|On Board| yacht –
|On Board| yacht – whether for aesthetics, extra space or increased efficiency – many shipyards are able to offer this service. Take Amels superyacht Here Comes The Sun. First delivered in 2017, she returned to the Damen Yachting shipyard in 2020 for a large-scale one-year rebuild. The result was an extension in length from 83 to 89 metres, as well as a new exterior colour and various contemporary design modifications. At the time, Michel Coens, Damen Yachting sales manager, said: “Welcoming any of the fleet back to the yard is always done with pride but with Here Comes The From top: Royal Huisman’s Juliet, now with hybrid propulsion systems; on board former crab catcher SuRi Opposite: Njord by Bergman’s spectacular interior on Galaxy Sun, it runs even deeper. She represents the first step back towards full custom and bigger projects. Any of the same craftsmen and women who were meticulously involved in the original build have been working on her during this refit, remoulding and reshaping her into the new masterpiece she is set to become. Her launch is a very proud moment.” A purpose of refitting is to make older yachts more sustainable and extend – or even save – the life of a boat. Just as you might convert a historic warehouse into a block of modern flats, some owners are taking vessels from other industries and repurposing them into superyachts. SuRi, a former crab catcher, was transformed into a 63.4m expedition yacht by Bay Ship & Yacht Co, in partnership with naval architects Kirilloff & Associates and Herringbone Design. The project involved her being cut in half and extended by 11m – additional space was used to add a hangar for tenders, toys and scientific equipment, as well as extra leisure space and an underwater viewing room. Likewise, Ragnar, an eclectic 68m explorer yacht started life as an ice-breaking support vessel. The conversion by Icon Yachts, with exterior design by RWD, took almost three years to complete and is one of the industry’s most impressive and successful refit projects to date. Both projects involved a vessel that was likely to end up rotting in a yard somewhere. However, the benefits of refitting go far beyond sustainability. There are numerous economic advantages of embarking on a refit project. Firstly, modernising an PHOTOS FROM TOP: JONATHAN ALLAN, © HERRINGBONE DESIGN 44 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
existing vessel and updating it with upgrades, whether technological or superficial, helps it maintain its value for longer. In 2021, Royal Huisman revealed its refit of 43.58m ketch Juliet, which it equipped with hybrid propulsion, enabling her to sail silently and emissionfree. The hybrid conversion process took two years to complete but will extend her lifespan significantly. Last year the Dutch shipyard also unveiled the 48m sailing yacht Wisp, which was launched in 2014 and sailed into its Amsterdam facility in 2020 for a complete overhaul of her mechanical parts as well as a striking paint job. Refitting is also more cost-efficient, not only in terms of down payment, but for charter yachts in particular, it ensures the yacht is on the water for longer – and therefore bringing in revenue. Due to knock-on effects of the pandemic and ongoing crisis in Eastern Europe, many shipyard construction projects are still facing delays. Some are still struggling to get the materials they need and, due to social distancing and Covid outbreaks, some are still running on skeleton teams. Add to this an increase in demand – there are currently just over 1,000 superyachts in build or on order, which is a rise of nearly 25% from last year – and some shipyards have few building slots available, so anything you can do to get in and out of a yard as quickly as possible is a bonus. There are some cons to refitting, however. Refitting a yacht involves discarding and replacing many core materials – often natural materials that have faced wear and tear such as wood and copper, which has an obvious environmental impact. And, while many materials can be recycled, the recycling process itself is often far from eco-efficient. Also, while it is possible to take any vessel and transform it into a superyacht if you have unlimited funds, time and materials, the process will often be costly and can be complicated, so owners must ask the question: “Do the ends justify the means?” Industry experts suggest that the best way to ensure a yacht is sustainable is to “future-proof” it from the start. “The question is also knowing how to design a yacht that will still be usable in five or 10 years’ time,’’ Farouk Nefzi, CMO at Feadship, said at La Belle Classe Superyachts Business Symposium at Yacht Club de Monaco earlier this year. Paris Baloumis, marketing manager at Oceanco, shared his sentiment, adding: “Ten per cent of the environmental impact happens in the construction of a yacht. A shipyard can change the situation by refusing to use such and such a material. I’m thinking in particular of steel, which is very polluting to make”. However, if you’re already an owner, or you have the opportunity to purchase a second-hand yacht, refitting is a good place to start. “It is easier to be born eco-responsible than become it,” acknowledges Oscar Romani, sales area manager at Benetti, but “recycling a yacht will be a key to the future”. PHOTO JACK HARDY CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 45
