CHALLENGING TIMES?

The superyacht and highend motor yacht market is growing. Demand is strong across all sizes but it is the below 30m category which has seen the most growth, and according to the recent Global Order Book, it is the Italian shipyards that are leading the wayin terms of projects underway and total gross tonnagefor the global market.Is this rise of the Italian brands reflected in the UK market?

We spoke to Nick Hatfield, sales manager at Sanlorenzo Yachts UK and Ireland, to find out if the Italians are set to give the British motorboat manufacturers a run for their money in the UK.

The expectation with most things Italian is that they are going to be sleek, stylish and with uncompromising attention to detail – think Ferrari, Gucci and Bulgari. The exclusive Italian motor yacht brands, such as Sanlorenzo, Bluegame and Riva, deliver on these same qualities but with one major point of difference: the level of customisation.

“As the motoryacht market developed, everything started to look the same,” says Nick. “Manufacturers were using the same person to design the boat, its hull and the interior. There were designers out there creating fabulous interiors for apartments much more suited to the task, but they were not being used by the boating industry at that time.

“Sanlorenzo was the first brand to really tailor make a yacht in terms of customisation. It looked outside the industry for specialist talent and brought in big-name designers, whether Italian or not. The idea was that if someone was renovating their home, the designers could understand their preferences and translate these into the interior of their yacht.”

Levels of customisation Although many boating brands have followed suit offering ‘customisation’, there are many degrees of customisation.

Nick explains: “There are certainly different levels of customisation. I will use an analogy from the fashion world to illustrate. When buying a suit, you can walk into a shop and pick a suit off the shelf which will fit perfectly adequately.

“You could then take that suit to a tailor, who would make some modifications to make it fit better. This is basic customisation and is what customisation means for many motorboat manufacturers; you take the base design and ‘customise’ it aesthetically with a different leather or wood finish.

“Alternatively, you could visit a tailor who starts with a piece of material. Everything is then made to measure for you, to your exact requirements. This is what Sanlorenzo and certain other Italian brands offer as standard when they say customisation.

“We start with a hull, which is characteristically Sanlorenzo, but the interior is completely tailor-made. We bring in designers from all over the world, ensuring that fixtures, fittings and fabrics are all exactly what and where the client wishes. If they do not like the galley location, for example, we move it!”

It appears that the only thing which is not up for discussion on a Sanlorenzo is the exterior aesthetic.

Nick adds: “Having spent a lot of time designing a boat that is classically beautiful with its iconic windows, providing a look not seen on any other vessel, Sanlorenzo understandably does not want to play around with the external design.”

Having a tailor-made yacht comes with a cost though. Sanlorenzo yachts, for example, are 10 – 15 per cent more expensive than other brands of the same size. However, it seems people are willing to pay the extra to get exactly what they want and have a yacht which is truly unique to them. Attention to detail It is not just the customisation that is making the Italian brands catch the eye of potential owners in the UK, it is the attention to detail too.

One UK owner who purchased a Sanlorenzo SX88 last year says: “I have a yacht which is completely tailored to me, and I cannot begin to say how impressed I am with the attention to detail on board. The ugly air intakes on the sides have been cleverly hidden, and the join where the hull and the deck meet is not visible, giving a beautifully clean hull.

“It is also a very quiet yacht - the level of consideration that has gone into the removal of sound and vibration is second to none, with all rails and metalwork mounted on anti-vibration pads. This is not something I have experienced on my previous boats.”

Is it possible that their heritage and expertise as superyacht manufacturers makes it easier for the Italian brands to scale down their yachts into the smaller sub 30m category? Easier than it is for the British manufacturers to scale up their designs and processes?

Growing UK market It is not just Sanlorenzo making strides in the UK market. A brand new 60ft Bluegame is due to be delivered to its UK based owner this spring. Showcasing concepts not previously seen on this type of craft, it was chosen for its different approach to boating and boat design.

“It seems that 60ft flybridge motorboats predominantly have the same layout across the brands. Designs have not changed for 20 years,” says the new owner, Mr Jones. “I wanted something different. The design of the Bluegame is both disruptive and innovative, providing a multifunctional layout and unprecedented space. The high level of standard specification, combined with robust engineering and redundancy normally associated with bluewater cruising yachts, really makes Bluegame stand head and shoulders above the norm.”

Nick continues: “Previously, Italian brands relied on selling to British owners through their Mediterranean dealer network. However, with a growing focus on the UK market as the demand for larger motor yachts in the UK increases, Italian brands are opening offices in the UK, offering local service and support for their yachts making them a more attractive proposition than before.”

With growing representation in the UK and a hunger to offer a point of difference in the market, it looks like the Italian brands are ready to do battle. Majority market share in the UK may currently rest with British brands, but the Italian brands look set to advance.

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