From the early days of renovating his Father’s old rib to selling his million dollar business in Europe. The Sybarite sit down with superyacht owner and founder of SeaNet Matty Zadnikar, to discuss the Superyacht world’s diversifying audience, how to navigate the purchase of your own yacht, and what it’s like to captain your own piece of 70ft heaven.
“This is the best gift you can give yourself in the form of luxury”, says SeaNet business owner Matty Zadnikar, as he lifts anchor just off the Turkish coastline. “When with family and friends I like to navigate the waters myself, spending time on the water is one of the most beautiful things in life”.
From a young age, Zadnikar possessed a clear passion for boats; working with his father restoring an old Zodiac rib, he would spend hours in marinas of the Mediterranean, indulging in daydreams of being a captain of his own yacht. Over the past 20 years, Zadnikar has earned his stripes, submerging himself in developing Z-Safety Services; the company that responded to the industrial safety needs of the oil and gas industry. In 2013, he successfully sold his business, but not yet ready to put the breaks on and relax, he turned to the world of superyachts.
Having sailed yachts in his spare time for over 30 years, exploring the waters of France, Italy and Croatia to name a few, Matty was keen to take his passion for building and owning yachts to the next level. As the co-founder of SeaNet, Zadnikar is using his passion and experience to benefit yacht owners, introducing a whole new dimension to yacht build and management. Introducing SeaNet’s latest concept – superyacht co-ownership. “There is the potential that this concept will not transcend every generation. My generation is 45-50+ and they feel very passionately about sole ownership of their superyacht, but with this comes management and plenty of wasted money”.
Anchoring just offshore from some of the most luxurious yachting destinations; St Tropez, Cannes, Monaco and the Bahamas, it is clear that the superyacht market is evolving. “Younger owners are less focused on 100% ownership and more into the value of the experience”, says Zadnikar. Tapping into a new generation of superyacht owners, SeaNet is changing previous values and perceptions of owning a yacht.
The SeaNet co-ownership concept is based on a maximum of 3-4 owners sharing the management and luxuries of owning a superyacht. This includes sharing out the weeks fairly during high and low season, the yacht’s management and upkeep, as well as sharing the financial burden. However, SeaNet’s concept is far from that of a timeshare. Using a planning systematic programme, SeaNet help allocate co-owners with specific priorities ( their social calendars, desired routes and destinations etc.), which are then rotated on a yearly basis to ensure each owner gets to enjoy the boat during their preferred weeks of the year. “SeaNet co-ownership is nothing like a timeshare. When you become an owner (even at 25%), we ensure you feel like this is your yacht. Besides the title and paperwork, SeaNet personalise the yacht to the owners every need”. SeaNet don’t just make you feel comfortable, they make sure every detail makes you feel at home on the sea. “If a client wants to have the wine on board when they arrive, their art collection displayed, the wardrobes filled with their things, or if they wish to sleep on their own mattresses we take care of this. This is your boat and it is important you get to enjoy it that way”, explains Zadnikar. SeaNet work hard to maximise each clients enjoyment of ownership by presenting them with this streamlined solution to financing, managing and coordinating a superyacht.
“Speaking to owners is a difficult business because people are very private and rarely open to talking about the true experience of owning a yacht”, explains Zadnikar. “It is very much a love-hate relationship, of course there are the joys of being with friends and family on the sea and visiting new and beautiful places. Then there is the realisation that despite all your hard work to get this beautiful yacht, six months out of the year, you are guaranteed to burn money while it sits vacant in a dock”. Matty Zadnikar prides himself on knowing the business from both sides. “I might work with a client over the course of a year to ensure they get the right experience”. By inviting clients onto to his own yachts to enjoy a day or a weeks trip, gives Zadnikar the edge when helping a prospective client decide what they really want. “It is because of this I am nothing like a broker, I can relate to the customer and tell my story because I am in the same position”.
Matty Zadnikar’s Top Tips for First Time Superyacht Buyers:
- Take your time – Travel the boat show circuit and narrow down the type of yacht that works for you.
- Charter the yacht – Take the time to charter the boat you are looking to buy. Spend some time on the vessel and study the boat (space, number of people, how does it feel on the sea?) The key to getting the most out of your build or purchase is having the time to make the right decision.
- Get some advice from a reliable reference and understand every aspect of owning a superyacht. From the necessary maintenance to the value of going with a management company.
SeaNet will be attending the Monaco Yacht Show from 26-29th September 2018.
