‘It’s just boats or guitars’: Rock ‘n’ roll lessons for yacht recruitmentopinion Rob Hodgetts 13 Jul 26 0The German police patrol lined up the band’s crew outside the tour bus and began searching with sniffer dogs. Sensing there could be a problem,… Read more
Reckoner set to fill ‘screaming gap’ in yacht financeopinion Rob Hodgetts 1 Jul 26 0He describes it as a “screaming gap” in the market. He’s talking about superyacht finance for new builds in the 30-85m range and John Stephens… Read more
New brokerage Matterhorn launches summit bidopinion Rob Hodgetts 22 Jun 26 0Staying in the swanky Swiss ski resort of Zermatt but lunching over the hill in Cervinia in Italy gives you the best of both worlds.… Read more
Delivering Delta: Kershaw shines spotlight on Seattleopinion Rob Hodgetts 15 Jun 26 0His first glimpse of a superyacht lit a spark. He was on a one-year break from a fledgling law career in Auckland but suddenly the… Read more
Why new-build finance and Vinted are alikeopinion Rob Hodgetts 8 Jun 26 0Teens and other skinflints (or canny recycling fans, depending on your perspective) are fond of “pre-loved” clothing platforms like Vinted. Zebra-print trousers and a pink… Read more
What would Maverick do? Why auctions could be aceopinion Rob Hodgetts 3 Jun 26 0“He’s still back there. C’mon Mav, do some of that pilot sh*t.” It’s the classic line from back-seater Goose as he urges his pilot Maverick… Read more
Stalking Staluppi: Why Project Bond is licence to thrillopinion Rob Hodgetts 26 May 26 0From a villain’s perspective, James Bond has an annoying habit of wriggling off the hook. Just when you’ve got him strapped to a table with… Read more
Dreaming of ownership structuresopinion Rob Hodgetts 18 May 26 0The phrase “emotional purchase” is as common in yachting as loafers and lush hair. But behind the dream, the glamour and the gleaming asset, there… Read more
Palma finds groove in search for sailing’s next genopinion Rob Hodgetts 11 May 26 0The bassist’s bushy moustache frames his infectious grin as he whirls and plucks with the groove. The lead guitarist beams at his pal from under… Read more
How fluent are you in family office?opinion Rob Hodgetts 27 Apr 26 0She describes a yacht as often 1% of a family’s assets but 90% of its enjoyment. For a family office, this throws up a unique… Read more
Palm Beach and the ‘rocket’ heading for yachtingopinion Rob Hodgetts 20 Apr 26 0It began when the client got in touch from his ski chalet during one Christmas holiday. While the family were out skiing, he asked broker… Read more
The train was on fire. It sparked her careeropinion Rob Hodgetts 13 Apr 26 0An electrical fire on a Monaco-bound train was the catalyst for her big break in yachting. Sakeena Hazuri Mathis, a broker with Yacht Habit, was… Read more
Surveying the State of Yachtingopinion Rob Hodgetts 7 Apr 26 0If the job of dishwasher in a restaurant could be dressed up as “ceramic technician” so the role of yacht broker could be known as “confidence deliverer”.… Read more
Dubai will ‘lick wounds and bounce back’opinion Rob Hodgetts 25 Mar 26 0He describes the missile interceptions as like “very, very loud thunder”. Menelaus Kouzoupis, partner at Stephenson Harwood in Dubai says life under the ever-present threat… Read more
Globalism, conflict and superyachtingopinion Rob Hodgetts 6 Mar 26 0Caveats were as common as business cards as speakers at Superyacht Investor London this week tried to sum up the state of the industry against… Read more
‘Like a sofa-based bobsleigh run’ – SYI London is backopinion Rob Hodgetts 2 Mar 26 0Elbows ready, race faces on, energy and clarity coursing through the system. The start gate is primed. It’s the Winter Olympics and the ski cross… Read more
Armada Club: Inside the idle asset revolutionopinion Rob Hodgetts 16 Feb 26 0Peering across the marina you might not see it at first. But hidden among the tonnage of superyachts lies a rich resource. It has remained… Read more
Billionaires, bunfights and broken heartsopinion Rob Hodgetts 11 Feb 26 0He was sipping rosé on the pontoon at the end of a long, hot day at the Cannes Yachting Festival when a young deckhand approached… Read more
‘Do you even want the yacht?’ – broker-turned-owner Pitasso on her epiphanyopinion Rob Hodgetts 2 Feb 26 0She stood by as the client’s representative fired a volley of technical questions on a tour of the new build, but eventually she had to… Read more
Skeletons in the hull: Pendennis’ Ross on rebuilding classicsopinion Rob Hodgetts 26 Jan 26 0She is a classic motor yacht from 1931 but Marala’s storied history hid some dark secrets. The Camper & Nicholson-built vessel was converted for naval… Read more