While economists continue to bemoan the weak dollar, there is actually a bright side. Many in the megayacht community have known it for some time, too. When one currency falls, it can swing business in favor of companies in that region. One recent example occurred at Derecktor Shipyards. Derecktor’s Connecticut facility won the contract to refit Mari-Cha III, due to the lower cost of the work in the States versus overseas.
In fact, both the contract signing and arrival of Mari-Cha III from Europe occurred quite soon after the initial inquiry, according to Kathy Kennedy, Derecktor’s director of marketing. It’s fitting, considering Mari-Cha III is pretty speedy herself, conceived in the 1990s to be the fastest of her size and type in the world. Delivery of the 145-foot sloop occurred in 1997. Just one year later, she broke the transatlantic record sailing from New York to Lizard Point in southern England. In fact, she accomplished it literally seconds shy of nine days, and while averaging 14 knots. Specifically, her official time was eight days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 41 seconds. And if you’re curious about the distance, it’s 2,925 nautical miles.
The scope of the refit at Derecktor should take five months to complete. The list includes replacing the fresh- and black-water tanks, ventilation system, electronics, rigging, and hydraulics. The interior, featuring Honduran mahogany and an Edwardian theme from John Munford, will radically change, to be more minimalist. Just as it has been from the start, the interior will be capable of dismantling. This saves weight during races and permits up to 25 racing crew to stay onboard. (On a related note, the owner’s suite, pictured above, and the crew quarters are about the only areas that remain mostly untouched during races.) Finally, Mari-Cha III will receive a full paint job.
Of course, price alone cannot always dictate why a particular yard was chosen. To that effect, Capt. Damien Durchon of Mari-Cha III released a statement through the yard: “We are quite demanding when it comes to our boats. We expect the work to be perfect. Crossing the Atlantic was well worth the effort to take advantage of the quality workmanship at Derecktor.”
Leave a Reply