A yacht with a cult following has advantages. With an enduring appeal and pedigree they tend to hold their value \u2013 though owners are often reluctant to part with them. But what\u2019s the secret to joining the club? Whisper it quietly, but yachts, and perhaps their owners too, quite often have an archetype.
\nA well-worn Amel Super Maramu 2000 anchored in the French Caribbean may have something of an insouciant air about it, and the brand is known to have a cultish following.
\nAn Ovni and a Land Rover Defender occupy overlapping spaces on a Venn diagram, and inspire similar loyalties.
\nSwan owners, rich or not-quite-so-rich, have invariably been seduced by their yacht, rather than sold to. But what are the keys to buying a perennially popular design?
\nEnduring favourite designs such as the Rustler 42 have active owners\u2019 associations. Photo: Latitudes Picture Library
\nPart of the club
\nBuying into a respected name in boatbuilding comes with benefits from day one. A well-established owners\u2019 association can help fill gaps in a yacht\u2019s history before you even commit to purchase. It\u2019s also likely that owners share a similar mindset, forming an international network that can be invaluable when you need an obscure part number or advice on a brand-specific quirk.
\nJoel Tatham bought his 1994 Hallberg-Rassy 42F in Scotland after owning a Dufour and a Colvic. \u201cAs soon as we bought the 42, we were in touch with Hallberg-Rassy, who could provide all sorts of information \u2013 even down to where to get new sliders for the curtains.
\nArticle continues below\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSecond hand boats: Buying a yacht to upgrade<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmong brokerage listings it\u2019s rare to see a yacht openly advertised as \u2018work needed\u2019. After an initial conversation, the potential\u2026<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSecond hand boats: How to finance a yacht<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIf you are one of the many boat owners who buys with cash, then great \u2013 you can saunter on\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you buy into the brand, you also get access to all this knowledge. They retain the original plans and specifications and know what tends to go wrong, as well as the best way to fix it,\u201d he explains.
\nTatham\u2019s boat is a popular model and arguably the quintessential Hallberg-Rassy, with over 400 HR42s built. His future sailing plans include a transatlantic.
\n\u201cShe\u2019s now in Grenada. We sailed there via the Canaries and the Caribbean. She\u2019s performed so well and is a very different boat from the Dufour I had before.
\nThe Hallberg-Rassy 42 also has a keen owners club. Photo: Joel Tatham
\n\u201cThe build quality is exceptional \u2013 both what you can see and what\u2019s hidden. This also means that she is easy to work on because this was considered when the yacht was drawn.\u201d
\nThe Hallberg-Rassy Owners Association (HROA) is a UK-based group with over 600 members. It organises rallies, technical seminars, and maintains an online forum with discussions on maintenance and cruising.
\n\u201cThe group has been invaluable,\u201d explains Tatham. \u201cI joined before even taking ownership. There is something in the idea that a certain type of person owns a Rassy \u2013 we all appreciate the fact that it\u2019s a boat where the fundamentals have been done right. The network is great for information, and if you want it to be it\u2019s also a source of social sailing and events if that\u2019s something you want to do as well.\u201d
\nFind a specialist
\nBuyers in the market for a particular yacht model, particularly from brands with a cult following, are often dealing with one, perhaps two maximum, brokers that specialise in that market.
\nBeing well positioned to make a quick purchase is key, explains Alex Grabau: \u201cYachts do come to the market that never end up being listed. The buyer has already contacted the broker, gone into some depth, and perhaps viewed yachts already, funnelling down to what they are really looking for.
\n\u201cA good broker will listen to the client and not try and sell them something they don\u2019t want, instead ensuring they are ready when the right boat does come along. Often a broker will know the right buyer and so is able to make the connection before the yacht is listed. However, what this depends on \u2013 and it\u2019s crucial \u2013 is a broker that\u2019s been well informed by the client to what they are really looking for in the first place.\u201d
\nAmel 55 was launched 15 years ago, following the enduring Super Maramu. Photo: Graham Snook\/Yachting Monthly
\nClassics on screen
\nOlder Oyster designs are legendary for their seakeeping ability. In 1979, the Royal Ocean Racing Club\u2019s radio boat \u2013 an Oyster 39 ketch \u2013 remained hove-to relaying messages in the 1979 Fastnet without incident, despite appalling conditions.
\nAmy Cartwright and Matt Humphreys have sailed their 1985 Oyster 37 Heritage Florence around the world over seven years, documenting their travels on their YouTube channel Sailing Florence.
\nOther popular channels featuring older designs taking on serious bluewater adventures and showing liveaboard life on a vintage design include YW contributor Max Campbell with his 1970 S&S Swan 37 Elixir (Untide Sailing), and one of the biggest and original YouTube vlogging channels, SV Delos, who spent 13 years sailing their Amel Super Maramu around the world, before building an explorer cat.
\nPhoto: Neil and Jenny Brown
\nWe bought an Ovni
\nNeil and Jenny Brown bought their Ovni 43 Fidelio on the day she was listed. \u201cWe were on our way to look at another yacht, when a listing popped up online. I changed our plans, and by the end of the day, we\u2019d agreed to buy her.\u201d
\nAlubat Shipyard has built aluminium Ovni yachts since the first hard-chined lifting keel Ovni 28 in 1978. Today they retain a distinct appearance \u2013 once described by our sister title Yachting Monthly as \u2018agricultural\u2019 \u2013 but are renowned for their internal comfort and seakindliness.
\nStephen Johnson is director of North Sea Maritime, which sells Ovnis in the UK. He has noticed a pattern among Ovni owners. \u201cThey are practical, experienced sailors who have typically researched a lot before purchase to understand exactly what they are buying and how it will suit their plans. It\u2019s not a casual purchase but an informed buy. To buy an Ovni is to become part of a club of like-minded people.\u201d
\nA quirky Ovni proved ideal for the Brown\u2019s cruising and charter plans around Oban. Photo: Neil and Jenny Brown
\nFidelio is one of only a handful of Ovnis available for charter (gowestsailing.com). \u201cThe appeal is a niche thing. The interior fit-out and layout is quirky \u2013 not for everyone \u2013 but we like it. We\u2019re upfront with guests that you\u2019ll find better joinery on other yachts, even ones that cost quite a lot less, but it is highly practical for the number of berths.\u201d
\nOne of their main reasons for choosing an Ovni was safety. \u201cWe had turned away from the idea of plastic boats, worried that we might hit something eventually. The Ovni felt reassuringly solid from the moment we stepped aboard. It\u2019s built to go places \u2013 including anchorages that most yachts can\u2019t reach. Up here on the West Coast in high season, you\u2019ll find spots that are essentially full \u2013 unless you can go shallower.\u201d
\nThe charter has proved enormously popular. \u201cWe get our fair share of Ovni enthusiasts \u2013 some are trying before they buy. It\u2019s a great place to see what she can do and she comes into her own in the more remote islands.\u201d
\nNext year they plan an ARC+ rally and Atlantic circuit. \u201cWe\u2019re looking forward to a bluewater adventure to stretch her legs. Like most Ovni owners, we have great confidence in her ability to take on what we ask of her. She\u2019s a utilitarian machine, and that\u2019s a huge part of the appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n
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A yacht with a cult following has advantages. With an enduring appeal and pedigree they tend to hold their value \u2013 though owners are often reluctant to part with them. But what\u2019s the secret to joining the club? Whisper it … <\/p>\n