The phases of a build programme, and where time is actually lost.
Before steel is cut
The design and contract phase is routinely underestimated. Concept and naval architecture, general arrangement, specification, yard selection, contract negotiation and classification approvals all happen before construction begins, and rushing them is the most reliable way to lose time later.
Construction
Structure, then systems, then interior. Long-lead items — main engines, generators, stabilisers, bespoke glass, specialist joinery — are ordered early because their delivery dates, not the yard's labour, often set the critical path.
Commissioning, trials and delivery
Systems commissioning, sea trials, class and flag certification, snag rectification, crew familiarisation and the delivery voyage all sit at the end of the programme and are frequently compressed by earlier slippage. They should not be.
- Design, specification and contract
- Structure and hull construction
- Systems installation and long-lead equipment
- Interior fit-out
- Commissioning, sea trials and certification
- Snagging, crew familiarisation and delivery
Where time is lost
Owner decisions taken late, specification changes after production has started, long-lead equipment delays, and supply chain or yard capacity problems. Of these, late owner decisions are the one the owner controls.
Planning around it
Delivery into a specific season should carry real margin. Owners who commit to a summer programme against a delivery date with no float routinely find themselves accepting a yacht with an open snag list, which is worse than waiting.
Questions
- Can a build be accelerated?
- Rarely by much, and usually at the cost of commissioning time or specification. Long-lead equipment sets much of the schedule.
- When should the crew be recruited?
- Senior crew well before delivery, so the captain and engineer can be involved in commissioning and familiarisation.
This guide is general information about how the yacht market conventionally works. It is not legal, tax or financial advice, and it does not describe the terms of any specific yacht. Rates, prices, availability and access are confirmed in writing before anything is committed.