The ‘crew versus designers’ debate has been going on for some time, and as time goes on, it seems more and more superyachts are, finally, taking into consideration the operational side of the yacht in the design – Amels’ Here Comes The Sun is just one example, which is looked at in detail in Issue 179 of The Superyacht Report.

However, the one department that really can suffer for lack of attention (to how the space needs to be used) is the galley, despite the delicious food being such an integral reason behind ownership for so many.

What we often see in this industry is designers working on a galley with land-based influences in mind. “As a result, [designers] input domestic appliances which are physically smaller than commercial-grade ones,” explains Ralph Olingschlager, director of GN Espace Galley Solutions. “From a designer’s perspective,” Olingschlager continues, “domestic equipment can appear to be adequate on board a yacht as it’s good for the family environment, but it’s not all good when you’re cooking for 15 people. And on board it’s intense all the time, so this is when the breakdowns come into play.”

An obvious solution is to get either a chef or a yacht galley designer, such as GN Espace Galley Solutions, involved early enough in the build stage. The other option, of considering the galley at too late a stage, isn’t an option of much appeal to owners, something superyacht chef Ewan Cameron experienced first hand during a build.

“I’ve worked on a new build which aesthetically looked good, if it was for a showroom, but it was totally impractical.”

“I’ve worked on a new build which aesthetically looked good, if it was for a showroom, but it was totally impractical,” Cameron recalls. “The ovens were too small for the numbers of guests and crew, likewise with fridges, and the complete layout was useless. I had to put up with it, apart from a new oven I managed to get installed. However, this delayed the build launch and there was an obvious cost to the owner and shipyard.”

It’s a discussion that requires designers and crew alike, and is one our Fleet and Designer Editor, Georgia Boscawen, looks at in depth in Issue 82 of The Crew Report, available to download now.

If you would like your yacht to receive The Crew Report, please fill in this form.

There will be a design-focused day taking place during The Superyacht Forum in Amsterdam, from 13-16 November, 2017, during which a plethora of design and operational discussions will be taking place. For more information on the event, please visit The Superyacht Forum website.

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GN Espace Galley Solutions Ltd

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