While it’s commonplace for shipyards to open refit divisions, you don’t hear of designers designating a separate department for the service. Nonetheless, H2 Yacht Design has just done exactly that.
Jonny Horsfield, managing director and one of the founding partners of the 15-year-old design firm, says that the decision was a natural evolution. In fact, while most people may think of H2 Yacht Design in terms of its new-build work, he and his team have had a hand in more than 20 refits to date, including those of Mary Jean, Sokar, Atlantic Goose, Abdul Aziz, and and Va Bene (pictured above and below), the latter of which garnered a good deal of publicity and award nominations, following completion at Pendennis Shipyard. (Being owned by rock musician Eric Clapton helped spur some of the publicity, of course, though Horsfield notes that Clapton was delighted with the accolades.)
H2 Refit will work with owners and shipyards on interiors as well as exterior modifications, through a five-step approach. First, it will examine the yacht and prepare a report covering the scope of the work, then discuss the report with the owner and shipyard teams, if a yard has already been selected. If not, then it will include the potential locations in the bid proposal, which will also include the concept designs. Next, it will finalize drawings and spell out the budget for each aspect of the refit, then go on to purchase and deliver the furnishings and other interior décor elements to the yard.
Last, but not least, H2 Refit promises to “supervise, supervise, supervise.” That’s perhaps the best service of all.
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