group’s line of Long Range vessels designed by Alberto Mancini, won the “Best of the Show” award. The award was organized by NBC Sports on the occasion of the recently-held Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. The jury - made up of designers, industrialists and other outstanding figures - selected the Mangusta Oceano from among all shortlisted boats as the one with “the most innovative design on display”. After the several awards won in Europe by this model, this new one comes on a very important market like the American one, which is indeed showing great appreciation for Mangusta’s products and values. The trophy, created by industrial designer Derek Jenkins, was handed out to Overmarine Group’s CEO Maurizio Balducci, who was accompanied by Stefano Arlunno, the Group’s Americas Area Manager. The Chairpersons of Marine Industries Association of South Florida and of Show Management, as well as NBC Sports team, were also present at the ceremony. Mangusta is one of the few remaining family-owned brands in the yachting industry. The Balducci family has been building boats since the 1950s. The brand is driven by a strong focus on innovation and a pioneering approach to the use of cutting-edge technologies aimed at ensuring high speed performance, which go hand in hand with the utmost comfort. Over the years, the Overmarine Group has gained a solid reputation for its outstanding engineering, painstaking attention to details and finishes, the ability to interpret customer needs and requests, and outstanding reliability – before, during and after delivery. Boasting more than 100 yachts over 30 meters delivered many of which over the last few years, which witnessed a considerable increase in the yachts’ average length Mangusta is a constant, strong presence in the large yachts industry, not only with Maxi Opens, which have become the market benchmark among fast and sporty yachts, but also in the segment of long-range displacement yachts, four hulls of which have already been launched in two years only. Mangusta’s range now grows further thanks to the Mangusta GranSport line, a combination of top performances and transoceanic range. The first model, a 54-meter ship, was delivered last Summer.
Tankoa New Customs Division
The success of the family line designed by Paszkoswki, along with the acclaimed 50-metre series and the international exposure following the presentation of Vertige at MYS and FLIBS in 2017, have attracted new interest in Tankoa in the past few months. Over the past year, we have been asked by owners, brokers and designers to respond to bid packages for several one-off, full-custom projects in the 55 to 100 meter range. With more and more experienced clients arriving with their own one-off designs, Tankoa has decided to create a dedicated full-custom business unit. The opening of the La Spezia facility will support this growth, but the brand is restructuring to ensure that the full-custom team can respond to clients’ needs in the same one-to-one manner that has characterised the company to date and proven a key element in its success. In fact, Tankoa will voluntarily limit orders of full-custom projects to one a year in order to guarantee the best service and prompt delivery. With a range of projects from 57 to 90 meters on the drawing boards by designers from Italy and Holland, Tankoa expects to announce its first contract for a full-custom, one-off yacht in the near future.
Riviera Continues to Grow in Asia
Australia's premium luxury motor yacht builder, Riviera, is continuing to grow in the Asian region with the appointment of China Pacific Marine as representatives in Hong Kong and Macau. The CEO of China Pacific Marine, Don Chow, said: "I visited the Riviera facility in Coomera during the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show earlier this year and was very impressed with the exceptional quality of the motor yachts and the dedication and skills of the people building them. "Riviera is a premium brand on a global scale." "China Pacific Marine has operated in Hong Kong since 1992. Our clients seek a luxury motor yacht for family cruising and entertaining as well as sport fishing," said Mr Chow. "We believe the four Riviera collections - Flybridge, Sport Yachts, SUVs and Sports Motor Yachts - are ideal for our market, particularly in the range between 43 and 52 feet in length. "Some of our customers are already enjoying their Rivieras so the marque is well known in our waters. "We have a new Riviera 45 Open Flybridge in build now and will be proud to present the 45 to the Hong Kong market in the new year." Riviera CEO Wes Moxey said the appointment of China Pacific Marine will be warmly welcomed by current owners of luxury Riviera and Belize motor yachts throughout Hong Kong and Macau. “The luxury motor yacht lifestyle is well established in Hong Kong," said Mr Moxey. "Our world-renowned quality, luxury, innovation, blue-water sea-keeping abilities and superior owner support will grow further in Hong Kong with the appointment of Mr Chow and his team." He said China Pacific Marine will provide additional support, assistance and social events to the growing number of Riviera owners and to those aspiring to explore the picturesque destinations throughout the waterways of Hong Kong.
Sanlorenzo Launches Captains Academy
As one of the main shipyards in the world producing yachts and superyachts, Sanlorenzo once again turns its attention to education: from November 26 to 30, the company is launching the ‘Captains’ Academy’ which will take place at the shipyards premises. The training course for captains and technicians from all over the world, aims to bring participants closer to the world of Sanlorenzo. Small groups followed carefully, step by step, with the aim of providing them with theoretical and practical skills that allow them to get know the products and services offered by the company. Excellence of the nautical world, Sanlorenzo is known throughout the world not only for its high-quality production and the most advanced technologies, but also for its services: owners need trained crews who know everything about Sanlorenzo boats to be able to fully enjoy their yachts. The scheduled activities include both lessons that focus on specific technical aspects and training meetings with the ‘Service’ office which provides continuous assistance to Sanlorenzo yacht captains. As well as the more technical training, there will also be a course on hospitality given with the help of 5-star industry expert consultants to provide captains and technicians with a series of key, fundamental skills on board. Lastly, participants will take part in team-building activities designed to help them get to know and appreciate the Sanlorenzo family and the values which have made the company stand out in the nautical world for 60 years. Five days immersed in shipyard life, that will allow captains and technicians to be able in the future to propose themselves to Sanlorenzo boat owners, guaranteeing them a perfect knowledge of the company's products, certified by a certificate of participation assigned once the course is completed.
Sea Ray Fort Lauderdale Success
Sea Ray is celebrating a successful kickoff to boat show season following the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show. Sea Ray and its dealers realized significant increases in sales compared to the prior year. Sea Ray attributes this achievement to a positive response to the company’s focus on sport boats and cruisers. The increased sales results were driven by the success of outboard models, larger dayboats, and recently released new models such as the SLX 400 Outboard, Sundancer 320, SDX 250 Outboard, and the continued popularity of the Sundancer 350 Coupe. At the show, Sea Ray displayed several popular outboard models, including the SLX 400 Outboard, Flagship Model, Boating Magazine’s “Boat of the Year.” “We could not have asked for a better kickoff to boat show season to affirm dealer and consumer confidence in Sea Ray,” said Brad Anderson, president and general manager. “Attendees who came to the show had a good sense of what they wanted and were ready to buy. As a result, we saw an increase in high-quality prospects. The energy and excitement were contagious.” At the show, Sea Ray introduced Sea Ray Connect, boating technology that brings your boat into the palm of your hand. Powered by NAUTIC-ON™ technology, Sea Ray Connect provides peace of mind by effortlessly conveying a boat’s location and reporting on vital systems to users via a smartphone app. Sea Ray also hosted a Sea Ray Owners Club lounge, where owners connected and relaxed with Sea Ray team members and Sea Ray partners. Additionally, Sea Ray held an evening reception for its global network of dealers.
Sunseeker Appoints New CEO
Britain’s biggest boat builder, Sunseeker International has today announced that Christian Marti will join the business as Chief Executive Officer in November, replacing Phil Popham who left the business at the end of September to take up a new challenge. Marti joins Sunseeker from Aston Martin Lagonda where he held the position of Chief Sales Officer and Vice-President. Having worked within the automotive industry for over 25 years he brings with him over 18 years of senior management experience across European and Asian markets with premium luxury brands such as Jaguar Land Rover and McLaren Automotive. During his time at Aston Martin, he was a significant part of the executive team that transformed the iconic British brand into the successful business it is today. John Zeng, Dalian Wanda’s board representative for Sunseeker commented: “We are delighted to welcome Christian to Sunseeker International. He has an impressive and proven track record of growing the financial performance of major manufacturing businesses and a strong affinity for global luxury brands. Christian joins us at a crucial time for Sunseeker as we move into our next phase of growth and I have no doubt he will help us build upon the incredible work already undertaken by the team in achieving a remarkable business turnaround in record time.” Commenting on his appointment, Christian said: “I am delighted to be joining Sunseeker at such an exciting time. The business has recently embarked on a five-year growth strategy and the company is sitting on its strongest ever order book with continued investment in new product and facilities at the heart of the business plan. I look forward to working with the Sunseeker team on the future opportunities to grow this already outstanding, world-famous luxury brand.” It is indeed an exciting time for Sunseeker who are looking to strengthen its position at the forefront of the global superyacht market with the announcement of a new larger flagship model, to launch in 2021. The new 161 Yacht will also see the brand move into aluminium built vessels for the first time through a collaboration with renowned Dutch builder ICON Yachts.
Sunseeker Braithwaithe Brothers Receive Award
The pioneering brothers behind Sunseeker International were awarded the coveted Outstanding Achievement award at the 2018 Luxury Briefing Awards, held at The Savoy Hotel in London on Monday evening. In recognition of a combined career spanning more than 100 years, Robert and John Braithwaite’s remarkable story is one of innovation, daring, perseverance and the unwavering desire to create the finest luxury performance motor yachts in the world. Robert, who after leaving school at 15, dream of building a new kind of boat. He founded the early Sunseeker in 1969 and across more than four decades transformed the brand from a local boat distributor into a globally recognized brand and one of the largest superyacht builders in the world. A true visionary of the luxury marine sector, Robert’s entrepreneurial strength drove the sales and marketing success globally, embracing a very public facing role. When Robert’s younger brother John joined the business, he was immediately influential in the engineering and craftsmanship of the iconic Sunseeker designs. Together the pair started producing some of the world’s most innovative motor yachts, utilizing the latest technologies and cutting-edge design but most importantly, listening to what customers wanted. With a flair for award-winning design, John pioneered a new world of boating and he was instrumental in the development of many revolutionary models, including the Superhawk, the Predator 108 and more recently, Sunseeker’s fastest-selling model of all time, the Manhattan 52. Together they have been the inspiration and the vision behind the pioneering nature of the business that has seen the brand produce a remarkable number of industry ‘firsts’, revolutionizing the industry as a whole. As Sunseeker has grown, so has the team surrounding Robert and John, now numbering more than 2,600 people. Contributing their many years of invaluable knowledge and experience, the founding brothers’ spirit of excellence has driven Sunseeker to its pre-eminent position in the leisure marine industry today. Commenting on the award, Sunseeker Sales Director, Sean Robertson said: “This is a phenomenal award and one that both Robert and John richly deserve. They have contributed so much to the marine industry and what they have achieved is truly remarkable. Words alone frankly cannot describe their influence yet they are always the first to credit our employees and wider ‘family’. Sunseeker would not be the global brand it is today if it wasn’t for their never-ending passion and vision. This is core to the company’s DNA today, reflected in the global success of the brand, the incredible product range and our unwavering customer loyalty."
Wider Finalist at Boat International Design and Innovation Awards
Wider 165 has been shortlisted for the Boat International Design & Innovation Awards that will be held in Cortina (Italy) next January. M/Y Cecilia is competing not just in one but three categories, which are; the "Best Exterior Styling Motor Yachts 40m to 59m", "Best Interior Design Motor Yachts 300GT to 499GT" and "The Game Changer Award" for her cutting edge serial hybrid propulsion system. This prestigious award represents one of the most important moments in the nautical year and a worldwide recognition. Wider 165 has also recently won three awards by RINA, achieving the maximum scores either in the Comfort Class (100,100) and in the Green Plus (Platinum level). Last but not least, Wider is already familiar with the BOAT International awards, in fact, in 2016 the Wider 150 won both the Design Awards and the World Superyacht Awards.
Wider Invited at Rina Accademy Seminar 2018
For the third year in a row, RINA has organized a yachting seminar at the Monaco Yacht Club, which took place yesterday morning. Main subject of the seminar was the "Digitalization in the shipping industry" and Wider have been invited to present the "Wider 165 M/Y Cecilia: the most luxury green solutions". This annual event gathers together yachting experts and industry stakeholders to meet and discuss important current topics, including awareness in Yacht Management, Risk Evaluation and the new RINA Cube in the yachting sector. In Wider we took on the challenge of being among the few companies that make sustainability an approach to the market, giving a big attention to the use of the new technologies to respect the environment and make a low impact in terms of pollution, not just through our serial hybrid propulsion system combined with a 544kWh Lithium polymer battery bank and Azimuthal pods – which guarantees hugely reduced fuel consumption and exceptionally low levels of noise and vibration – but also paying attention in every aspects (i.e. waste management, the choice of qualifies materials, best solution in terms of accidental pollution. Wider 165 recently won three awards by RINA, achieving the maximum scores either in the Comfort Class (100,100) and in the Green Plus (Platinum level).
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