The process of a yacht construction project

It is a long journey from the initial idea to the finished yacht. It all starts with an invitation to tender from the shipyard and the question whether Deutsche Werkstätten - often as a nominated supplier - has interest in and capacity for the project. Discussions with the designer - the designer interview - help establish the focus of the design intent and which special features need to be considered and form part of the estimate. Four to six weeks later, Deutsche Werkstätten is ready to submit a preliminary offer. The detailed negotiations that follow typically take two to four months to complete and cover issues such as execution periods, technical details, pricing and much more.
Once the project starts, the interior fitout of a yacht takes approximately two years. In exceptional cases, as for example for one of the largest sailing yachts in the world, it can take as long as four years to final completion and hand-over.

The first year is dedicated to design engineering and the construction of the first models at scale 1:1, the so-called mock-ups. As soon as the engineering phase is complete and the proposals have been approved by the owner and his build team, production of the interiors can begin in Dresden-Hellerau. At the same time, the substructures and sanitary installations are installed at the shipyard. Followed by the installation of the complete interiors on board the ship.
Some two years later, the initial idea has become reality, and the interiors match the expectations of a satisfied client.

Editorial note: This article was published in 2020.