Ahead of the imminent launch of The Superyacht Report 227: Refit Focus, SuperyachtNews presents a content preview with one of the core feature articles in the latest edition and the first issue of 2026. Here, marine engineering consultant Terry Allen spells out how selecting the right yard for a refit or major maintenance period can make the difference between success and disaster – and whether the owner walks away from a project.

Starting on the right foot is always a good start. This overview of opinion, as it is based on my experiences, is perhaps to a degree biased yet, I hope, informative enough that one day I might save an investor/owner from experiencing the disasters we have all seen by choosing the wrong tool for the job.

Selecting the right shipyard for a refit or major maintenance period is a critical decision, one which should be weighed out carefully – planning is something that rarely happens in this industry. The choice determines not only the technical outcome of the work, but also the time, cost and overall experience of the project. Of course, one important item of consideration in this industry is how far are the restaurants and bars for the crew as the crew element of this industry does impact the decision.

Every shipyard can paint, weld and pull shafts, but not every shipyard has the same mindset, infrastructure or operational culture. The key is to understand what type of yard you’re dealing with and match that mentality to the job at hand. Broadly speaking, there are three main categories in our world: new-build yards, refit yards and commercial yards. Each operates under a different philosophy, and each brings advantages and risks depending on your vessel, your scope and your expectations.

The best refit yards understand that a yacht under refit is a living, breathing environment:
crew still on board, systems partly operational. This environment requires fast decision-making,
clear communication and, above all, respect for the vessel’s operational life.

The new-build mentality
If you want a new boat then you are in the right place, but for refit, let’s look at the mentality aspect. New-build shipyards are structured around process, control and predictability. Their strength lies in design and fabrication under a controlled environment, where every system is installed in sequence and every discipline follows a tightly defined production schedule.

A refit is absolutely none of the above and a refit in this environment collides with that same rigid structure. A refit, by nature, is full of surprises: corroded studs, components that do not come apart like it says in the book, design compromises that no drawing can predict. New-build teams struggle with this level of fluidity.
On the other hand, if your refit involves major structural modifications or significant integration with new technology, returning to the new-build yard of origin adds the knowledge of the vessel’s build and systems, and combined strong new-build engineering capability can be a great advantage.

You just have to ensure they understand that refit work moves by diagnosis, not by schedule.

In a new-build yard, production efficiency is king. In a refit, problem-solving is king.

When the two cultures clash, costs and timelines can spiral if expectations aren’t managed clearly from the start.

We’ve all seen examples of this happening, to the point where the owner drops the project and walks away.

The refit yard mentality
Dedicated refit yards are built around the opposite principle: flexibility. Their business relies on existing vessels returning for maintenance, upgrades and surveys. They deal daily with incomplete information, changing scope and Class survey deadlines.

The best refit yards understand that a yacht under refit is a living, breathing environment: crew still on board, systems partly operational. This environment requires fast decision-making, clear communication and, above all, respect for the vessel’s operational life.

Where a new-build yard might need a technical drawing to change a bracket, a good refit yard has an engineer who will measure, fabricate and install the fix within the day. That practical, can-do attitude is the essence of a true refit yard.

However, flexibility can also mean variability. Some refit yards grow rapidly and take on more projects than their infrastructure can handle, leading to shared trades and shifting manpower. Selecting a refit yard isn’t only about their facilities it’s about their project-management discipline, their ability to deliver on time and ability to understand the task and reaction time on the constant changing parameters.

In the best refit yards, you’ll find experienced technical managers with solid engineering experience who understand the yachting standards and requirements and who know how to communicate directly with the owner’s team rather than through layers of office management. These yards succeed because they know that the refit experience is as important as the result.

A successful refit isn’t just about skills or cranes, it’s about mentality alignment.
The right shipyard is the one whose culture fits your project’s profile DNA.

The commercial yard approach
I have considered this element because it has become a small trend with explorer vessels and conversions, which is still a refit. The ship already exists so it’s not a new build.

Combining the knowledge and the mentality is the key here. The commercial yards have great engineering and design teams but lack the understanding of the functionality of the ‘yachty’ requirements.
On paper, they can handle any technical task: hull steel, propulsion systems, piping, heavy lifts, blasting and painting. They often have deep-water access, large cranes and competent tradesmen. The difference lies in mentality. Commercial yards work to a price, not an experience.

Their usual clients are fleet operators who want reliable function, not fine finishes. That makes them extremely efficient for engineering work or machinery overhauls, but potentially ill-suited for cosmetic refit or guest-area work unless a yacht outfitting company is included in the contract and planning of the project.

That doesn’t make them the wrong choice, it simply means they must be matched for the task at hand. A commercial yard can save substantial cost on mechanical and structural work, provided the project team defines boundaries clearly: where their work ends and where yacht-standard subcontractors take over.

Matching yard to mission
Choosing the right yard is therefore not about finding ‘the best’, it’s about finding the right fit for the specific scope.

Consider these three key questions:

• What is the primary driver of this refit?
• How much owner or crew interaction is expected during the period?
• How adaptable is the shipyard’s management culture?

A successful refit isn’t just about skills or cranes, it’s about mentality alignment. The right shipyard is the one whose culture fits your project’s profile DNA.

A refit yard lives in the real world: quick decisions, changing scopes and last-minute surprises. A new-build yard lives in the world of order and procedure. A commercial yard lives in the world of cost efficiency and turnaround times.

A new-build yacht yard converting a commercial vessel – we have all seen how that finishes in tears when designers and dreamers try to convert a floating workhorse into a vision of fantasy.

Understanding these differences and choosing accordingly will save not only time and money, but also relationships, reputations and sleep. It may also inflate the faith of the owner/investor in the yachting industry so they don’t walk away with a bad taste in their mouth as we have also seen happen before.

The best projects I’ve seen are the ones where the yard, the owner’s team and Class work as partners, not adversaries. That starts with choosing the right yard for the right job. 

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