| Yacht building has always remained a labor intensive | | | | made of steel apart from Athena, made by Royal |
| but a highly stimulating and satisfying experience for | | | | Huis. The yacht statistics also suggests the majority |
| many boat manufacturers. What differentiate a | | | | of the large boats were between 80 to 90 feet. |
| Yacht from a traditional ship are the grace and the | | | | SALES INCREASE |
| ultimate majesty of the larger sailing yachts. Let us | | | | It is amazing to find that 76 percent of the yachts |
| review the recent trends in the yacht industry and | | | | sold had been custom ordered by the owners. The |
| the accompanying sales statistics. | | | | statistics further state that 449 yachts were |
| A SAMPLE OF JOB MARKET | | | | pre-ordered as compared to only 136 boats that had |
| The US boat building industry recognized the fact | | | | no prior customer. The trend towards owning is |
| that yacht building is historically a very complicated | | | | increasing every year. In 2004, yacht sales increased |
| process which requires highly skilled labor. Due to the | | | | 15 percent from the previous year. There were 518 |
| complex factors involved, the statistics show that on | | | | motor boats sold as compared to 69 of the |
| average a $40000 worth of a project is only | | | | traditional sailing boats. Perini Navi, an Italian |
| providing one job to the Rhode Island and Florida | | | | manufacturer was the premier sailing boat builder. |
| yacht development efforts. There is an extreme | | | | Most of the yachts sold were made up of fiberglass, |
| shortage of Yacht builders which far exceeds the | | | | steel or aluminum hulls. MTU Friedrichshafen, a |
| threat to the US economy, from the low cost | | | | German company and caterpillar are the leading |
| overseas workers. | | | | engine manufacturers of the yachts. The statistics |
| STATISTICS IN YEAR 2004 | | | | look even more staggering if we take into account |
| According to the popular website, Yacht Forums, the | | | | the fact that together, they hold more than 75 |
| statistics for the year 2003-04 reveal that 52 percent | | | | percent of the yacht engine market share. |
| of the global market share is held by the top 20 | | | | CURRENT STATISTICS |
| yacht manufacturers. The Azimut-Benetti group of | | | | According to the statistics provided by the luxury |
| Italy represents Italy's premier boat yards. They | | | | yacht market economic report at the Monaco yacht |
| worked on 59 major projects in a year and made or | | | | show, year 2005 saw an increase of 25 percent in |
| sold over 7000 feet of yacht. The statistics also | | | | the sales of the luxury yachts. Year 2006, saw a |
| reveals the fact that the other two rivals of the | | | | further increase of 8 percent. These statistics also |
| Italian group are in fact, locals. Rodriguez and Ferretti | | | | reveal that the average length of the yacht |
| group provided or sold over 4000 feet of yacht, | | | | increased from 34.56 meters in 2005 to 36.25 meters |
| each. These groups are involved in building | | | | in 2006. In 2006, there were 688 mega yachts that |
| semi-custom fiberglass yachts. The figures also revels | | | | were over 24 meters in length. These figures |
| that the top three countries in yacht building are | | | | combine sailing and motor propelled yachts. It should |
| Italy, Netherlands and the United States, in order. | | | | be noticed here that the same report has suggested |
| Yacht building statistics provides a firm clue that | | | | that there is a decline in the sailing yacht market |
| manufactures sell larger yachts, every year. The | | | | since 2002. The sailing yacht market recorded a |
| 2004 season saw Lurssen producing three of the | | | | decline of 8 percent in 2006, from the previous year. |
| four largest yachts. Most of the yachts sold were | | | | |