THE DIARY OF THAMI AND ARCHIE - TUESDAY 23RD JUNE
Astilleros de Mallorca
Today the boys were shown ‘Astilleros de Mallorca’ main shipyard, where they had an extended introduction into how a traditional boat-building shipyard had been turned into a specialized ‘Superyacht Refit and Repair’ centre that provides an experienced management team – all managers and workers having a cross-section of backgrounds – including naval architects and technical experts. With more than 30 years of yard experience, and after having carried out refits and repairs on approximately 120 yachts each year, the Astilleros de Mallorca shipyard is honoured with a long list of loyal clients.
The boys also had a close look into several workshops such as Metal, Mechanical Engineering, Carpentry, and Stainless-steel fabricators.
Project Manager Enrique took them onboard “Coco Veinte”, which is undergoing a complex refit after suffering an electrical fire onboard that gutted and destroyed the wheelhouse.
Thami and Archie asked many questions during an orientation chat with Project Manager Riccardo – a former Chief Engineer with the Navy and coming from a Superyachting background – and with Jenny, who also has 20 years of experience in the Yachting Industry and is herself an ex-captain.
They reported back that they found this very interesting and are keen to learn more.
Lunch at “Monolisto” restaurant was followed by a visit to the offices of South African yacht-designer Shaun Carkeek, head of Carkeek Design Partners, who spent an hour explaining what he does, and describing how the system and design-process works right from the moment an owner decides he wants to build a boat or yacht. We also visited the offices of Richard Masters, another Capetonian who has his own business project-managing refits, and providing complete yacht management services. ‘Master Yachts’ pays over 300 crew-members aboard yachts that Richard controls on behalf of the owners..!
Dinner at Sa Premsa
After the boys packed their bags in preparation for an early start on Wednesday morning, we all went for a farewell dinner at ‘Sa Premsa’, a very typical old Mallorquin Restaurant. Thami order the biggest steak he has ever seen (quote: “bigger than my whole head”) which ultimately defeated him, so we had to take more than half of it home in a ‘doggy-box’..! – good snacks to take on the journey home to South Africa the next day..!