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A Brief History Of Nautor's Swan

Nautor's Swan is a Finnish builder of luxury sailing yachts based in Jakobstad and is known for its Swan range of yachts. The company was founded in 1966 and is today controlled by Italian businessman Leonardo Ferragamo and a group of investors. The company built its 2000th yacht in August 2012 with the launch of a Swan 56 named Freya.

  Today Nautor's Swan employs 400 people and has a plant at Kallby just outside Jakobstad which moulds the hulls for all the Swan yachts and also has an indoor water test tank. This plant also assembles the smaller Swan yachts, while the Swan Maxi's – from the Swan 60 to the Swan 115 - are assembled at a plant in Jakobstad itself. The third plant is in Kronoby near Jakobstad and it is here that a team of carpenters produces the exotic hand-made wood interiors which have become a classic feature of Swan yachts.

  In the early 80's the company appointed Argentinian German Frers as designer, and so far over 900 of his yachts have been sold, some of these being the Swan 45 class which was built from 2002 – 2006. In recent years the company has moved away from its' traditional racing yachts like the Swan 45 class into luxury high end cruising yachts up to the Swan 131, also designed by Frers who continues to this day.

  Read more at Swan 45 class

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A Brief History Of The Frers Yacht Design family

German Mani Frers is the third generation of his family to design high speed racing yachts and motor yachts, his grandfather German Frers having been designing and building yachts based on the Colin Archer double enders back in 1926 at his yard in Buenos Aires which had a workforce of 60 boat builders. German Frers Snr went on to design and produce over 600 yachts. In 1949 his yacht Fjord III was the outright winner of the Buenos Aires / Rio Race. In 1964 Fjord V was 2nd in class in the Bermuda Race, and in 1972 Fjord VI was 3rd in class in the same race, beginning a trend toward flush-decked no-compromise racing yachts.

Mani's father, German Frers II, caught his father's passion for design and speed and in 1965 was invited by Rod Stephens, the American designer, to join the firm of Sparkman and Stephens in New York which was at the time the best-known designer of America's Cup, off-shore, and ocean racing yachts. He spent three years there, after which he returned to Buenos Aires to take over the family business. He is still designing yachts to this day – both sailing yachts and motor yachts – including a range of yachts for Nautor's Swan - and one of his superyachts, Unfurled, won the 2016 Sailing Yacht of the Year Award. Last year he was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Showboats Magazine.

Read more at German Frers

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PURA – Experience a New Sailing Superyacht

Royal Huisman has joined forces with Frers Design to collaborate on a new sailing superyacht design concept called PURA.

The superyacht is available in varying lengths from 38 metres - 43 metres and is focused on customisation. The yacht comes with 80% of the engineering completed, with the rest of the design open to interpretation to meet an owner’s specifications and tastes. The completed engineering includes the propulsion, power generation, security systems and hydraulics, as well as the mast, rig, sail plan and sail handling.

The hull, deck and superstructure are customisable, with architect Mani Frers providing owners with drawings of different bow and stern profiles based on their input. Three different versions are available; classic, modern and retro as well as additional customisable options including the interior.

The yacht can accommodate a maximum of 8 guests, and includes an owner’s ensuite stateroom and three twin guest cabins, one of which is convertible into a double. Various accommodation layouts available including placing the owner’s stateroom fore or aft.

No two Pura yachts will look the same. What they do share is Huisman quality and Frers performance, together with a level of management that takes away all the headaches of yacht ownership. Just as Rolls Royce know exactly how each of their aero engines are performing on aircraft around the world, Huisman engineers can monitor every aspect from engines to electronics remotely and minimise downtime. And like the aerospace industry, there is a programme to upgrade systems to new technologies and renew interior and exterior layouts at 6-yearly intervals to maintain each yacht’s timeless youth and reflect the passion of each owner and her creators.

For further details visit: http://frers.design/sailing-yachts/work-in-progress/pura/

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A Holiday With A Difference – Cruising On Your Own Floating Hotel

When it comes to holiday time, many people book a hotel in Spain and jet off for their two weeks in the sun. However, why spend two weeks sitting on a beach when you could be looking at many different beaches from the comfort of a superyacht? For about the same cost as renting a villa, you can step on board one of the chartered superyachts for hire and have your own floating villa complete with a team of staff. It's like having a five-star floating hotel.

Read more at superyachts

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A Much More Comfortable Ride With The Volvo Interceptor System

The Volvo Penta Interceptor System is a boat trim system making for easier, safer, and more comfortable driving. Volvo Penta's Vessel Control System – the company's electronic platform – integrates with the Volvo Interceptor System which makes it very easy to handle. The system can be used in any planing or semi-planing Volvo Penta-powered boats of 35 feet or larger, making driving safer and more comfortable.

The Volvo Interceptor System has a precise manual control mode, but this can be extended with three automatic modes, each of which has been develop with the intention of improving the boating experience in terms of comfort, visibility, and reduced fuel consumption.

Read more at Volvo Interceptor System

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Sailing superyacht Spiip returns to Royal Huisman for refit

The 34.17 metre sailing superyacht Spiip has returned to her home yard for a winter refit. The German Frers-designed Royal Huisman superyacht arrived at the Netherlands-based refit facility Huisfit after completing a summer cruise in Scandinavian waters.

Spiip is one of seven yachts currently being refitted at the Dutch yard over the winter period.

Improvements scheduled to take place on Spiip includes service work and various electric and electronics upgrades.

Read more at German Frers yacht design

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Still winning after 72 years!

Fjord III, the iconic classic yacht designed by Mani Frers’ grandfather Gérman Frers Snr won her class at the recent 200-boat strong Regatta Royal in Cannes. Designed and built in 1946 for his own pleasure, this 50footer is still very much a family heirloom, for Mani’s father Gérman Frers saved her from oblivion and had the yacht restored to her former glory. And it was Gérman Frers, seen here at the helm who steered her to victory in the Marconi rig class.

Fjord III is one of the cornerstones in the history of the Frers design dynasty. Her build began in something of a rush for Frers Snr. set himself a three-month deadline to launch the yacht in order to compete in that year’s Buenos Aires / Rio race. He missed the start by 47 hours but promisingly set the fastest elapsed time to Rio. Two years later, she won the Race outright and went on to win her class in the 1954 Bermuda Race.

Read more at Frers design

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“Messing About On the Water” Will Never Go Out Of Fashion

One of the finest pastimes that is never going to go out of fashion is “messing about on the water”. There are so many things that you can do if you have a small motor boat, and there are so many different types of water to explore. There are lakes, there are endless numbers of rivers, and you can potter around the coast, or you can travel across the channel to France. You can also put to sea and cross oceans in some of the larger motor yachts. This is why at any given moment there are so many motor boats in build because being on the water is something that so many people want to do in their spare time these days.

Read more at motor boats in build

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A Look At The Processes Involved In Yacht Design

Yacht design begins with a brief from a client, or perhaps just an idea. While any motor yacht design should look at the project as a whole, there are three main areas of development. The basic design side is where the overall arrangement and styling are developed, and this has to include the technical spaces for engines, electrics, perhaps a passerelle, a garage for a tender, and so on. The whole has to come together so that the end result is a thing of beauty with plenty of space and as comfortable as can be. For the interior, it is customary to include an interior designer to create the desired effect.

Read more at Yacht design engineering

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Avoiding Seasickness

If you have ever been seasick it is something that you don’t forget in a hurry, and if you haven’t, you are one of the lucky ones. A boat that is rolling about can not only produce seasickness, but it can also cause difficulty in moving about, and even lead to serious falls, to say nothing of the broken dishes. This is why we set such store in all-weather stability with all out yacht and motor yacht designs.

One break-through design is the Frers MY78 motor yacht Bill and Me built by Baltic Yachts. The unique aspect of this design is the strong crossover she has between sail and powerboats” Says Mani Frers adding. “Our client was making the transition from sail to power, having previously sailed around the world, and now wanted the convenience of a power boat matched to the better sea keeping and comfort qualities of his yacht.

Read more at Seakeeper stabilisers

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A History of Mani Frers Yacht Designs

Germán ‘Mani’ Frers is the third generation of a family of yacht designers all bearing the same name. His grandfather began designing yachts back in the 1920’s and by 1930 the Frers yard employed 60 boat builders, mostly constructing his own designs.

Germán Frers Snr began by designing and building Colin Archer styled double-enders in Buenos Aires back in 1926 and went on to draw more than 600 boats ranging from plywood day sailers like the Yachting World Light Crest to a range of motor yachts, and a series of very successful ocean racing yachts.

More detail visit now motor yachts

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German Mani Frers Yacht Designs Have Been Built By Several Major Yacht Builders.

German Mani Frers is a brand of yacht design descended from three generations ago when German Frers Snr began designing yachts in Argentina back in 1928. His son, also German Frers, and grandson, German Mani Frers, between them have designed something over 1,300 different yachts over the years, and the German Mani Frers design is recognised throughout the world.

These designs of yachts have been built by several different yacht builders, among them Royal Huisman Yachts in Holland, Nautor Swan in Finland, and Wally Yachts which is based in Monaco.

Read more at German Mani Frers

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What’s New In The World Of Superyachts?

There is a trend in the world of yachts today that seems to suggest that bigger is better. This became the way forward some 15 years ago when Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, took delivery of Octopus in 2003. At 414ft it was then the world’s largest explorer yacht with room for 26 guests, a cinema, a recording studio, and -would you believe – a basketball court. It also has two helicopter landing pads and not one, but two submarines on board, one of which is big enough to seat ten people.

You might think that a yacht of 414ft is about as big as people might want to go, but just ten years after the launch of Octopus came Azzam built for Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan with a length of 591ft. That’s the length of two football pitches. At present it is the world’s biggest superyacht, but who knows for how long it will hold that record?

Read more at yachts in build

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A History of Mani Frers Yacht Designs

Germán ‘Mani’ Frers is the third generation of a family of yacht designers all bearing the same name. His grandfather began designing yachts back in the 1920’s and by 1930 the Frers yard employed 60 boat builders, mostly constructing his own designs.

Germán Frers Snr began by designing and building Colin Archer styled double-enders in Buenos Aires back in 1926 and went on to draw more than 600 boats ranging from plywood day sailers like the Yachting World Light Crest to a range of motor yachts, and a series of very successful ocean racing yachts.

Read more at motor yachts

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When Considering Custom Yacht Design You Need To Take Your Time

There is nothing quite like having a sailing yacht designed that incorporates all of your own requirements.

Of course, you can buy a superyacht on the second hand market and many of them are the last word in luxury, but there will always be things that you think like “I wish it had this” or “I wish it didn’t have that”. When you have custom sailing yacht design you can have your yacht built EXACTLY as you want it.

However, when you are considering custom sailing yacht design you need to sit down and think about it long and hard. You don’t want to be in a position after you have taken delivery of your brand new toy and then think “Oh, I wish I had thought of this or that!”

Read more at custom sailing yacht design

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Several Ways To Buy A New Motor Cruiser

If you are considering the purchase of a new motor cruiser there are various ways of going about it. There are many boat builders who have a standard design of motor cruiser and can build one for you. They may even have motor boats in build so that you can see what the design looks like as it is being constructed.

Of course, another way to obtain a new motor cruiser is simply to buy a second hand one. Second hand motor boats are for sale up and down the country and there are many motor boat and yacht brokers who can help you find something akin to what you have in mind.

Read more at motor boats in build

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What Is A Superyacht?

Many people may wonder what it is that defines a superyacht. Since the 1990’s more and more of these beasts have been built, including the Lionheart owned by British businessman Sir Philip Green which is based in Monaco and cost over £100 million. Sir Philip also owns three other yachts – Lioness, Lionchase, and Lion Cub. (Quite why anyone needs four yachts is a matter of mystery to some). However, even Lionheart is overshadowed by some of the yachts owned by Russian oligarchs, and the world’s most expensive yacht is the History Supreme which was commissioned by an anonymous Malaysian businessman, is covered in gold and platinum, and cost $4.5 billion!

A superyacht is defined as any yacht that is 24 metres or more in length, is commercially operated, and has a professional crew. It can be sail or motor powered, but most are motor powered.

Read more at superyacht