This new business has recently opened an office in Palma and we went to find out a bit more about one of its founders, Martin Shairp

Firstly, can you explain a little of your background , including how you got into yachting.?

I grew up on the West Coast of Scotland, for a time our family were the only people living on a remote island, which my parents managed as a deer farm. From here Dad would take us 7nm to school and back to the neighbouring island of Mull. Growing up, I was surrounded by incredible natural beauty, the sea, adventure and parents who thought outside the box and who knew the benefit of it all for their kids. After high school in Ullapool I joined the Merchant Navy as a deck cadet with P&O Containers. The offer of a good training and global adventure seamed like a no brainer to me. I enjoyed it all immensely and never looked back. Later on I became aware that I could chance my luck and work on a yacht! I remember calling my brother from a phone box in Antibes…“You will never guess what Bruce…..There is a yacht here with a Jetski on top! – (Bruce) Are you kidding? Are you going to work on it? (Me) I’m going to try!” …and so the real adventure began. From an early age, I was fascinated with yachts. When I was at high school, I used to write to Oyster Yachts asking for copies of Oyster News so I could read the amazing stories of sailing around the world, and stick the pictures to my bedroom wall! Pocket money was spent on Yachting World.

My first job on a yacht was on Chamar, now Bad Girl. After an amusing encounter with a crew agent who was impressed by my qualifications but still needed to explain what a Feadship was, I was hired as a watch keeper for a trip from San Remo Italy to Savannah USA. I couldn’t believe my luck. The crew threw a party for my 21^st as we made passage through the BVIs. My parents, brother and sister called me from home on the Sat Phone to wish me well and explain how sorry they were that I was stuck at sea on my 21^st. With a glass of Veuve Clicquot in the other hand I explained that life was not too bad! I did struggle with wash downs though. I couldn’t get my head round why we needed to wash the invisible dirt off a shiny white yacht. “You wash to make sure it’s clean” the crew said, “not because it’s dirty, as that would be too late”. – I thought they were on another planet! I had so much fun, however, on this yacht that all I wanted to do was continue working on yachts.

How long have you been involved in the yachting industry?

I’m 36 now and I completed my cadetship at 20 so a few years and still going. – Never a dull moment. I love that you never know what lies around the corner from one day to the next. From serving canapés in Monaco to watching a sea lion chase the owner down a Galapagos beach, life is diverse and exciting, always hard work and always interesting.

When did Dutch Mega-Yacht Service come in to being?

We started Dutch Mega-Yacht Service in August 2015 but my business partner Erik Pilon has been in this fabrication business for 15 years. We also started Dutch Mega-Yacht Stainless in December 2015 to take care of all our metal work design, fabrication and installation requests. Our two new companies use Erik Pilon’s existing business infrastructure as a platform to expand into new markets in the global yachting industry.

What is the main role of the business, within the industry?

We fabricate custom parts for large yachts and we organise refit works in and outside The Netherlands. We fabricate parts and equipment to a number of yacht build yards at home and also to yachts cruising worldwide. We use a spectrum of materials to design, fabricate and install interior and exterior upholstery, covers, awnings, fender hooks, MCA approved sail tracks and lines packages to name just a few areas. We also offer 3D/360 degree photography as a side line.

Why Holland as a base?

The Dutch are known for fabrication expertise in the yachting industry. Levels of quality, business integrity, pride of workmanship and time keeping are very high here.

What is your USP within the super/ mega yacht industry industry ?

We have a totally dynamic approach so we can work in all corners of the planet. Our workforce is used to travelling to install our parts. Also, as a build captain on an 85m, I was my business partner’s client less than a year ago. Our clients are usually captains and project managers so I am their counterpart and I understand exactly the demands they face on a daily basis. I understand the need for highest quality products delivered on time.

What is your proudest achievement so far?

We are always aware that we are only as good as our last job. One installation in particular we remain particularly proud of, however, was the fabrication and installation of a new exhausts system on the 106m yacht, Ulysses. We installed in Germany in a very tight time frame and horrible winter weather. The achievement really solidified the team and made us look to the future with optimism. The success of this first job led to many more and we hope further collaborations with this particular yacht management organisation.

How do you see your business progressing over the next three years?

We will continue to develop our in house fabrication offering to solidify a reputation for the highest quality in custom parts one project at a time. We will continue to offer a Dutch option for refit personnel and management at the location of the yacht and develop refit opportunities for yachts within The Netherlands. We offer a refit service where we support the captain to the low or high level they require or step in to conduct project management for them. Clients often have their hands tied as to whom they can use in various yards, we offer freedom of choice to the client but a service based on support rather than control unless required.

We will also develop our expertise and technical skill in 3D/360 degree photo shoots. The product is well received by the industry so far and certainly an area to further develop over the coming years. We intend to be so skilled that we can ride a wave as the technology becomes commonplace. The feeling of actually being on board while viewing is new and fantastic for marketing yachts for charter and sale but also for technical documentation of builds and operational yachts.

We are exploring further areas for expansion for 2016 but these we will keep under wraps until we are ready to launch. Keep and eye on LinkedIn and FaceBook.

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How do you see the overall industry going over the next 3-5 years?

I’m sure we will see leaps forward in the use of green energy in yachting as customers develop greater understanding of the environmental impact of their boats. As more education becomes available on ocean pollution we also expect and hope to see sustainable alternatives to plastics used more. We expect to see more expedition style / go anywhere yachts built offering ultimate luxury in all corners of the earth. We expect new building figures to remain very strong especially in North West Europe where experience and quality are produced in a timely manner and as a tradition. We expect refit customers to choose a Dutch option to maintain the value of their yachts as the years go buy. We will focus our attention on quality and developing strict methods to habitually reach the highest quality, project after project.