15 May 2012

Sanlorenzo launches Experienced Yachts refit programme

By Lulu Trask

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Italian shipyard Sanlorenzo appears to be exploring innovative strategies to escape its country’s and continent’s economic struggles. In April the shipyard launched its 38m superyacht Souraya, and earlier this month its seventh 40.5m 40Alloy. Now, during a time where forecasts suggest more potential buyers are looking to the second-hand market, Sanlorenzo has launched a new refit programme for its trade-in yachts.

“In this period there are not many yards which actually can afford such an investment,” said Daniele Caronna, head of the department for Sanlorenzo’s refit programme Experienced Yachts, who spoke exclusively to SuperaychtNews.com. “This investment was impressive.”

“The purpose of the program is not to take a boat which is five years old and make it one year old,” said Caronna. “You are buying a five-year-old boat, which will become the best five-year-old boat you can find on the market.”

Experienced Yachts is a comprehensive management and refit programme dedicated to second-hand yachts, based in the shipyard’s Ameglia facility, whose marina was opened last July. Potential customers are asked to trade in an existing boat, which need not be a Sanlorenzo build, as part of a new purchase, at which point the traded-in model will become part of the Experienced Yachts programme.

The programme begins with a RINA quality certification of the process according to the Refitting, and Maintenance Quality Assurance (RMQA). Initial checks are carried out at the owner’s premises, and once the boat has been approved it is moved to Sanlorenzo’s Ameglia facility where it becomes property of the shipyard and is under the management of the seven people who make up the Experienced Yachts team. A detailed assessment takes place out of the water of the typically submerged part of the boat, which sees the hull, fibreglass, shaft propellers, rudders and possible occurrence of osmosis checked and dealt with. This process is followed by the boat’s sea trials, during which the engine manufacturer and technicians are present.



After the extensive 450-point check it is decided which kind of intervention is necessary to refurbish the possibly damaged components. “The main purpose of this is so we don’t have a surprise with the boat once we accept the trade-in, and this means that our future customers will have the availability of a very good boat. We are not trading-in boats that are far from ideal conditions,” said Caronna.

The Experienced Yachts fleet is based largely at the shipyard’s Ameglia facility in La Spezia, with some units in other areas, though yachts larger than 27m lie in the shipyard’s Marina Porto Bello just 20km away, though all units are managed by the same team and are permanently on exhibition.

Talking to SuperyachtNews.com, Caronna highlighted the importance of the programme’s business model: “Our model was to create, in a typical yachting environment, what Audi and BMW and the top brands in the automotive market are doing. I think this is visible when you have total control of the yacht, people and the premises where the operation is carried out.”

Speaking to Caronna, however, it was the quality of customer service that he was most excited to talk about. “The dedicated team is following the delivery of the boat, following our customer care rules exactly as we do with our new boats. [The owner's] requirements are carried out by our team with exactly the same approach as that for a new owner of a new Sanlorenzo. That’s why we insist on the fact that Experienced Yachts are premium opportunities, because Sanlorenzo is behind it. Whatever a customer is going to buy, they are a Sanlorenzo customer.”

Motoryachts currently in the Experienced Yachts programme include Sanlorenzo’s 26.75m Gualicho asking €3.8 million, Sanlorenzo’s 24m Anfema asking €2.1 million, Horizon Yachts’ 26.8m Saphira asking €1.7 million, Riva’s 26m Mentxu asking €3 million, Canados’ 25.35m 80S model asking €1.1 million, and Heesen’s 25.3m Fabienne asking €1.25 million.

Related Links

Sanlorenzo Profile | Experienced Yachts Website

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