Sunseeker TV programme - BBC2

Sunseeker TV programme - BBC2

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Ari

Original Poster:

19,328 posts

214 months

Friday 15th April 2016
quotequote all
This could be worth a watch.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b077kgw9

Welcome to Sunseeker, Britain's biggest superyacht builder who has been hand-building customised boats for the world's super rich for the past 50 years. For the first time ever, they have allowed the BBC behind the scenes of their extraordinary production line in Poole and into the rarefied world of the multi-millionaire's favourite plaything.


Sheepshanks

32,528 posts

118 months

Friday 15th April 2016
quotequote all
Hmmm...not a good sign, they must be getting really desperate.

Jer_1974

1,497 posts

192 months

Friday 15th April 2016
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On holiday and they are building a new showroom at Vilamora marina just now.

Ari

Original Poster:

19,328 posts

214 months

Friday 15th April 2016
quotequote all
Sheepshanks said:
Hmmm...not a good sign, they must be getting really desperate.
How is it 'not a good sign'? Sunseeker have always been right on the front foot when it comes to getting their name out there.









At the end of this program there will be yet another x thousand people who associate the brand with the ultimate in glamour and luxury.

Sheepshanks

32,528 posts

118 months

Friday 15th April 2016
quotequote all
Ari said:
How is it 'not a good sign'? Sunseeker have always been right on the front foot when it comes to getting their name out there.
It's pretty risky - companies don't usually come out of these things looking good. If it was all plain sailing smile it wouldn't make a good programme. The blurb for the first one talks about schedule delays.

I wonder if they'll mention Sunseeker's Chinese owner? I guess the sort of people who buy a Sunseeker boat would know about that, but it might not thrill all customers.

Ari

Original Poster:

19,328 posts

214 months

Friday 15th April 2016
quotequote all
I can't see it as anything other than fantastic publicity. They're hardly going to show a boat being launched, rolling over and sinking are they?

As for Chinese owners, do you think anyone ever chooses not to buy a Jaguar because 'they're Indian now' or chooses not to buy an Aston Martin because the company is mostly owned by Kuwaitis and Italians?

ecsrobin

17,019 posts

164 months

Saturday 16th April 2016
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Ari said:
I can't see it as anything other than fantastic publicity. They're hardly going to show a boat being launched, rolling over and sinking are they?

As for Chinese owners, do you think anyone ever chooses not to buy a Jaguar because 'they're Indian now' or chooses not to buy an Aston Martin because the company is mostly owned by Kuwaitis and Italians?
That's the only reason I don't own an Aston and a sunseeker obviously.

J3JCV

1,248 posts

154 months

Saturday 16th April 2016
quotequote all
biglaugh

PW said:
"Britain's Biggest Superyachts"

Suck it Pendennis/Devonport... Doesn't fill me with confidence that it's a well researched, accurate reflection of the industry. I'm going to guess it's another "you won't guess how much this costs/ how outrageous this request was" puff piece.

Yertis

18,015 posts

265 months

Saturday 16th April 2016
quotequote all
Not to my taste at all, but are they any good as actual boats?

Ari

Original Poster:

19,328 posts

214 months

Saturday 16th April 2016
quotequote all
Just watched it on iPlayer. As I thought, entirely positive publicity for Sunseeker - good for them.

Yertis said:
Not to my taste at all, but are they any good as actual boats?
In a word, for the market they're aimed at, absolutely. There are other boats that are better for (say) very long distance endurance work or exploration, but as a boat to put in the Med and enjoy (which is what most people do) - fantastic.

paul0843

1,914 posts

206 months

Sunday 17th April 2016
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Sheepshanks said:
It's pretty risky - companies don't usually come out of these things looking good. If it was all plain sailing smile it wouldn't make a good programme. The blurb for the first one talks about schedule delays.

I wonder if they'll mention Sunseeker's Chinese owner? I guess the sort of people who buy a Sunseeker boat would know about that, but it might not thrill all customers.
Schedule delays?
Lol.. What do you expect when the buyer even had an issue with the lining on the silk wall lining was slightly
Different on one wall than another and the natural marble veinining wasn't plain enough

blueg33

35,576 posts

223 months

Sunday 17th April 2016
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I have been on a large Sunseeker it was a very nice place to be. I suspect most of the critics here are not in any danger of ever buying one.

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 17th April 2016
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Great publicity from Ari. hehe

blueg33

35,576 posts

223 months

Sunday 17th April 2016
quotequote all
PW said:
I was hoping it was the case, but not explained that they had started building that boat on spec before it was bought by the client, who then wanted to make changes.

Having built and installed bits of the interior before having approval on the design and finishes from the client, and being forced to rip bits out and start over at their own expense seems extremely inept, and is not good PR from an industry perspective.

It did seem to be relying on being "entertaining" by simply repeating that things are expensive and clients are demanding, rather than providing any interesting information. Working alongside the industry and already knowing that was like being told the sky is blue over and over... sleep
I think it was the client changing the spec. We used to build large bespoke houses, the customers changed their minds all the time, or didn't read the spec properly in the first place. In the end, apart from Kitchens we stopped bespoking because it was a total PITA.

Scotty2

1,265 posts

265 months

Sunday 17th April 2016
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They seemed to have a uniform for the female crew that is from one of my fantasy catalogues...


maffski

1,866 posts

158 months

Sunday 17th April 2016
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paul0843 said:
Sheepshanks said:
It's pretty risky - companies don't usually come out of these things looking good. If it was all plain sailing smile it wouldn't make a good programme. The blurb for the first one talks about schedule delays.

I wonder if they'll mention Sunseeker's Chinese owner? I guess the sort of people who buy a Sunseeker boat would know about that, but it might not thrill all customers.
Schedule delays?
Lol.. What do you expect when the buyer even had an issue with the lining on the silk wall lining was slightly
Different on one wall than another and the natural marble veinining wasn't plain enough
You get what you pay for works both ways - looking at the strong vein running across the shower wall if I was Sunseeker I would have never installed it in the first place without the client signing it off.



I suspect that once you step up to a new price tier you just have to do a dozen or so boats to get used to how demanding the clients can be at that level. I wonder if, at an even more expensive level, clients don't bother inspecting the build. They just turn up when you think you've finished and tell you to re-do a load of stuff.

berlintaxi

8,535 posts

172 months

Sunday 17th April 2016
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The salesmen from the London showroom came across as the greasiest bunch I have ever seen.

J3JCV

1,248 posts

154 months

Sunday 17th April 2016
quotequote all
PW said:
maffski said:
I wonder if, at an even more expensive level, clients don't bother inspecting the build. They just turn up when you think you've finished and tell you to re-do a load of stuff.
Although I wouldn't be surprised if there were examples of it happening, I've only heard of things being altered during construction if the project has changed ownership, hence why I'm thinking that was the case here.

Typically work doesn't start until everything is agreed - drawings, renders, samples, mock ups are all presented to and signed off by the owner/representative.

As they mentioned in the programme - the delays on that boat were costing them money and delaying production of the next boats - at the "even more expensive level" those penalties are exponentially higher, so the whole set up is geared to prevent them.
There are often fairly significant changes that happen during a build, from changing the fixtures and fittings through to the vessel getting longer and taller! However this can be expertly dealt with by having a robust "change order" process, that addresses budget / delivery implications. Having said that I imagine its a world apart and harder to deal with when making late changes to a customised production boat, rather than a fully bespoke build. I haven't seen the programme yet, so don't know what was covered.
There generally are enough people managing the build from the owners team, be it a a Captain, Project Manager, Management Company or all the above, to keep things on track.

paul0843

1,914 posts

206 months

Sunday 17th April 2016
quotequote all
maffski said:
paul0843 said:
Sheepshanks said:
It's pretty risky - companies don't usually come out of these things looking good. If it was all plain sailing smile it wouldn't make a good programme. The blurb for the first one talks about schedule delays.

I wonder if they'll mention Sunseeker's Chinese owner? I guess the sort of people who buy a Sunseeker boat would know about that, but it might not thrill all customers.
Schedule delays?
Lol.. What do you expect when the buyer even had an issue with the lining on the silk wall lining was slightly
Different on one wall than another and the natural marble veinining wasn't plain enough
You get what you pay for works both ways - looking at the strong vein running across the shower wall if I was Sunseeker I would have never installed it in the first place without the client signing it off.



Hi Matthew
Are you commenting on the marble based on any professional experience
or just your personal view?
Paul


I suspect that once you step up to a new price tier you just have to do a dozen or so boats to get used to how demanding the clients can be at that level. I wonder if, at an even more expensive level, clients don't bother inspecting the build. They just turn up when you think you've finished and tell you to re-do a load of stuff.

Simpo Two

85,147 posts

264 months

Monday 18th April 2016
quotequote all
berlintaxi said:
The salesmen from the London showroom came across as the greasiest bunch I have ever seen.
If you mean the slimy toad behind the desk, I agree. I'd have expected something more gentlemanly at that level.

They gambled on the bathroom because THEY liked it, and lost, unsurprisingly. Mind you the whole interior of that boat looked like a morgue.