Tony knows how to win over the super rich

Photo: Michael Bradley

Tony Hambrook: 'We realised years ago that nobody needs a superyacht'.

The 51.7m Mondango won the International Superyacht Society's award for best sailing yacht last year. It is available for charter in the Mediterranean and Caribbean for $388,695 a week.

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"Tony's straight shooter," says Alloy Yachts marketing manager Linda Berry. "You know what you're going to get – there's no fluffy bits here."

The man without fluffy bits is managing director Tony Hambrook, whose attributes have just won him the International Superyacht Society's leadership award and placed him in the exalted company of industry legends such as Olin Stephens and German Frers.

Back from the gala dinner in FtLauderdale and seated at the large oval table in his office in Henderson, Hambrook is straightforwardly proud of his achievement. It is, he says, "as good as it gets".

Walk down a couple of corridors and a stairway and the evidence of his success fills several buildings – three huge yachts under construction to a standard that would satisfy the most fastidious billionaire. In the first shed, amid a pungent atmosphere of scorched metal and solvents, looms the silver-grey shape of AY41, at 67m the largest yacht the company has built so far. It's scheduled for launch on October 10, 2010, and until then the owner can watch its progress any time he wants via webcam.

"He loves that," says Berry. "As soon as he's awake, he checks it."

The other two are slightly smaller – 58m and 47m, the latter for "a big supporter of Emirates Team New Zealand". Out of the three, two are for repeat clients. That seems a remarkable statistic for a superyacht builder – how many times would you expect someone to build their dream boat? – but Hambrook has another.

"Most of the boats we've built have resold at a later date for more than the contract price," he says. "Some customers make 25-30%." With 50-60% of his business from repeat customers and a healthy aftermarket, Hambrook has clearly found the recipe for customer satisfaction.

It's no surprise to learn he spends much of his time focusing on clients.

"It's a very, very small market," says Hambrook. "There's a huge amount of word of mouth, which is why it's important to do a good job and give a good service."

MONDANGO: DANCING ON THE OCEAN

The 51.7m Mondango, launched in September last year, is the fifth yacht over 50m built by Alloy Yachts. Its luxury interior features accommodation for 10 guests in five cabins, plus a regular crew of 10. Equipment includes a 6.2m jet boat, a Topper sailing dinghy, a tandem kayak, snorkelling gear for 10, wakeboards, two remote-controlled model sailing boats, 65" TV in saloon, TV in every cabin, iPod docking stations in every cabin. It is available for charter in the Mediterranean and Caribbean for 185,000 ($388,695) a week. Mondango won the International Superyacht Society's award for best sailing yacht last year.

Signing up a client may take years, as long as seven years in one case, from early relationship building, perhaps through meeting at a regatta or boat show, to detailed discussions over design and price.

It's characteristic Hambrook common sense: "We realised years ago that nobody needs a superyacht and we need to concentrate on the experience."

The approach extends not just to the wealthy owners. "If the owner's on board, his captain tends to be like one of the family and they have a very close rapport. [The owners] expect everything to be right and the atmosphere to be good." Since a happy captain makes a happy owner, it makes sense for Alloy Yachts to ensure the seafaring qualities of their boats are as good as the shine on the brightwork. "The reputation we have around the industry among captains and crews is substantial."

Even apprentices are good marketing. Their perceived downside – that they often leave after training – Hambrook sees as a positive. "There's a long-term payoff – more than half will leave and half of those will end up crewing on boats and very keen on Alloy Yachts. That in itself is a marketing tool."

After a global crisis, marketing is more crucial than ever. Customer inquiries were almost non-existent from November last year to March this year, says Hambrook. And while collapsing financial markets may have been an issue, "more than that, they did not want to be seen to be spending the money".

Those potential clients are now talking about boats again, but the exchange rate – the kiwi is currently trading around 71USc – isn't helping.

"When the exchange rate gets above 60USc we are frequently reminded of it by customers and owners representatives," says Hambrook. "Having said that we are still signing contracts above 70USc. At the moment we have three large yachts under construction and the last will be launched at the end of next year. We have another two contracts signed and we're working on two more. There's another half dozen customers we're talking to."

In a few weeks there will be space at Alloy's sheds in Henderson for another customer's dream to begin as the 58m Kokomo, the third of its name to be built by Alloy Yachts, launches on December 16.

"It is an emotional moment when they come out of the shed, probably more so than when they get wet," says Hambrook.

Just the odd fluffy bit, then.

- © Fairfax NZ News