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alt="Farfalla Marine: Majesty and more in Asia"/>
When Gulf Craft announced the delivery of the 10th hull of its Majesty 100, one of the best-selling models of its flagship brand, the builder’s management team were proud that the yacht would be spending time in Turkey before exploring the Mediterranean.
Mohammed Alshaali, the shipyard’s co-founder and Chairman, said the new delivery would “take Gulf Craft’s flag to more exotic destinations”. Meanwhile, CEO Talal Nasralla outlined the wide spread of markets the Majesty 100 had been delivered to since the 104ft, 199GT superyacht made her debut at the 2017 Dubai International Boat Show in the UAE, where Gulf Craft was founded in 1982.
“The Majesty 100 has become one of Gulf Craft’s best-selling superyachts,” Nasralla said. “With deliveries made to Europe, Australia, Russia, Middle East, Africa and America, we continue to build our geographic footprint with this amazing vessel.”
Beach club on the Majesty 120
One notable area missing from the list was Asia. However, Farfalla Marine is looking to raise the profile of Gulf Craft in this region following its appointment as a dealer for Majesty and three of the builder’s other brands: Nomad long-range yachts, Oryx sport cruisers and Silvercraft fishing and day boats.
Co-founded by Managing Director Mark Denny-Fairchilde and the late David Neish, Farfalla Marine represents Gulf Craft in Hong Kong as well as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Jason Hawkes, Group General Manager, explains that since Farfalla Marine was founded, the company has been working hard and fast to set up an expansive network of offices and partners as it prepares to help Gulf Craft and its yacht brands gain market share in Asia.
Jason Hawkes, Farfalla Marine’s Group General Manager
“Farfalla Marine is a bespoke yacht services company and unique in the region in terms of the breadth of services and partnerships we offer our clients,” says Hawkes, who has been based in Hong Kong since 1994, also working in Shanghai for three years.
“The company was founded on the principles of providing an exceptional level of customer service, offering bespoke luxury yacht hospitality management and advanced crew training services to satisfy the needs of yacht owners seeking the ultimate luxury lifestyle experience.”
In Hong Kong, where Michael Shaun Poon is a Partner and Executive Director, the company plans to open a new office and showroom later this year. In Thailand, the dealer has a base in Bangkok, a new office in Phuket Boat Lagoon and is set to open a location in Ocean Marina Yacht Club near Pattaya in the Gulf of Thailand.
Farfalla Marine has opened an office in Phuket Boat Lagoon
In Vietnam, Farfalla Marine has offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Halong Bay, while in neighbouring Cambodia it operates in the capital of Phnom Penh. Brett Matthews, Michael Aumock and Caroline Le oversee operations in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.
The company even has a European presence in the UK, where Simon Toombs works as Group Customer Relationship Director in London, while there are plans to add a new office in Southampton, at Ocean Village Marina.
Farfalla Marine is among a global network of dealers representing Gulf Craft, which is well established as one of the world’s leading yacht builders. North of Dubai, its 4.3-hectare facility in Umm Al Quwain is supported by a service centre in nearby Ajman, while it also has a one-hectare production facility in the Maldives.
Gulf Craft’s Majesty 140
Initially manufacturing small pleasure craft from 1982, Gulf Craft moved up to building yachts about a decade later and since 2000 has been a leading builder of superyachts. Having built over 10,000 boats over almost four decades, the company today builds models across a remarkable range from 31-175ft and has stated its ambition to be among the world’s top-five superyacht builders by 2025.
Internationally, Gulf Craft is best-known for its Majesty Yachts brand and in late May it staged the world premiere of its flagship Majesty 175, the world’s largest composite production superyacht.
Earlier this year, the brand delivered the first hull of the Majesty 120, while other recent models from its superyacht range include the Majesty 140, which exhibited at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show in 2019 as part of the company’s strategy to grow in the US market.
The Majesty 120 is a new model
However, Farfalla Marine is currently excited about a yacht at the other end of the brand’s size scale, the new Majesty 49, part of the brand’s yacht line that also includes the Majesty 62 and the new Majesty 62 Maldives, which has been designed for tropical resort environments so is ideal for Farfalla Marine’s Southeast Asian markets.
Hull one of the Majesty 49, fitted with twin Volvo Penta IPS650 engines, is ready for immediate delivery, having been launched over the summer. Hull two of the new 48ft model is expected in November and will feature three or four Mercury Verado V8 400hp outboards.
Farfalla Marine is offering a special deal for the Majesty 49 in two of its key markets in Asia. In Hong Kong, the purchase price includes a three-year membership at the new Lantau Yacht Club, a 12 month management package, advanced crew training and AGlaze hull treatment.
Gulf Craft’s new Majesty 49
In Phuket, the offer includes 12 months of berthing at Boat Lagoon, as well as the 12-month management package, crew training and AGlaze hull treatment that Farfalla Marine offers as standard on all yachts it sells.
While Majesty is Gulf Craft’s flagship brand, Farfalla Marine sells several other yacht brands, products and services. Both Gulf Craft and Farfalla Marine have high hopes in Asia for Nomad Yachts.
Nomad’s collection of long-range models from 55-95ft include the explorer-style 65 SUV, 75 SUV and 95 SUV, which each feature vertical windshields on both the main deck and enclosed skylounge, as well as a main-deck master suite.
Gulf Craft’s Nomad 65 Fly with solar power
Nomad also produces the 55, 65 and 75 Fly models, which have open flybridges and a more conventional superstructure. Farfalla Marine is a strong supporter of the new Nomad 65 Fly with a solar-power system, three guest cabins, two crew cabins and a grand range of 2,500nm at eight knots.
In terms of smaller models, the dealer believes the Oryx 379 sports cruiser and Silvercraft’s brand-new SilverCat Lux 40 with solar power – hull one was recently launched – could prove popular in Asia.
“Gulf Craft models are perfect for Farfalla Marine’s Asian regions because of their specs,” Hawkes says. “With the extreme heat in the UAE, Gulf Craft produces yachts particularly well suited to hot and humid climates, just like in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. On all its models, it provides superior air-conditioning units that are often 30-40 per cent more powerful than those supplied by typical European shipyards.”
The Nomad 75 SUV from the line of long-range yachts
Farfalla Marine is also a Brand Ambassador for Dominator Yachts and enjoys a close relationship with the European builder’s principals. Models include the Ilumen 28M, other Ilumen yachts and the new Mini-Ilumen bespoke luxury tenders.
“Bespoke services are the main strength of Farfalla Marine Group, so Dominator Yachts is an ideal partner,” Hawkes says. “Dominator is a renowned international shipyard that creates fully-customised superyachts, and the Farfalla Marine ethos is to establish a bond with its clients that goes beyond the simple shipyard-owner relationship.”
In August, Silent-Yachts, a pioneer in sustainable yachting, appointed Farfalla Marine as its official dealer in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. Silent-Yachts is currently building a new generation of models starting with the Silent 60, which is being built by the brand’s own shipyard in Italy and PMG Shipyard in Thailand, and will premiere at the Cannes Yachting Festival from September 7-12.
“Silent-Yachts is a perfect, modern brand to add to Farfalla Marine’s portfolio,” Hawkes said. “They produce the most ‘silent’ yachts out there with their superb, beautiful and fully solar-powered catamarans.”
Along with its emphasis on yacht management and service, the dealership has also secured representation of several electric water toys that can easily be carried on most of the yachts it sells.
Farfalla Marine’s toy portfolio includes Sublue underwater scooters
Farfalla Marine’s toy store includes Sublue underwater scooters and Wave Jam jet boards, both of which are hand-held and can operate for about an hour on a single charge. The company also sells Waydoo hydrofoils, which allow users to ‘surf’ above the water at up to 42kmh.
Partners are another of the dealer’s strengths and include AGlaze and MMaximus Yacht Hospitality Academy, which supplies silver-service crew training and can train crew to the highest level in any of their territories.
Farfalla Marine believes it’s essential to offer customers a global network of partners that unite the luxury yachting sector and the luxury product and luxury lifestyle industries. Already, it has collaborated with 30-plus high-end brands, which provide added benefits for yacht owners and shared branding.
Interior of the Gulf Craft Majesty 120
In the luxury yachting sector, the company’s extensive partner network covers services such as naval architecture and yacht design, charter, superyacht fuel, superyacht accessories, insurance, financing, registration, administration, customs support, marine consultation, management, marina development and even yacht scents.
Other partners represent private jets, chauffeur services, travel, hospitality, lifestyle management and legal advisory through to shopping, fashion, linens, chandeliers, sculptures and bespoke corporate gifts.
Majesty is Gulf craft’s flagship range
“Our clients are our friends and they’re taken care of through personalised customer-care programmes such as our exclusive Farfalla Marine Club,” Hawkes says.
“This is available worldwide to both existing and future yacht owners and to our partners, offering special benefits from exclusive dining events to private jet charter offers and bespoke VIP shopping. A client once, a friend forever!”
alt="Absolute signatures feature on 52 Fly"/>
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