Designer Yachts...

Oeino has been and is doing really outstanding and innovative work.
Skat and Octopus stand out not only on size but for distinctive design and styling.
The Marlin, Shark and Nemo projects are his as well.
Dave

That's Limitless in the left photo, right? Fair point on which came first. But I would say this theme works much better for the larger Octopus. Is not a copy that improves worthy of a "designer" label?

Kelly

I've always thought that true Designer Yachts are unique, one-off designs, intelligently combining the owner's specifications and eccentricities, and interpreted by the designer into a visually-pleasing, safe and seaworthy vessel.
IMHO

Oh, okay.
Am sure Double Bling would qualify as a Designer Yacht.
BTW ... what propulsion system did you envision for it?

That makes it all the more interesting.
It would be very nice to see her built.

I had the pleasure of meeting Espen during the Breman Brothers 2005 Beach Bash at FLIBS. We were standing in line for dinner and struck up a conversation. I kept thinking... this guy looks so familiar, not realizing it was Espen until he told me his name.

He's a young guy and very unassuming. It's nice to meet talented people that remain grounded. On that note... I don't think it's not enough to be a good designer. It requires practical experience, an understanding of the client's needs and more importantly, an understanding of the yards capability and the systems that will be integrated. Through all of this, a designer has to remain personable, flexible and helpful to all the entities involved. This is likely one of the reasons Espen has enjoyed success.

Carl,
Do you have any pictures of Espen at FLIBS?
It would be nice to connect a face to the yachts he designed.
A

Lars,

In reading this thread, I'm not sure I fully understand the meaning of a "Designer Yacht". My perception would be the same as Arnie's above. If I understand you correctly, you're saying a Designer Yacht should stand the test of time? If this is true, I would like to raise Bannenberg’s work which you cited in an earlier post...

Without question, his designs were fresh and bold, ushering in a new era in yacht design. I know it goes against popular opinion among yacht enthusiasts, but among the less educated, I’ve heard comments ranging from dated to dreadful. I think if history teaches us anything, is that we must must keep an eye on the future. I think you have proven this with your own designs. Although you designed some of them many years ago, they still remain the most modern and timeless designs to date.

The yachts being built today will be seen in many ports over the years to come. This can be a direct reflection on the future demand of a builder. All too often, a builder is credited with a design, not the actually designer. Here in lies a problem...

Often, a yard will choose a design because of an established relationship with a designer. Because they will be working together closely for years on just one project, this often leads to another project, as each party becomes more familiar with each other; their thought processes, and protocols. All of this makes sense in many ways, both from a fiscal and time element, however this also makes it difficult for a new designer to make in-roads.

I believe in many cases (not just limited to yacht building), there exists a pop-mentality of using a name that is familiar, whether it be a product, service or in this case... a designer. Do they chance the risk of new talent, or travel the path of past performance. Builders must be conservative and prudent by nature. They are risking millions of dollars and 1000’s of man-hours on one design, let alone multiple projects. Choosing a designer they can “work with” is imperative, but this may also limit the builder’s design options.

Not surprisingly, there is a certain amount of “emulation” that takes place, where subtle features and accents previously penned by other designers… magically make their way into a more established designer’s repertoire. Then, having an existing communication with certain yards, they are able to further their acceptance. Again, this makes opening channels for a new designer even more challenging. But… this could be said of any industry.

Arnie,

Sorry, I didn't take any pics at the Beach Bash, but on page 81 of the September issue of Y.I., there's an interview with Espen and a picture or two.

Ahhh... now I understand. Thank you for clarifying. This is a good topic. Let's move it into the General Discussion for awhile. Maybe others will chime-in.

I think the general up-turn of the yacht market would be another factor leading to lack of evolution. Twenty years ago super-yachts were for the very elite, but over time they are becoming more and more accesible (relatively speaking of course) as more people get larger fortunes and "want it now". It's far easier to quickly sell something "safe" than it is to sell something revolutionary. I mean, look at the M-140 and Wallypower... both have been on the market for how long already? On the other hand, Trinity signed five contracts at FLIBS alone.

EH?? I thought brokers were for used yachts. And new build customers who want to use them as project managers? But still optional for a new build customer. Do you mean that it's more difficult for a new build customer to get access to project managers or builders without using a broker?

Kelly

Thanks Lars. I didn't know the "spec" builds were a significant number. A broker certainly makes sense for that game.

Kelly