4 images

The perks of refitting a superyacht tender

17 October 2022 • Written by Laura Nicholls for Maritime Yacht Services

Several standout superyachts have been relaunched with a new look in recent years. Yet this consistently strong demand doesn’t just stop with superyachts; it branches out to everything a mothership may own – particularly tenders.

Instead of forking out for a brand-new craft, refit specialists Maritime Yacht Services are assuring owners it is much more feasible, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly to opt to refit a well-loved tender. As proven by the company’s recent work, a tender can easily be brought up to speed with the latest technologies, designs and sustainability requirements. The team ensures that everything is managed effectively with impeccable communication and structure whilst staying flexible for the client.

Recently, a 10-metre limousine tender and an 8.6-metre beach lander arrived at Maritime Yacht Services HQ in the UK to seek the help of the company’s founding husband-and-wife-duo, Sophie and James Tapp. These tenders belong to a large mothership and required a six-month overhaul at one of the firm’s facilities. They benefited from an expert in-house team of specialists who have developed their careers at some of the world's most prestigious superyacht manufacturers.

“The standard of craftsmanship that we offer is beyond industry standards,” explains company co-founder and qualified yacht surveyor, James Tapp. “These tenders came to us via Sophie’s father, Mark Pascoe of Falcon Tenders, formerly Pascoe International, and belong to a client who soon learned of our ultra-high standards and first-class customer service.”

To kick things off, Sophie and the company’s project managers travelled to meet the client and evaluate the works, the costs and required parts, the timeframe and the allocated budget. The main items on the to-do list were two complete repaints, electrical inspections, new lights and sound systems, and replacements of the tenders’ interiors, air conditioning and teak decking. “And the work is completed with as many environmentally friendly products as possible,” adds Sophie Tapp.

With the brief set and agreed upon between the client, the client’s management company and the captain, the Maritime Yacht Services team created checklists for every stage of the project, which included a paint inspection carried out by a third party at the end of the project. “This is just one of the ways in how we keep our promise to return tenders in better-than-new condition,” adds Sophie Tapp. “We have implemented key processes that compliment and assist our excellent customer service thus making  the transaction easy and transparent – with no surprises!”

Refit work often uncovers hidden problems that need to be fixed. In this instance, the team at Maritime Yacht Services have a bulletproof process. “Any unforeseen issues that we find are recorded on video and sent to the client for approval. We understand our clients, and one of their biggest upsets is finding out that extras have been added to the bill without permission. That’s why our transparency and mission to keep our clients updated with progress and budget reports has led to deeper and trusting relationships,” says Sophie Tapp.

Once the work was completed, the original budget didn’t alter, nor did the delivery date. “Endeavour to avoid delays and save valuable funds for our clients. This project is just one of the growing number of tenders that come to us for our friendly and hard-working approach by our team of skilled experts who repeatedly replace and recondition every element of a vessel to a state-of-the-art condition” says Sophie Tapp.

Having grown up around the manufacturing of superyacht tenders, Sophie Tapp has a keen eye for the detail that clients expect; and the effort required from dedicated teams to meet them. James and Sophie's friendly yet hard-working approach has meant their company’s results of completed successful projects are growing year on year. Collaborating with owners and numerous management and middle commercial companies with refitting projects, Maritime Yacht Services has become a go-to company for clients that want proven results with a personal touch.

To find out more about how to book your tender in for a refit with Maritime Yacht Services, contact the team directly here.


Sponsored content created for Maritime Yacht Services