Brookes Bell, partner of The Superyacht Forum, considers the role that technological solutions have in ensuring that the superyacht market is building for the next generation, as well as exploring the changing habits of superyacht owners.  

“I think that for us, building for the next generation leans more towards the development of next-generation technology,” starts Adam Whittle, marketing manager at Brookes Bell. “On the proactive side, it means using our proprietary in-house designed software packages to enable designers to produce every more amazing designs, whilst being able to conform to strict build regulations. On the reactive side, advances in non-invasive scanning technology means that, when an incident occurs or a superyacht is ready for a refit, our surveyors can inspect the vessel with no damage to the vessel and minimal financial impact to the owner.”

During The Superyacht Forum, Brookes Bell will be demonstrating its new Non-Destructive Testing equipment called ‘PEC Deck’, which enables the ability to “see through” teak decks in order to determine any problems that lie beneath. In essence, it allows various stakeholders to determine the condition of the deck plate without having to remove the teak deck. The system is also able to see through finished coatings, insulation or antifouling.

When a superyacht goes into refit, for example, it is now possible to know the exact amount of teak decking that needs to be taken up to address corrosion underneath, instead of ripping up the entire deck in order to establish the extent of the works needed. The PEC Deck probes can scan large areas and/or small areas to determine the amount of material that has been affected by corrosion. The probes can scan through any non-conductive material to create a full assessment. The advancement can dramatically reduce time, cost and material wastage during the refit process and, according to the Brookes Bell team, the technology has already been incredibly well received by the superyacht fraternity.

It is widely accepted that, especially where it concerns refit, that owners are expecting more to be done in a shorter period of time. The PEC Deck system can add plenty in terms of refit efficiency and, therefore, ties in perfectly with the expectations of the next generation of superyacht owners. “The next generation of owners, especially Generation Z (Gen Z) have not known a time when they haven’t had access to things rapidly, whether it be information, services or even wealth, waiting is not something that they are accustomed to,” continues Whittle.

“I also think that the way the next generation will use a superyacht will be very different – more adventurous, shorter but more regular stays on board, exploring destinations that are not yet synonymous with yachting. I think that Gen Z and future generation will want to get away from the norm, perhaps they will use smaller superyachts because size may become secondary to functionality. Perhaps they will have more adventurous toys, such as bigger subs.”

During The Superyacht Forum, as well as showcasing its various technological solutions, Brookes Bell will be highlighting how its multi-disciplinary capability allows it to support clients throughout the entire superyacht lifecycle: from design issues in pre-build, disputes in build, casualty investigation, forensic analysis, expert witness and more.

Remaining tickets to The Superyacht Forum 2019 are available here. Join us from 18-20 November in Amsterdam and enjoy three days of engaging workshops, thought-provoking keynotes, and interact with leading minds from our market to learn about the subjects that you and your clients need to know.

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