Every once in a while an outstanding sailing vessel rather than a motor yacht appears on our desks. There is a handful of shipyards we hold in very high esteem and Oyster Yacht is doubtlessly in that small circle.

Oyster Yacht could be the “Bentley” of sailing yachts

Oyster Yacht 68hp Layout

The Oyster 68hp Layout

It is only natural that Oyster yachts usually hold their value very well on the used market, thus, this very Oyster yacht with a brand new engine only installed in 2017 under 100 hours (not too long after one of the owners sadly passed away ) is a unique opportunity to acquire a state-of-the-art well maintained vessel for a very reasonable price. Oyster Yacht 68hp for sale

Oyster yacht 68 for sale

sistership

 

All-Weather Yachts

Oyster Yachts are all-weather yachts capable of enjoying the summer in the Mediterranean but also to comfortably cross the Atlantic for an extended season in Caribbean waters. Established in 1973 by Richard Matthews and currently based in Southampton, UK, the boat builder has always distinguished itself for sturdy all-weather blue cruisers that can are comfortable and safe to sail. To date Oyster Yachts has delivered over 750 vessels to the proud owners. Oyster Yacht is currently owned and as of  the 20th of March 2018 by entrepreneur Richard Hadida. Call +44 7445 30 8622 for more info  

In full preparation for the high season, we received a phone call that communicated us that the only former demo Morgan Yacht 33 feet is ready for the summer for a new owner. Completely off-market for now The Morgan Yacht 33 for sale is  powered by 2 Yanmar 240hp is capable of 40 kn0ts max speed and well over 30knots in cruising speed.

Morgan yacht 33

 

We had tested this vessel extensively in the past during its research and development stage. The Morgan 33 proved a very agile boat featuring a very dry cockpit even at over 30 knots with winds exceeding 15 knots and waves to match.

It’s genuinely the perfect weekend vessel and thanks to a double cabin and a marine toilet andMorgan Yachts 33 aft
shower is suitable for overnight stays and perfect for island hopping anywhere one pleases. It is also very suitable as a superyacht tender for very large vessels that have enough storage capacity.

Morgan Yachts 33

It is a centre consolle vessel inspired by the american fast commuters but entirely built and finished in Italy. 

Morgan Yachts 33 interior

The following are the measurements of the Morgan Yacht 33 and its fuel and water capacities:

LENGTH : 9,87 m
BEAM :  2,9 m
DRAFT :  0,49 m
DISPLACEMENT :  3,5 t
FUEL :  900 lit.
WATER :  280 lit

 

 

 

 

 

Morgan Yachts 33 Layout

 

The Morgan Yacht 33 for sale is currently unregistered with only 68 hours of use on the two Yanmar engines and is currently is available for viewing and test for serious buyers only.

The Morgan Yacht 33 is also very suitable for hotels and resorts as a day-charter vessel for guests. If you would like to check the return on investment for your hotel or other day-charter business have a look at our Yacht Charter Business Plan model on this page.

Offers in the region  €140k-150k are welcome the Morgan Yacht 33 ready to sail with all the equipment and electronics available on this vessel was priced at €250k (RRP)

Please contact us using the form, Livechat or call +44 7445 30 8622

UPDATE: The updated list of vessels with a preliminary budget for the completion of construction of each vessel. The budgets are to be intended with new engines, new components and labour offered by our team in Italy.  

Lot Name and Hull N Base Price Budget for Completion End of Sale Winning offered  Wired by Notes
7 Aicon Open 62-15 € 48.000,00 € 570.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
8 Imbarcazione Aicon Open 62-16 € 57.400,00 € 570.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
14 Imbarcazione Aicon Open 62-33 € 33.600,00 € 570.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
15 Imbarcazione Aicon Open 62-34 € 24.000,00 € 570.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
16 Imbarcazione Aicon Open 62-35 € 22.700,00 € 570.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
17 Imbarcazione Aicon Fly 64-25 € 19.900,00 € 650.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
18 Imbarcazione Aicon Fly 64-89 € 26.700,00 € 650.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
19 Imbarcazione Aicon Open 72-33 € 48.700,00 € 850.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
20 Imbarcazione Aicon Open 72-34 € 33.300,00 € 850.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
22 Imbarcazione Aicon Fly 80-11 € 41.900,00 € 1.200.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
24 Imbarcazione Aicon Fly 85-24 € 49.600,00 € 1.300.00 Feb Preliminary Budget
25 Imbarcazione Aicon Navetta 110-11 € 26.500,00 € 4.200.000 Feb Preliminary Budget
26 Imbarcazione Excalibur 380 € 1.600,00 € 100,00 10/12/2019 17.00 04/12/2019 18.00 N/A
29 Imbarcazione Morgan 55-11 € 21.200,00 € 625.000 Feb Preliminary Budget

Once it was Aicon Yachts and it was designing and building, award winning yachts sold worldwide including a line of open/coupe fast yachts (Aicon 62 and Aicon 72) that made several appearances on the  U.S. TV series CSI. Its designed was imitated by several other yacht builders. It built for and delivered to NBA stars like Glen Rice (Aicon Yachts 64 Flybridge named G-Force) and several other celebrities.

– PLEASE READ THE UPDATE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE ON THE AICON YACHT AUCTION –

To make the long story short the crisis took its toll on Aicon Yachts and not too long after its IPO on the Milan Stock Exchange the company had to file for bankruptcy.

Important NOTE: At the end of 2020 the Aicon Yacht brand was bought and will likely see a new era of yacht production therefore the brand is likely to get sustained in its market value : READ ARTICLE 

Aicon Yachts Navetta 110

Aicon Yachts Navetta 110

Aicon Yachts was a client of our firm much before the IPO, therefore we are very familiar with their production lines, production managers, designers, engineers and a great deal of the very valuable contractors and employees that made this company great during its award winning times. It was indeed quite an impressive growth from 0 to over 100 units per year in less than 10 years. Despite the unlucky epilogue of the company itself there are still hundreds of people enjoying their Aicon Yachts in all corners of the world.

For those in the industry it is an opportunity to acquire assets (boats) and for individual investors (with our support) it is a unique opportunity to acquire interesting yachts at a fraction of what they would cost even pre-owned and renewed.

We are in a unique position to offer support to individuals and companies that want to seize this opportunity to acquire one or more of these vessels in order to finish them and resell them or charter them.

If you would like to purchase a vessel to charter it take a look and download our Yacht Charter Business Plan which includes a 1-1 consultation on your specific requirements.

Our team is available to support buyers in the following steps:

  • Yacht acquisition and budgeting of the works to be done 
  • Yacht transport before and/or after completion 
  • Yacht Registration, flag, insurance, Yacht financing
  • Interior design and interior fittings project management 
  • System Engineering and installation 
  • Where applicable [0 engine hours]; Insurance Warranty for vessels that will all be registered as new units 

Models of Aicon Yachts still available at a discounted rate from the Bankruptcy Auction:

Aicon 64 (Award Winner) [Flybrigde Model]

Aicon 64

Aicon 62 Open/Coupe 

Aicon Yachts 62 open

Aicon 72 Open/Coupe 

Aicon 72

Aicon 75 [Flybridge Model] 

Aicon 75 -Aicon Yachts bankruptcy auction; new yachts at 90% less - Auction

Aicon 85 [Flybridge Model] 

Aicon Yachts bankruptcy auction; new yachts at 90% less - Auction

Aicon 110 Navetta [Never Completed – see image below] 

Aicon Yachts bankruptcy auction; new yachts at 90% less - Auction

Aicon Yachts Navetta 110

The prices of the vessels at auction go from €20,000 to €240,000 depending on the vessel and at what stage of construction that is. – The retail prices of these vessels were between €650,000-€3M+

 

UPDATE: The next round of offers will be presented as early as Oct 2019, thus contact us (+44 7445 30 86 22) if you would like our assistance with the following process to acquire one or more vessels.

Process and Requirements to make an offer:  (Pre-Acquisition)

  1. Preparation of offer document and estimate of suitable offer and related cautionary fully refundable deposit of 10% of the offer value for the court to validate the offer.
  2. Legal and technical translation of the offer document into Italian according the Italian court requirements
  3. Inspection of the vessel by our naval engineering team on our client behalf to make sure that at time of offer the Bankruptcy Court has described the object accurately to the most current status
  4. Budgeting of the works needed to get the vessel up to the required standard of the naval registry and ready for launch (as per client requirements)

Process and Requirements:  (Post-Acquisition):

  1. Coordination of the logistic to move the vessel to the chosen destination
  2. Ownership registration and flag (where applicable for finished vessels and if required by client)
  3. Work scheduling and technical supplies provision
  4. Contractual arrangement with the Shipyard recommended to carry out the necessary works
  5. If/where needed; naval engineering and architecture to customise the vessel acquired upon request by new owner.
  6. Shipyard work supervision and coordination if/where needed and requested by client.
  7. Booking and coordination of the Naval Registry (of choice) inspector visit and pre-visit compliance check.
  8. Launch of the vessel and delivery to the client chosen port or support in finding mooring space for the vessel in the client chosen area and transport of the vessel to destination (on Wheels or by Sea).

NOTE of Full Disclosure: Rodriquez Consulting does not get a commission on any of the boats acquired the service we provide is of use during the acquisition, thus it will be billed separately if you choose our company to manage the works each vessel will need after acquiring any of the vessels subject of this auction. 

    Planning to buy a yacht to start yacht/boat charter business can be very tricky. There is hardly a one-size-fits-all solution. For this reason we have created a Guide on how to choose your boat (Read this article) and if you want to crunch the numbers to charter your boat/s throughout the year we have developed a customisable Yacht Charter business plan [See Below] template on Excel (Click here to go to the product) which you can download and customise.

    You could be choosing the yacht charter business as a lifestyle business or retirement plan or you maybe  you are planning to launch a new concept with innovative features to bring a breath of fresh air to the industry in any case we are here to help and always happy to hear from entrepreneurs and yachting enthusiasts.

    Even with a fully developed excel model you can find it tricky to make it work, thus, we have decided to include in the price of the Yacht Charter Business Plan Template, a 30-minute consultation so that we can help you get started or check your plan once you have filled it in with your data. Once you purchased the Yacht Charter Business plan package that includes the consultation [See product description below] we will get in touch with you within 24hr from your purchase to make sure the consultation is on schedule at your most convenient time.

    Take a look at the reviews on our Facebook business page

    Rodriquez Consulting Facebook Page Reviews

    Every area of the world is different and every boat has its own requirements, so among the many things we can check for you is the value of the vessel you have put your eyes on, your expectation as to how many weeks of charter you can expect to sell, the maintenance costs in the area you are planning to keep and/or operate the vessel, your crew costs and many other elements that can make your operations and business successful or not.]

    Furthermore, we will point you in the right direction in terms of marketing tools, platforms that you can use to advertise your charter offering and tips on how to create a unique experience and stand out from all other boats offered in your area/s of choice. We will also be able to let you have discounted offer on marketing and advertising product that will enable you to get the word out fast.

    Don’t miss the opportunity to have our experienced team check your business plan and advise you on a 1-1 basis on the best way to proceed, choose your boat, manage the vessel, and market your charter business efficiently.  A lot of yacht charter industry leaders have already used our services and have reached great results.

    If instead you have quite a bit of experience in business planning and you feel you don’t need our support just now you can download our Yacht charter business plan Excel File-only version and get started. You can always get in touch with us later on in case you would like our help in one or more aspects of your yacht charter business.

     

    During one of our recent shipyard visits comes one very interesting opportunity for the right investor.

    131ft (40m) ALUMINUM SUPERYACHT UNDER CONSTRUCTION

    This 40m Alloy was left before completion and we are offering for sale with a plan to finish and a preliminary budget done. The yacht is considered to be about 45-48% finished. Considering the value of the acquisition and the preliminary budget we have calculated to complete the project at the expected superyacht quality standard it is not an understatement to say a prospective client could get this finished for much less than a new built-in of this size and quality would actually cost.

    Rodriquez Yacht 40m

    Rodriquez Yacht 40m Rodriquez Yacht 40m Rodriquez Yacht 40m

    Technical Specifications

    • –  Length, overall 40mt
    • –  Length, water line 36mt
    • –  Beam, overall 9mt
    • –  Draft, amidship 3.90mt
    • –  Draft at full load (underprops) 2.60mt
    • –  Full load 260 tons
    • –  Gross Tonnage 380 tons (approx.)Tanks
    • –  Fuel oil tanks 60.000Lt (approx)
    • –  Freshwater tanks 20.000 (approx)
    • –  Waste oil tank 500lt (approx)
    • –  Black/gray waters tank 5000lt (approx)
    PLEASE REQUEST the Full 125-page technical specification via our contact form, LiveChat or by calling +44 7445 30 86 22

    On request of a client we have preliminarily budgeted completion and pre-cleared a construction slot (and space) and logistics to move the vessel:
    [Please only consider the following figures as preliminary a detailed survey and inventory has not yet been carried out and choices of the future owner might increase or decrease the overall budget for the completion of the vessel]
    a) €1.7M – Acquisition of the vessel as is, where is
    b) €80-100k Naval registry and transport to finishing shipyard
    c) €400k – Documents and current suppliers handover to finish the systems that are left unfinished (Hydraulics, Electricals, etc..)
    e) €6M – All-in vessel finishing including but not limited to registrations, labor, design, and engineering of the interiors and customization, marine testing, etc.. [A detailed  preliminary budget will be available upon request from qualified prospective buyers] 

    Total budget €8.2M
    Time Needed: 10-12 months + (1 month of buffer for eventual delays of suppliers and or transport authorizations)

    Realistic Sale Price once finished as a new vessel €13.5-15M

    An indication of Charter fee median rate: €90-€150k/week – The vessel has the potential for a cross-Atlantic fuel capacity so the charter season could be extended to over 20 weeks – Should you be interested in purchasing to charter it not just sporadically please take a look at our Yacht Charter Business Plan Template 

    The Story

    I could hardly say a hydrofoil superyacht is ‘nothing personal’ it is instead very personal. My name is Leopoldo Rodriquez and I feel privileged to say I grew up on Hydrofoils, or ‘Aliscafi’ as we call them in Italian, as my grandfather Carlo Rodriquez (see History) was and still is to date the one who built and employed most of the large hydrofoils (over 50 feet) that were ever built.

    About 6 years ago I started toying with the idea that the world of Superyachts could have used a breath of fresh air and as America’s cup was deploying foil technology the general public was getting more and more familiar with this still amazing concept of hydrodynamic and its deliverables.

    The People

    Architect Daniele Natoli standing next to the bow foil of the Built Prototype

    It was only after I met the designer and engineer Lorenzo Lucchini Gilera whose great-grandfather could surely be considered as daring as mine (Giuseppe Gilera founder of Gilera Motociclette) that it became clear to me we had to start something radical. It became clear to me that a hydrofoil superyacht would have been a good start. Lorenzo had learned by masters of Yacht Designs such as Zuccon and Lazzarini and Pickering, however, very much like me, he was looking for something more intriguing and that wasn’t only about design.

    My initial idea was that of a modern Yacht Version of the Pt20 just like the one in the James Bond movie “Thunderball” (See Video Above). However, we went to visit Rodriquez Cantieri Navali in Messina now Intermarine SPA, to see the latest prototype with fully submerged foils instead of semi-submerged foils. The FSH37 (or FSH 38).

    “Thunderball” – James Bond Movie scene Featuring a Pt20 Hydrofoil designed, patented, and built by Rodriquez Cantieri Navali

    With a preliminary agreement with Intermarine SPA, we started developing a design based on this tested vessel that was being tested and tuned with 2 different drive configurations: z drives and regular shafts.

    After some initial designs of the exterior lines, I received a phone call from a young designer who I had known through common friends who called me saying I would love to design a hydrofoil yacht. Architect Daniele Natoli told me, it’s would be a dream for me because I was born on a hydrofoil. Daniele is indeed originally from Lipari (Aeolian Islands, Sicily) and I thought his speech was figurative due to the frequent use of ‘Aliscafi’ that connects those islands. Instead, Daniele Natoli birth certificate actually testify that he was physically born aboard of a 1963 Rodriquez build Hydrofoil model PT50 and his umbilical cord was indeed cut by Capt Francesco Romeo on the hydrofoil named ‘ Freccia Del Mediterraneo’ (see image below)


    From a Commercial Vessel to..

    So we started to work on yacht design

    Designing an innovative yacht is a very difficult job even with clients that know exactly what they want. Designing one were we had to imagine who the clients could be and where every kilo makes the difference because of the complex weight distribution is even harder.

    The Hyperyacht 3-seater Cockpit inspired from the legendary Mclaren F1

    Hyper Goals for the HyperYacht


    1) Lower Fuel Consumption at High Speed

    2) Unprecedented Comfort

    3) Unprecedented Stability at anchor

    4) Smarter not bigger

    5) Simple and timeless lines


    We loved the challenge and we wanted a new name for the type of yacht

    Someone once said it’s not the size that matters it’s how you use it. So maybe instead of going bigger and bigger, it was time to see something smarter.

    The Name: The Hyper Yacht

    The word ‘super’ was originally associated with superpowers (see Superman) but in truth, in the yachting industry ‘Super’, ‘Mega’ and more recently the word ‘Giga’ still refers to size – the latter- for the 80m+ gigantic yachts.

    We have been busy trying to innovate the technology as well as the nomenclature of what we would like to be the new generation of yachts. As we did not believe this “project HSY38” truly belonged to any of the known categories Super or Giga or Mega, we thought it needed to have a class of its own: HYPER was the right one.

    What is The Hyper Yacht and why is it unique?

    It all started from “projects FSH37” (See Video Below) already built and tested in two 1-1 scale prototypes (38m in lenght) from Intermarine Spa (formerly Rodriquez Cantieri Navali). Differently, form ‘traditional’ commercial hydrofoils with semi-submerged foil the FSH37 is equipped with fully submerged foils that do not need to follow the wave reacting with the usual rolling and ducking of the hull. Historically speaking, fully submerged foils are a less sophisticated design, however, pre 1950s when the first commercial Hydrofoils where built and deployed by Rodriquez Cantieri Navali.

    THE FSH37 passenger version prototype upon which the HSY Yacht Version is based.

    Now we are ready to disclose some of the early images of the Yacht version based on such project, which thanks to a good ‘diet’ will be able to carry much more fuel and therefore a much longer range compared to the original FSH37.

    We called it The Hyper Yacht

    The HyperYacht HSY38

    Advantages of the technology

    1. Lower fuel consumption of an expected 50% at cruise speed compared to a similar size vessel at the same speed
    2. Unprecedented comfort while on the foils the vessel goes up and down on the vertical axis with virtually no rolling and no ducking
    3. The foils act as natural stabilisers while at anchor
    4. The vessel thanks to the foils is also particularly stable at slow speed before ‘take off‘ or island hopping at slow speed
    The Aft and beach club of The HyperYacht
    the closed aft of the Hyperyacht
    The Skylounge features a glass ceiling and a lot of natural light
    The master cabin at midship with ensuite bathroom
    The Hyperyacht sits 1.5 meters on the edge of the wave on fully submerged foils with computer controlled pitch of the flaps

    Why is this the only credible Hydrofoil superyacht soon available to order ?

    1. Nobody except for Rodriquez/Intermarine has an history of over 300 hydrofoils built and maintained to date.
    2. No other shipyards in the world as working 1-1 scale (38m long) prototype ready to test for serious buyers
    3. The shipyard is reliable and publicly listed and will honour the delivery dates and the spec sheet performance and quality of materials 100% made in Italy.
    The Flying bridge is hidden and features wind breakers at 360 degrees to enjoy the space at 40 knots cruise speed.

    For Brokers and Clients

    If you are a broker or a prospective buyer and you would like to receive more detailed information or book a visit to the prototype please contact Mr Leopoldo Rodriquez at +44 7445 30 8622 or use the contact us form

    3 cabin layouts

    The team behind the project

    The continuous growth in technology and globalization has led to numerous changes in the ways people do business, and this means that marketers need to be prepared for the change too. 

    In this case, if you are that marine marketer who wants his 2019 to be successful, get to understand the following trends that will change your marketing experience. 

    If you are writing your Yacht Charter Business Plan or another type of business plan in the yachting industry we are sure that taking into account these 4 trends will be helpful.

    These changes include the growing cloud, artificial intelligence, machine learning, numerous app launches and the unexpected change in consumer preferences. Every marketer will have to consider all these trends to help them continue thriving in the changing business world. 

    The Need for Better Customer Experience

    Customer experience made a big difference in the year 2018, and it is obvious that it is going to do the same in the year 2019 for every marketer. 

    Customer experience  where the marketer focuses on providing personalized customer experience while meeting their expectations rather than just selling products or services. 

    When you, as a marine marketer, focus on putting the needs of the customers in all marketing channels first, it is guaranteed that you will attain their loyalty and retain them. 

    Customers do not want to hear your selling pitch that only talks about your products and services, but they would like to know why and how these products will be of help to them. 

    The main thing here is to ensure that your experience with customers is consistent and unified in all touch points and everything you use in your marketing campaign is relevant to them. 

    The Power Of Word Of Mouth

    In today’s digital world, a lot seems to happen on the internet including marketing. And while the internet can be a good channel to boost your marine marketing, some pitfalls come with it. 

    For instance, most companies tend to send emails as a way of marketing and many consumers are blocking these emails and marking them as spam, which means the message never reaches them. Furthermore, research shows that internet users are finding ways to block ads and popups that show up when they are browsing because they feel like you are intruding and misusing their data. 

    In this case, every marine marketer should consider using the traditional word of mouth marketing tactic together with online marketing techniques to optimize their marketing efforts. 

    While people may trust online reviews left by consumers, referrals through word of mouth are also working as an added advantage. 

    video for the yachting industry with drones
    Photo by William Daigneault on Unsplash

    The Demand For Video Marketing

    Videos are becoming the newest favourite for consumers, and it is good for you too because you can now represent your products in a better way than ever before. 

    They say that an image is worth a thousand words and this means that a video could be worth a million words. 

    Video marketing is a popular trend in today’s digital world and doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. 

    All you need to do as a marine marketer is to make a quality video. If you do not have the skills or the equipment that can assist you businiess in this, you should consider working with a marketing consultant who values this popular marketing trend among other trends in 2019. Also, avoid making long marketing videos, ensure that they are hyper-focused and personalized to lure a specific audience. 

    Embrace Artificial Intelligence

    Personalization of marketing contents or campaigns has become the main thing in the business world, and you cannot ignore this aspect as a marine marketer. 

    Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are also becoming popular in most businesses for a good reason. 

    One thing you need to know is that when technology keeps on growing, people’s expectations also change and you must keep them updated with these changes to meet their expectations. This is the part where you need to incorporate AI and machine learning to help you automate your marketing campaigns depending on your target audience. AI and machine learning are good for advanced data interpretation and segmentation and thereby automation of processes. 

    2019 will be a better year for you as a marine marketer if you choose to consider these trends when preparing your marketing campaigns.

    AuthorBio: Douglas Pitassi is a freelance writer and small business blogger

    We should have written this article a long time ago,  because buying yachts or commercial vessels is something we are particularly good at (yes please let us brag for a moment). On the other hand, we are sellers’ worse nightmare because the more competent the buyer is the more it will give the seller a run for his money.  There are also a number of factors in buying a vessel that are not terribly obvious to most buyers and in this article we are going to try to explain some of them.

    The following are some of the areas where we usually make the difference once appointed buyer representative:

    What does a yacht buyer representative do?

    1) Anonymity and Information during the buying negotiation:

    When the vessel you are buying is already above £150k just the sheer level of anonymity that a buyer representative can provide for the actual buyer can be a very powerful weapon in negotiations.

    If you want to know a reasonable price for acquiring a vessel for charter we actually built a whole sophisticated excel model you can download here

    The yachting world can be a very small world. You would be surprised how easy it is for us as buyer representatives to figure out how ‘motivated’ a seller is but also it is relatively easy for the seller to figure out how much more money he/she/they can ask to the buyer during a negotiation by figuring out the source and nature of his/her/their wealth.  

    When the price of the yacht or vessel is instead in the 7 figure and upward in 8 figure zone it becomes increasingly beneficial for the buying party to no be know for a number of reasons that can go from unwanted press exposure to the obvious leverage during the negotiation itself.

     The buyer representative oftentimes manages to cut off a potential battle of big egos and sail the transaction through faster and more efficiently. Anonymity also plays a financially advantageous  role for our buyers when the vessels need work .

    Naval Engineering
    Marine Structural Engineering

     2) Competence

    When engaged in acquiring a vessel, whether we source it from one of our off-market opportunities or the vessel is sourced ad-hoc upon client specifications or has been already found by the client we usually go to visit the vessel with one of our trusted yacht/ship surveyors. In many cases, we would actually choose to inspect the vessel with a naval architect rather than a surveyor.

    Depending on the material and type of vessel we do choose the best suitable professional for the job.

    Our process delivers, peace of mind for the buyer and also financial savings. We will find out everything there is to know about the boat and more. In a recent yacht acquisition, we were able to track down the project manager who had overseen the construction [back in 1995] and the two captains who had sailed the vessels for most of its 3500+ engine hours . We did so within the 24 hours from when our client had communicated with us the name and model of the vessel he wanted to buy.

    Furthermore, we had a complete history of the last 5 owners and able to access plans and go-to people to recover an hydraulic system plan that was missing in the paperwork of the vessel.

    Rivamare Riva Interior Layout

    3) Documentation

    A lot of professionals focus on the status of the vessel but what about its paperwork and background checks? Having a team in place for every yacht purchase, we can carry on background checks on the legal title of the vessel and make sure that every bit of fundamental piece paperwork and documentation is present.

    [think of Electrical plans, Hydraulic plans, manuals for all engine room systems,  registry compliance certifications etc.].

    If some of those key documents have y hgone missing through the years we are often able to find an agile solution to replace them by sourcing them from the original builder or recreate them if necessary.

    4) Purchase, legal, contracts and registration/flags

    More often than not vessels of a certain size are titled to companies. Regardless of whether our buyer buys the holding company or the asset alone we do our due diligence to make sure that nothing is legally pending on either of them, from the most obvious mooring fees to more complex structured loans that can have the vessel holding company as collateral guarantees.  

    Once everything clears, we go into the specifics of the sale and purchase contract with the appropriate jurisdiction that is accepted by both parties (often in two languages too).  

    Lastly, we advice our clients and support them in re-registering the vessel under a different flag if our client has decided to do so or if its advantageous for the vessel new ownership depending on the circumstances. There are number of variables in re-registering and re-flagging a vessel that can range from fiscal advantages to political protection of the asset and even regulations on the nationality/ies the crew can hold if the vessel is going to be a charter vessel in some specific waters gathering to specific nationalities of guests.

    Boat Inspection

    5) Financing your yacht acquisition

    Financing a yacht acquisition or new built for as big or small it can be, is still a farly complex process depending on the client requirements and on the type, size, and age of the vessel. As we have had worked with a variety of financial institution but yet are not associated to any of them we can help you pick and choose the best condition and at times renegotiate the financial terms offered by an existing lender, saving money and/or time but also getting our client on better side of a finance deal.

    6) Logistic, Works, Crew and Charter Operations

    Once the contract is sealed the vessel will need to be moved. Depending on the vessel condition (seaworthy or not) the logistic of moving a vessel can be more or less burdensome but in any event the operation requires proper care and a professional (insured) approach. Whether our client is buying a yacht in Florida to be used on the Mediterranean or is buying a half-built 40+ Meter yacht to finish somewhere else from where construction started nothing has scared us and we often have a cost-efficient word of advice that has proven to save our clients significant amounts.

    For more info Contact us

    Yes! After many years we have finally given up to the dozens of requests we have received to build a comprehensive guide on How To set-up a successful yacht charter company and build your own charter business. Today, much more than 10 years ago, We are confident we can deliver a lot more value as the business of yacht charter is not only based on the experience on boats but also on how efficient and effective you are at winning new clients.

    We are going to look at the business of yacht charter from the perspective of those who actually want to buy and manage a vessel and charter it . The mere yacht brokerage firm is a much simpler business model which are going to describe in details later on in the guide.

    Whether you are approaching Yacht charter as a retirement plan and you are looking for an activity that is somewhat fun and offsets the cost of running your boat during your trip around the world or you are thinking of yacht charter as a business to grow and profit from we will try to cover all of the topics that we believe are appropriate:

    If you don’t need our guide but you are ready to build a business plan save yourself days of work or expensive consulting fees to begin with and order our Yacht Charter Business Plan Template developed with Ms Excel from which you can easily build your plan. 

    Order your Yacht Charter Business Plan and get a 1-hour consultation included 

    Here it is a preliminary list of elements we are going to discuss:

    1. Finding the right boat/yacht
    2. Can I run a yacht charter business solo ?
    3. Motor vs sail, and monohull vs multihulls (catamarans)
    4. Contracts and service standards
    5. Geographic areas and extended charter seasons
    6. Crew, skippers, and flags/registrations
    7. Marketing common mistakes
    8. Itineraries
    9. Onboard equipments and amenities
    10. Bareboat vs Crewed + Bareboat with skippers
    11. Web Platform to market your boat
    12. Brokers, Central Agents, and how much you should give them
    13. Foreign Flags and U.S. waters
    14. Drugs onboard, international waters, capitan’s liability vs company liabilities
    15. Payment terms and methods
    16. Internet marketing DOs and Don’t

    Please don’t forget to register your interest to be notified when we the guide is ready. 

    UPDATE 22/June/2017: As we received plenty of requests we are also going to publish a Yacht Charter Business Template on Excel which takes into account a typical scenario of acquisition and refitting of a vessel and the charter operations. This is a very unique business model developed in Microsoft Excel which you can customise according to the type of vessel and expenses you are facing during the process. We have looked for something similar and we have not found anything useful for this purpose, therefore, for we have decided to build it for  you and make it available for purchase at a very competitive price.


    Do you want to start Yacht Charter operations with your boat?

    The yachting industry is changing significantly in the past 20-30 years. Boats and yachting holidays were predominantly something that was mostly considered by people who were exposed to a yachting culture of some kind. The internet, clearly changed this game and it keeps changing it at speed.

    We recently wrote an article on the topic of how the ‘the airbnbs of yachting’ are going to chance and improve boat ownership, however, the game is changing for yacht charters and even smaller and local boat rentals (those hiring boats by the hour or day rather than the more standard charter week).

    For over 15 years we have produced market research and analysis on the yachting industry observing how the demographic and the phsycographic of the yachting market was changing. On top of that we were always strongly involved in the more topographic analysis of users behaviour on a variety of websites and companies selling yachts, yacht charters, boat rentals, marine supplies etc..

    The experience of these two combined analytical points of view enabled us to get to the point and write a simple list of the most common and most widespread mistakes done in the yacht charter business.

    (The ones that follow are in no particular order of priority)

    1) Underestimating the importance of the web

    This is a common mistake for yacht charter companies that has been done and it is still done countless times. It goes from slow loading websites (See How to make it faster), to horrific user experience, all the way to terrible spelling or amateurish photography. Yachts and Yachting related services unlike many other products are simply not as easy to find in a physical shop the highest the internet penetration becomes and with the generational change this because a make or break element of a lot of yachting or boating related businesses both operating in B2C and in B2B. I can’t even being to tell you how many times we have heard the sentence, “my clients don’t buy a boat because they see it on the web“.  While this statement might have been somewhat true some time ago, it’s also true that when it comes to high ticket purchases no single source of information is the only one that makes a client purchase decision exclusively.

    2) Assuming a certain degree of sailing knowledge for granted

    Another very common mistake in the yacht charter business, we have made ourselves, is to assume that people that take an interest in yachting or boating have a certain degree of sailing or marine knowledge.  Everybody starts somewhere and in many countries more than others the last thing that you want to do is make a client feel dumb for not knowing something or worse assume and he/she/they will behave based on your assumption they know something that they might not. Simple example: You charter a big boat you can load 50 people on them.  No you don’t if it is a private yacht most likely you’ll be limited to 12 guests not matter how big it actually is. If you have worked with yacht charter I am sure you have answered this question hundreds of times.

    Oyster Yachts in troubled waters

    3) Selling the asset(boat) rental time instead of the experience of boating in the specific navigation area.

    This is probably the most common mistake to date. Leisure boats are not cars people do not rent them to go from A to B and yet, there still are lots of sites out there that feature a list of boat and no mention of itinerary and the experience on board. Especially in the most commercial segment of the market.

    4) Asking for large deposits

    Nowadays insurance companies are very sophisticated and there is no reason why a deposit can’t be substituted by an insurance product. (Needless to say this point does not apply to crewed charter that won’t need a deposit bu only to bareboat charters). It surely will add to the overall cost but it will lower the barrier to purchase a week worth of charter especially in the mid/lower segment of the market of weekly charters in the £800-4500/week range.

    Yacht Charter contract

    5) Relying on non-digitalised legal contracts

    Again we are in 2018 and a lot of yacht charter companies and operators already have this process in place. Digital legal charter contracts that is, it easier it is faster and it is very efficient if your clients are not sitting at their desk most of the time.

    Yacht Charter Credit Card

    6) Not accepting credit cards or using advanced consumer financing options

    Accepting credit cards has a cost attached to it but it also makes it faster and easier for a client to book and deposit initial sums. Nowadays, credit card processing devices are mobile and incredibly inexpensive to acquire and set-up, and yet a lot of charter operators still do not accept them and make their sale process much longer and more difficult.

    7) Choosing the wrong crew or skipper

    On a crewed charter the crew makes a very significant part of the experience. Regardless, of whether it is only 1 skipper or a crew of 3 or more even the most discreet crew will always interact with the guests a great deal during any given charter period. The captain/skipper and his/her crew have a very delicate job as they have to reassure the guests about navigation even when the seas are rough but at the same time provide for all reasonable (and sometimes unconventional) requests. Languages are a big plus because a good knowledge of the guest language will assure nothing is lost in translation, but character is even more important especially for the crew members that are in charge and might have to take unpopular decision to avoid unnecessary risks when needed.

    Boat Inspection

    8) Little attention to details

    It can be about things as small as a car charger (12 Volt lighter plug) for the iPhones to be available onboard so that guests don’t have to run the engine or the generator to charge their phones/mobile devices which costs virtually nothing but says a lot about the company’s attention to details. It can also be about the smaller maintenance issue like making sure the show filters are cleaned between a charter and the other, or even a first (food) provision that takes care of the vegetarian dietary needs of the guests. Small things add up like little gold coins to gain great feedback and happy guests which are without a doubt the best way to grow your yacht charter business.

    Yacht Charter Guests

    9) Not establishing guests priorities and preferences

    The same navigation area can offer completely different experiences depending on what your preferences are. You can prefer to lay in the sun and swim to clubbing and fancy dining, or you might be more interested in discovering historical treasures and hidden spots. A yacht charter should always be a personalised experience (unless of course the route is pre-set) and the crew and the charter company should always take into consideration the specific interests of the people on board, all of them, not just the one signing the checks.

    Yachting Images and Video production

    10) Underestimating the power of videos

    One specific yacht charter company’s marketing success is almost entirely based on videos and it proves this point exactly. The Yacht Week’s indeed is one