Earlier this month at Chelsea Piers in New York City, a select group of journalists gathered aboard the luxury yacht Katya to discuss the state of the ultimate high end market. Burgess, the superyacht brokerage company, hosted the event, showcasing the 46 metre (150ft) yacht which was delivered in 2009 from Delta Marine in Seattle.
Katya is a fine example of US custom superyacht construction, featuring lush interiors and abundant decks with a spectacular topside spa pool.
She is available for sale for US$34.95 million, and is available for charter this summer in New England from US$161,000 to US$196,000 per week.
In the niche market of uber luxury goods at the top end of the spectrum there is a rarified group of the world’s wealthiest consumers. What they are buying and for how much signals not only the ultimate status symbol but trends in the global economy.
Robert Frank, wealth reporter for CNBC sat down with Jonathan Beckett, Chief Executive of Burgess, to discuss the superyacht market.
Frank: How has the yacht market changed pre-crisis to now?
Beckett: A yacht owner phoned me the other day and said ‘What’s the market like?’ and I said, ‘It’s a fantastic market… if you’re a buyer.’ Pre 2008 it was very much a sellers’ market. There was huge demand and the supply wasn’t there to satisfy the demand. A number of owners were commissioning and building from two to five yachts and selling them during production for a premium. Today there’s a huge supply in comparison to demand so prices are under enormous pressure. Prices have reduced substantially and no one is building on spec any more. There are a lot of deals to be done. That’s the interesting thing about the American market. Americans understand about deals and there are fantastic yachts out there at fantastic prices.
Frank: What is the new geography of wealth? Where are the buyers coming from?
Beckett: The traditional markets were America, Europe and the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia. Those markets are still very much in play, however Europe is struggling a bit. The most active new market is still Russia and that whole block has a strong interest in buying particularly big yachts. The Gulf States market has come on very strongly, again for very large yachts. Burgess has been involved in the design and commissioning of the world’s largest yacht. It’s taken five years to build, is 180 metres (591ft) in length and she will be the largest and fastest yacht in the world. At the top end of our market there’s a big demand for the 100 metres (328ft) plus and US$250 million dollars plus yachts. There are 15 – 18 of those size yachts in production which will cost anywhere from US$250 to US$500 million. Australia has also ridden the financial crisis much better than other countries and has a culture of water and sailing.
Frank: From the media perspective it seems that fortunes are back and wealth is back and real estate in New York and Miami is seeing high prices. What has changed in the minds of the wealthy after the crisis?
Beckett: In our market demand is definitely coming back and we have had more interest in Katya now than in the last 12 months. A lot of our clients were feeling nervous even if they were billionaires. The market has settled over the last couple of years and now they’re more comfortable with where they are even if their wealth has reduced. Now they are very value conscious – even the Russians compared to what they were in 2008. They disappeared from our market for 18 months. There will always be prime assets which people will pay a premium for.
Frank: You work with some of the most interesting people on the planet, CEOs or entrepreneurs. What have you learned from your clients?
Beckett: The devil is in the details. It all hinges on the relationship with each individual client. Knowing the client and getting into the psyche of the client who comes on board the yacht is important, everything from what they like to drink to their favourite music. We customise the experience.
Frank: How important is face time with the client?
Beckett: There are 2500 superyachts in the world and we sell 20 – 30 a year so we are really cherry picking clients one by one. One of the reasons we have done very well is that all our brokers and managers are employed personnel so if we have an inquiry from Beijing or Los Angeles or Moscow we will immediately dispatch someone on a plane to talk to the client in person. Independent contractor brokers may try to do it by phone or email because they have to pay their own expenses.
Frank: And where do you find the next new high net worth client?
Beckett: Referrals from existing clients. There’s a great deal of respect between these high net worth individuals. Who better to ask than your fellow world leaders sitting at the top? We also are very active in our marketing, everything from sending out our sleek catalogues to strategic alliances with exclusive luxury brands. We’re very focused – the superyacht industry may seem glamorous from the outside, but it’s a 24/7 business every day of the year and we are not complacent. We are constantly running from one airport or meeting to the next rather than sitting by the pool.