Five tips for creating your own luxury liner.

Being fantastically wealthy means there are all manner of things you can have made bespoke just for you, from suits and shoes to houses and cars. But the ultimate in custom-designed extravagance for the billionaires of this world is the yacht.

The huge cost aside (generally between $1m and $1.5m per metre), buying one of these floating monuments to mega wealth can be a daunting prospect. Your average newly minted billionaire is unlikely to know their starboard side from their aft cabin, let alone the variety of technical, crew and design practicalities that will arise.

Mr Mark Cavendish, sales and marketing director of Dutch shipyard Heesen, and yacht designer Mr Andrew Winch of Winch Design have a combined 88 years of experience helping the extremely rich design and build their high-sea pleasure palaces. Here’s how they do it.

Find a reputable yacht broker

“Typically, when a client comes to our shipyard, they’re trading up or buying their second or third yacht,” says Mr Cavendish. “However, the first-time buyer may want to find a reputable yacht broker such as Camper & Nicholsons, Fraser Yachts or Burgess. Yacht brokers are a bit like art consultants and estate agents, with the technical expertise and insider knowledge to guide you through the process. The more experienced guys have in-house management teams to deal with regulations, crew hire and other administrative issues.”

Know where you want to go

“There are essentially two types of yacht,” says Mr Cavendish. “Fast motor yachts, such as the 45m Amore Rio, which speed through the seas very quickly, and slower, long-range cruisers, such as the 50m Omaha, which can make a transatlantic trip. The racing yachts are shorter and lower, with the silhouette of a sports car, whereas the long-range cruisers are more like floating palaces and taller. Will you be cruising the Greek Islands and the Italian Riviera? Or will you be going on an epic round-the-world adventure that takes you from Portofino to Alaska, Antigua to Tonga? Each will require a different type of vessel, although there are now vessels, such as the 50m Home yacht, that offer a balance of range and performance.”

**Think big **

“We’re here to help you dream the dream,” says Mr Cavendish. “Our job is to find out what is the ambition here? What is the target? We are building boats that have to float and perform at high speed, but also have waterfalls, helipads, grand pianos, folding balconies, garages, gyms, spas, hammams, clubs and catwalks.

“We have created a 6m infinity pool with a glass-panelled bottom and spa jets for the aft deck of the 230ft Galactica Super Nova. The clear bottom allows the sun’s rays to stream through the pool floor, bathing the lower-deck beach club with dappled light beams. The waterproof sound system can be synchronised with the beach club to create a double party zone. The Rolls-Royce central booster jet means she can go from nought to 30 knots in 75 seconds.”

Find an interior designer who understands you

“A yacht interior is always a balance between the client’s eye and my own, but ultimately each yacht is a unique design that reflects the personality and aesthetic of the owner,” says Mr Winch. “I always look at the type of car the client drives. Someone who drives a Rolls-Royce will generally have a more classic aesthetic and style compared with someone who drives a Ferrari.

“When it comes to the interiors, I like to think of myself as a bespoke tailor. Every single detail from the shape and positioning of door handles, the thread count of the linen, the dinner service, table lamps will be custom made expressly according to the needs of the client. The owners of the New Secret yacht wanted the tones, mood and rhythms of the interior to complement their collection of 20th-century art. The owners of Cloud 9 opted for a beach-club feel with sand tones and vibrant blues. It’s about freedom of expression.”

Consider the environment

“Our clients are increasingly concerned that their yachts are environmentally friendly,” says Mr Cavendish. “The hybrid propulsion engine on our Home yacht combines diesel mechanical and diesel electrical for noise reduction and fuel efficiency, and our Fast Displacement Hull Form is a specific type of hull that displaces water faster and with less resistance, meaning more fuel efficiency. Special filtration and septic tanks also mean that no sewage is dumped in the sea.”

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