What else comes to mind when it comes to portraying a modern successful person? Of course, a yacht! A manor on Rublevka, a house in Nice, an elegant sports coupe, clothes from Milan boutiques … What else comes to mind when it comes to a portrait of a modern successful person? Of course, a yacht!
In recent years, Russia has seen a serious surge in sales of various equipment for water recreation. Sales increase annually by 20-30% per year, and no economic crises are reflected in this growth. And small boats for Sunday rest, and huge sea megayachts diverge like hot cakes.
Even with the mentality typical of our country, when in the metro you can meet a student in a D&G T-shirt, bought with money saved from three scholarships, or driving business class cars, but managers do not have their own housing, your own yacht remains the lot of a special circle - the club of the wealthy hedonists, a society of truly respectable people.
Who are they, these chosen ones? What trends in yacht building are the most relevant today? How much does it cost to maintain the ship to its owner? For answers to these questions, the correspondent went to the Moscow Yacht Festival, where he talked with the exclusive representative of the Wendy marine company - one of the most famous shipyards in Norway - Mikhail Ulyanov.
What is a modern yacht, what kind of yachts are there, and why are often huge ships, more like the Titanic, called "yachts", because in the minds of most people, a yacht is a small ship with a sail.
Today, owning your own yacht, along with a private jet, is a sure evidence of a person's belonging to the political or economic elite. Yacht owners are people who know a lot about life and are ready to pay for their premium status. The discussion of who spent his vacation on what yachts has become one of the most popular topics in the circles of Russian sybarites, and only the lazy does not know about the characteristics of the new yacht of the governor of Chukotka.
A ten-meter sailing vessel and a hundred-meter cruiser really fall under the term “yacht”. The dramatic differences depend on how the yacht is propelled. It is either a sail - and then the yacht is a "sailing", or an engine - and, as a consequence, it is called "motor". Motor boats, in turn, are divided into planing (develop high speed and are optimal for weekend walks) and displacement (mainly sea cruisers). Shipyards usually specialize in either sailing or motor yachts, although there are companies that make both. It so happened that in Russia sailing yachting is not so popular, although recently there has been a noticeable revival in this area. Therefore, the lion's share of the yachts purchased in our country are motor yachts.
How popular is water recreation in the world?
Very popular! Suffice it to say that in the USA alone, there are about three thousand yacht brands, and in one of the cities of Italy, seventy-six manufacturers peacefully coexist! Yes, and more than a hundred companies are represented on the Russian market today.
Is yachting fashionable? If yes, please tell us about the latest trends
In general, yachting is quite conservative. Unlike the automotive industry, new trends in yacht design appear every 10-15 years. Powerful sports yachts have become an obvious trend lately; they are becoming even faster and more luxurious.
Why are yachts so expensive?
Both for the construction of yachts and for their decoration, the latest exclusive materials and technologies are used. Shipbuilding is quite knowledge-intensive and requires an extremely serious attitude. The hull of the boat can withstand enormous dynamic loads. It happened that the frivolous attitude of some shipbuilders to the production of a yacht led to the fact that the hull was corny cracking on a good wave. Manufacturers of yachting equipment, due to very strict requirements and the highest reliability of their products, can also be counted on one hand. And there is nothing to say about finishing - luxury in all its manifestations - genuine leather, teak, mahogany, marble, expensive alloys.
What's in store for the new owner? They say that maintaining a yacht is no less expensive than buying it …
Maintenance costs are about ten percent of the value of the boat. In the winter, yachts are lifted out of the water and "canned", and in the summer the yacht needs a crew. They are usually stored in boathouses. Therefore, the owner of such a vessel spends at least twenty thousand conventional units per year, even if the yacht does not move at all. A special item of expenditure is fuel. For example, this fifteen-meter boat, on which we are now, consumes about two tons of fuel in twelve hours. And the luxury tax in Russia is one of the highest in the world - 30%. So, if your friend owns a yacht, then he definitely shouldn't complain about poverty. By the way, there is one incident in the life of Russian shipowners. The boat needs to be registered with the military registration and enlistment office! Apparently for use in case of war as a torpedo boat.
What about the infrastructure? I heard that some time ago there were serious difficulties with this in Moscow
Now the situation has changed. Yacht clubs are mushrooming. The marinas (equipped “parking lots” for yachts) have swept out almost all the beaches from the banks of the Moskva River and reservoirs. So, the owners do not experience any problems with parking or gas stations. Unique establishments have emerged, such as restaurants that can be moored by boat.
The typical yacht buyer is a respectable gentleman with Dupont glasses?
Completely optional. Once with the words "can I see the boat?" we were approached by a man in sweatpants who had arrived in the sixth model of "Zhiguli". I studied the offers, and the next day, on the same "six", I arrived with a plastic bag of money to make out the purchase.
Are there women among the customers?
Yes, not often, but they do come across.
Probably, their orders are particularly original. Imagine a pink yacht with rhinestones …
Well, rather, these are not quite ordinary women. As a rule, they are familiar with yachting firsthand and they have a strong marine handshake.
Surely the Russian yachting market is different from the world one?
I wouldn't say that. The climate in Scandinavia is not too different from ours. Yachts are fully adapted even to near-zero temperatures (for example, in addition to a powerful air conditioning system, there is also an autonomous heater), and the hull is completely capable of withstanding -50 degrees. The boat has everything you need: from well-equipped cabins to modern communication and life support systems. There is even a watermaker, so as long as there is fuel on board, nothing can prevent VIPs from enjoying the trip.
Can the owner of the yacht on board read the magazine?
Of course. Each cabin has Internet and satellite communications!
How many people personally navigate their own ship?
Yes, many people enjoy it. For example, the owner of the boat, on which we are with you, gladly takes the helm himself.
There are examples among people who bought a yacht and eventually became real enthusiasts. Some of our clients, without expecting it, become true fans who devote a lot of their time and money to this business.
Since for many, buying a yacht is a business they are faced with for the first time, do not beginners have any problems finding a place to moor and store, with service?
Absolutely none! After all, a yacht is a luxury item, therefore, the approach to the client is absolutely exclusive and as individual as possible. The company that sold the vessel is ready to take on all the problems of its operation, from finding a yacht club to hiring a crew.
Photographer: Veronika Shandarinova
