Superyacht Design Symposium Day One: Industry Elite Sound Off

October 26, 2009

More than 150 delegates and panelists, including many true luminaries of the global yachting industry, attended Day One of the 2nd Annual Superyacht Design Symposium presented by Boat International Media at the historic Plaza Hotel in New York City.

“I am gratified that once again this peer-focused event has drawn owners, designers and industry experts of such a stature,” said Tony Harris, CEO of Boat International Media, in his opening remarks as the session got underway.

The presenting speakers got down to brass tacks right away, discussing real-world issues that are very much top-of-mind for yacht owners, designers and other yachting industry professionals in the current market. A notable example was the presentation on Build Pricing and Resale Values – Now and in the Future, in which yacht owner Hani Jabsheh, owner of the 43m M/Y Hana, challenged a panel of experts to tell him how he could accurately valuate his next new yacht, sparking a frank discussion of transparency in the brokerage industry.

"I thought it was amazing; it was far too short,” Jabsheh said afterward.

Another groundbreaking panel let Henk Koster, owner of M/Y Grace, challenge three leading yacht designers, Nigel Irens, Marc van Peteghem and Dr. Klaas Spethmann of Abeking & Rasmussen to convince him to consider three different hull designs – monohull, multihull and SWATH – for his next yacht.

The panel on “Upgrading to Green Design”, prompted by the growing desire among yacht owners to build vessels with the minimum possible carbon footprint, also was highly topical. “I really believe that we are God’s caretakers for the sea and land…and should leave it better than we found it,” said speaker David V. Johnson, owner of the 40m M/Y Resolute and developer of the model eco-friendly Bay Harbor in Northern Michigan. Johnson gave the delegates a sneak preview of plans for his next “green” marina project on Virgin Gorda in the B.V.I.

But not all the topics were technical, financial or “green”, as Raffaele Costa, owner of M/Y Sea Force One and designer Andrew Winch made poetic presentations on the importance of emotion in interior design.

“I am blown away by the depth of knowledge of the panelists,” said Superyacht Design Symposium chairman Roger Lean-Vercoe, adding, “but the delegates in the audience who participated in the discussion sessions are just as qualified. I look forward to Day Two."

At the end of the first day’s session, the delegates adjourned to an exclusive cocktail party and dinner at Manhattan restaurant Rouge Tomate, which recently was awarded a Michelin star.