1ISSUE NINE

Heart & Soul

T R U T H • O P I N I O N K N O W L E D G E • I D E A S & S U P E R Y A C H T O W N E R I N S I G H T

ISSUE FIFTEENDEC 2014

JOIN THE CLUBA look at the Rolex Swan Cup and what being part of ClubSwan is all about.

NO REGRETSEx-owner Stanley Bey offers advice and words of caution on ownership.

COMMERCIAL CUESSouthern Cross III’s owner discusses commercial sensibility for yacht management.

GRANDE ORAZIOMassimiliano Florio on taking Grande Orazio from Cape Town to the Med.

ISSUE FIFTEEN

The legacy of the fleet

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– WORDS BY REBECCA TAYLOR AND IMAGES COURTESY OF THE OWNERS AND FEADSHIP

The FHF was borne through a few owners of classic Feadships that thought there should be more of a community surrounding their owners. “The idea came from the three founding board members of the association, including myself, and was done with the endorsement of Feadship,” says chairman of the FHF Victor Muller. While any owner of a Feadship built prior to 30 years ago is eligible, the group is seeing a remarkable increase in interest. “Within its first year of operation, 36 owners have become members of the association, attending the various events we’ve organised,” says Muller. “The fleet of these historic Feadships is very diverse, as

are their owners. However, it is their shared passion for their yachts that unites them.”

Two such owners are Rembert Berg, who completed an extensive refit on his 23m Serena in 2011, and Chapman Ducote, who along with wife Kristin became the first American members of the FHF this spring with their 25m La Vie Vite. “Both Rembert and Chapman are very active members of the FHF and have enjoyed some of our events to the fullest,” says Muller. “While they show some commonalities in terms of age, business interests and a love for speed, it is the peace that they find on board of their classic Feadships that bring them and the other members together.”

Formally created in April 2013, the Feadship Heritage Fleet (FHF) continues to expand its campaign to create a community among like-minded Feadship classic owners. Rebecca Taylor caught up with members Rembert Berg and Chapman Ducote, as well as the chairman of the FHF, Victor Muller, at the Historic Grand Prix of Monaco this summer to discuss their pathways to ownership and why classic remains king for them.

THE LEGACY OF THE FLEET

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The legacy of the fleet

“THE FLEET OF THESE HISTORIC FEADSHIPS IS VERY DIVERSE, AS ARE THEIR OWNERS. HOWEVER, IT IS THEIR SHARED PASSION FOR THEIR YACHTS THAT UNITES THEM.” – VICTOR MULLER, CHAIRMAN OF THE FEADSHIP HERITAGE FLEET

SERENA “Completely by chance, I saw Serena sail by and drop anchor off the coast of St Tropez,” Berg recalls, admitting that he wasn’t looking to enter the world of superyacht ownership at all but was intrigued by this Feadship. “I really liked what I saw and went for a swim to get a closer look. I got chatting to the owner and, before I realised it, I was negotiating the price.”

Seduced at first sight, Berg fell for the “sexy” Carlo Riva design of the limited Caravelle series and the traditional build quality of a Feadship De Vries. His intention was to continue using her in the exact shape she came in but a couple years after purchasing her, Berg decided to carry out an extensive refit.

“After two seasons of intense sailing between the Balearics, Corsica, Naples, Montenegro and

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The legacy of the fleet

Croatia, I sat down with my captain and we drew up a work list,” he explains. Upon realising the extent of work to be carried out, they ended up with a list 21 pages long and in need of a yard to carry out the refit. “We visited a few yards in Malta, Palma and Croatia, but when I was getting the original plans at the De Voogt offices in Haarlem, the Netherlands, someone suggested I speak to the De Vries family to carry out the refit. I have to admit I hadn’t considered them at first as I assumed she was too small of a yacht and thought that, in any case, I wouldn’t be able to afford it.”

It was upon his warm welcome from the team that things changed. “I met with Sijbrand De Vries about my plan and he suggested we set up a temporary ‘Feadship school’ with 25

students in different disciplines, guided by the team there to help carry out the works,” he recalls. Refit became rebuild and as a result of 43,000 hours of blood, sweat (and “no tears”), Berg was thrilled with the result. As for owners looking to complete their own refit, Berg has some sage words of advice.

“If possible, use the yacht for at least a season before undergoing any works as you’ll want to understand how you use the yacht,” he advises. “Give yourself time to prepare for the refit and understand what the outcomes will be; select the best yard you can afford and work with the team to explain your goals and visions; get your captain involved from the beginning and visit yourself as often as possible.”

Ultimately, says Berg, if you maintain open lines of communication, everyone will remain on the same page. As for Berg, he found the whole process to be incredibly stimulating: “If it goes well, it can be one of the most satisfying periods during ownership – a project like this gives a lot of energy and is a rewarding challenge.”

Berg’s enthusiasm and love of Serena is evident from the moment you meet him and in any conversation the subject invariably turns to the yacht, with the owner jumping at any opportunity to discuss his love of life on board. Berg enjoys the party life when able to spend time on board, calling her his “floating bar”. “Since the refit, I’ve travelled all over,” he says. “From Scandinavia, through Scotland, to the Caribbean and Cuba; the whole coast of America, New York and back over to the Med this season.”

LA VIE VITEFellow classic owner Chapman Ducote has likely spent just as much time in life on the water as on land. A self-proclaimed “serial entrepreneur”, Chapman embraces the fast-paced life with his wife, Kristin, and confesses to “sometimes biting off more than the average human can chew”. While entering into the world of classic Feadships may seem slightly contradictory for someone like Chapman, he is keen to show how it makes perfect sense as a way for him to balance out his career in race car driving and his regular spearfishing trips on his Delta powerboats off the Bahamian coast.

“I’ve always had a fascination with the old and new,” says Chapman. “I have a number of classic cars but also some fast modern ones; I’ve always had newer, faster racing boats and it wasn’t until a few years ago I started to consider something a bit bigger.”

Kristin says that she had her own reasons for leaning toward a more classic yacht. “As an author, I really enjoy and find plenty of inspiration when writing on board a yacht with some history and heritage,” she says. “So we thought we could find a larger yacht to keep behind the house as a writing studio, guest house and to do a bit of cruising.”

Long time admirers of the Feadship brand, Chapman and Kristin personally viewed them as somewhat cost prohibitive and Chapman was unsure if he wanted to undertake a large refit. “It was once we stumbled upon the 25m La Vie Vite [launched in 1952 as Anahita V] that all of those assumptions changed,” he says. “We knew it would be a big endeavour, but it’s a piece of history and we simply couldn’t pass that up.”

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It was after attending their first FHF gathering earlier this year that the Ducotes really began to get involved with the brand. “I’m a fan of pedigree and quality – both of which I get with a Feadship,” Champman explains. “But more than that, you get a real sense of family at the FHF events and as the only FHF American members, we’re making an effort to bring more events to the US where the member base continues to grow.” As owners of the brand’s first real yacht over 50ft, they are committed to maintaining her image and putting the proper time and work into refitting her. “She is in need of some real TLC at the moment,” Chapman shares. “Our goal is to have the work done by the next Historic Grand Prix in two years’ time, and to hopefully work with Feadship to honour her historical significance and maintain the brand quality.”

A LIFESTYLE LIKE NO OTHERBoth Berg and Ducote agree that yachting offers a lifestyle like no other. For Berg, while he loves a good party on Serena, the escapism and quiet he is able to achieve on board is something special. “One of my favourite trips done on board was a nine-day, near-isolated tour through Cuba,” he says. “There were unspoilt waters, great fishing, swimming, diving and the feeling of being truly at one with nature.” Ducote admits that there is no such thing as the perfect yacht, but says that he knows he is much happier and relaxed when on the water. “I think that’s why people spend so much money in this industry,” he concludes. “It offers unparalleled time to relax and rewind.”

As more owners come forward, the FHF will continue to welcome and embrace fellow heritage lovers. “Members of the FHF are able to learn from one another in terms of itineraries, maintenance and refit, crew, finance and other interests and issues they have in common,” says Muller. “The board is keen to further develop the association by expanding the services we provide our members and further fill the event calendar with memorable FHF events.”

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The legacy of the fleet

(top) yachts from the Feadhsip Heritage Fleet at the Historic Grand Prix 2014 in Monaco, (bottom) after her refit.

(top left) in 1964, (bottom left) owner of , Rembert Berg, (top right) now , (middle right) Chapman and Kristin Ducote, (bottom right) Chapman and Kristin Ducote and Victor Muller, chairman of the FHF.

It’s a relationship that can span years, continents and thousands of calls and emails. It’s a relationship that shares happy highs with frustrated lows. No, it is not a marriage

– it’s the relationship an owner shares with their broker. When you find one that works, like any good relationship, it can mean a long and fruitful partnership. When

pharmaceutical businessman Dennis Jones chose to build M/Y D’Natalin IV, launched this year, there was no doubt in his mind that Merle Wood & Associates broker Christian Bakewell was the man for the job. Rebecca Taylor sits down with them both to find out

how to create an owner-broker relationship that stands the test of time.

– WORDS BY REBECCA TAYLOR

ISSUE FIFTEEN

Charter & brokerage

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RT: HOW DID YOUR RELATIONSHIP BEGIN?CB: After signing a letter of intent to build at Christensen and depositing money in an escrow account, Dennis woke up one morning a few weeks later and decided the new build was going to be a bigger project than he was willing to undertake at that time. By this time I had been in enough meetings with them and seen enough enthusiasm from them that I knew in my heart this was the right build for them; it was literally the only new build in the world that met their timeline, budget and a desire to build in America. So I jumped on a plane and flew, unannounced, to St Louis, Missouri, where Dennis and Judy live and called to let them know I would be in town until it was convenient for them to meet with me. Little did I know it would be six days before they would be available! We spent a very productive hour together the morning of my seventh day in town, where I assured them I would handle all of the heavy lifting that a project of this size requires and that the finished product would exceed their expectations. We shook hands, and they said they would let me know how they wanted to proceed. When I landed in California that evening, I had a voicemail informing me they again wanted to proceed with the project. They now have a beautiful new yacht, which was built under budget, so I hope Dennis is happy I was so persistent in getting a meeting with him that week!

DJ: To be honest, we really just hit it off. Christian has such an incredible attention to detail and an inherent ability to know what is right and make it so. I know a lot of brokers and I don’t know many that have his background, or ones that I would trust. I also knew Christian had roots in St Louis and I actually did business with his Uncle Ted once upon a time, so that certainly weighed heavily in our belief when we decided to do a new build with him. Of course, his experience in many other similar projects, and his experience with the yard, led us to explore the relationship further.

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ISSUE SEVEN

Charter & brokerage

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Charter and brockerage

RT: HOW DID YOU BOTH LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR A SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIP? DJ: Thirty-six years in the business world teaches one to quickly recognise when an individual is blowing smoke, just trying to make a sale or really knows their profession from study, experience and application. In the first of several meetings, it quickly became apparent to Judy and me that Christian was more interested in creating a mutually beneficial relationship that would have the greatest chance of an enjoyable experience with a great final result.CB: I think trust oftentimes comes out of how well you handle adversity rather than success and throughout the course of the build of D’Natalin IV, Dennis and I experienced both. And when it was the former, we would normally just put our heads together and figure out how to solve the problem. One of Dennis’ great strengths is that he does not dwell on mistakes, or point fingers in the face of adversity, but moves on and solves problems. Watching him do this a few times really strengthened the trust and respect I already had for him. I think, as Dennis said before, those shared roots certainly helped in those nascent early days as well.

(left) left to right, Dennis Jones, Judy Jones, Merle Wood’s Christian Bakewell and friends at the christening, (right) underway in Tracy Arm, Alaska.

The view from the foredeck.

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Charter & brokerage

RT: ANY CHALLENGES DURING THE BUILD? CB: About a week after all of the joinery on the main deck had been installed, Dennis and his family visited the shipyard to check the progress of the yacht. As we walked through the main salon and moved on to the master stateroom, I noticed Dennis was uncharacteristically quiet. Finally, while standing in the middle of his massive, new master stateroom, he announced: “The colour of the wood is not right, that is not the tone we chose for all of this wood.” I looked over at the yard’s project lead on this build, Robert Emerson, and watched all of the blood drain from his face as he pondered the ramifications of this. The room fell dead silent as we all stared at this beautiful joinery and lamented the thought of ripping all of it out. As I stood there in stunned silence, I remembered that on a previous project we had a problem with the fluorescent work lights used during the construction phase, causing wood tones and fabric colours to appear different than in natural light or the actual lights used on the finished yacht. I quickly suggested to Dennis this was the case. He was dubious to say the least, again protesting the tone was “far too orange”, with Judy agreeing with this statement. Fortunately, Christensen had constructed a light room for us to try out different LED lights during our selection phase for lighting. All fabric and wood tone choices were then made with the light we had chosen for all of the overhead lights on the yacht. I snatched up a piece of finished wood from the corner of the master and suggested we all go over and look at it in the light room. We all marched over to the light room, placed the wood on a shelf against a wall, and then I took a big breath as I flicked on the switch. Total silence again as our eyes adjusted to the light, all of us staring intently at the sample on the shelf. Then Dennis calmly said, “Wow, that makes a big difference. I guess that is the correct wood tone”. We all shuffled out, and I remember thinking how calm Dennis remained throughout all of this, while my heart must have stopped at least three times – and I am not sure poor Robert has yet regained the colour in his face. DJ: [laughs] He was at his best humour at that time! If the wood really was what I was seeing that late in the game, it could have been bad, but it was just

the first glance that made us worry. But I think all of Christian’s flattery is also down to age and the maturity that comes from so many years in business. I’m a pretty hyper, type-A guy but I knew Christian, and the other people working on the project, including Joe Foggia and his team at Christensen would be the perfect fit throughout the process.

RT: WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO OTHER OWNERS AND BROKERS STARTING TO WORK TOGETHER?DJ: Get to know your broker on a personal level, check their background carefully, listen for inconsistencies, and use your God-given intuition and instincts. CB: Open communication from the outset and delivering on your promises is a good place to start. Expedient answers will not lead to a long relationship with any client. A lot of how I approach brokerage and new construction was learned over 15 years working as captain for the same family. During that time, my boss taught me one lesson in particular that stands out: do not make excuses and always own up to your mistakes. I am not so naive to think that a broker and client relationship is ever one of true equals, because the reality is we need our clients much more than they need us. That being said, if you work hard, guard your client’s interests with the same care you would your own and produce positive results for them, you will develop a trust that will lead to longevity. I do not have 100 clients but the ones I do have will not use other brokers – and they know when they call me in the middle of the night or on a weekend, I’ll pick up.

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RT: WHAT WOULD BE THE PERFECT OWNER/BROKER RELATIONSHIP AND HOW DO YOU THINK THIS CAN BE ACHIEVED?CB: Pretty simple: the broker provides his client with market knowledge and expertise, which allows his client to make an informed decision in the sale or purchase of a yacht. The client recognises the broker’s hard work and dedication and rewards him with future business and referrals. It helps to remember that our clients do not “need” yachts to survive from day to day, but rather own them because they enjoy the level of service and privacy a superyacht provides them. If the yacht itself is a non-essential, expendable part of our client’s lives, you can imagine where that leaves a broker who is not doing their job.

DJ: The first thing that comes to mind is to find your very own Christian Bakewell. It is critical to have an experienced person to lead a new build buyer through purchase negotiations and all of the thousands of detailed decisions that need to be made in order so you end up with your own piece of heaven on Earth. Without him, our experience very easily could have been hell on Earth. In addition, I think taking elements from the relationship we’ve built with Christian – great attention to detail and a passion for perfection – can only lead to a successful partnership.

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Charter & brokerage

(left) the owners in front of , (right) the outdoor dining area.

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10 Questions

QUEST10NSEXPERIENCED SUPERYACHT

OWNERS SHARE THEIR PERSONAL VIEWS ON THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY OF OWNERSHIP.

ELSE MARIE REMMEN

Else Remmen is no stranger to the world of luxury. An interior decorator and scenographer by trade, she purchased the five-star Copenhagen Hotel d’Angleterre in 1993 with her late husband, Henning Remmen, and has been involved in the luxury hotel business ever since. After owning and cruising on board the 41.6m M/Y D’Angleterre II for more than 20 years, Remmen spoke to Rebecca Taylor about her time on board and decision to place DAII on the market.

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10 Questions

1. HOW DID YOU ENTER THE WORLD OF YACHTING?I married my husband, Henning, in 1988 and was really introduced to yachting through him. He was a former air captain with the SAS and it was always a childhood dream of his to own a yacht. After many years of holidaying on luxury cruise ships, we were finally fortunate enough to consider entering the market ourselves.

2. HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON D’ANGLETERRE II?We actually decided on purchasing her two years earlier than we did. When she was first placed on the market, we flew all the way to Antibes to purchase her, but came to find on the day of arrival that she had just been sold! So when she came back on the market two years later, we decided to buy her right on the spot and named her after our hotel.

3. HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND TIME ON BOARD?Over the last 20 years we have had dinner parties and birthdays for family, grandchildren, clients and visitors from all over the world. Not to mention the various vacations, fishing, diving and multitude of other on-board activities we’ve been able to take advantage of.

4. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE CRUISING SPOT?One of the best cruises I have done was in Croatia. We cruised between all of the lovely small islands, had picnics on the beaches, grilled in the evenings, went on vineyard tours and visited so many historic places. Family and friends were able to fly in and out and for the six weeks we were there, we experienced perfect weather every single day.

5. WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU PROVIDE FOR OTHER OWNERS?I’m a very hands-on owner and as a result, perhaps stay more involved than others. However, I think it is absolutely necessary to keep your yacht in tip-top shape, from the engine room up to the sundeck, not forgetting to keep the interior up to date.

6. DAII UNDERWENT AN EXTENSIVE REFIT IN 2010. HOW INVOLVED WERE YOU IN THIS PROCESS?As I mentioned, I enjoy being hands-on, so I was really involved for the duration of all her refits, including her latest one. Not only because I like to ensure the five-star standard is maintained, but I also find it incredibly interesting. Coming from a design background, I find the process fascinating and enjoy being able to utilise my skills, while improving the overall look of the yacht.

7. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO PLACE HER ON THE MARKET?After my husband passed in 2012, I found it wasn’t the same to sail DAII on my own. This was a project we undertook together and I would prefer to keep the memories of our time on board rather than create new ones on my own. At the same time, I’ve recently re-opened the hotel after a two-year renovation process, so remain very busy with the day-to-day operations there. Now that I am on my own and it takes up a significant amount of my time, I feel I should concentrate my time and energy there.

8. DID YOU HAVE ANY EXPECTATIONS WHEN LISTING HER?I knew it was time to sell and move on and ultimately left the majority of the logistical decisions, including which broker to list with, up to my captain of over 10 years. I am aware of the fact that she may be considered an “old lady” to some and therefore perhaps not at the top of the list for those looking to buy a yacht. However, once people see her, spend time on board and sail her, they come to understand the true meaning of yachting on board what is effectively a five-star hotel. She has so much personality, and my husband and I put so much love and attention into each and every detail that the new owner will get so much more than a yacht – they’ll be able to experience true royalty.

9. DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS?Not many, aside from the fact that we should have taken her to the Caribbean for the winters!

10. WILL YOU OWN AGAIN?One should never say never. However, right now, I feel that yachting was something I shared with my husband, and I believe I would always be comparing new experiences to the good old days.

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