What’s New in Yacht Gear

For those seeking the newest and perhaps the most feature-rich personal watercraft for their fleet, Yamaha has completely redesigned its FX lineup for 2012. The luxury-performance series includes four models that are 7.5 inches longer than previous years for a lengthier, more comfortable seat when riding with multiple passengers. In fact, the FX Cruiser models come with a new two-piece seat that has an additional bolster support for the second passenger, plus stacked “theater” seating so everyone has a view of the water ahead.

New mechanical neutral lets the rider stay in place when boarding, loading or docking, making these maneuvers more convenient, and new dash instrumentation allows easier manipulation of the engine features (cruise control, low-RPM mode). In addition, the stern reboarding area is larger and incorporates a new fast-access storage compartment for wet items and tow ropes. Altogether, the new FX series — the flagship FX Cruiser SHO, FX Cruiser HO, FX SHO and FX HO — is designed for the utmost in comfort, convenience and unadulterated fun.

What’s New in Electronics

At this year’s Monaco Yacht Show, Alewijnse Marine Systems showcased its ability to design tailor-made electro-technical solutions for superyachts, covering everything from navigation and bridge systems to ICT and entertainment networks, along with full transmission systems for power, lighting and control.

However, the company said its strengths extend beyond these items, with a proven track-record in the identification and adoption of the new technologies that meet the requirements of the most demanding superyacht owners. “In this era of oil at over $110 a barrel and ever more stringent environmental regulation, this means working with owners and yards to create superyachts that use less fossil fuels, conserve and recycle what energy they do generate and create as few emissions as possible,” said a company spokesperson.

Over the past year, Alewijnse has worked with many yards, designers and suppliers as an integral part of superyacht projects from leading names such as Amels, Oceanco and Royal Huisman. One noteworthy example in 2011 is the role the company is playing in a new Oceanco superyacht, which will be built under the new PYC (Passenger Yacht Code); a code for yachts carrying 13 to 36 passengers and no cargo.

“The new code demands a greater level of sophistication in the electrical systems than is demanded on smaller yachts, not least for the fire and safety systems, where the vessel has to be divided into several fire zones separated by watertight bulkheads,” said the spokesperson. Alewijnse will also be specifying and installing a specialist public address system, along with super-secured watertight cable penetrations.

Jongert Presents New Models

Jongert Shipyard proudly presented two new models at the recent Monaco Yacht Show: the 500 LE, a 50-meter motor yacht, and the 3000 M, a 30-plus-meter sailing yacht. “Privacy, reliability, comfort and performance are the characteristics of these latest models,” said Managing Director Eel Kant. “This is the new Jongert look.”

In cooperation with Azure Naval Architects and Guido de Groot, Jongert developed the LE 500 with a gross tonnage of slightly less than 500 GT. The yacht is equipped with a hybrid diesel-electric propulsion system using Lithium-ion batteries. One of the many special facilities on board is the telescopic anchor system, which allows the yacht to be moored quickly and easily in up to 15 meters depth.

The 3000 M has been developed in cooperation with Frers Naval Architects. At the back, the master cabin has a panoramic view and borders directly on a large beach area at the stern. The steering house has a panoramic view, thus giving the owner an optimal outdoor feeling.

Jongert guarantees worldwide 24/7 technical and after sales service. To serve its international customers even better, a subsidiary of Jongert International in the south of France/Antibes recently opened. Niels Lensen, a Dutchman who has lived and worked in France for many years and is familiar with the international yachting industry, will be managing this office.

Nautor’s Swan Launches Med Service Centre

Nautor’s Swan, a leading builder of luxury sailing yachts, is to launch a new Mediterranean Service Center based out of Marina di Scarlino. This addition enhances the network of Nautor’s Swan Authorized Service Yards while offering a unique guarantee of quality and workmanship through the relocation of a project manager from the yard in Pietarsaari in Finland.

The focus of services offered will center on warrantee work on newly delivered Swans, after-sales service for existing Swans and refit work for older models, many of which have only been available at the yard in Finland to date. The convenience of the location of the Marina di Scarlino for many Swans based in the Med, combined with the Nautor’s Swan skill-base and experience, will make the new service center a unique and compelling offering.

Enrico Chieffi, managing director of Nautor’s Swan commented, “With the strength of the Swan fleet in the Mediterranean, we have decided to create a base at Marina di Scarlino. We are delighted that Gunnar Svenfelt will lead this project. His experience of working with our team will be a real asset, as integration between the teams will be immediate while the quality and workmanship is assured for our owners. We look forward to being able to offer our owners the benefit of the skills of our builders conveniently located in the Mediterranean.”

Newcastle Launches Harbour Island

Newcastle Shipyards has announced the successful launch of its largest build to date, the M/Y Harbour Island. Hull One of the Newcastle 5500 Series spent a few weeks in St. Augustine for dock tests and sea trials before heading south to Rybovich Super Yacht Marina and Refit. She will make her world debut at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in October.

The Newcastle 5500 is a six-stateroom, custom yacht featuring two king master suites — main deck and skylounge deck forward — and a VIP king guest suite below. Additional amenities include an infinity pool on the split-level sundeck, a raised “veranda” on the main aft deck and an expansive seating area aft of the alfresco dining on the skylounge aft deck. Tenders and toys are stowed in the stern garage, leaving the spacious exterior decks uncluttered.

The Newcastle 5500 is built to ABS Maltese Cross A1 YS, AMS, is MCA compliant and has trans-Pacific range.

New Appointments at Design Unlimited

Design Unlimited, a leading interior designer for superyachts, is pleased to announce two new appointments to its team in the town of Fareham, on the south coast of the UK.

Gary Rossall will take on the new role of design manager, in which he will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the design team and the deployment of resources. He will also be the primary point of contact with external project teams, acting as the coordinator when working alongside the design and production functions of client yards.

Design Unlimited also welcomes Blair Morten, who brings to the team 10 years of experience as a design draughtsman. Morten was formerly with Yachting Developments and Salthouse Marine in New Zealand, and his design experience encompasses production and superyachts, as well as custom tenders.

Monte Fino Yard Expands

Kha Shing, the superyacht yard in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, that designs and builds the Monte Fino range of motor yachts, has announced it has upgraded its facilities to allow it to build yachts up to 44 meters (144 feet) in length. This is the final stage of a $20-million, two-year investment program that has included adding another 15,000 square meters to the existing facilities and the building of two additional sheds.

e3 Opens New Base in Mallorca

e3 Systems is pleased to announce the opening of its new base in the recently refurbished RS Global Building inside STP Shipyard in Mallorca. e3 will retain its head office in Portals Nous but has moved its technical and stores facilities to the new building, thereby joining several other businesses inside STP to offer the superyacht sector a true centre of excellence for refit.

“Over the past few years STP’s facilities have been extended and improved,” said Roger Horner, e3’s managing director. “The refurbishment of the RS Global Building has created an ideal environment for us to set up a base within the yard and to be closer to our clients here on Mallorca.”

The move has an added bonus of freeing up space at the head office, and e3 has lost no time in refurbishing this area to create a dedicated training facility. The new training area enables the company to respond to increasing demand for its yacht engineer program and expand the range and number of those courses delivered.

Ever-Expanding Opportunities in Asia

Swiss private banking group Julius Baer has just published its first “Wealth Report,” focusing on Asia, providing a comprehensive analysis of the High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) landscape in the region.

The report states that private wealth in Asia will reach an extraordinary 13 trillion dollars by 2015, with China and India forecast to contribute more than 40 percent of global growth alone. Indonesia is expected to have the highest growth rate in terms of HNWI over a five-year period. And with Singapore currently having the highest concentration of millionaire households, and Japan also high in the list of millionaire households, Asia provides fertile ground for the luxury market.

When it comes to the superyacht market, reports still show a steady upward trend. The buoyant economy in Southeast Asia is well documented and thus of increasing interest, as local high net worth individuals are turning to the superyacht sector to invest their time and wealth. With these factors in play, Asia is now a major focus for the Informa Yacht Group’s boating and superyacht events.

Andy Treadwell, managing director of the Informa Yacht Group, explains: “The success of the Singapore Yacht Show in April this year reflected the keen interest and buying capacity of individuals in this region, who are starting to explore one of the West’s favored pastimes. Aligning ourselves with changes in the market is essential, so we are now focusing our efforts on identifying the more intrepid amongst the fast-growing community of newly wealthy people in Asia. We need to meet the expectations of these buyers by providing a suitable sales platform for yacht builders, brokers and suppliers, who are in turn looking for new markets.”

Spotlight St. Maarten

The St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA) is proud to announce the launching of Sportlight-St. Maarten, a month-long event focusing on education, recreation and discounts for boaters, tourists and locals. The event will kick off this year with live entertainment and fireworks on St. Maarten’s Day, November 11, and will run through December 18, when the final weekend will be celebrated with private VIP events, as well as free concerts open for everyone to attend.

The SMMTA has designed Spotlight St. Maarten to highlight unique attributes that have made St. Maarten the marine capital of the Caribbean, to provide a learning opportunity for boaters of all levels through structured training seminars hosted by internationally recognized experts, to set the stage for fun to be had by all, and to encourage local St. Maarten residents to get more involved in the marine community.

New Philippe Briand Build

Vitters Shipyard has announced the building of a spectacular new performance sloop designed by Philippe Briand. Inoui, a 33.4-meter (110-foot) composite sloop, will be the fourth carbon superyacht built by the Dutch yard. The hull is currently being constructed at Green Marine in Hythe and will arrive at Vitters in May 2012.

Tags: Alewijnse Marine Systems, Design Unlimited, e3, Jongert Shipyard, Marina di Scarlino, Mediterranean, Monaco Yacht Show, Monte Fino, MY Harbour Island, Nautor's Swan, Newcastle Shipyards, Philippe Briand, Yamaha