With the future of superyacht refits market evolving faster than ever, shipyards are under pressure to keep up with rising client expectations. Sustainability, advanced technology, and operational transparency have shifted from being optional extras to defining factors in determining where and how yacht owners choose to refit.
For many in the fast-paced world of yachting, gathering the insights needed to make informed refit decisions can be time-consuming and complex. That’s why, with the expertise of KRM Yacht Refit & Rebuild, Turkey’s first official superyacht rebuild and refit facility, Yachting Pages explores how priorities have changed, what truly makes a shipyard stand out, and how sustainability and smart technology can be marketed as a competitive edge in today’s market. Continue reading “Future of superyacht refits: Sustainability and smart tech”
Marine surveyors and boat owners are regularly heard to say there is a minimum 4.0mm of hull thickness required at time of survey of a steel narrowboat. Some brokers even publish videos of such information, with some surveyors enforcing it (Whilton Marina, 2012 and 2016). Boaters are subject to it and repair often follows. In a recent article, Geoff Waddington (2021) explains there is confusion in the industry about wastage limits, and consequently acceptable residual hull plate thicknesses, and opinions among surveyors ‘vary wildly’, with some quoting 3mm acceptable minimum plate thickness, others using percentage loss. This short paper explores what a standardised acceptable limit for diminution, and therefore residual steel plate thickness for narrowboats, could be. It describes a variety of methods of calculating the design plate thicknesses (scantlings) and the minimum acceptable residual plate thickness. In doing so, this paper aims to serve as a guide for inland waterways marine surveyors, boat owners, repairers, and insurers alike. 
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