Planning a yacht refit is a very exciting time for any yacht owner, but it can also be quite a stressful experience. There’s a long list of things for the owner to consider, from colour schemes to the layouts of the exterior and interior. When planning major overhauls that involve structural work, detailed planning is essential; once the job begins the changes will be irreversible.
In this article, we’re going to run through the five key things you need to consider when planning a yacht refit, no matter how large or complex. While the scale of a yacht refit or refurbishment may drastically vary in size, there are still key principles that remain the same at the planning stage.
– Research yards, engineers, designers, and outfitters
– Budget plans
– Location
– Crew inputs
– Communications
Research your yacht refit
If you’ve been thinking about having work done on your vessel, then the likelihood is you’ve been collecting some ideas along the way. Part of the fun when planning a refit is doing some research, spending time looking at other yacht interiors to see what’s out there and inventing your own ideas. Yacht interior design becomes an intense area of interest for many owners in the build-up to work beginning.
You should have a thorough plan ready to present to your project manager when the time comes. This may change, but the more detail you provide at the beginning the better chance your refit will run smoothly.
While it’s of great importance that you decide exactly what you want to get out of the refit, it’s also important to do some research into shipyards and yacht outfitters. Choosing the right shipyard will depend on the size of the work you require and its ability to complete your project. It’s always a good idea to ask other yacht owners for recommendations, especially if they’ve had work done that you admire
Choosing an experienced yacht outfitter is critical as many skills are required in your refit project, from important communications with manager and designer, to manufacturing processes handling expensive fabrics and hundreds of ‘parts’. With 35 years in the yachting industry, time has taught us invaluable insights into this very demanding field. Eclipse Yacht Furnishings provides our clients with the best in bespoke marine furnishings.
Budget
Keeping an eye on the budget is something that you would do when employing a firm to carry out any type of work – and a yacht refit is no exception. Prior to working out a realistic budget, you need to have a clear idea of the work you’re planning and what it will entail. There are so many factors that will impact the overall cost of a refit and potential complications that can cause an increase in price.
While work is being carried out, keeping a running total of expenses, with a breakdown, can be very useful. If any unexpected problems arise you want to make sure you have a detailed list of what has been added to the overall price.
Just because a shipyard offers the cheapest price doesn’t necessarily mean they are the right choice. When deciding on a shipyard remember that value for money is important, but caution is necessary if one company is much cheaper than all the rest. Will the work be to the highest standard? Will there be costs later on?
At Eclipse Yacht Furnishings we work closely with our clients to deliver a bespoke service that’s still in keeping with their budget. Various options can be provided to allow pricing flexibility. And future replacements are a breeze with your archived pattern files saved here forever. If you have any questions regarding the services we provide, give us a call on +1 954 7927339.
Location
When deciding on your shipyard, the location must be taken into consideration. It’s a really good idea to get to know the shipyard team and build a good relationship with them. This is easier if you are visiting face to face and having regular conversations about your project, especially while work is taking place. Moving a yacht can also be a very costly task, which you will need to factor into your budget if you decide on a shipyard located a significant distance from your yacht’s preferred suppliers.
Eclipse Yacht Furnishings is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and we use 3D design tools that allow us to digitize your yacht in detail, months in advance of a future shipyard period. This service can be done during a short visit, anywhere from Stuart to Miami. During your initial planning stage, we can continue our preparation work while you cruise and get to know the yacht. CAD drawings of cushions, covers, and awnings will be submitted for approval during this time. When you return with fabric decisions agreed upon, our patterns are ready to simply add the preferred materials and begin production. This allows scheduling flexibility to work with yacht owners on large projects who face shipyard capacity issues.
If you would like more information on our digitized refit options, get in touch with us today and speak to one of our experts.
Crew
Thinking about your crew and getting their opinion on potential new features and design options is a great idea. The crew can often make suggestions about particular areas of the yacht that may need attention. They spend a lot of time with guests and often get more honest thoughts from them about things they’ve liked and disliked on other vessels.
Crew can also be a brilliant asset when it comes to dealing with the shipyard during a yacht refit. It’s likely that they will have a vast knowledge of the vessel along with an excellent understanding of the industry. Enlisting a member of the team to keep track of progress could be useful.
At Eclipse Yacht Furnishings, we find it very important to speak to yacht crew about which design features they find practical when it comes to upholstery and seating designs. It’s not just a case of aesthetics, but functionality too. Will that material be durable enough to handle guest spillages and different weather conditions? Are weather covers efficiently deployed when sudden rain plus guests is experienced? Will those seats allow for storage underneath? The list of potential ideas and suggestions the crew will have for extra features is endless.
Communication
The communication between you and the project manager could be considered the most important point on our list. It’s a crucial part of any successful yacht refit.
Communication with the shipyard should begin long before any work takes place. A lack of communication can cause a refit to derail, so there should be a clear work list in place from the very beginning of the process to avoid misunderstandings and problems.
Designers, when dealing with any yacht interior design project, must be in continuous contact with the client. This helps to provide them with the best service possible. When taking on a yacht upholstery project, effective communication is something to be insisted upon. Not only do they want to produce exactly what the client desires, but also offer suggestions and advice on how the project can be improved to run more efficiently.
Maintaining an ongoing exchange between the Project Manager, the Designer, and our company is an essential connection to the client’s requirements. This is of utmost importance to the team at Eclipse Yacht Furnishings.
We hope you’ve found these five points useful if you’re planning a yacht refit or considering one in the near future. There are other things you will need to consider that we have not included in this list, but ultimately you need to have a clear vision moving forward, do plenty of research and find the right company to work with.
If you would like more information on a yacht refit involving upholstery, awnings, seating, and a whole host more, contact Eclipse Yacht Furnishings today.