Can you really \u2018futureproof\u2019 a yacht? Refit decisions made today could shape not just your next season, but the next decade, or more, on board says Will BrutonTime in a boatyard rarely goes exactly to plan. Investigate beyond where you usually look and you\u2019ll almost always uncover work that wasn\u2019t expected. The trick is to turn that disruption into long-term value \u2014 tackling hidden jobs head-on and using time out of the water as an investment.
\nThe old rule of thumb still applies: buy well but only buy once. With a clear game plan and good guidance futureproofing can be one of the smartest refit strategies there is.
\nOld, but far from out
\nTo futureproof thoroughly, you need a good sounding board of expertise, like David Gabriel, the refit manager for Rustler Yachts. The traditional brand is perhaps still most closely associated with its 36; a classic, long-keeled cruising yacht that counts Princess Anne as a former owner.
\nHRH now sails a much more modern Rustler 44, but refits of the 36 remain regular work for Gabriel. He explains what updating an older yacht for the long haul can look like.
\n\u201cThe 36 refit we\u2019ve got underway at the moment is designed to give her maybe a couple of decades before she needs another major overhaul. It\u2019s very much an investment for the owner setting her up for a long sailing future. She\u2019ll be a much more modern yacht in terms of technology than anyone could have imagined when she was launched.
\nSpending money below the waterline might not often be seen, but is one of the first steps to futureproofing your yacht. Photo: Rustler Yachts
\nForward-looking sonar, a hot water-based heating system instead of hot air, and completely new plumbing and electrics will make her feel new again,\u201d explains Gabriel.
\nSurprisingly the original rig of the 1990s yacht was judged so good that it\u2019s been given a clean bill of health \u2014 not in need of replacement for up to a decade.
\nSo what makes an older design worth this level of commitment over a cheaper new production build? \u201cIt\u2019s a pattern we\u2019re seeing, including with other quality brands we refit,\u201d says Gabriel. \u201cIt lowers the price threshold to own a really solid yacht at a time when raw material costs are pushing new prices up for everyone. While it\u2019s not the same as commissioning a new Rustler, it\u2019s a great way to enjoy a genuinely high-quality yacht.\u201d
\nJobs easily missed
\nNathan Bone Yachts has been refitting yachts in Plymouth for over 50 years, seeing trends come and go, but also how getting the fundamentals right can set a yacht up for a long life with only routine maintenance needed. \u201cGood futureproofing is about dealing with the jobs that are hard to reach, always with safety first in mind,\u201d Bone says.
\nBut which jobs to tackle, and in what order? \u201cIdeally, we shape the work by talking a lot to the owner, building a solid relationship before we even start, and making a plan that will serve them well for years.
\nLike a classic car, even if the yacht isn\u2019t that old, you always find more once you open her up. We\u2019ll usually take a proper look at the keel, for example. It might be tempting to focus on the looks first, but the question should always be \u2018What\u2019s caused it to look like that?\u2019 Often there\u2019s something deeper going on.
\nCoachroof refurbishment and repainting. Photo: Rustler Yachts
\n\u201cThe deck is always a big consideration. We restore teak wood when we can and enjoy doing it, but we also replace decks completely with teak or modern alternatives. That\u2019s a major job \u2013 and one people often kid themselves about, thinking the deck has more life in it than it really does. If you can see the screws, it\u2019s usually past it.
\nGood teak is wonderful, of course, but synthetic options can be excellent too \u2014 it depends on the yacht and the owner,\u201d Bone explains.
\nSo are things \u2018not like they used to be\u2019, or do improvements in terms of materials and fittings mean they last longer? \u201cIt\u2019s a mix. Acrylic hull paints have improved massively and last a long time. Coppercoat, if applied correctly, can last 12 years. PropSpeed is a fantastic product that improves economy and speed and just wasn\u2019t available before,\u201d says Bone.
\n\u201cWe\u2019d also always recommend spending on quality deck gear \u2014 that\u2019s an area where the metal quality from some makers has definitely dropped.\u201d
\nArticle continues below\u2026<\/p>\n
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What\u2019s hidden beneath
\nNeil Desty of Desty Marine is well known in the UK yachting industry as a go-to yard by marine insurance companies, as well as for contracts with major UK yachtbuilders. He suggests that everything under the waterline is the first thing to consider when looking to futureproof. \u201cSpending money on what you don\u2019t see in the water isn\u2019t often so appealing to an owner but it\u2019s absolutely fundamental.
\n\u201cSpending money here is generally spending money you won\u2019t spend again for a long time, so, if you change a seacock, consider changing all of them, and, why would you change a seacock and not change the hose coming off of it? It just makes sense.\u201d
\nWhen it comes to the hull itself, Desty notes there is often reluctance to spend there too. \u201cIf we\u2019re taking the keel off, spend a little extra for some good quality washers, a good quality plate, and generally do things properly. We do a lot of osmosis treatment and owners are often tempted to save a bit by not putting in a good layer of epoxy to give it a good waterproof layer and seal off the laminate.\u201d
\nWatertight decks are vital, whether real wood or synthetic alternatives. Photo: Rustler Yachts
\nGood ingredients
\nIn an age where the yachting industry has become increasingly environmentally conscious, buying well-made yacht components might be one of the best things we can do to minimise impact on the environment, simply by making things last longer.
\nWhen it comes to deck fittings, poor quality metal has found its way onto many yachts over the past decade, often the result of cheaper raw materials from China and rising prices closer to home.
\nSome marine manufacturers are making a point of buying the best quality they can, explaining to customers why their product costs more instead of trying to compete on price. Alex Blair, UK sales manager for Ultra Anchors, explains: \u201cWe only occasionally get objections to our anchors, and it\u2019s always about price. But once we explain, it makes sense.
\nWe use Swedish 316 steel for Ultra anchors \u2014 it\u2019s the best you can buy \u2014 and that lets us offer a genuine lifetime warranty on the anchor and five years on the swivels.
\n\u201cStainless steel chain costs more than galvanised, but for good reason, so we\u2019ve taken the same approach there too. Long-term sailors know their anchor is their insurance policy, and it\u2019s something you absolutely have to get right.\u201d
\nAnything on deck will be exposed to UV. Plastic fittings are particularly vulnerable, and those made with UV-stabilised materials will last much longer. Investing in proper covers can also dramatically extend the life of deck components.
\nHull and keel integrity is fundamental to a yacht\u2019s long term future. Photo: Will Bruton
\nBuying Smarter for Longer
\nSome yacht kit has a surprisingly short shelf life, while other gear \u2014 if you choose carefully \u2014 can be fitted once and forgotten about for decades.
\nBatteries
\nLead-acid or AGM types are usually good for three to five years before sulphation sets in, while a well-managed LiFePO\u2084 lithium bank will still be cycling happily after 10-15 years.
\nStanding rigging
\nStainless steel wire is typically changed on a 7-10 year schedule, often at an insurer\u2019s insistence. Modern Dyneema (the creep-resistant DM20 variety) can run for a decade or more if it\u2019s properly jacketed and protected from UV.
\nSails
\nPlain Dacron will last 7-10 years of moderate seasonal use, but a Hydranet or Dyneema-reinforced cloth can add several seasons \u2013 sometimes 12-15 years \u2013 before shape loss forces a replacement.
\nWhen a boat is out of the water there\u2019s no point in not checking and replacing sacrificial anodes. Photo: Will Bruton
\nAnchor chain
\nGalvanised anchor chain typically needs replacement after 5-10 years of hard service, but stainless steel chain can often last more than 20.
\nSeacocks
\nBrass seacocks may dezincify in as little as five years, while bronze or Marelon valves often see out the life of the boat.
\nHardware
\nDeck hardware follows the same pattern. Cheap plastic-sheaved blocks will wear and seize quickly, whereas a bronze or stainless winch, kept greased and maintained, is an investment.
\nElectronics
\nMagnetron radars are prone to fade after 5-7 years, whereas solid-state Doppler sets don\u2019t have these issues.<\/p>\n
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The post How to futureproof your yacht: Essential refit jobs for your time in the boatyard appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Can you really \u2018futureproof\u2019 a yacht? Refit decisions made today could shape not just your next season, but the next decade, or more, on board says Will BrutonTime in a boatyard rarely goes exactly to plan. Investigate beyond where you … <\/p>\n