The yachting power players making waves in 2018

2018 has been another stellar year for the superyacht industry. Here we celebrate the power players and newsmakers who made it one to remember...

Mehmet Karabeyoglu

It’s been a long road back to the top for Turquoise, but quality yards will always endure. Powered by fresh investment from Mohammed Al Barwani, who also owns Oceanco, this year it launched its biggest ever superyacht, 77 metre Go. One of the best berths at the Monaco Yacht Show underlined that this Turkish yard is on the up. CEO Karabeyoglu has been in the big chair since the beginning, and he continues to lead from the front, ably assisted by his daughter, Aysecan Zorlu.

He says: “We have various exciting projects in the pipeline and are looking ahead with determination and confidence.”

We say: Turquoise-hulled Go was a platform broad enough for the yard to showcase its many talents – and it has reaped plenty of praise.

During the 2016 London to Monaco bike ride, which raises money for the Blue Marine Foundation, Tom Hill, director of Rivergate Marina & Shipyard in Brisbane, Australia, was forced to withdraw with an injured knee. Later he discovered that this was the first symptom of an aggressive form of arthritis, and he faced news that he’d spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. But after a year of chemotherapy-like treatment, Hill is back on his feet – and took part in this year’s London to Monaco bike ride.

He says: “In 2017, I became more aware than ever of the importance of health, exercise, resilience, nutrition. I am spurred on by my own aims, but also for greater purpose.”

We say: A hero in the saddle and an inspiration to us all.

You heard it here first – the Azimut-Benetti Group will top Boat International’s Global Order Book once again this year. The GOB isn’t calculated on number of hulls under construction, but the total length of hulls under construction. Boosting Azimut-Benetti to the top spot in 2018 are its three huge 107 metre projects, which it is building in parallel at its Livorno facility. The team at the top of the yard are father-daughter duo Paolo and Giovanna Vitelli – a true Italian dynasty.

Paolo Vitelli says: “What a year. We’re up 18 per cent in production value – and we can’t wait to present to the world Benetti’s three gigayachts.”

We say: And we can’t wait to see these special projects on the water.

The two icons of the Italian superyachting scene spent a good part of the year negotiating a deal that should see Galassi’s giant Ferretti Group acquire Luca Bassani’sWally Yachts. News leaked just before the Monaco Yacht Show, with Galassi revealing that the talks had been going on for “months”. When the deal is finalised, Wally will become the only sailing brand in the Ferretti Group’s stable, which also includes Riva, Pershing, Mochi Craft, Ferretti, Itama, Custom Line and CRN. The acquisition will give Wally the scale and clout to become a bigger player in the sailing superyacht market, and for Ferretti, it’s another great Italian brand in its pocket.

Galassi says: “[Wally] is an extraordinary brand, synergistic with the other brands of the Ferretti Group.”

We say: The stylish sailing marque this empire was missing – a perfect fit.

Hadida was on holiday in Cape Town early this year when he heard that storied British boatbuilder Oyster had gone into administration. With him was Boat International columnist and former Oyster owner Eddie Jordan. At the time, the pair shared ownership of the Oyster 885 Lush, which Hadida now owns outright. Over a beer, the pair discussed the news and what could be done with the company. In March, the fruits of that discussion were revealed: Hadida, a British tech entrepreneur, had bought the company out of administration with an ambition to turn it around and deliver new models to the faithful Oyster audience and beyond.

He says: “My passion for the brand has driven my decision to acquire the business. When the news came through, I thought, ‘I have to do something.’”

We say: With his business nous, the world is his oyster.