Yachting: What makes yachts expensive and of high quality?

Yachting: What makes yachts expensive and of high quality?

In winter, we, yachtsmen, have no choice but to make plans for the next season and dream. While some are happily planning their summer voyage, others are thinking about new sails or even buying a new yacht. This is once again called for by the annual boat shows:

“Never before have clients received so much on a yacht for as little money as they do today,” says Thomas Nielsen.

An experienced Saare and Dufour shipyard dealer sees many reasons for this: along with a significant market satiety and, as a consequence, a toughened price struggle, an important role is played by the so-called "Modern modular construction", "Optimized procurement policy" and "Economical production process".

Over the past decades, not only the size of yachts has increased, but also the requests of their owners for comfort on board: warm water, pumped toilets, or significantly simplified navigation using a plotter are just a few examples of the achievements that were reported in the 70s and 80s. x did not even dream.

In addition, according to Peter Mayer, owner of company Yachting Solutionswith over 20 years of experience in the yachting industry as an expert consultant:

“Never before has the choice of varied yacht concepts in terms of design, comfort, handling and build quality been greater than today.”

Thanks to the professionalization of the market, increased competition and individualization of needs, the range of offered yachts has also increased. Such concepts for the classification of types of yachts as: a yacht with a central cockpit, aft cockpit, dexalon, performance cruiser, sports luxury cruiser, deysailer are clear witnesses of this.

Hallberg-Rassy

Shipyards and dealers try to serve all customers, however, not everyone is ready to spend a certain amount of "X" on a yacht.

A big difference in yacht prices and quality of construction has arisen with the variety of products achieved. Therefore, it may happen that you are standing (as in hanseboot 2011) in front of a fully equipped  Bavaria 32 at the price of 82,000 euros, while just a few meters away at the neighboring stand Hallberg-Rassy 310 of the same size is offered for 158,684 euros. Obviously, in this case we are talking about two completely different boat concepts, but many may ask quite a reasonable question: what justifies such a difference in price?

It is necessary to present the most important reasons that can lead to higher prices, better quality and greater exclusivity.

Serial production or piece production

About 550 shipyard workers Bavaria produce no less than 1,500 yachts ranging in size from 28 to 55 feet per year; that's four yachts a day. This became possible only due to the fact that the shipyard from Giebelstadt, founded in 1978, relies on mass serial production and has one of the most modern serial production facilities in the world: from hull lamination to the final stage - installation, yachts cover more than 6 kilometers on a modern automated assembly line.

Computer-aided design systems and automated production control systems, precision industrial robots, CNC machines simplify the construction of a yacht. A high level of automation, such as lamination rooms with temperature and humidity monitoring or a fully automated painting line with UV drying, ensure consistent, consistent product quality.

Other serial shipyards work on the same principle as Jeanneau, Dufour or market leader Beneteau... Shipyard Hanse-Yachts from Greifswald (over 700 employees) produces yachts on the same conveyor principle:

“Yachts from the Hanse-Group (Hanse, Moody, Dehler) are produced in parallel on 4 lines with 1112 working cycles,” explains the Marketing Director. Jorn Bock... Although the yachts Dehler and are produced at the old production facilities of the shipyard, “procurement of materials for efficiency gains is done centrally”. Hanse hull and deck shapes for yachts up to 45 feet are being built in Poland. Assembly and final assembly takes place in Greifswald.

A completely different picture emerges with small-scale production, such as production Sirius or Henningsen & Steckmest... Traditional shipyards build yachts exclusively to order with a maximum of individuality. Sirius shipyard produces a maximum of 1,314 yachts per year; with 54 employees! 12 specialists Henningsen & Steckmest one or two yachts are produced annually.

Traditional shipyards with low sales are set up differently from giant shipyards. We will see the biggest differences in the way of construction, duration of work, procurement of materials and components. Between these two poles are yacht manufacturers who apply the best qualities of both systems. Examples include Sunbeam and Feeling... Therefore, even in expensive yachts, you can reduce the price using a rational approach to construction. Compared to the automotive industry, the yachting industry is still characterized by many handcrafted elements, so this kind of production cannot be achieved.

Purchase - quantity lowers price

“Of course the price will be different if you order the mounting parts 20 or 200 times,” explains Jorn Bock from Hanse.

"This applies to everything from Jabsco toilets and Jefa steering gears to electronics and motors." Frank Abraham, motor supplier representative Volvo-Penta, also points to this "progressive price reduction" mechanism, which is found not only in the yacht industry.

Purchasing materials is much cheaper than from small shipyards

He refused to indicate specific numbers, and he could not: "It all depends on the ordered quantity", but in the practice of an industry leader Beneteau-Group, with an approximate worldwide market share of 80%, it has happened that suppliers of materials and parts have lowered their prices to near cost levels in order to get a supply contract.

Shipyard groups of this size can easily reduce supplier pricesbecause the purchasing service of a large shipyard with many brands is centralized. This statement is valid not only for accessories and parts, but for basic materials such as fiberglass or wood blanks, so that purchasing in general reduces costs, which leads to a reduction in the cost of the final product.

Modular construction saves time

It has nothing to do with the quality of production! This is simply the competitive advantage of high volume production.

However, this advantage is relative, considering that the costs of managing and promoting products are many times greater than those of small shipyards that buy only what they really need for production and promote their brand and products on their own.

“Large shipyards have to sell a lot, otherwise there will be no point in the low price of the boat. This leads to increasingly fierce competition with each other and, as a result, uncompromising calculations. The accelerating and costly lineup change is also a consequence of this competitive struggle, ”the dealer said. Thomas Nielsen... "This forces us to take further measures to save, among other things related to the time and costs of construction."

One-of-a-kind manufacturers follow a completely different philosophy. Instead of fleeting trends, they emphasize design consistency and therefore do not have to change models as often. A concomitant effect is the high resale price of the yachts.

In the practice of serial construction of yachts in recent years, new materials (for example, laminate films) have been used as a replacement for veneer, which will never be accepted by the clients of traditional shipyards. The significant cost advantage over materials stems from different manufacturing philosophies. The dynamics of prices for materials and spare parts makes them almost unaffordable for small shipyards. Therefore, some small shipyards are trying to organize associations for joint procurement.

Production islands

The main feature of large shipyards is the emphasis on gaining maximum market share. Thanks to this, they are able to receive favorable purchase prices and reduce production costs. The length of the production cycles is arranged in such a way that the yachts, on the one hand, fit into all the customer's requirements, but, on the other hand, not all 100 %s take advantage of the structural advantages of the materials. Large shipyards cannot agree to this, as it will lead to an increase in time and financial costs, due to which the required prices for yachts will not be achieved.

The advantage of production islands it is precisely to take into account and take advantage of the use of specific materials. This statement applies to both adhesives, laminates, structural internal bulkheads and fittings that occur in any product due to material tolerances. The production islands are costly to organize the processes and guarantee a high level of flexibility and responsiveness, and batch production benefits from a well-organized purchasing and sales service.

Standard set or custom finish

In the shipyard Hanse optimization starts already in the development phase. Cooperation with a design bureau Judel / Vrolijk & Co is very tight. Both enterprises use a computer-aided design system in their work. Catia V5, in which “all of the yacht's constituent parts, such as the hull, internals or floorboards, are created to fit exactly like a 3D model,” explains Jorn Bock. "Modern milling machines use this data for the subsequent production of yacht moldings."

The own furniture manufacturing site also uses these programs to manufacture its modules; with minimal deviation from the norms. “Prefabricated parts, already equipped with pumps and inlets, are installed step by step in an inner set of a still open Plug and Play housing. Such a conveyor production with short changeover times thanks to the modular assembly in the inner set saves a lot of time and money, however, in this case, there is no need to talk about any high quality of yacht construction! " Jorn Bock.

Installation of internal elements through the entrance hatch

Traditional shipyards, of course, they also use modern technologies, such as, for example, CNC machines. However, during the construction of the yacht, they follow a completely different path: at first, the hull and deck are laminated to each other, like the bulkheads.

This production method has a great advantage: all elementary components are transformed into a homogeneous unit through full lamination, which can only be produced in a vacuum. According to small shipyards, this is the only method that guarantees long-term water resistance, as opposed to gluing and screwing in an open way of construction.

In addition, "this significantly increases the resistance to twisting of the hull, which can be primarily felt during rough seas, when nothing creaks, and all doors open without problems even with heavy water loads on the yacht," the chief knows X-Yachts Hans Wiggaard.

Large shipyards use robots and conveyor belts

The maximum possible abandonment of the internal kit leads to improved accessibility to different sections of the bottom, which is important in case of water seepage from the side or repairs in the keel area. For this, shipyards are deliberately resigning themselves to more labor-intensive interior furnishings and equipment. Each element is brought on board and assembled one by one. No element can be larger than the size of the entrance hatch allows, which is excluded with a modular construction method designed to save time.

Looking at the average construction time Sirius 35 DS between four and five months and the salary rates of German qualified employees, it quickly becomes clear how this way of building a yacht increases its price. 52.5 % of the cost of yachts from Plion is the salary (see table below). In large-scale production, this figure fluctuates between 8 and 10 % from the calculation.

Gerhard and Manfred Schöchl, yacht manufacturers Sunbeam: “The common goal of all production islands is to create a single monoblock. This results in a self-supporting structure from the keel to the entire hull to the deck. The bottom structure is created in one piece, in a polymer material. Thus, the same value of the tensile coefficients of the structural parts of the structure is achieved. The inner kit stows away in the keel area and on deck to ensure optimal maintenance costs and availability. ”

It turns out that the volume of skilled work performed, caused by the so-called island construction method, is increasing. Unlike in-line construction, in which the same prefabricated module must be built in the allotted time, the installation team must first create these parts, which is a complex approach that requires the application of know-how.

Or how an industry expert describes it Peter Mayer from Yachting Solutions"It is much easier and faster to prepare a galley module in advance using automated machines than to create it by hand and assemble it only in the yacht itself." Mayer estimates the additional time required to be 68 times higher. Here you can clearly see where the large number of working hours comes from and the resulting price increase.

Ultimately, with both methods of construction, work is carried out at an accelerated pace, however, with island production there is less pressure, since in the case of a real emergency, when performing a certain operation, there is no conveyor that runs further no matter what. This type of construction is focused on the end result.

Wood parts are chosen more carefully, the fit is more precise, the varnish adheres better, thanks to the longer retooling times and due to manual work, the individuality in the interior decoration increases. Ultimately, building a sturdy yacht simply requires more materials.

Almost all insular manufacturers glue or laminate interior extensions to the cabinet or interior structure. Bonding or laminating all lockers, bulkheads, cans and anchor box will increase the overall rigidity of the yacht. Serial manufacturers often install internal extensions on the move, as this is prescribed by the norms for the duration of the cycles. This operation alone takes about one fifth of the total working time. Quality takes time.

You have to pay for individuality

Large shipyards have learned the following: today the customer can choose infinitely among different keel options, wood finishes, materials, versions with two, three and even four cabins. The degree of customization in large shipyards is tied to interior fittings, modular construction and pre-fabricated pieces of furniture.

Possible changes in the options for internal extensions from serial manufacturers are seen mainly in the area of the internal set (through the gutters built into the form); shipyards such as Schоchl or X-Yachts, can go one step further with island manufacturing and build better overall quality and with love for detail. But they, too, ultimately become hostages of the proposed accommodation options for cabins and premises.

A huge step forward towards individuality is taken by shipyards producing semi-custom-made: Sirius, for example, suggests in the model 310 DS 6 keel options, 3 rigging options and 16 interior trim and fittings options. And even in each of these 16 versions, you can make more individual requirements. All this takes time to negotiate with the owner, flexible planning and construction that is not tied to norms and leads to a higher price.

Sirius yacht price structure

Sirius shipyard - pictured by owner Torsten Schmidt

• Fiberglass and gelcoat - about 6 %
• Deck devices and fittings - about 11.5 %
• Superstructures, rigging, sails - about 6.5 %
• Technics, motor, electronics - about 10 %
• Wood fixing materials - about 5 %
• The salary - approximately 52.5 %
• Marketing & Sales - about 1.25 %
• Design and development - about 4 %
• Rest - about 3.25 %

The approximate price structure of the Sirius yacht, according to Torsten Schmidt: the high share of wages is striking, which is explained by the duration of construction and the work of highly qualified specialists, as well as a small share of promotion costs: Sirius almost does not advertise, he organizes the sale of his products!

At the yachts of the shipyard Scalar only the body is normalized, the rest, in principle, is made to order. Shipyard owner Renata Shtekmest comments: "If anyone wishes to have a hand-made deck hatch instead of the factory aluminum hatch, we have no problem fulfilling that wish." In a simplified way, the following can be said: “The higher the degree of individualization, the more expensive the yacht is,” says Thorsten Schmidt from Sirius... However, the yacht can meet all the requirements of the future owner optimally only thanks to the maximum individualized construction method. "Of course, it makes a difference whether I am going on a long trek with only my spouse or want to sail with my whole family on the weekend."

Based on the size of the shipyard and the manufacturing process, the time factor greatly influences the price structure of a yacht. In addition, there are many details that affect whether a yacht will be produced sooner, more expensively or cheaper. It all starts at the very bottom, starting with the keel.

Lead keel versus iron

Most shipyards use a cast iron and steel keel as standard yacht models and only offer lead keel or cast iron keel with lead bulb as options. For a fair reason, since depending on the material used, a considerable amount can be saved.

In the end, the rule applies: keep the base price as low as possible in order to remain attractive to the customer. If we look at the prices of lead (1582 euros per 1 ton) and steel (about 800 euros per 1 ton) as raw materials, it becomes clear why, as a rule, the cheaper option is chosen. In this case, the costs are half.

To this can be added the more expensive process of creating a lead keel or a combination keel: "The top is from cast iron, and only the bulb is made from lead, which is time-consuming to process and connect," explains the yacht builder. Uwe Baikovsky.

So the additional costs, depending on the size of the yacht, can amount to several thousand euros. For example, in the case Dehler 35 the additional cost for a racing keel that is 10 cm longer than a standard gray cast iron keel is € 6,592. However, the lead keel, which some shipyards have already begun to offer as standard, has numerous advantages: unlike a cast iron keel, it does not rust, making maintenance easier. In addition, it protects the connections and hull structures above it much better in case of contact with the ground, as it absorbs up to 60 percent of the energy in contact with the ground through vibration and deformation. The higher density of lead (11.3 t / m3) in comparison with iron (7.8 t / m3) leads with an equal keel length to a higher value of the restoring moment due to a relatively low center of gravity, which leads or for better seaworthiness, or vice versa, when passing shallow water, can be used for a shorter lead keel; or for more elongated keel shapes that displace less water, benefits that aren't limited to regattas.

In addition to this, there are price differences due to the particular design of the keels. Retractable, lifting and dagger keels are more expensive due to more expensive mechanics and often also due to the presence of electrohydraulic control. However, they still remain a niche product. As for the stationary keels, only the differences between the materials lead and cast iron are significant.

Building a hull many paths leading to the goal

Laminate main structure

It is almost impossible to give a comprehensive opinion about the quality of the hull construction methods, says the shipbuilder Boris Hepp: complex is the interaction of design outputs, materials (resin, gelcoat and fiberglass) and their processing.

However, there are some obvious hull details that even a layman can see that there has been a lot of construction time involved. Side windows are common, starting from a certain length of the yacht, they interrupt the lines of force in the hull and must be additionally reinforced around the frames with fibrous fibrous tissue to resist the resulting pulling force.

As well as the construction of laminated fenders, as in Najad or Malo, is a complex and more time-consuming process than simple gluing or screwing, as with other shipyards.

Anyone who wants to get water outlets laid under the deck that do not leave ugly mud-slimy streaks on the gelcoat should know that they are more expensive to construct than a simple overboard channel on a coaming bar. Likewise, a closed transom will require more materials and time than an open one.

Integrated fender

Deep hold space is less and less common, although it has many benefits for cruising yachting: a yacht with a deep hold space and an accompanying S-shaped or V-shaped frame is less bowed in rough seas.

Flat holds have the following flaw: bilge water splashes against the bottom deck. However, “a deep hold is difficult to laminate due to its narrowness. Therefore, we build two halves of the enclosure, which are ultimately laminated to each other, which means another production step, ”explains the employee. X-Yachts.

In terms of shape and construction method, hulls must be designed in relation to their subsequent use. While durability and reliable seaworthiness (suitability for the storm) are important for a cruising yacht, for performance cruisers and racing yachts, light weight plays an important role while maximizing sharpness and stability on the course.

Bricks on the road to stiffening

Achieving good hull rigidity and strength is, after all, the goal of every shipyard, as these indicators affect the yacht's ride performance and are recognized as essential indicators for judging the quality of the hull. This tendency becomes more obvious when designing bottom groups, which significantly increase the rigidity of the hull. The costs that appear here are different: the number of bottom frame frames can already differ at the same value.

Inner set can strengthen the body

It is not possible to judge good quality based only on their quantity due to the complex nature of the structures, explains the yacht builder. Uwe Baikovsky, since "even the internal equipment can take on a temporary function of increasing the stiffness." As is the additionally padded fiberglass fabric that increases the rigidity of the hull in stress areas such as the keel area, bow area or around the rudder stock. This is part of the standard procedures of every shipyard, but some are more costly than others.

“Differences can be found in the number and type of fabrics (eg plain mat versus multi-axis fabric), as well as in the care taken along the resulting lines of force. Looking at the bottom groups as the backbone of a yacht is always rewarded: if there are stiffening longitudinal stringers or even laminated steel frames here, "this is clear evidence that the shipyard is serious about increasing rigidity." Of course, this means more work to be paid for.

Also from the outset, the thicker laminated flooring leads to increased cabinet rigidity and durability, but brings with it more weight. Indicative of this are early fiberglass structures, which, due to lack of experience, were laminated thicker than necessary. The fact that they do not have the same seaworthiness potential as modern lightweight glass-fiber structures is clear to everyone. However, they are still in use and are often in fairly good structural condition. It remains to be seen, but will they be able to say so about the majority of yachts under construction today in 50 years?

Fact: the stipulated CE-norms are nothing more than the minimum requirements for obtaining, for example, "Category A High Seas". Many shipyards today manufacture not only on the basis of the quality characteristics of materials, but also their prices at the lower permissible limit, while others still invest in safety reserves. This can be positively assessed in bad weather, since nothing creaks or twists, however, it is the cause of increased material costs.

Text and photo: Hinnerk Stumm

06.04.2012