ONBOARD Magazine autumn 2023

THE BADGE OF
EXCELLENCE
The UK offers extraordinary capabilities in the superyacht sector, from the
creation and refit of some of the world’s leading luxury yachts to innovative
development and support the global yachting industry can trust
Stephen Hills is the Commercial Director at Pendennis and
the current Chairman of Superyacht UK, a British Marine
trade association representing the interests of the UK
superyacht industry, both at home and internationally. In providing
an introduction for this feature on the UK superyacht sector, he
sets out what, in his opinion, defines the UK superyacht industry.
A long history
In the beginning of UK yachting, King Charles II returned to
England with a passion for the yachts he had seen during his
exile in Holland. Familiar with the Dutch practice of canal and
river boats being luxuriously fitted out, yachts became a passion
for the new king. Although he was gifted the yacht Mary, Charles
wanted better.
English diarist Samuel Pepys wrote on 8 November 1660, that
Mary “… Is one of the finest things that I ever saw for neatness
and room in so small a vessel” and on the King’s command a
new yacht was commissioned, the designers and builders of
which had to surpass Mary and had to do so as a matter of
honour and national pride.
That yacht became Katherine, the first British designed and
built luxury yacht which started the UK’s voyage as luxury yacht
builders with companies like Camper and Nicholson enjoying a
prewar golden era building Icons such as MY Marala Malahne,
the restoration of which by Pendennis won this year’s Boat
International refit award.
The British superyacht industry has often gone about its work
quietly but expertly. This expertise and willingness to collaborate
with colleagues around the world offers quality products and
great design on an international scale.
People, training and development
Firstly, the UK’s superyacht offering is fuelled by people who share
a passion for excellence in customer service. We listen, adapt and
respond, always seeking the best solution for our customers. This
capability has been grown from great educational
establishments and fuelled by companies who actively
invest in their teams through great apprenticeship
and professional development schemes.
For example, the Solent University degree programmes
in Yacht and Power Craft Design sees their former
students working at superyacht naval
architectural offices and superyacht
builders across the world and training
SUPERYACHT UK IS
establishments like the UKSA have an
international reputation as a go to A UNIQUE MEMBERSHIP
for superyacht crew development.
ONLY ASSOCIATION. THE
Design
MISSION IS TO REPRESENT
Jon Bannenberg has often been
described as being the father of THE INTERESTS OF THE UK
modern superyacht design and
SUPERYACHT INDUSTRY
the UK is home to generations of
designers that have been inspired or
BOTH AT HOME AND
trained directly or indirectly by him.
INTERNATIONALLY
Within a relatively small radius of
London there is an incredibly long list of
internationally acclaimed designers and if I
listed only half a dozen multi award winning names
I would run the risk of offending numerous others of the same
calibre who I have not named. In short if anyone is looking for
superyacht design input, their search should start in the UK
which is an unrivalled centre for superyacht design excellence,
whether it is interior or exterior styling or indeed yachting naval
architecture.
Great business and brands
The large UK superyacht builders represented by companies
like Sunseeker, Oyster, Princess, and Pendennis collectively offer
quality not quantity combined with fantastic innovation as ably
demonstrated with the Princess X Class range which tore up
134 | AUTUMN 2023 | ONBOARD