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| Boats & Yachts |
Bespoke Customization
Michael Verdon
06/01/2004
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In fact, a handful of semi-custom builders
are promising 12-month delivery times, and others are offering extensive
customization options to owners who want to make a nautical fashion statement.
That’s no surprise to Gilbert. “Yachts are much more of a representation of who
you are than your car or plane,” he says. “It’s an intimate reflection of how
your family lives.”
Much of the trend toward semi-custom building has come
from consumer demand. In 1998, ShowBoats’ Order Book shows 279 yacht builds over
80 feet around the world. This year, the number is 507.
The Italian builder
CRN’s 134-foot Magnifica series represents a fine example of customizing a
series-built yacht. Dan Lenard, who designed the three yachts in the series,
says that they are easily recognizable from one another. “The hulls and
superstructures are the same,” he says. “But styling-wise, there are many
differences to distinguish them. A client would not see it as a repetition of an
existing project.” Lenard says the interiors all have “wild card” spaces
that can be altered to suit the owner’s desires. He also notes that cost savings
accrue for the owner because Lenard is the in-house designer, and CRN’s
engineering and naval architects are also built into the series’ price.
Gilbert believes that Benetti began the turnkey approach to semi-custom
yachts when it launched its 115-foot Classic series in 1997. “They were
intelligent about it, creating a yacht with all the bells and whistles the
typical owner would want in that size range,” he says. “Instead of a
stripped-down version where you’d have to rip stuff out and replace it,
everything was beautiful. It was same approach Lexus took to the luxury car
market.”
Benetti’s Mark Cavendish says that the Italian yard has sold 26
yachts in the Classic series, “exceeding even our own expectations.” The turnkey
aspect is indeed crucial to the series’ success, he adds, but having a Francois
Zuretti-designed interior has added more than just beauty to the vessels.
“Having a top designer’s name on your yacht gives it extra value,” says
Cavendish, “especially when the design is included in the price.”
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