Terry Vine

Tel: +61 (0)414 535 683

Project Management

Requirements of a good Yacht Project Manager (client side)

Constructing any vessel should be a well choreographed ‘team effort’ monitored and managed by the yacht project manager (or sometimes known as the owners representative) .  The qualities required for this role can only be gained by training and experience.  The Project Manager needs to have detailed knowledge, preferably ‘hands on’, of building, modifying and repairing both sail and power yachts as well as using a variety of construction materials (steel, wood, GRP composite & aluminium).  They will also need to understand the many, and often complicated yacht engineering systems in use today and will need to be innovative, well organised with good problem solving skills and understand the importance of good communications.   The PM should also have an understanding and some experience of naval architecture and design as well as a legal understanding of contracts, purchasing, negotiating and accounting.  Added to this they will also need to have a good knowledge of vessel operation, shipyard operations, project planning and monitoring as well as budgets, funding forecasts, labour rules, quality control, health and safety.  In short a Project Manager needs to be professional, innovative, talented, flexible and above all else trustworthy and dedicated.

 

Requirements of the Project Manager (Builder side)

A Project Manager supplied by the build shipyard is not often a project manager in the purest sense.  They monitor work schedules and ensure materials and labour flow but their primary role is to represent the shipyard and see that the shipyard makes, or does not loose money.  They do not necessarily have the owner’s interests at heart.  By contrast, the yacht build project manager needs to be more like a Master Shipwright or Master Builder who traditionally had full control and overall responsibility for the build and launch of the vessel directly for the vessels owner.

 

Do not overlook the neccessity of using your own Project Manager.

It could prove to be a very good investment.

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