Thank God there's people like you passing this knowledge on. Just because these buyers are wealthy doesn't mean they have any real expertise in yachts. 🇦🇺 😊
Thank you. 40 year mariner, 26 year master. Would never (EVER) sail on an unclassed vessel. Please emphasise the more rigorous classification societies.
Absolutely agree on all points. 20 years in the game and the fact that vessels are not being built to class or LY3 is not just unbelievable but unforgivable really
It is sad for the owner that he got 'screwed' by the yard, but it also tells a lot about the yard they did this in the first place. Any company, proud of their product, would have advised the owner to think about all these things and then, after they realize the owner is not familiar with it, would have advised him to get someone who knows what is going on. Last year in Rhodes a Turkish built yacht (appr 25 mtr) was lying next to us and that thing was beyond unstable. Just a bit of wind and it would heel over..............in the marina. After a couple of days the captain approached us and asked us if we knew anyone who was looking for a captain. He did not want to be on board anymore. Told us that he had house hold plumbing in the boat, meaning the good old grey pipes and connectors. The whole boat was wired with house hold electrical cables and the list went on and on. Sure it was a flashy boat, with lots of all colored lights and a great sound system, but that was about it. Am not sure, but I have the idea that a lot of wannabe's are jumping into the yacht market, designing a flashy boat and hope to sell one (or more), but having no clue of what they are building or what is required. In Turkey the 'flipping a boat' business is now booming. They buy an old super yacht, preferably one that had an accident, refurbish it in the cheapest possible way and sell it for a lot of money (between 5 and 10 million euro). Same is going on within the charter business. Lots of shady companies getting into this booming business. They buy themselves a flashy yacht, interior looks fine, but the technical state of the boat is horrible. The clients fall for the interior and then get confronted with failing equipment, cutting the charter short. Seen it all over Greece and Turkey last year. I.o.w. there are a lot of cowboys out there and that means a lot of work for you to guide new owners through this mess. Great video and sad story. Let us know what the owner did with the yacht.
@@brandonadams7837Oh c’mon! 🙄 The broker for their hefty fee of 10% will sell you anything! They are basically equivalent of cars salesman! For that kind of money it’s better to go with the personal and loyal project manager, plus an army of lawyers and independent surveyors and engineers! All written up in legal contracts and obligations! Money in the escrow account and released as the project go by the book!
We have been in Turkiye for the past 4 years and what you described here is Turkiye in general with anything they build from villas, to caravans to tiny houses. You have to do your homework well if you are going to buy anything in " cut corners" Turkiye. Their economy is so bad and their import taxes so high they cut corners everywhere.
Thankfully Tristran you speak with honesty and commitment. Not knowing the whole story, I hope the owner takes appropriate action, ideally before final payment. Hat's off to you for declining the offer.
There probably isn't a lot of action they can take. They signed the contract. As long as the builder followed the contract, there is nothing to be done. The courts aren't going to have any sympathy for someone that signs an 8-figure contract without getting independent advice.
Would like to see maybe 6 videos exploring each of the areas you discussed here. What are the commercial minimum requirements? What different regulations apply to yachts >500Gt, before and after the build. What is the cost of employing a broker, captain, surveyor, etc. before the first steel is welded? What exactly would they do to earn their keep? Use an imaginary 50meter, or you choose - to illustrate the concepts and costs. Take the position of someone who could be encouraged to build to private or commercial standard, < or > 500 Gt. Outline the pros and cons at each step, which should include some vague estimate of the cost of going down each path.
If you go to the website of the MCA ( Marine and Coastguard agency) you will find a lot of this stuff there. Technical requirements are fairly extensive. As to trigger points 24m in length ( it’s not Overall length you need to check definition), 500GT and up to or over 12 passengers are all key points where the rules change and the chequebook has to come out. For classification society stuff check out Lloyds in the U.K. as one on the top classification societies, or if in the US ABS is maybe more relevant. There are restrictions on chartering non US built boats in the USA.
I remember watching a video with Alexi from Bering yachts saying that he turned down a couple of potential clients because they wanted to cut costs by trying to build outside of class. I'd rather be told no to building a yacht that could launch a submarine rather than to have the whole ship sink due to my own stupidity. But that's just me. 🤷♂
Couldn’t agree more.That is going to be unsellable. Had a similar experience of an owner building a boat with no representation, (although this boat was built to Class and LY3) however, left unsupervised the yard cut every single corner they could. The boat was a disaster. Owners: Appoint or involve your Captain from DAY ONE!!!
I am astonished by this scenario. What could be more precious and carefully maintained than a yard's reputation, which will (and should) take a irreparable hit when the yachting world digests this report? I understand your commitment to confidentiality, but I wish we could know what builder took part in such a grievous pursuit. As an owner, I would want all the help I could get, and the boat built to MAXIMUM standards/classification. Unbelievable, but thanks to you for bringing it to light.
The LYC and CS do not have "maximum standards". Their minimal standards are large, don't think they aren't. So one example is bulwark height (the "walls" on the sea-side of the deck). For example, if a cod says for boat section the 40 inches (1 meter). What is the maximum height? Six feet? Sixty feet? Sixty miles? You can certainly exceed 40 inches and many vessels do, but that doesn't mean there is an easily-stated _maximum._
None of which helps an owner with limited vessel construction/classification experience, hence the wisdom of hiring somebody who is. This owner didn't, and he paid dearly for it. 'Maximum' doesn't have to be a published set of parameters, so excuse my non-literal use of the term.@@darthkek1953
Think of the “minimal standards” that Tristan refers to as similar to the local building code for a house. The building code for a house is effectively the minimum standard for a dwelling unit that can be built in its respective locality. Those minimum standards /building code don’t mean that the vessel / house is on the verge of being unsafe, but rather, those building standards are robust enough to convey a reliable level of safety for the structure being built. Now, the builder of a yacht or a house could always build something that exceeds those minimum standards, but there really are no maximum standards, as, for example, there is no limit to how thick the walls of a house can be.
Well said its nice to see a person who isn't just thinking about himself I have followed Tristan since he first started and I can honestly say I have never heared or seen a more dedicated Captain or with as much integrity, honesty and loyalty and as well liked by all ,if i was buying or building a yacht he would be my first stop,I have no skin in this game but its nice to point out the good guys now and then,
Tristan, SV Seeker, built in his back yard, 70' steel hull. 8 digit price tag. Any full custom build, to a standard or not will hit the 8 digit price tag range. Designers like Bruce Roberts who sell plans with a 1 off license to build don't really help with build quality. Most designers will ask which yard you want them to work with so they can oversee the build and make sure it meets spec. I agree, having a surveyor hired to inspect and watch the build on top of the independent designer is a good idea. I also think all yachts should be built to handle brash ice, that clustered ice usually found near glaciers or the edge of an ice cap. Stronger hull is a safer hull.
I have been following you for a few years now. I have never, ever, seen you so angry; your anger was seeping through, and quite rightly so. THank you so much for this. You know who I'll be coming to when I win the euro Lottery😂
WOW That is so dangerous! My dad was a plumber and he went to a home that was built without building codes. That is the same thing you are speaking of with that yacht. Not building it to commercial or class is like building a home without building codes. So, My dad went to this house. The owner bought it a week before and now there was hot water flowing out of the ceiling of the home. He got there, could not find a main shut off valve to the home so climbed in the attic to see what the issue was and all water lines, hot and cold were plumbed with a cheap garden hose. Of course, garden hose is not rated to hold hot water. In the end, they have to remove all walls, ceilings and floors in the home and replace all the plumbing. They had to clean all the mold off the wall studs from the leaking hoses. They had to have the water turned off at the main and install a main shut off for the home. So, the homeowner basically paid for a house and property but had to completely rebuild the home due to the home not built to a code. So his million-dollar home cost him 2.5 million dollars. And when it was all done, it was still only valued at 1 million dollars. So always have a survey on your boat and a home inspection on your home and ALWAYS have your yacht built to commercial and to class and your home built with codes.
Your story reminds me of an incident in the sixties.While riding my motorcycle to work,as an apprentice plumber,I passed a row of stone fronted terrace houses,one of the middle dwellings had the roof & frontage blown out,also inner connecting walls too.I later heard that this house had gas ovens & fires on all levels including attic & cellar.All these appliances were connected to garden hose.This resulted in not only deaths in the middle terrace,but deaths on either side.
@@glennwatson1755 WOW! yeah building to a code is a very good idea to avoid such thing. Can you even imagine how bad a yacht build could be with no code? laughs
Absolutely agree 100% having served in the capacity of a management level on board VLCC's VLGC, Products carriers and on privet level owning yachts through out, i absolutely agree on the need of Class and surveys to ensure minimal standards applied and defiantly to involve them for a New Build projects. thanks for this informative video really appreciate the effort captain. Keep them coming please.
If I ever win the lottery and decide to buy a super yacht I'll give you a call. Your the kind of captain I would want in charge of it. 🙂 Thanks for the video!
I understand keeping the brokerage and owner confidential, but honestly i think the shipyard should be named and shamed so they dont get to do this to others. unless they can prove they advised to build to code and the owner instructed not to.
Most shipyards don't produce that many boats of this size per year, if you know the shipyard and the delivery year you could probably narrow down the boat and the management company pretty quickly.
@@miguelvpires Nobody reputable would even do this build. And everybody knows who is who in the yacht manufacturing industry. They gotta know that their reputation is getting trashed by the fly-by-night assholes. To build a pile of shit yacht that doesn't conform to any class or standards. Again, nobody reputable would risk this pile getting out and likely killing its passengers and/or crew and most likely sinking at sea. Soo yeah.....
Mentioning a ship yard by name is a very, very good way to get sued, regardless of the truthfulness of the information. Win, lose or draw a lawsuit is something that even the most successful youtube channel would have a hard time supporting. At 209K subs it would break this channel. Tristan is not stupid.
@@johnnylightning1491 Even when you win it takes years (large companies are very good at dragging out lawsuits) and a lot of money heartache and time, I agree with you.
I really enjoy watching your videos and your enthusiasm and care for the industry is clearly shown in this video. I can see the frustration and anger in your eyes. Unfortunately for every one like you there is a penny pincher but you can hold your head up knowing you do the right thing going the extra mile with your channel and videos.
Thank you for telling us all this! I'm hoping to build within the next five years or so, and even though I'm not looking for anything that big, I'll remember.
I am yacht captain (smaller) and also repair them. There were two yachts I didn't like. One of Carlos Slim's simply because it was terribly designed, 2/3rds of the internal space was machinery with guest bedrooms stuck here and there. A desktop computer (rusted) ran the jacuzzi...the worst one was a 3 year old 120 foot Italian yacht, really sleek aluminum painted a rich colour. However, the dock lines were chewing through 3" of bondo (fairing) and finally into metal. That's a lot of fairing. We are onboard to fix some electrical issues and install some radios....the existing ones being in a clump. Its hot inside, the wiring is all done in white wires (navies seem to like this too). each wire has id codes stamped on them, except of course the ink faded...so no colour or code. Installing the antennas showed 2.5 inches of fairing on the starboard cowling, none on the port. So that is not good construction. That was about 12 years ago. Bonus one is a guy buying a 90 foot alluminum yacht, ripping out the salon, and putting in a 1970's disco. With 2x4s, real mirrors, plywood, and a bit of marble, less than a ton. So the waterline change of 14" caused a few problems. I was hired by the suitably drugged captain on how to get the always 1/2 full master suite bathtub usable..that was silly. The engines he did not think were a worry.
🦘🇦🇺 OMG!! Thank you Mr. Mortlock for such sage advice. I’m currently at a pre contract point for a 45M vessel. Our requirement is for it to be operational by Dec 25 which is probably unrealistic for a new build. Plan B is to purchase existing 45M & refit to our yet to be concluded specs. Thank you indeed for the heads up on multiple layers of process. Your wisdom is greatly appreciated. 🙏
I really like this story. And although I agree with every part. I'm interested in the role of the owner. What were his intentions and how was the building commissioned. Maybe he was aware of all those facts and still proceeded with the build.
Sounds insane that this sort of thing actually happens! I'm surprised there isn't a way for the shipyard to update or change to boat to meet specs? Even a costly rebuild seems a better option than continuing as-is. Is this the owner's decision?
Yachts under 24m that are sold in Europe must be build with a CE Certification (category A,B,C,D). Do you have any thoughts on the standards of this certification in comparison to flag/society classification?
Those are not certification in the least! The lowest of the lowest, and completely bottom scraping! But any flag state has requirements and certifications better than those, so you are basically covered on the minimum! At least for pleasure crafts up to 24m long! Past that, or for commercial crafts, is better to up the standards… and classification societies come into play.
@@stormtrooper9404 I wouldn't say that EU CE certification would be bottom scarping generally. Those CE requirements based by European harmonized standards and those are based by EN-ISO standards mainly for the minimum requirements. Manufacturer or importer need to proof to meet those requirements. In my understanding flag state can add added requirements in EU are just what kind of gears you need with you at minimum. This because you need approve yacht or boat to any EU country market if it have this CE certification and meet those harmonized standards minimum requirements. So the question is about the requirements of the ISO standards and whether they are sufficient or if is there enough surveillance for manufacturers and markets. When speaking non-commercial private pleasure craft under 24m. Generally I think standard can be always higher.
First off, get a potential Captain first ( like Tristan ), because he is your representative to the potential yard/builder first and foremost..... 2nd ONLY then do you consider a management house/company, talk to your captain, does he have any recommendations. Make sure he has the required certifications for the potential build/purchase... Let him handle the the day to day stuff, because that's what you're paying him for.... Any questions, see your captain...
A really quick and simple one is stuff like what extent of fire alarm and supression is needed, for a commercial vessel basically EVERY space has to have a smoke or heat detector (or both, several for a large space) as well as fire alarm call points, as well as usually some sort of sprinkler or fire main system, not to mention hi fogs and similar for the galley and engine room ... for non commerical these are pretty much optional
Interesting indeed. As a potential owner of much smaller / second hand / sailing boats, 10 to 20 meters I find I'm only interested in considering Production Yachts. I would generally never bother looking at a Home built or Custom Yacht. Yes there may be exceptions but its unlikely I would go there. I thought I was being snobbish or pedantic but listening to a real professional view has reinforced my standpoint. Thank you.
Man youre amazing, i love the ways you think and of course as a captain you have values and standards. When i will make my yacht in some time, i will come to you 🙂For sure! Great content man!
I watch this channel to prepare for future as a super yacht owner. My current vessel is a dry docked owner operated 4.5M all aluminium but I would like to upgrade to a fully crewed 500 gross tonne explorer yacht.
As a retired Professional Pilot - there is not much difference in the overall safety and Captain's requirements whether it's in the air or on the sea. You are spot on with your assessments and comments. Great presentation and I support everything you said regarding this issue.
Not ever going to own any kind of vessel all I can say is who would get on an airplane knowing it didn’t meet at least minimum standards. Thanks Tristen & nice to see you back on your channel.🙏🇨🇦🙃
Not I HOWEVER picture your business, family or friends chartering for an event and always thinking " we're safe, I mean this is a multi million dollar vessel"! I also may never own such a dream, but yeah life puts us in scenarios
This video, and its message, should be widely distributed to inform people on shore what they are up against. Most seafarers know this, the rest doesn't. Thank you so much for publishing this, from a 76 yo "captain", on the max 24 m yacht that is 😊
Very interesting. Thanks. I am a 100 Ton Master. So typically run vessels up to about 25 meters. Ferrys, local tour yachts sailing charter yachts etc. what you say makes so much sense. Sorry this owner was lead down this dark path.
Now we have the new Owners Representatives Course happening, can you see this continuing to happen considering the mind set of most owner types? My greatest concern is the lack of knowledge and understanding around the laws and codes regarding Crew. Frequently Crew being placed in very very difficult situation. It is about time that we gained a joined up approach in this very very resource rich industry.
Thx for the candid commentary, it is extraordinary that a yard would accept an order from someone clearly not knowledgeable at that financial level to properly and safely order a new build. I am captain of a much smaller boat, a 50 ft Nordhavn, but I am critically aware of my responsibilities. I have an ICC certification for yachts up to 24 metres, but have the time and other qualifications for a yacht master ocean.
Great advice, even though I am not a yacht owner, but appreciate engineering, design, and safety in anything we build. Your professionalism is why I watch your channel.
Quite right. And that is a point many buyers are not aware of. Even for smaller vessels. You can clearly see that you are angry about the way things are going. With good reason. I myself am an avid sailor and also a surveyor for pleasure craft up to max 20 metres. Surely, there too, I regularly encounter the problem of buyers blindly believing what their heart tells them. And then lose all reason. Hire someone to make a business-like assessment of this investment. Good advice from an old Belgian.
Very interesting, who would have guessed at the level (and monetary amount) someone would actually do that. I had an "experience" in getting a classification for a commercial ship later and it was a nightmare. Thanks for sharing.
Whether you´re running a bank or a ship, or founding a bank or building a ship one must always follow best practice standards. In the case of Banks we have the Basel Accords and in the case of the large yachts it´s the classification societies´standards which need to be observed. Many thanks for this professional heads-up, Tristan!
Yep, got to work hard to beat the Mars Orbiter, or Costa Concordia, or Titanic, or the space shuttles Columbia and Challenger, fu@k, come to think of it, we are surrounded by idiotic failures....🤯
Thank you for this information! I have just been researching videos regarding the yachting world as I am considering entering into the business as owner and captain of a yacht (in the U.S. here). Looking into a bit older vessels that can be bought affordably and refitted over time to use as a live on charter vessel. Right now looking at a 32M steel hull that had been abandoned in dry dock after some work had been done. Sitting for maybe 10-15 years is my guess? Most interior needs replacement, but structurally good, engines have low hours (~550), and overall not bad with great potential. But, I only have private small craft experience on inland waters including the great lakes over the past 45 or so years. So really want to find out what is all involved in going this route or even if it's possible. Hiring a captain may not be an option at start-up, but I do really am serious about the idea as I love being on the water, especially warm water and not needing to chip a hole in the ice to launch a boat. :)
How to curiosity what records does the buyer of the vessel now finding out that it doesn't have class and these other things what kind of recourse does he have to go after the builders for building it this way
Would think that if the ship yard normally built to class that any ship they built would be fairly close to those standards even without being certified. Sounds like they didn't even try.
Hey Tristan, you have the right attribute and knowledge for set up a yacht captain academy where all these and more generally important aspects are being discussed and review with a certain frequency per year. It is ofcourse something every captain should already know, but we have to make sure we are all united and linked for a good reason. I can help with gather non english speaker colleagues/boat owners here in Sardinia and make sure there is a mass application to the project
@@charlesjay8818 I think he's well above average and I don't think he'd compromise his integrity for money. Opinions may vary of course but that's mine!
This video has a lot of ifs and buts, and while Class is very important, their is that loop hole in between 24 till about thirty meters were nearly all production boat builders (not only) get the LLL at 23.9 and below, and are building to CE standard for example. Yes you can get an MCA or Charter Class at a cost, as an optional extra, and some cases A1 build. These size of builds (24>30) do enter eight figures territory by the way. Also I was surprised that a Class would specifically say no to Class a vessel. This might be for two reasons IMO; one this boat is so much off the regulation that they will not do it (but you kinda state, that they said No before even inspecting the vessel), which is very strange, or the ownership does not want to fork out the money. I think this is more a case of probably the second, as a class survey would always go onboard make a report and then leave it to you if you want to do it. As for class inspection during builds even this is an Option on a fiberglass production or semi-production vessel. In fact the A1 Cross of Malta symbol would indicate a vessel or yacht as inspected during build. Getting Class certification to an A1 is different. Again many production or semi-custom builders have A1 certified design and will leave it up to the buyer to class certify an A1 build. This bit is a bit different, you can have an A1 certified design and still not build to A1 standard. Classing becomes pretty standard in most steel or alloy build yachts, but less in fiberglass production builds, especially in the size of lll 23.9 or below.
this is insane - trading safety for saving money (when building to neither standard). Should the shipyard not fear to loose any reputation ? This is just reckless
U are perfectly right! Cant take responsebility for something which isnt certifyed. I see just one solution for the client, he make his captain licenz and drive the yacht by himself.
Thank goodness I will never have this issue in my life. I would be calling out the shipyard for doing such a dogs job on a seriously expensive boat. Subscribed
Great advice . As both a retired lawyer and Captain this is a sad but very common story . Question from me to prospective client : why didn’t you seek legal advice before you started this business? Oh a friend of mine said don’t spend money on lawyers it’s easy , do what I did …. I left the practice of law and wound up running an insurance company because I could not tolerate stupid clients lol . At least in the insurance company I formed I could say no very easily. The program I ran was unique in the industry so you bought from me and adopted my standards or you went bare . Haven’t we seen an awful lot of super yacht sinkings and fires etc lately ? Yes I think so . One thing you need to add to your list : check out the financial condition of the ship yard before engaging . I shipyard in desperate financial situation. Will do anything to get an order. I am certain that the yard you were talking about said to the perspective client don’t worry we’ll build it to large yacht standards. You don’t need to hire all that other cost of class certification, etc. we can save you that money.
Tristan, a suggestion for you, maybe on another dedicated channel but I am terribly interested in the background role of a superyacht captain's role, just as a voyeur and dreamer. Not so much the role of day to day running which you cover well, the crewing, costs etc but in the business of selecting ports, berths to operate from, weather considerations, ports to travel to and the vessel maintenance services that are used in downtime or when a pressing fault needs correcting. Maybe the less glamourous stuff but critically important too. My dream is a live aboard superyacht, utilised as a 4 star floating boutique hotel to explore the world, to use as a base to hedonistically travel the world, forays inland and adventures, returning to the boat and off again to the next place. This must be practical! I am sure people do this now and it is a growing market. Instead of a 60 ft mono-hull yacht or a 50 ft cat, why not in a 50m to 80m superyacht? Your thoughts please.
Would it be possible to upgrade the ship to the point it met or exceeded the large yacht standards? How much would it cost (for example, 10%, 25%, 80%, etc. of the original cost of the yacht)?
I guess it’s the age old thing, if you can cut costs and increase profits you will, regardless of any safety implications. I feel sorry for the owner as I imagine they were given very bad advice by the ship yard.
You certainly A CLASS ACT Captain Tristen. As someone who obtained my Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering & Technology I truly appreciate an honest broker such as you!!! May the Lord continue to Bless You & Keep You along with Your Precious Bride…
I hope that they are able to sort this mess out. How big a yacht are you allowed to captain?. Are there licences like for a HGV driver. That determines the size of lorry they can drive. Is there a similar thing with captains ?
Great vid and information. If you can’t tell us a Yard, Builder or Management company then could you tell us a Country? Or, if I may be specific if that country is Turkey or Italy ? 😅 cause there are lower chances of it being the Netherlands or Germany
Interesting story and comment on this. My thought is the following - the owner should go to the 'class', find precisely what modifications would be necessary to obtain that rating, go directly to another shipyard (with the advice of surveyor, designer, the class, insurance company and management company) and get those modifications made before sailing. In this way, the value of the vessel is salvaged (albeit at the cost of those modifications).
Still another great video skipper. I can't understand there was so many good builders out there. Shipyards how they can go to somebody. That would do this to them. I would never even think of it. The first thing I would do is hire somebody to stand by my side. probably you great video ciao for now.
You mentioned a few times that you did not understand how a motor yacht could be built w/o class? The answer is: boat yard profit. As a former PEO commander for the US Navy, experience says new builds should always be managed by owners representatives from design to sea trials. It does not matter if your boat is 100 ft or 100,000 tons, boat yards should follow orders, not give them.
I have nothing to do with Yachts, I just love the idea and luxury of yachting. Also the technical knowledge and skill involved is just captivating to me. Thanks for the glimpses into that world. That said, it is just beyond my imagination that ANYONE smart enough to amass enough money or buying power to spend at least $/Euro10,000,000, would over several years execute a contract to build a yacht without a complete knowledge of building codes. How does that even happen? But thanks for the incredible if not insane story. I would bet that in 10 years that yacht will be the subject of a RUclips video on abandon yachts beached somewhere.
All this s fine and dandy, and makes total since, but what questions and/or what do you look for in the professionals that you hire to assist you (or even take full control of) in doing all this?
As below, I would love to know the differences between a commercial built yacht, and one not built to that standard. Cost difference, material differences, safety differences, etc. Great vlog, and great advice. I'm curious what the gentleman saved by not having the yacht built to a commercial standard? It must be substantial, or why do it.👍😎✌🗽
UHM yes, to all of that. There is significant costs involved in not going with a certified commercial build, like your life, to start with.... The classification society will depend on the specific hull and if it is chater class or not... If you are building a P.O.S. that's just for your own pleasure, go ham, otherwise you should be talking to your captain.....
@@Rob_Moilanen I'm thinking this dude paid $100,000,000 for what should be at least a $150,000,000 yacht. Even that kind of savings isn't worth it to me, just cut back on size or something else, but the structure of the yacht should never be compromised on. You can update other things later if need be. It shouldn't be allowed in the first place on yachts of this size as he'll bring family, and friends who are unaware of the possible safety issues until it's too late to get off!
@@TOM-C. uhm, you are quibbling over 100 million dollars and a 150 million dollars, you probably shouldn't be building a yacht, right off the bat, just sayin.....(hint, you can't afford something in the particular 100-150 million range)
Wouldn't it be possible to have a classification company do a survey and then modify if there are any problems? That is if the hull, center of gravity and such are good.
es curiosa la historia!!!, la aviacion lo aprendio todo de la marina y ahora a la marina le toca aprender de la aviacion.... estoy totalmente de acuerdo con tu analisis.
You bring up a lot fo things that I knew about including safety, but I didn't think for one second that a shipyard would or could build a ship without standards. This is crazy!! They aren't thinking of the owner at ALL!!! And certainly don't seem to care about the passengers or crew on that ship. I would sue and change shipyards and find a way to make it safe and certifiable. And classed.
Thanks Tristan for sharing this, very strange that the yacht can be build even without the LYC and Class. It almost looks like that it needs te be implemented as a rule in regulation before the build can start.
Thank God there's people like you passing this knowledge on. Just because these buyers are wealthy doesn't mean they have any real expertise in yachts. 🇦🇺 😊
Thank you. 40 year mariner, 26 year master. Would never (EVER) sail on an unclassed vessel. Please emphasise the more rigorous classification societies.
LOL
Absolutely agree on all points. 20 years in the game and the fact that vessels are not being built to class or LY3 is not just unbelievable but unforgivable really
Mariner, licensed Captain - and stunned. My mouth hanging open. Thank you for making this episode, viewing it should be a compulsory part of CPD.
It is sad for the owner that he got 'screwed' by the yard, but it also tells a lot about the yard they did this in the first place. Any company, proud of their product, would have advised the owner to think about all these things and then, after they realize the owner is not familiar with it, would have advised him to get someone who knows what is going on.
Last year in Rhodes a Turkish built yacht (appr 25 mtr) was lying next to us and that thing was beyond unstable. Just a bit of wind and it would heel over..............in the marina. After a couple of days the captain approached us and asked us if we knew anyone who was looking for a captain. He did not want to be on board anymore. Told us that he had house hold plumbing in the boat, meaning the good old grey pipes and connectors. The whole boat was wired with house hold electrical cables and the list went on and on. Sure it was a flashy boat, with lots of all colored lights and a great sound system, but that was about it.
Am not sure, but I have the idea that a lot of wannabe's are jumping into the yacht market, designing a flashy boat and hope to sell one (or more), but having no clue of what they are building or what is required. In Turkey the 'flipping a boat' business is now booming. They buy an old super yacht, preferably one that had an accident, refurbish it in the cheapest possible way and sell it for a lot of money (between 5 and 10 million euro).
Same is going on within the charter business. Lots of shady companies getting into this booming business. They buy themselves a flashy yacht, interior looks fine, but the technical state of the boat is horrible. The clients fall for the interior and then get confronted with failing equipment, cutting the charter short. Seen it all over Greece and Turkey last year.
I.o.w. there are a lot of cowboys out there and that means a lot of work for you to guide new owners through this mess.
Great video and sad story. Let us know what the owner did with the yacht.
Meh, that’s why if you’re ever purchasing anything like a yacht or a jet, you have an experienced broker guide and oversee the process.
Come on guys he should sue em 😤 hard
@@brandonadams7837Oh c’mon! 🙄
The broker for their hefty fee of 10% will sell you anything! They are basically equivalent of cars salesman!
For that kind of money it’s better to go with the personal and loyal project manager, plus an army of lawyers and independent surveyors and engineers!
All written up in legal contracts and obligations! Money in the escrow account and released as the project go by the book!
We have been in Turkiye for the past 4 years and what you described here is Turkiye in general with anything they build from villas, to caravans to tiny houses. You have to do your homework well if you are going to buy anything in " cut corners" Turkiye.
Their economy is so bad and their import taxes so high they cut corners everywhere.
I'm just a private captain of a 35ft boat... but with 40 years experience... let me say, thank you! I'm faszinated from your skills and attitude 👌
Thankfully Tristran you speak with honesty and commitment. Not knowing the whole story, I hope the owner takes appropriate action, ideally before final payment. Hat's off to you for declining the offer.
There probably isn't a lot of action they can take. They signed the contract. As long as the builder followed the contract, there is nothing to be done. The courts aren't going to have any sympathy for someone that signs an 8-figure contract without getting independent advice.
Would like to see maybe 6 videos exploring each of the areas you discussed here. What are the commercial minimum requirements? What different regulations apply to yachts >500Gt, before and after the build. What is the cost of employing a broker, captain, surveyor, etc. before the first steel is welded? What exactly would they do to earn their keep? Use an imaginary 50meter, or you choose - to illustrate the concepts and costs. Take the position of someone who could be encouraged to build to private or commercial standard, < or > 500 Gt. Outline the pros and cons at each step, which should include some vague estimate of the cost of going down each path.
If you go to the website of the MCA ( Marine and Coastguard agency) you will find a lot of this stuff there. Technical requirements are fairly extensive. As to trigger points 24m in length ( it’s not Overall length you need to check definition), 500GT and up to or over 12 passengers are all key points where the rules change and the chequebook has to come out. For classification society stuff check out Lloyds in the U.K. as one on the top classification societies, or if in the US ABS is maybe more relevant. There are restrictions on chartering non US built boats in the USA.
Sounds like a lot of time, effort and work.
@@TerryKeever Which is exactly why you would hire someone who knows the job.
The First expense is the Captain. The best value for the money.
I remember watching a video with Alexi from Bering yachts saying that he turned down a couple of potential clients because they wanted to cut costs by trying to build outside of class. I'd rather be told no to building a yacht that could launch a submarine rather than to have the whole ship sink due to my own stupidity. But that's just me. 🤷♂
Whereas Perini Navi seems perfectly willing to build dangerous superyachts to make a buck.
Couldn’t agree more.That is going to be unsellable. Had a similar experience of an owner building a boat with no representation, (although this boat was built to Class and LY3) however, left unsupervised the yard cut every single corner they could. The boat was a disaster.
Owners: Appoint or involve your Captain from DAY ONE!!!
I am astonished by this scenario. What could be more precious and carefully maintained than a yard's reputation, which will (and should) take a irreparable hit when the yachting world digests this report? I understand your commitment to confidentiality, but I wish we could know what builder took part in such a grievous pursuit. As an owner, I would want all the help I could get, and the boat built to MAXIMUM standards/classification. Unbelievable, but thanks to you for bringing it to light.
The LYC and CS do not have "maximum standards". Their minimal standards are large, don't think they aren't. So one example is bulwark height (the "walls" on the sea-side of the deck). For example, if a cod says for boat section the 40 inches (1 meter). What is the maximum height? Six feet? Sixty feet? Sixty miles? You can certainly exceed 40 inches and many vessels do, but that doesn't mean there is an easily-stated _maximum._
None of which helps an owner with limited vessel construction/classification experience, hence the wisdom of hiring somebody who is. This owner didn't, and he paid dearly for it. 'Maximum' doesn't have to be a published set of parameters, so excuse my non-literal use of the term.@@darthkek1953
Think of the “minimal standards” that Tristan refers to as similar to the local building code for a house. The building code for a house is effectively the minimum standard for a dwelling unit that can be built in its respective locality. Those minimum standards /building code don’t mean that the vessel / house is on the verge of being unsafe, but rather, those building standards are robust enough to convey a reliable level of safety for the structure being built. Now, the builder of a yacht or a house could always build something that exceeds those minimum standards, but there really are no maximum standards, as, for example, there is no limit to how thick the walls of a house can be.
@@dorothygale1104
Well said its nice to see a person who isn't just thinking about himself I have followed Tristan since he first started and I can honestly say I have never heared or seen a more dedicated Captain or with as much integrity, honesty and loyalty and as well liked by all ,if i was buying or building a yacht he would be my first stop,I have no skin in this game but its nice to point out the good guys now and then,
Great advice cap...been an aircraft operator for 30 years we are not immune to the situations similar to yours....always seek expert opinions
Tristan, SV Seeker, built in his back yard, 70' steel hull. 8 digit price tag. Any full custom build, to a standard or not will hit the 8 digit price tag range. Designers like Bruce Roberts who sell plans with a 1 off license to build don't really help with build quality. Most designers will ask which yard you want them to work with so they can oversee the build and make sure it meets spec.
I agree, having a surveyor hired to inspect and watch the build on top of the independent designer is a good idea. I also think all yachts should be built to handle brash ice, that clustered ice usually found near glaciers or the edge of an ice cap. Stronger hull is a safer hull.
8 digit price tag? LOL!
@@timdunn2257 cheapest 8 digit price tag is $10,000,000
I have been following you for a few years now. I have never, ever, seen you so angry; your anger was seeping through, and quite rightly so. THank you so much for this. You know who I'll be coming to when I win the euro Lottery😂
WOW That is so dangerous! My dad was a plumber and he went to a home that was built without building codes. That is the same thing you are speaking of with that yacht. Not building it to commercial or class is like building a home without building codes. So, My dad went to this house. The owner bought it a week before and now there was hot water flowing out of the ceiling of the home. He got there, could not find a main shut off valve to the home so climbed in the attic to see what the issue was and all water lines, hot and cold were plumbed with a cheap garden hose. Of course, garden hose is not rated to hold hot water. In the end, they have to remove all walls, ceilings and floors in the home and replace all the plumbing. They had to clean all the mold off the wall studs from the leaking hoses. They had to have the water turned off at the main and install a main shut off for the home. So, the homeowner basically paid for a house and property but had to completely rebuild the home due to the home not built to a code. So his million-dollar home cost him 2.5 million dollars. And when it was all done, it was still only valued at 1 million dollars.
So always have a survey on your boat and a home inspection on your home and ALWAYS have your yacht built to commercial and to class and your home built with codes.
Your story reminds me of an incident in the sixties.While riding my motorcycle to work,as an apprentice plumber,I passed a row of stone fronted terrace houses,one of the middle dwellings had the roof & frontage blown out,also inner connecting walls too.I later heard that this house had gas ovens & fires on all levels including attic & cellar.All these appliances were connected to garden hose.This resulted in not only deaths in the middle terrace,but deaths on either side.
@@glennwatson1755 WOW! yeah building to a code is a very good idea to avoid such thing. Can you even imagine how bad a yacht build could be with no code? laughs
Or by someone with common sense.
Absolutely agree 100% having served in the capacity of a management level on board VLCC's VLGC, Products carriers and on privet level owning yachts through out, i absolutely agree on the need of Class and surveys to ensure minimal standards applied and defiantly to involve them for a New Build projects.
thanks for this informative video
really appreciate the effort captain.
Keep them coming please.
Love content like this, Thank you for showing its not sunshine and calm seas. Such a learning experience.
If I ever win the lottery and decide to buy a super yacht I'll give you a call. Your the kind of captain I would want in charge of it. 🙂 Thanks for the video!
I understand keeping the brokerage and owner confidential, but honestly i think the shipyard should be named and shamed so they dont get to do this to others. unless they can prove they advised to build to code and the owner instructed not to.
Obviously Tristan doesn't do that, otherwise he'd have "outed" the yard here. And since he didn't, it's pretty obvious he's not going to either.
Most shipyards don't produce that many boats of this size per year, if you know the shipyard and the delivery year you could probably narrow down the boat and the management company pretty quickly.
@@miguelvpires Nobody reputable would even do this build. And everybody knows who is who in the yacht manufacturing industry. They gotta know that their reputation is getting trashed by the fly-by-night assholes. To build a pile of shit yacht that doesn't conform to any class or standards. Again, nobody reputable would risk this pile getting out and likely killing its passengers and/or crew and most likely sinking at sea. Soo yeah.....
Mentioning a ship yard by name is a very, very good way to get sued, regardless of the truthfulness of the information. Win, lose or draw a lawsuit is something that even the most successful youtube channel would have a hard time supporting. At 209K subs it would break this channel. Tristan is not stupid.
@@johnnylightning1491 Even when you win it takes years (large companies are very good at dragging out lawsuits) and a lot of money heartache and time, I agree with you.
I really enjoy watching your videos and your enthusiasm and care for the industry is clearly shown in this video. I can see the frustration and anger in your eyes. Unfortunately for every one like you there is a penny pincher but you can hold your head up knowing you do the right thing going the extra mile with your channel and videos.
Thank you for telling us all this! I'm hoping to build within the next five years or so, and even though I'm not looking for anything that big, I'll remember.
Minimum standards! not minimal! great vlog, love it
You are a man of integrity. Well done.
This is extremely good advice and while I'm not in this industry,I would think all yachts are built to class and above minimum standards.
Very, very sage advice. Not heeding this advice will cost you a great deal of wealth.
Or your life or someone you love. Safety should never be worked around.
I am yacht captain (smaller) and also repair them. There were two yachts I didn't like. One of Carlos Slim's simply because it was terribly designed, 2/3rds of the internal space was machinery with guest bedrooms stuck here and there. A desktop computer (rusted) ran the jacuzzi...the worst one was a 3 year old 120 foot Italian yacht, really sleek aluminum painted a rich colour. However, the dock lines were chewing through 3" of bondo (fairing) and finally into metal. That's a lot of fairing. We are onboard to fix some electrical issues and install some radios....the existing ones being in a clump. Its hot inside, the wiring is all done in white wires (navies seem to like this too). each wire has id codes stamped on them, except of course the ink faded...so no colour or code. Installing the antennas showed 2.5 inches of fairing on the starboard cowling, none on the port. So that is not good construction. That was about 12 years ago. Bonus one is a guy buying a 90 foot alluminum yacht, ripping out the salon, and putting in a 1970's disco. With 2x4s, real mirrors, plywood, and a bit of marble, less than a ton. So the waterline change of 14" caused a few problems. I was hired by the suitably drugged captain on how to get the always 1/2 full master suite bathtub usable..that was silly. The engines he did not think were a worry.
Captain, is the class of yacht called the nightmare class?
I know there are slums in Bombay built better than those yachts!
Can those issues be fixed? Couldn’t a Classification Society survey it and make a list of things to be changed/fixed and go from there?
RUclipss algorithm thinks very highly of me. Up next on my feed…”mistakes not to make when dating a supermodel”.
Have you seen my video on the mistakes I made buying an island in the Caribbean?
Have a superyacht minimum of 40 meters built to large yacht standards and with Lloyds registration 😂
🦘🇦🇺 OMG!! Thank you Mr. Mortlock for such sage advice. I’m currently at a pre contract point for a 45M vessel. Our requirement is for it to be operational by Dec 25 which is probably unrealistic for a new build. Plan B is to purchase existing 45M & refit to our yet to be concluded specs. Thank you indeed for the heads up on multiple layers of process. Your wisdom is greatly appreciated. 🙏
Sounds nice. Tell me more
I really like this story. And although I agree with every part. I'm interested in the role of the owner. What were his intentions and how was the building commissioned. Maybe he was aware of all those facts and still proceeded with the build.
We have this situation in high levels of racing, just because you can afford it doesn’t mean you can build it and drive it…..it NEVER works out.
Sounds insane that this sort of thing actually happens! I'm surprised there isn't a way for the shipyard to update or change to boat to meet specs? Even a costly rebuild seems a better option than continuing as-is. Is this the owner's decision?
Yachts under 24m that are sold in Europe must be build with a CE Certification (category A,B,C,D). Do you have any thoughts on the standards of this certification in comparison to flag/society classification?
Those are not certification in the least! The lowest of the lowest, and completely bottom scraping!
But any flag state has requirements and certifications better than those, so you are basically covered on the minimum! At least for pleasure crafts up to 24m long!
Past that, or for commercial crafts, is better to up the standards… and classification societies come into play.
@@stormtrooper9404 I wouldn't say that EU CE certification would be bottom scarping generally. Those CE requirements based by European harmonized standards and those are based by EN-ISO standards mainly for the minimum requirements. Manufacturer or importer need to proof to meet those requirements. In my understanding flag state can add added requirements in EU are just what kind of gears you need with you at minimum. This because you need approve yacht or boat to any EU country market if it have this CE certification and meet those harmonized standards minimum requirements. So the question is about the requirements of the ISO standards and whether they are sufficient or if is there enough surveillance for manufacturers and markets. When speaking non-commercial private pleasure craft under 24m. Generally I think standard can be always higher.
Thoughts on finding a captain first and bringing them on before engaging the management company or the yard?
First off, get a potential Captain first ( like Tristan ), because he is your representative to the potential yard/builder first and foremost.....
2nd ONLY then do you consider a management house/company, talk to your captain, does he have any recommendations.
Make sure he has the required certifications for the potential build/purchase...
Let him handle the the day to day stuff, because that's what you're paying him for....
Any questions, see your captain...
Would like to know what the deviations from commercial on a build such as this. If you can give an example would be most interesting.
A really quick and simple one is stuff like what extent of fire alarm and supression is needed, for a commercial vessel basically EVERY space has to have a smoke or heat detector (or both, several for a large space) as well as fire alarm call points, as well as usually some sort of sprinkler or fire main system, not to mention hi fogs and similar for the galley and engine room ... for non commerical these are pretty much optional
Interesting indeed. As a potential owner of much smaller / second hand / sailing boats, 10 to 20 meters I find I'm only interested in considering Production Yachts. I would generally never bother looking at a Home built or Custom Yacht. Yes there may be exceptions but its unlikely I would go there. I thought I was being snobbish or pedantic but listening to a real professional view has reinforced my standpoint. Thank you.
I advise smaller yachts owners ie sailboats. Much of what you advise for the super yachts apply to all.
Contemplating building a yacht and thought just last week what are the first steps. The YT algorithm served up your vid. SO GLAD I saw this.
Wow! Thanks for that. I may never have a boat built or buy a yacht but that is great information. Sad for the people losing their shirts this way.
Man youre amazing, i love the ways you think and of course as a captain you have values and standards. When i will make my yacht in some time, i will come to you 🙂For sure! Great content man!
I watch this channel to prepare for future as a super yacht owner. My current vessel is a dry docked owner operated 4.5M all aluminium but I would like to upgrade to a fully crewed 500 gross tonne explorer yacht.
I am not sure a trailer on your driveway counts as a dry dock!
Yep, that counts..... lol @@miguelvpires
😂😂😂😂@@miguelvpires
As a retired Professional Pilot - there is not much difference in the overall safety and Captain's requirements whether it's in the air or on the sea. You are spot on with your assessments and comments. Great presentation and I support everything you said regarding this issue.
Not ever going to own any kind of vessel all I can say is who would get on an airplane knowing it didn’t meet at least minimum standards. Thanks Tristen & nice to see you back on your channel.🙏🇨🇦🙃
Not I HOWEVER picture your business, family or friends chartering for an event and always thinking " we're safe, I mean this is a multi million dollar vessel"! I also may never own such a dream, but yeah life puts us in scenarios
This video, and its message, should be widely distributed to inform people on shore what they are up against. Most seafarers know this, the rest doesn't. Thank you so much for publishing this, from a 76 yo "captain", on the max 24 m yacht that is 😊
Very interesting. Thanks. I am a 100 Ton Master. So typically run vessels up to about 25 meters. Ferrys, local tour yachts sailing charter yachts etc. what you say makes so much sense. Sorry this owner was lead down this dark path.
Now we have the new Owners Representatives Course happening, can you see this continuing to happen considering the mind set of most owner types? My greatest concern is the lack of knowledge and understanding around the laws and codes regarding Crew. Frequently Crew being placed in very very difficult situation. It is about time that we gained a joined up approach in this very very resource rich industry.
Thx for the candid commentary, it is extraordinary that a yard would accept an order from someone clearly not knowledgeable at that financial level to properly and safely order a new build. I am captain of a much smaller boat, a 50 ft Nordhavn, but I am critically aware of my responsibilities. I have an ICC certification for yachts up to 24 metres, but have the time and other qualifications for a yacht master ocean.
Great advice, even though I am not a yacht owner, but appreciate engineering, design, and safety in anything we build. Your professionalism is why I watch your channel.
Great advice keep up the good work have been a license captain for over 20 years on long range sports fishing boats
Quite right. And that is a point many buyers are not aware of. Even for smaller vessels. You can clearly see that you are angry about the way things are going. With good reason. I myself am an avid sailor and also a surveyor for pleasure craft up to max 20 metres. Surely, there too, I regularly encounter the problem of buyers blindly believing what their heart tells them. And then lose all reason. Hire someone to make a business-like assessment of this investment. Good advice from an old Belgian.
Wow, thanks for the inside look. If I am ever in this position I will take this advice.
Very interesting, who would have guessed at the level (and monetary amount) someone would actually do that. I had an "experience" in getting a classification for a commercial ship later and it was a nightmare. Thanks for sharing.
Whether you´re running a bank or a ship, or founding a bank or building a ship one must always follow best practice standards. In the case of Banks we have the Basel Accords and in the case of the large yachts it´s the classification societies´standards which need to be observed. Many thanks for this professional heads-up, Tristan!
Just know that if you’ve ever made a big mistake. There’s someone out there who’s made one bigger. 😂
Yep, got to work hard to beat the Mars Orbiter, or Costa Concordia, or Titanic, or the space shuttles Columbia and Challenger, fu@k, come to think of it, we are surrounded by idiotic failures....🤯
Great video! It's unreal that this still happens.
Thank you for this information! I have just been researching videos regarding the yachting world as I am considering entering into the business as owner and captain of a yacht (in the U.S. here). Looking into a bit older vessels that can be bought affordably and refitted over time to use as a live on charter vessel. Right now looking at a 32M steel hull that had been abandoned in dry dock after some work had been done. Sitting for maybe 10-15 years is my guess? Most interior needs replacement, but structurally good, engines have low hours (~550), and overall not bad with great potential.
But, I only have private small craft experience on inland waters including the great lakes over the past 45 or so years. So really want to find out what is all involved in going this route or even if it's possible. Hiring a captain may not be an option at start-up, but I do really am serious about the idea as I love being on the water, especially warm water and not needing to chip a hole in the ice to launch a boat. :)
Can the build be modified after market to meet class standards? Or is it more a structural issue ?
How to curiosity what records does the buyer of the vessel now finding out that it doesn't have class and these other things what kind of recourse does he have to go after the builders for building it this way
Would think that if the ship yard normally built to class that any ship they built would be fairly close to those standards even without being certified.
Sounds like they didn't even try.
Does all this advice also apply to sailing yachts, and if so, as of what length?
I have zero experience with sailing yachts, so I don't wish to comment.
Same length rules apply over 24m for sailing yachts, see DNV-GL...
Hey Tristan, you have the right attribute and knowledge for set up a yacht captain academy where all these and more generally important aspects are being discussed and review with a certain frequency per year. It is ofcourse something every captain should already know, but we have to make sure we are all united and linked for a good reason.
I can help with gather non english speaker colleagues/boat owners here in Sardinia and make sure there is a mass application to the project
Great info. Thanks much, not ready to start my build yet, but I will not only remember your advice I'm saving this video for future reference.
Hi, thanks for this. I was about to order direct from a shipyard after extensive negotiations.
I would never buy a super yacht without consulting The SuperYacht Captain first. My ideal crew would be The SuperYacht Captain and Esysman.
and the crewchef
Tristan is nothing special, he's just an average Joe captain with a You-Tube channel. He's only worked on Private yachts, and not on any big ones.
@@charlesjay8818 I think he's well above average and I don't think he'd compromise his integrity for money. Opinions may vary of course but that's mine!
However is extremely confident in his own right with his background.
Esysman Top Shelf!!
Very well said and explained.
This video has a lot of ifs and buts, and while Class is very important, their is that loop hole in between 24 till about thirty meters were nearly all production boat builders (not only) get the LLL at 23.9 and below, and are building to CE standard for example. Yes you can get an MCA or Charter Class at a cost, as an optional extra, and some cases A1 build. These size of builds (24>30) do enter eight figures territory by the way. Also I was surprised that a Class would specifically say no to Class a vessel. This might be for two reasons IMO; one this boat is so much off the regulation that they will not do it (but you kinda state, that they said No before even inspecting the vessel), which is very strange, or the ownership does not want to fork out the money. I think this is more a case of probably the second, as a class survey would always go onboard make a report and then leave it to you if you want to do it. As for class inspection during builds even this is an Option on a fiberglass production or semi-production vessel. In fact the A1 Cross of Malta symbol would indicate a vessel or yacht as inspected during build. Getting Class certification to an A1 is different. Again many production or semi-custom builders have A1 certified design and will leave it up to the buyer to class certify an A1 build. This bit is a bit different, you can have an A1 certified design and still not build to A1 standard. Classing becomes pretty standard in most steel or alloy build yachts, but less in fiberglass production builds, especially in the size of lll 23.9 or below.
I’ll follow your advice in my next life. Happy dockings guys!
Capt. You are one of the best Capt. Tristan.
this is insane - trading safety for saving money (when building to neither standard). Should the shipyard not fear to loose any reputation ? This is just reckless
U are perfectly right! Cant take responsebility for something which isnt certifyed. I see just one solution for the client, he make his captain licenz and drive the yacht by himself.
Thank goodness I will never have this issue in my life. I would be calling out the shipyard for doing such a dogs job on a seriously expensive boat. Subscribed
Great advice . As both a retired lawyer and Captain this is a sad but very common story . Question from me to prospective client : why didn’t you seek legal advice before you started this business? Oh a friend of mine said don’t spend money on lawyers it’s easy , do what I did ….
I left the practice of law and wound up running an insurance company because I could not tolerate stupid clients lol . At least in the insurance company I formed I could say no very easily. The program I ran was unique in the industry so you bought from me and adopted my standards or you went bare .
Haven’t we seen an awful lot of super yacht sinkings and fires etc lately ? Yes I think so .
One thing you need to add to your list : check out the financial condition of the ship yard before engaging . I shipyard in desperate financial situation. Will do anything to get an order. I am certain that the yard you were talking about said to the perspective client don’t worry we’ll build it to large yacht standards. You don’t need to hire all that other cost of class certification, etc. we can save you that money.
Well said Robert. Financial condition of the yard is extremely important to investigate before signing a build contract.
Tristan, a suggestion for you, maybe on another dedicated channel but I am terribly interested in the background role of a superyacht captain's role, just as a voyeur and dreamer.
Not so much the role of day to day running which you cover well, the crewing, costs etc but in the business of selecting ports, berths to operate from, weather considerations, ports to travel to and the vessel maintenance services that are used in downtime or when a pressing fault needs correcting. Maybe the less glamourous stuff but critically important too.
My dream is a live aboard superyacht, utilised as a 4 star floating boutique hotel to explore the world, to use as a base to hedonistically travel the world, forays inland and adventures, returning to the boat and off again to the next place. This must be practical!
I am sure people do this now and it is a growing market. Instead of a 60 ft mono-hull yacht or a 50 ft cat, why not in a 50m to 80m superyacht?
Your thoughts please.
Absolutely excellent video. Well done. Thanks for posting.
Would it be possible to upgrade the ship to the point it met or exceeded the large yacht standards? How much would it cost (for example, 10%, 25%, 80%, etc. of the original cost of the yacht)?
Everything is possible. I wouldn't know how much it would cost.
I guess it’s the age old thing, if you can cut costs and increase profits you will, regardless of any safety implications. I feel sorry for the owner as I imagine they were given very bad advice by the ship yard.
You certainly A CLASS ACT Captain Tristen. As someone who obtained my Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering & Technology I truly appreciate an honest broker such as you!!! May the Lord continue to Bless You & Keep You along with Your Precious Bride…
WOW......... I have learnt something today.. many thanks for a great video
Super interesting video Tristan - thank you for sharing this!
I hope that they are able to sort this mess out. How big a yacht are you allowed to captain?. Are there licences like for a HGV driver. That determines the size of lorry they can drive. Is there a similar thing with captains ?
Great vid and information.
If you can’t tell us a Yard, Builder or Management company then could you tell us a Country?
Or, if I may be specific if that country is Turkey or Italy ? 😅 cause there are lower chances of it being the Netherlands or Germany
Interesting story and comment on this. My thought is the following - the owner should go to the 'class', find precisely what modifications would be necessary to obtain that rating, go directly to another shipyard (with the advice of surveyor, designer, the class, insurance company and management company) and get those modifications made before sailing. In this way, the value of the vessel is salvaged (albeit at the cost of those modifications).
Still another great video skipper. I can't understand there was so many good builders out there. Shipyards how they can go to somebody. That would do this to them. I would never even think of it. The first thing I would do is hire somebody to stand by my side. probably you great video ciao for now.
You mentioned a few times that you did not understand how a motor yacht could be built w/o class? The answer is: boat yard profit. As a former PEO commander for the US Navy, experience says new builds should always be managed by owners representatives from design to sea trials. It does not matter if your boat is 100 ft or 100,000 tons, boat yards should follow orders, not give them.
Could you get the vessel up to standard afterwards?
I agree Tristan I've been a Master Mariner for 40 years & have not ever accepted a job without classification.
I have nothing to do with Yachts, I just love the idea and luxury of yachting. Also the technical knowledge and skill involved is just captivating to me. Thanks for the glimpses into that world. That said, it is just beyond my imagination that ANYONE smart enough to amass enough money or buying power to spend at least $/Euro10,000,000, would over several years execute a contract to build a yacht without a complete knowledge of building codes. How does that even happen? But thanks for the incredible if not insane story. I would bet that in 10 years that yacht will be the subject of a RUclips video on abandon yachts beached somewhere.
Can the boat be classed retroactively? I know nothing about this & I’m wondering what, if anything, can be done to correct it?
Great and informative. This apparently was someone who was too focused on the acquisition price.
Very possible, but the the cost of class is negligible in comparison to the build cost.
All this s fine and dandy, and makes total since, but what questions and/or what do you look for in the professionals that you hire to assist you (or even take full control of) in doing all this?
Thank you for sharing this information. It saddens me to think a ship yard would do this as any issue will end up in their lap too.
As below, I would love to know the differences between a commercial built yacht, and one not built to that standard. Cost difference, material differences, safety differences, etc. Great vlog, and great advice. I'm curious what the gentleman saved by not having the yacht built to a commercial standard? It must be substantial, or why do it.👍😎✌🗽
UHM yes, to all of that.
There is significant costs involved in not going with a certified commercial build, like your life, to start with....
The classification society will depend on the specific hull and if it is chater class or not...
If you are building a P.O.S. that's just for your own pleasure, go ham, otherwise you should be talking to your captain.....
@@Rob_Moilanen I'm thinking this dude paid $100,000,000 for what should be at least a $150,000,000 yacht. Even that kind of savings isn't worth it to me, just cut back on size or something else, but the structure of the yacht should never be compromised on. You can update other things later if need be. It shouldn't be allowed in the first place on yachts of this size as he'll bring family, and friends who are unaware of the possible safety issues until it's too late to get off!
@@TOM-C. uhm, you are quibbling over 100 million dollars and a 150 million dollars, you probably shouldn't be building a yacht, right off the bat, just sayin.....(hint, you can't afford something in the particular 100-150 million range)
@@Rob_Moilanen You're a troll Rob, making trouble where there is none, toodeloo! ✌
@@TOM-C. Nope, but thanks for playing the stupid game anyways cause you lose.
Wouldn't it be possible to have a classification company do a survey and then modify if there are any problems? That is if the hull, center of gravity and such are good.
es curiosa la historia!!!, la aviacion lo aprendio todo de la marina y ahora a la marina le toca aprender de la aviacion.... estoy totalmente de acuerdo con tu analisis.
You bring up a lot fo things that I knew about including safety, but I didn't think for one second that a shipyard would or could build a ship without standards. This is crazy!! They aren't thinking of the owner at ALL!!! And certainly don't seem to care about the passengers or crew on that ship. I would sue and change shipyards and find a way to make it safe and certifiable. And classed.
Thanks Tristan for sharing this, very strange that the yacht can be build even without the LYC and Class. It almost looks like that it needs te be implemented as a rule in regulation before the build can start.
One would think ( or in my case ASSuME! ) I always ASS/u/MEd that any builder MUST conform to minimum standard.
@@randyjude8346 Exactly, or else it doesn't make sense to build the yacht...
You are right!
That is wild that someone spending that much money still gets it wrong. Shysters at every level.
Was the Bayesian built to the specs as per your video: Class and Flag?