“CHOOSINGYOURSHIPYARD IS PROBABLYTHEMOST IMPORTANTDECISION. YOUMUSTFEELASENSEOFTRUST.”
HOW MUCH THOUGHT IS PUT INTO RESALE AT THE TIME OF BUILD? “I am very honest with all of my clients. The average length of ownership for a yacht is three years, so you must consider its resale value. An odd color choice on the hull can be painted over by the next owner, but the number of staterooms, stabilization systems and other fixed features will impact its resale value, so I tell my clients to plan ahead. If I think they’re making a bad decision that will hurt the boat’s resale value, I tell them.” WHAT’S THE MOST UNFORGETTABLE PROJECT MOMENT YOU’VE HAD SO FAR? “I’ll tell you a funny story. We visited a shipyard in Turkey to check in on a client’s project and it was both the middle of Ramadan and the middle of the World Cup. When we arrived at the yard after sundown, the crew had broken their fast and began work. The atmosphere was wild. It’s one of those moments that could only happen in a very specific time and place, and the energy in the yard was unforgettable. It’s like everyone was talking, eating, cheering and working all at the same time.”
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON MISTAKES AND PITFALLS YOU SEE DURING THIS PROCESS? “The biggest problem? Change orders. They directly impact costs and delivery time. I also sometimes see shipyards start building without a finalized engineering and electrical plan, which can cause issues later in the process.” WHAT TRENDS DO YOU SEE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE OF YACHTING? “The biggest trend is eco-friendly yachting. This industry can be slow – even resistant – to change, but it’s unavoidable. Builders like Lürssen are exploring hydrogen power, while Feadship is already building battery-powered yachts. Then you have zero-waste systems, water purification, emissions scrubbers and more, all with the goal of reducing the environmental impact yachting creates. We’re now even ditching teak and exotic woods in favor of highly durable synthetics, because they’re more sustainable. The next big trend I see is a rise in watersports and activity-driven yachting. My younger clients are especially into the healthy, active lifestyle, so it’s all about the toys – slides, jet skis, etc., and all of these things take up space onboard. I now see designs for separate vessels just for toys. Innovations tend to take root either in the smaller boats, where they’re borrowing ideas from RVing, or superyachts, where there’s a lot more budget for experimentation. Then we’ll see those innovations trickle down to the middle of the market.”
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Q & A W I T H N I C H O L A S S C H E R B , C O - F O U N D E R O F 2 6 N O R T H Y A C H T S
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