I returned yesterday from Istanbul, a little overwhelmed by the scale and scope of what we are doing over there. Here are some of the highlights:
I. The 46M
Until four years ago I didn’t have much knowledge or even interest in MegaYachts. Now I have come to appreciate and understand how the technologies and skills can transfer up and down our production line. So in the last few years I have made it a point to see most of the best in the world, from Monaco to Fort Lauderdale and back. I can honestly say I have never seen anything like our 46M. She will splash in just ten weeks. This is the last communication you will get with renderings rather than photos, because the real thing is about to arrive.
I will start with the paint job. It is a soft metallic blue. You have to see it to believe it. One of the dirty little secrets of the big yacht building game is that the larger the boat, the worse the paint job. I don’t know why that is true, but I suspect it has to do with the facility in which it is built. I have seen 100M yachts from some of the finest yards in the world (ever heard the expression “If it ain’t Dutch, it ain’t much? – which is why we used the Dutch designer Frank Mulder to design this yacht) and seen some pretty crappy paint jobs. Ours is stunning. I’d say world-class, but world-class in this regard is pretty unimpressive. This is by far the best Megayacht paint job on the planet. You will unquestionably be reading just that in the reviews.
You’ll see her soon enough. She splashes in April, debuts in June in Istanbul, and will be at the Monaco show this September. If she does not sell there, she will come to America next Winter.
All told she will have taken 385,000 man hours to build. We have roughly 35,000 hours to finish her in the next two months. We are on schedule.
Far and away the most impressive and unique part of the design is our three-story atrium, with a soaring curved stairway linking all levels. I could not get a photo (too many workmen, and surfaces wrapped for protection) but it is even more impressive than this:
I’ll also say, no surprise, that while it has less interior wood than the Vicem’s you are familiar with (it just ain’t done with Megas yet, though I have some ideas…) the quality is clearly ours. The two area of brilliant high varnish where it is most evident are:
While I was there they were just starting to put in the helm electronics. It will look like this when done:
I will be back for the Press unveiling in June. If you would like to come for the party, please let me know.
II. The 107 Cruiser
At this same unveiling party we will celebrate the launching of our 107 Cruiser (formerly known as the 100 Cruiser). She wills splash in just six weeks. Here are the latest photos. Note, again, the cool paint job:
Last posting I showed you the handiwork of our in-house full time model builder. Every owner of a new Vicem can get a perfect scale model, down to the fabric choices and name. Here is the builder, posing along side the 107C, and a close up of his craft (pun intended):
You can see the full listing for this amazing yacht on Yachtworld now, at:
III. Dubai
You may recall that our 78 Cruiser sold to a Dubai owner.
He has graciously offered her to us for the Dubai Boat Show this March (we have the best owners!). We are shipping a couple of other Vicem’s there to make a big splash. It will be our first Middle East show, ever. If you would like to meet me there, just let me know.
Well, jet lag is kicking in. But in a few days I will have a new posting, featuring:
- A new brokerage listing;
- A discussion of the New York/Long Island yachting scene;
- An update on our Vanguard series;
- The latest from Dave’s Book Review; and,
- Something else I can’t quite remember at the moment.
Meanwhile, you know the drill. If you have any questions, just launch a flare!
Thanks, and enjoy.
