We’ve all seen fabulous restorations of classic wooden boats and full refits of 30-year-old GRP cruisers but what about more modern craft that are perfectly serviceable but have just got a bit tired and outdated? Does it now make sense to start spending serious money on restoring or even modernizing them, given the ever increasing price of brand new boats?
Chris Gates, the former CEO of Princess Yachts, certainly thinks so and has set up a company to do just that. Called SETAG Yachts (Gates spelled backwards), it aims to make refitting as slick, painless and professional as buying a brand new boat. By calling on his extensive list of contacts in the industry, many of whom have worked for one or more of the three big British yards, Gates has managed to bring the entire refit operation under one roof at a purpose-built facility in Plymouth. From bespoke design concepts for a full interior refit to replacing teak decks or even enhancing the specification with stabilisers or extended platforms, SETAG Yachts claims to deliver it all. The advantage for the customer is that you only need to have one point of contact, rather than dealing with multiple separate contractors and the whole job is completed in a much faster time frame by carefully vetted professionals. That is the claim at any rate, so how does the reality stack up?
The owner of the first boat to undergo the full SETAG Yachts treatment, a 2009 model year Fairline Squadron 58, preferred not to be featured in person but was quite happy for us to see his finished boat and let James Barke, from Boats.co.uk, speak on his behalf.
THE OWNER’S STORY
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Lofoten or Bust- Part 4- Grandezza owner Per Harrtoft heads back to Sweden after an epic 3500nm adventure deep into the Arctic Circle to visit the mythical Lofoten islands
After ten memorable days in the Lofoten Islands in the far north of Norway, we are on our way back south towards Sweden. We have already made it as far as Trondheim, a charming place even if it was raining so hard we had to cycle round the city centre clutching umbrellas. But now we are back on board Deamare, our Grandezza 40 Fly, eating up the miles at a steady 31 knots.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YACHT TRANSPORT
As the name suggests it's a means of having your boat moved professionally from one location to another. It might be as simple as hiring someone to tow your RIB a few miles down the road or as complex as shipping a superyacht halfway around the world.
HANDLE A SINGLE SHAFTDRIVE BOAT PART 1
Single shaftdrive boats are relatively rare these days but the reduced costs of buying, servicing and fuelling such a simple but reliable drivetrain does mean they are making a bit of a comeback.
COCKWELLS MOTOR LAUNCH
There can be very few boats that have appeared three times at the Southampton Boat Show and been sold off the stand each time.
INSTALLING AN AUTOPILOT
Rick Channon makes solo boating simple with a Raymarine Evolution Autopilot
GOOD AS NEW
Why fit a brand new engine when Volvo Penta's remanufacturing service can rebuild you an old one to the same standard for a fraction of the price?
BENETEAU SWIFT TRAWLER 54
Alex Smith heads to France's Beneteau HQ for a UK exclusive on what might just be the best Swift Trawler yet
ΧΟ EXPLR 44
Can XO's all-new aluminium flagship really make it big in the Med?
BUYING OUR FIRST CLASSIC
Instead of whiling away their retirement playing bowls, Rob and Shona Adams decided to invest their time and money in a classic Silver gentleman's yacht. Would the gamble pay off?
PRINCESS S65
Torn between the V and F Class flagships? The new S65 might be the boat you've been waiting for...
