Nautical Engineering Expert Unveils Guide to Choosing the Right Shipyard for Yacht Refits

The imminent launch of The Superyacht Report 227: Refit Focus brings into the light an informative piece penned by marine engineering consultant Terry Allen. Allen underscored the importance of choosing the right shipyard for yacht refits and major maintenance periods, a decision he deems vital to the project’s success.

A refit at the wrong yard can easily turn a promising undertaking into a disaster. The responsibility, therefore, lies with the owner to retire biases, weigh options judiciously and devise a solid plan. Doing this would avert unpleasant surprises so common in this industry, resulting from selecting a mismatched ’tool'.

Allen identifies three broad categories of shipyards: new-build yards, refit yards, and commercial yards. Each operates under a different philosophy, offering varying benefits and risks depending on the vessel, the scope, and the owner’s expectations.

Refit yards, for instance, recognise that the yacht is a dynamic environment even under refit. Unlike new-build yards that run on process control and predictability, refit yards rely on flexibility. They accommodate unforeseen complications that inevitably arise during the refit.

Exploring the feasibility of returning to the new-build yard of origin for major structural modifications is also a possibility. This assumes the yard has the knowledge of the vessel’s build and systems, and combined strong new-build engineering capability can be significant. The key understanding here is that the refit procedure requires diagnosis and is not dictated by usual new-build schedules.

Shipyard selection is more than a cursory process. A refit yard’s mission is predicated on the return of existing vessels for maintenance, upgrades, and surveys. The crew and indeed, the owner should be prepared to master the fine balance between production efficiency and problem-solving that is characteristic of such undertakings. As the industry ages and regulations tighten, refit projects will become consequential decisions for every owner.