16 Jul 2012

Derecktor's 820T lift to double capacity

By Esther Barney

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Derecktor of Florida has received the first components of its 820T mobile boat hoist, expected to be operational by mid-September, which will more than double the refit and repair yard’s capacity out of the water, it says.

The Cimolai Technology hoist has been brought in because of the growing weight of superyachts in recent years, says Derecktor’s James Brewer: “Our key existing market is about 50 metres and 500 tonnes. But a new 50 metre boat is heavier in most cases than one that was built 10 or 12 years ago, so our core customer is getting heavier. This is one of the reasons we have been looking to increase our capacity. The other is the ability to transfer yachts off the Sychrolift and put them on land. Our existing system only allows us to transfer two boats off and have one boat on the elevator, a total of three. We will be modifying the existing pit installation, which has been here since 1967, to serve the new lift.”



The adapted system will allow for up to eight boats to be out of the water at a time. The new hoist will be the largest mobile unit in Florida and the second largest in the US, says Brewer. “We chose to invest in the upgrade now on the assumptions that the economy is going to improve and that the existing megayacht fleet is still going to need servicing. If one is not moving forward, one is moving backwards.”

Although the state has always featured highly on radar of those looking for superyacht service and repair work anywhere in the world, there have been a marked number of facility improvements throughout Florida in recent years. When asked if he feels that there will be sufficient demand for the yard’s newly increased capacity, Brewer was confident that there is plenty of work not just for Derecktor but all of Florida’s facilities:

“I believe that over time three different types of facility have emerged: the full-service facility, like Derecktor; the do-it-yourself facility, like Lauderdale Marine Center, where one is buying space and subcontractors work on the boat; and the resort-destination facility like Rybovich. Each one of those fits different specific needs that an owner might have; I believe, based on these three alternative [types of yard], there is more than enough business to go around.”

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