Megayacht News Radio

Usually, when megayacht owners or charter guests want to visit somewhere remote, their yacht agents reach out to expedition guides. BWA Yachting created its own company, Berkeley Rand, to handle the tasks, with a twist. Berkeley Rand employs artificial intelligence and other technology in combination with real-life knowledge, making far-off voyages far more special. In fact, Andrew Grant Super, Berkeley Rand’s managing director, says the technology has previously only been used in the aerospace industry. He sees it greatly enhancing expedition cruising. “There is a thirst for adventure and experiences at sea,” he declares. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, we dive into how he and his team are enhancing these experiences, whether a few days or a few weeks. Specifically, we discuss with Andrew: why he considers his team "experiential engineers," and what that meansexamples of how Berkeley Rand is enhancing the onboard experiencewhat the future will bring for the application of these technologies in yac

Northrop & Johnson specializes in a variety of services, including yacht charter. As part of its senior team, Patrick Coote is helping to define the company’s global marketing strategy so that it can continue to grow. Like many business over the past few months, Northrop & Johnson saw an impact on charter bookings due to COVID-19. However, with restrictions lifting, and people eager to get out and about again—especially out on the water—Patrick and the team have been letting them know what’s available, and where, while still being mindful of practical concerns. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, we discuss with Patrick: what traditional charter regions are fully open and what’s open with some limitationshow Northrop & Johnson communicates health-safety information to inquiring charter clients concerned about the viruswhat customers need to understand about cancellation policieshow the company is making a concerted effort to attract newcomers to yacht charter.

Many megayacht owners and guests consider Newport, Rhode Island the ideal summer season base. Others, meanwhile, prefer taking slips in New York City, and head out east along Long Island’s Gold Coast. Few, however, consider Connecticut an option. Bobby Christoph is out to change that: He's the developer behind the newly opened Bridgeport Harbor Marina. Catering to megayachts to 250 feet (76 meters), Bridgeport Harbor Marina can further accommodate deep-draft yachts. Having its own helipad makes owners' and guests' arrivals and departures incredibly convenient, too--all the more so considering the property is just 60 miles from New York City.  The city of Bridgeport may seem an unusual choice for a megayacht marina. But, as Bobby explains in this episode of Megayacht News Radio, Bridgeport Harbor Marina is within a major redevelopment area, which is seeing major retailers, coffee shops, restaurants, and more being established walking distance away. Plus, Bobby and his team have big ideas in mind for the futu

As the Chief Commercial Officer for the Ferretti Group and CRN Executive Board Member, Stefano De Vivo oversees a lot of activity at the dedicated Superyacht Yard in Ancona, Italy. Specifically where CRN is concerned, and the four custom yachts it has under construction currently, this translates to hundreds, if not thousands, of employees and subcontractors flowing in and out of the gates over the course of the construction cycles. It's a challenge to keep all of these craftspeople stay on schedule, while simultaneously ensuring the ownres can make important changes. Yet, this challenge is exactly what makes Stefano's job so rewarding. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, Stefano shares with us: how CRN's buyer demographics have changed over the yearssome of the special requests the owners of the yachts presently under construction madewhether customers are paying more attention to "green" technologyand whether yacht builders like CRN should take the lead in terms of being more environmentally minded.

Megayacht News Radio, the podcast series of MegayachtNews.com, features engaging conversations with leaders in the large-yacht industry. As the first superyacht-specific podcast in the world, we have more than 10 years of interviews with the top designers, yacht builders, project managers, and more. Our goal is to educate you and to enhance your customer experience.

In partnership with Nicholas Dean, Peter Hürzeler runs Ocean Independence, one of the world's leading companies focusing on yacht brokerage, charter, management, and new construction. With more than 30 years of experience in yachting, Peter has seen a lot of highs as well as lows in the industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact especially on superyacht charter and traditional boat shows, leading to a lot of uncertainty among business professionals and customers alike. Even with that uncertainty, though, Peter believes there are positive signs on the horizon.  In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, Peter discusses these as well as:  how yacht charter has evolved to become family-focused and experience-drivenhow Ocean Independence's charter brokers are managing the current situation, and how clients feel about booking in uncertain timeshow yacht buying has evolved in both the brokerage sector and the new-construction sectorwhether Ocean Independence has pivoted its strategies to create a new

Born and raised in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Sean Meagher has captained vessels ranging from search and rescue craft to powered megayachts and sailing superyachts. He's perhaps best known for taking the helm of the famous motoryacht Latitude, upon which he led journeys through the Northwest Passage--twice--and a circumnavigation of Svalbard, coming within 400 miles of the North Pole. Due to his experience as an explorer and expedition leader, Sean is invited to speak around the world to fellow yachting enthusiasts as well as adventurers at heart. As much as he loves sharing stories from his travels, though, he's particularly passionate about one thing: creating the perfect customer journey. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, Sean shares insight into not only what the perfect customer journey is, but how to deliver it time and time again. As he puts it, when it comes to those of us on the service side of yachting, "We're not curing cancer of the body, but definitely curing cancer of the soul." These are

Heesen Yachts has its roots in lightweight, swift yachts, dating back to 1978. While series builds have played a large part in its growth, the Netherlands-based builder is increasingly taking on custom projects. And not custom for custom's sake, either. From a superyacht fitted with a patent-pending structural support called the "Backbone" to one with a fishing cockpit and an astoundingly powerful 22,000-hp engine package, Heesen is challenging traditional ideas of what large luxury yachts can do. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, we speak with two key members of the sales and management team, Mark Cavendish and Thom Conboy, to learn: * how Heesen has evolved, and is continuing to evolve * how it balances customers' desires for yachts with a proven technical package with other customers' desires to push the notion of what's possible * the risks and rewards of concept designs, especially ones that are anything but traditional * and more. 

David Knowles and the Artelier staff provide art-consultancy services for owners of fine homes, yachts, and private jets. These services include curating special collections and finding and selecting the right artist to create something truly unique—and not just a sculpture in a foyer or a painting on a wall. In fact, Artelier is assisting owners and designers who are truly pushing the boundaries of art onboard. Simultaneously, David and his team know are mindful of the challenges that a moving object like a yacht in a humid environment pose, and guide clientele accordingly. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, David shares with us: * how the company became involved with sourcing and securing artworks for superyachts * how the marine environment poses a special set of challenges, especially in terms of motion and salt air, some of which owners may not realize threaten their valuable pieces  * how, despite residential design influencing yacht design, yacht buyers hold a key advantage over home buyers

The thought of a design studio having a fleet manager might strike you as being a bit odd, since you may typically hear of someone having this role at a retail charter company, or a yacht management company. But, it’s not only quite normal for Vripack, it’s vital. As the fleet manager, Joost is in constant contact with not just captains, but also owners of yachts bearing the studio’s naval architecture and engineering expertise. This way, not only does he get first-hand feedback from them on how their yachts are performing, but also—as we discuss in this podcast—he can fill in the rest of the Vripack design team so that they can incorporate improvements into future designs wherever possible. Specifically, we cover:  * how specifically he helps owners, their captains, and their crews as they pursue voyages, from advising them to answering questions even while they're in the midst of a journey * how Vripack clients cruise all over the world, in all sorts of conditions * how he monitors the usability of the

Dating back to the mid-1800s, the original Adirondack guideboats were just what they sound like: rowboats that helped people in the waters of upstate New York hunt, fish, and explore. Entirely hand-crafted of wood, they were sturdy enough to row for days on end, yet light enough for even one person to carry for lengthy journeys. For decades, these boats dotted the waters of the Adirondack Mountains, fulfilling the need for transportation throughout the region. Once the automobile was invented, however, the guideboats were no longer needed... but remained wanted. In fact, they started taking on a new role, that of recreational cruising. Today, the Adirondack Guideboat company keeps hand-craftsmanship fully in focus for legions of loyal buyers as it builds many of its boats out of cedar, and still others out of more modern materials. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, Ian shares with us: * what inspired him, along with his brother, to take over the company * how long on average it takes to make one of

From Airbnb to Poshmark and even Uber and Lyft, the sharing economy, also called the peer-to-peer economy, is a big part of today's world. Not surprisingly, luxury companies are carving out corners for themselves in this market, too. LUXNow is one such company. Originally focusing on exotic and fine cars, LUXNow has since expanded to include fine homes and of course yachts, including megayachts. It's an opportunity that CEO Matt Sweetwood says is ideal not just for those who want to see what yacht ownership is all about, but also for existing owners who want to monetize their assets. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, we speak with Matt about: how LUXNow differentiates itself from the competitionhow a yacht owner becomes what the company calls a partner: whether there's an approval process, for examplehow consumers become members--and whether they are screened in advancehow pricing and rental periods are set and more.

John and Michael Kelly are more than father and son. The two have always wanted to work together, especially within a family business framework, and even more so wanted a family business tied to the boating lifestyle that they've long enjoyed. As of a year ago, the duo's dream came true. They acquired the well-known shipyard Bradford Marine in Fort Lauderdale. They additionally own the Bradford Marine location in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Having visited many marinas and shipyards as customers, John and Michael came to believe that there simply had to be a way to simplify the yacht ownership and management experience. With this in mind, they're transforming and expanding Bradford Marine. The ultimate goal is to grow Bradford's community of owners, captains, and crew through top-notch service, premium covered dockage, and of course a family approach to yachting. We’ll be talking about all of this in today’s podcast.

The directors of Harrison Eidsgaard have extensive backgrounds in yacht design, as well as finance—something quite unexpected for a superyacht design studio. Yet, it's a successful combination of disciplines for this UK-based team, as Ben Harrison, one of the directors, explains in this episode of Megayacht News Radio. Ben also discusses:  “the Tango effect,” a.k.a. what happened after the Feadship Tango made people sit up and take notice of the studiowhy Harrison Eidsgaard does, and doesn't, have a "signature style"what it's like working with creative, forward-thinking, customers—both owners and shipyards alikeand how the studio's current projects span a broad range, from as small as 7 meters to upwards of 90 meters

Whenever any of us sees a yacht on the horizon, oftentimes our first thought is, "I wonder what that looks like inside?” Yacht interiors are specialties for Glancy Fawcett—but the company is far more than just a showroom with items on the shelves. In fact, it custom designs and manufactures some pieces specifically for owners, plus has a strong emphasis on, in its words, “luxury that does not cost the Earth.” In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, we speak with Elizabeth Caddick and Tom Batty of  the UK-based company to get the details.

As the president of American Yacht Agents, Deb Radtke works with a lot of international captains and crew. She assists them with tasks related to cruising the United States and overseeing refits here, including advising on what visas they need to enter the country. Unfortunately, despite abundant accurate information readily available, crew still sometimes apply for the wrong visa--relying on hearsay from misinformed friends, or bad advice spread on social media. In this episode of Megayacht News Radio, Radtke sets the record straight. In fact, she discusses: * which visa crew need, and why--as well as which visa is not the right one * why listening to chatter in the crew house instead of the captain can prevent crew from entering the United States * why social media is not your friend * how her own background as a captain helps properly educate other captains and crew.

Some of the most remote places on earth are accessible only by water. EYOS Expeditions helps superyacht owners, guests, and crews get there, thanks to its team's decades of experience exploring them. But, it doesn't solely secure permits, design itineraries, or arrange specialist guides. EYOS further takes a leading role in new builds whose owners want to pursue adventurous itineraries--whether diving to depths unknown, or seeing Antarctica up close. In fact, it has an ongoing relationship with Damen, which just launched its first SeaXplorer explorer yacht. In this episode, Rob McCallum, EYOS' founding partner, talks about how he and his team advised on details from the SeaXplorer's hull form and bridge layout to the tender davits and Zodiac boarding arrangements. In addition, having led multiple expeditions to the RMS Titanic and battleship Bismark, McCallum explains how overall EYOS works one on one with owners and crew to ensure their safety both above and below the surface.

When it comes to experiential travel, it's hard to beat Jimmy Carroll and Geordie Mackay-Lewis, the founders of Pelorus: They and their team arrange a wide variety of yacht expeditions for clients from around the globe, and to destinations as diverse as Papua New Guinea and the Arctic Circle. Carroll discusses these, as well as the logistics that Pelorus handles on behalf of customers, in this episode of Megayacht News Radio. In addition, he explains: how Pelorus promotes areas that most people probably wouldn't immediately consider as rugged or off the beaten pathwhy more people today are pursuing experiential travel than ever beforehow Pelorus tailors itinerarieshow he and his team ease clients' minds in terms of the risks that sometimes come along with adventurous travels.

Todd Roberts has seen the superyacht service industry change dramatically over nearly a 20-year career with Marine Group Boat Works. It has particularly changed over the past decade, the time that has passed since he was one of our first guests on Megayacht News Radio. In this episode, Diane M. Byrne talks with Roberts about how Marine Group Boat Works has expanded, as well as about whether the superyacht service industry is doing right by its customers--namely the owners. They further talk about: how Marine Group Boat Works adapts not just to increasingly technical yachts, but also government and commercial work, and why yacht owners and crew should borrow a page from government vessel operators when it comes to requesting work ordershow he and his team educate the local community and especially politicians on the economic impact of a visiting yachtwhat some of the yard's current projects areand more.

Nicola Nicolai, who heads Nicola Nicolai Yacht Consulting & Project Management. has extensive experience working with clients from around the world, on more than 100 superyacht projects measuring upwards of 295 feet/90 meters. These include yachts from shipyards like Riva, where he was a direct employee in the early 2000s, and more recently fully custom yachts like Flying Dagger, delivered by Rossinavi, as well as Spectre, delivered by Benetti. He is leveraging his abundant experience especially to assist American yacht buyers seeking to build superyachts in Europe.