A luxury yacht is the ultimate dream for many wealthy people. It is the best gift an entrepreneur can give himself and his family. A stay on a luxury yacht is nothing compared to anything else. 'The contradiction is that this costs a lot of money in terms of purchase and maintenance while many owners only use their boat four to five weeks a year. That is why I have set up a business model that makes co-ownership of yachts possible. This way, people own their own boat in a perfectly economic way. We already see this model in the use of private jets such as Net JETS, the company of Warren Buffet. Because of my own experience in the yacht sector, with SeaNet I strongly draw the card of the owner who sells to another owner,' says entrepreneur Matty Zadnikar.
What exactly is co-ownership of a luxury yacht?
"The European sailing season lasts about 28 weeks and most owners spend five to six weeks on their yacht. If four people are co-owners of one boat, they are guaranteed to sail seven weeks each during the season. For most, that's enough. A luxury yacht quickly costs ten million euros. As co-owner you only pay a part of that amount and the annual costs are shared. This makes owning a boat more accessible to many people. Moreover, we personally set up the boat for each owner who comes on board and there is a permanent crew consisting of a captain, a chief, a flight attendant and an engineer."
How did you come to this ingenious business model?
"All boat owners have the same problems. First of all: the cost. A luxury yacht not only costs 10 million euros in purchase but also 500,000 to 600,000 euros per year in maintenance, personnel, harbour dues, insurance... That's a lot, if you only spend six weeks per year in your boat. A second problem is that people want to enjoy their yacht. But there is a lot to arrange on the boat, so they hardly come to rest. Finally, there is the crew. Because boats are used little, personnel get bored quickly and that leads to a high rotation. And there is nothing more annoying than having to find new personnel every year. That's why I founded SeaNet in 2016. I can safely say that I was a pioneer on the water."
In addition to co-ownership, we also advise on the purchase and sale of luxury yachts, we supervise the construction process and we are responsible for the management and crew of the boat. "So you actually founded your company as an 'experience expert'?
"I use my experience as a boat owner to help other owners. The yacht world is a dangerous market, where it is not already gold that shines. I have been closely involved in the construction of my personal yacht, a 28 meter long Benetti Delfino. With pleasure I accompany people in this fascinating adventure and I strongly believe in co-ownership. Why would you spend 10 million euros on a yacht if you have the same for 2.5 million and everything is arranged for you? In America the sharing economy is already established, with us there is still work to be done. I notice that many rich people are stuck in conservative macho behaviour. They are shocked that friends start thinking that they don't have the money to buy a full boat. That's a challenge I like to take on."
What if people prefer to buy their own yacht allone?
That can perfectly go through us. We assist people with the purchase or sale of luxury yachts from 28 metres. We give advice about the brands, the different types help them to set up an ownership company and many other practical matters such as registrations and the like. Finally, we also provide the entire management of the boat, such as crew selection and training.
