The goal was not only to manage these newly purchased shipyards from afar but also to help them advance design, technology, and full-life-cycle service. Heesen, for example, already had enormous equity in the superyacht world when Last took over, but his previous manufacturing experience provided a fresh look at its operations. Using robotics for painting and fairing, for instance, would make the yard more efficient without sacrificing quality. Last also plans to transition Heesen from its historic sweet spot in the 185-foot range into much higher-volume builds: “It’s a natural progression to move up and makes living on a yacht, with a spa, a fitness [area], and other extra spaces, more appealing.”
In a similar fashion, serial yacht owner Gabe Newell—a multiple winner in the video-game industry who founded businesses such as Valve and Steam—views his initial role with Oceanco as that of an observer, using his background to identify “interesting technologies, prototyping them, and then moving them into production.” The multiyear build of his 364-foot Leviathan brought him to terms with yachtbuilding as a collaborative, rather than adversarial, enterprise. “I was fanboying all over Marcel [Onkenhout] and his team,” says Newell of Oceanco’s C.E.O. “Just the way they work makes you feel more like part of the organization.”
Newell has incorporated such features as airborne-pathogen-detection systems aboard his yachts and, recognizing opportunities for fresh designs and innovation, foresees building “spec” superyachts to test futuristic technologies “that might seem too risky for a typical owner.” He’s also willing to experiment with his own vessels to measure potentially transformative strategies for yacht ownership. As an example, Newell gave Leviathan’s crew great latitude in its design: A happier crew, he says, makes for a more efficient operation.
As for Richard Hadida, he and the late Formula 1 icon Eddie Jordan co-owned an Oyster 885 and considered it the world’s best blue-water sailing yacht. After purchasing the bankrupt brand, Hadida had an aha moment when he first visited the yard, which was littered with half-finished sailing yachts. “I realized this is where the hard work starts,” he says. “I see it as a calling.”
That sense of mission has shaped how he runs the yard: emphasizing luxury and quality and enlisting former Rolls-Royce Motor Cars C.E.O. Torsten Müller-Ötvös as a strategic adviser. Explaining the draw, Hadida notes, “Other brands call themselves a family, but the Oyster family is a real thing.”
This closeness is evident with events such as the Oyster World Rally, where owners create lasting bonds by sailing their boats around the globe for sixteen months. Hadida, his wife, Ali, and their toddler will sail their boat Lush in next year’s edition. Oyster’s rebirth has meant introducing new models such as the 805, an 80-foot cruiser with superyacht features. It has also been about “pushing bespoke luxury details into the production line,” according to Müller-Ötvös, a missive that’s certainly in his wheelhouse.
Despite the collective zeal, it’s unclear how such nascent captains will impact yachting’s long-term trajectory. The message, though, is unmistakable: A new era of yard ownership is at hand—piloted not by generational succession but by outsiders who rely on passion and innovation as their compass bearings.
