Fort Lauderdale, FL: The International Superyacht Society (ISS) is pleased to release comprehensive details regarding the 2010 Winners of its Design and Leadership Awards. Feted during the Society’s 20th Annual International Awards Gala which celebrated both industry and owner alike with a Hollywood Goes Yachting tribute on 28 October 2010, the opening night of the 51st Annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, recipients represent design dexterity and leadership qualities that set an international tone for an ever-expanding global superyacht community.
A total of six yacht design awards, including two sail (24-20m and 40m+), three power (24-40m, 40-65m and 65m+) as well as Best Interior (for which all 25 finalist yachts in five categories were eligible), and four Awards of Distinction—ISS Leadership, Distinguished Crew, Business of the Year and Excellence in Innovation—were presented. Newly incorporated in 2009, ISS announced winners of the Business of the Year and Innovation Awards at its Annual Meeting of the Associations in Monaco in September 2010, presenting them with their trophies at the Gala.
Best Power Yacht 24-24m Northlander
A glamorous affaire to be sure, attendees had been cued to consider donning black ties or celebrity attire in keeping with the Hollywood theme, a critical decision as immediately upon entrance to the event, revellers were met by paparazzi, cameras poised, flash bulbs crackling. More than 425 guests then wined and dined al fresco. Within a theatre setting, while likenesses of Humphrey Bogart, Liz Taylor and more Hollywood idols gazed upon the proceedings, the entire ensemble was treated to an ISS created and produced Hollywood Goes Yachting video which was met with gasps for thrill seekers, nostalgia for old time movie yachts like the African Queen and peals of laughter for Some Like it Hot and Caddy Shack clips.
The awards presentation—led by Master of Ceremonies, Bob Saxon—followed with its own thrills and emotion and was followed by Robb Report’s now iconoclastic Cigar Bar on the Ocean View Terrace accompanied by after dinner drinks, beer, wine, coffee and a grand dessert bar.
With an overwhelmingly positive response to its fanfare evening, the continuing success of ISS’s annual awards event rests squarely on the shoulders of the unwavering support of ISS sponsors.
Best Interior - Yacht Chrisco - ISS Awards 2010
ISS Announces 2010 Design & Leadership Award Recipients
The gala sponsors are the Robb Report as Leadership Award Title Sponsor, Show Management as Design Awards Title Sponsor, Yachts International as Gala Program Title Support and The Yacht Report as Design and Leadership Awards Gala Title Sponsor. Burger Boat Company, Westrec Marinas and Wright Maritime Group were again invaluable Silver Sponsors of the event, presenting wine, the Distinguished Crew Award and the cocktail hour, respectively. All supporters who commit to ISS events are rewarded with some of the most visible sponsorship opportunities available in the large yacht industry.
With regard to how the winning yachts are selected, each year ISS honours those yacht builders, designers, interior designers, naval architects and stylists chosen from a list of five finalists in each of five length categories as selected by ISS’s membership. In addition to awards given to three power yachts and two sailing vessels, a best interior award is also given for one yacht selected from either the power or sail finalists.
Finalists are the result of an annual worldwide membership voting process; being nominated and then selected as a finalist is a source of pride as the voting system is the direct result of input from one’s peers.
Due to the prestigious nature of the Design Awards Gala, ISS also presents its Awards of Distinction—including the illustrious Leadership Award which is bestowed to an outstanding industry leader during the celebratory evening. For 2010, the ISS Leadership Award has been presented to Bill Langan of Langan Design Associates.
The Young Professionals in Yachting
ISS also commemorated the success of Captain David Hill by presenting him, posthumously, the 2010 Distinguished Crew Award.
The ISS Business of the Year was presented to Corporation of Trinity House for its Professional Yachtsman Bursary Scheme. The ISS Excellence in Innovation went to sailing yacht, Soliloquy, Callender Designs.
ISS’s 2010 Yacht Design Awardees follow.
DESIGN AWARDS
Best Sail 24-40m
Chrisco
Best Sail 40m+
Kokomo
Best Power 24-40m
Northlander
Best Power 40-65m
Elandess
Best Power 65m+
Sunrays
Best Interior—Power or Sail
Chrisco
Best Power 40-65m - Motor Yacht Elandess
AWARDS OF DISTINCTION
EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATION
Open to every aspect of the industry—from crew training to technological advances to
environmental stewardship—the Excellence in Innovation Award is given to an individual or
business that has demonstrated innovation in their endeavours. Nominations come from the industry and ISS board members vote to determine finalists.
2010 Nominees
• Fast Displacement Hull Form. FDHF is a feature of a new Heesen. Nomination by Perry Oosanen & Associates
• JetStream by Bond Technical Associates. Nomination by Derik Wagner of MTN Satellites
• Sailing Yacht Soliloquy designed by Alastair Callender. Nomination by Sarah Poland of StellarPM
• An Essential Link. Nomination by Sarah Poland of StellarPM
• SeaVision Platform™. Nomination by Equisea Yacht Management
2010 Recipient: Sailing Yacht Soliloquy, Callender Designs
HOW CALLENDER DESIGNS DESCRIBES SOLILOQUY
The pioneering, state-of-the-art, 58m rigid-wing, Solar-sailor
Soliloquy is an innovative, architecturally dynamic superyacht, with low levels of noise and minimal vibrations; by harnessing the ‘Power of Nature’, Soliloquy is propelled from wind, solar and hybrid marine power, using proven technology from Solar Sailor Holdings Ltd., Australia.
Her super-green benefits include:
Reduced running costs and zero emission capability
The environmental status she confers to her owner
Compliance with a growing green marine agenda
Added resale value
Soliloquy—the super green superyacht—importantly proves the point to the world that eco-luxury no longer has to be viewed as an oxymoron. The answer to the paradox is Soliloquy.
A superyacht that is state-of-the-art and has cutting-edge, rigid-wing technology.
A superyacht that causes minimal harm to the environment and has a holistic, carefully managed design approach.
A superyacht that turns heads and makes a positive statement about her owner in a way no other vessel can.
Why the name Soliloquy? A ‘soliloquy’ in a Shakespearian play is a character revealing his inner most thoughts and deepest desires to the audience. In the same way, this unique superyacht is saying to the world that she is Super-Green, Eco-Luxurious and has zero-emission capabilities.
Best Power 65m+ Superyacht Sunrays
BUSINESS OF THE YEAR
The ISS Business (Person) of the Year is awarded to those demonstrating excellence
in their area of superyacht expertise within the previous year; nominations come from
both the industry and the ISS board with the Board making finalists selections.
2010 Nominees
• Nigel Ingram of MTM. Nomination by Capt. Ian Insull of M.V. Calliope and Holland Jachtbouw
• Hans Schaedla of Abeking & Rasmussen. Nomination by Jim Wallace of Yacht Zoo
• William Collier, Managing Director of G.L. Watson. Nomination by Antony J. Harrison, Director
• Trinity House. Nomination by Dieter Jaenicke of Viking Recruitment
• Dick Boon / VRIPACK. Nomination by his colleagues
• Fraser Yachts. Nomination by Ken Hickling of Awlgrip Paints
2010 Recipient: Corporation of Trinity House, Professional Yachtsman Bursary Scheme
FROM TRINITYHOUSE
The award for the 2010 Business of the Year was given to the Corporation of Trinity House for its Professional Yachtsman Bursary Scheme (PYBS) by the ISS for “demonstrating excellence in their area of superyacht expertise”.
Commodore David Squire, Director of Maritime Training at the Corporation, said, “To have our fledgling scheme recognised by the International Superyacht Society is very special. I speak for the whole of the Corporation when I say it really is an honour to be given this award. The Corporation does so much to support mariners past, present and future and develops ideas to keep pace with the rate of change within the diverse maritime industry.”
The PYBS was established in 2008 in response to the increasing number and size of superyachts and a growing requirement for competent and qualified crew.
The Corporation of Trinity House, the UK’s largest endowed maritime charity, trialled the scheme with RYA and MCA-approved qualification providers UKSA and the University of Plymouth. The charity provides successful applicants with payment of 90% of their tuition fees and a monthly allowance whilst they are under tuition.
The PYBS runs in parallel with another Trinity House bursary, the Merchant Navy Scholarship Scheme, which has successfully delivered competent Merchant Navy Officers since its establishment two decades ago.
DISTINGUISHED CREW AWARD
Distinguished Crew Award (DCA) nominations are made by the industry; selection is made
by a panel of judges. Specifically, the DCA honour is designed to “recognize yacht crew whose
distinguished acts of service best exemplify the standards to which professional yacht crew aspire.”
2010 Recipient: Captain David Hill
Presentation by Gary Groenewold, Vice President, WESTREC Marinas—Perpetual Sponsor of the ISS Distinguished Crew Award:
“For the last five years I have had the pleasure of standing before you to present the International Superyacht Society’s Annual Distinguished Crew Award. This honour is reserved for the captain and crew who exemplify the highest level of expertise and professionalism in the super yacht industry and is selected from a host of nominations by our Board.
In the past, we have honoured captains and crew that utilized their professional training to handle unusual situations at sea which touched individual’s lives—whether their own, or those with whom they were involved. Last year we honoured Capt Mark Drewelow who founded Yacht Aid Global. He and his crew continue to make a difference by delivering school supplies, medical equipment and other charitable donations to remote locations worldwide.
Highly trained yacht captains and crew utilize their skills and expertise in their respective disciplines on a daily basis on yachts on oceans throughout the world. Constant travel and dedication to the field are prerequisites for success, often times at the expense of family left at home.
This year our committee has chosen a distinguished captain who exemplified all that an individual could aspire to in both his professional and personal life.
As the master of several superyachts over the last fifteen years, this captain, like many others in the industry in the last year, found himself unemployed. Not one to remain idle and with an unbridled passion for the sea, he turned to commercial fishing industry to continue to provide for his family. It was a decision that would change his family’s lives forever.
In early June of this year, this former superyacht Captain found himself piloting the Majestic Blue, a 205- foot commercial vessel, which had recently undergone repairs and inspection in Guam. Under a three month contract to fish for tuna, with a crew of 23, he plotted a course out of the Fiji Islands far into the South Pacific Ocean. The first few weeks were uneventful. Then early one morning before dawn, the engine room started taking on water. He ordered his crew to abandon ship. They immediately set out and boarded the life rafts, while this Captain remained in the wheelhouse relaying May Day calls and transferring emergency signals across the airways conveying their position and dire situation.
With the crew safely on board the lifeboat, the chief engineer was on his way to the wheel house to notify the Captain that all was set per his order, when suddenly the vessel rolled on its side and quickly sank to the bottom of ocean.
Due to his selfless efforts, their May Day position was heard and the lives of the remaining 22 crew members were saved when they were rescued. Four fishing vessels, the United States Coast Guard, and the Fijian Navy conducted an intensive search for the two men to no avail. The captain and his chief engineer are presumed to have gone with the ship.
As a result of his quick assessment of the situation, prudent orders, professionalism in command and responsibility for the ultimate safety of his crew, the International Super Yacht Society honours the life of Captain David Hill with the Distinguished Crew Award.”
Best Sail 40+ - Sailing Yacht Kokomo
LEADERSHIP AWARD
The only ISS award nominated “in-house” by previous honourees, the Leadership Award recognizes an individual or business whose distinctive work and commitment to the industry has contributed over a substantial period of time to the sustainable growth of the superyacht community worldwide. Nominations are sought from ISS board members; the judging panel consists of previous recipients of the award.
2010 Recipient: Bill Langan, Langan Design Associates, Inc.
Presentation by David Arnold, Publisher, Robb Report—Perpetual Sponsor of the ISS Leadership Award
“William (Bill) Langan is a remarkable and talented man of lasting achievement. Superbly capable, he has made tremendous contributions to the standards, prestige and character of the overall luxury yacht industry, particularly in his vast support for and passion of ISS. His sharp intellect and thoughtful demeanour have earned him the trust and admiration of his clients and colleagues and the respect of his peers.
Leadership ought not to be confused with showmanship. Ever the consummate professional, Bill does not seek the spot light, rather he represents real substance, tackling complex challenges and succeeding magnificently. He is a naval architect among naval architects, contributing over his career in innumerable ways to the genuine betterment of our overall industry.
A lifetime yachtsman, Bill grew up sailing on Long Island Sound, racing and cruising extensively from the age of 12. He graduated from the prestigious Webb Institute of Naval Architecture in 1977. While at Webb, he worked for Sparkman & Stephens in New York, assisting the legendary Olin Stephens with developing new computer applications for design.
In 1978 he went to work full time at S&S as Chief Draftsman, responsible for the day-to-day running of the design office as direct assistant to Olin Stephens. In 1980, after Olin Stephens’ retirement, Bill was appointed Chief Designer. He assumed responsibility for all design aspects of the company’s work including sales, design and inspections. While at S&S he was responsible for over 300 individual designs ranging from sailing dinghies to superyachts.
Pursuing a lifelong dream, Bill left S&S in 1998 to start Langan Design Associates in Newport, Rhode Island. The new company specializes in high-end yacht design, with particular focus on large sail and motoryachts. LDA has completed over 40 individual designs to date.
An avid sailor, Bill has competed in every major ocean race around the world including Bermuda Race, Fastnet, Sydney-Hobart, Cape Rio, Middle Sea, and more. As skipper, he won the Fastnet Race in 1993. Bill Langan designed sailing vessels have won several of major ocean races including Fastnet, Sydney Hobart, Middle Sea, and others. He co-designed with Olin Stephens the winner of the 1980 America’s Cup, Freedom. He also participated as designer in the 1980, 1983 and 1987 America’s Cup regattas.
Bill Langan’s equally notable designs include Lürssen’s Eos, the largest sailing yacht built to date. ISS Design Award winners include Victoria of Strathearn and MitSeaAh. Others include sailing yachts: Freedom, Galileo, Astral, Timoneer, Sariyah, Angel, Encore, Palawan, Sagamore, Venturosa, Cyclos, Ebb Tide, Spirit of Bermuda and Argo. Motoryachts include: Itasca, La Baronessa, Keldi, Lady Frances and Cassiopeia.
Bill also participated as crew aboard Itasca, the 183’ yacht that completed the first West-to-East transit of the Northwest Passage in 1994, and oversaw the design, refit and ice-strengthening of this converted salvage tug.
Tirelessly committed to ISS—and the impartiality of how ISS implements the will of the large yacht industry in both its leadership and yacht awards—Bill was hugely instrumental in the development of the Society and helped develop the ISS Design Award concept in 1989. He has also served as Chairman of the Design Award Judges Panel at various times during the 20 years the awards program has been in place.
Bill has been Chairman of the Cruising Club of America Technical Committee for over 12 years. In that capacity, he helps to develop the Offshore Rating Rule, the premier velocity prediction ocean racing handicap rule in use today.
Bill Langan is one of those exceptionally rare individuals who—by his long association with ISS and his rightly being honoured with this prestigious Award—is likely to enhance the stature of the Award and elevate the very ideals of the Society he helped create.”
AWARDS GALA COMMITTEE
Sabrina Farmer, Gala Co-Chair, IMA Yachts
Bob Saxon, Gala Co-Chair, FYBA
Amelia Brignetti
Robb Carron, Marsh
Andrew Doole, Show Management
Maria Fletcher, Camper + Nicholsons
Becky Gunter, The Triton
Amy Halsted (ISS Executive Director), The Halsted Agency
Heleen van Hout, Moonen Shipyard
Michele Leung, Marsh
Jan Martin, ISS
Michael Moore, Moore and Company
Nancy Poppe, Willis Marine
Joe Purtell (ISS Awards Administrator), Interlux Yacht Paints
Vanessa Stuart (ISS Administrator), VGS Initiatives, LLC
Rick Thomas, Nautical Structures
Norma Trease, NE Trease Inc.
Young Professionals in Yachting
• Summer Osterman, BURGESS
• Tracy Hess, Yachtworld.com
• Jordanna Joffe, The Sacks Group at IYC
• Sara Ingersoll, Merritt Yacht Brokers
• Katie Baron Nullman, Aquamarina/Vertical Yacht Club
ALL PHOTOGRAPHY IDENTIFICATIONS LEFT TO RIGHT
AWARDS
Yacht Chrisco: Best Sail 24-40m
Martin Redmayne—The Yacht Report Group, Gillian Brown—Wetzels Brown Partners, Olivier Lafourcade—CNB, Owner of Chrisco
Yacht Kokomo: Best Sail 40m+
Martin Redmayne—The Yacht Report Group, Malcolm McKeon—Dubois NA, Tony Hambrook—Alloy
Yacht Northlander: Best Power 24-40m
Johan Dubbelman—Moonen, Marilyn Bos-de Vaal—Art-Line Interiors, Frank Pieterse—Art-Line Interiors, Mark Vermeulen—Moonen, Dorien Bilterijst—Moonen, Salim Erdem—Moonen with Cecile Gauert, Karlene Pack, Gary DeSanctis, Yachts International
Yacht Elandess: Best Power 40-65m
Efrem Zimbalist III—Active Interest Media, Donald Starkey—Donald Starkey Designs, Andre Jonker—Abeking & Rasmussen, Till von Krause—Abeking & Rasmussen, Theo J. Hooning—SYBAss), Andrew Doole—Show Management
Yacht Sunrays: Best Power 65m+
Terence Disdale—Terence Disdale Design, Marcel Onkenhout—Oceanco, Christer Johansson— Bjorn Johansson Design and father of late Bjorn, Sally Johansson—Bjorn Johansson Design and mother of late Bjorn, Hugo Van Wieringen—Azure Naval Architects
Yacht Chrisco: Best Interior
Rob Wetzels, Gillian Brown—Wetzels Brown Partners, David Arnold—Robb Report, Olivier Lafourcade—CNB, Jody Dunowitz—Robb Report
Sailing Vessel, Soliloquy, Alastair Callender, Callender Designs: Excellence in Innovation Award
Norma Trease—NE Trease, Inc., Alastair Callender—Callender Designs
Trinity House: Business of the Year Award
Matthew Jaenicke—Viking Recruitment, Sabrina Farmer—International Maritime Associates
Captain David Hill: Distinguished Crew Award
Gary Groenewold—WESTREC Marinas, Captain Kelly Esser Accepting Award on behalf of David Hill’s Family
CANDIDTS:
• Diane Byrne-Megayacht News, Ron Cleveringa-Burger Boat Company
• Excellence in Innovation, Alastair Callender with Trophy
• Salim Erdem-Moonen
• DCA, Captain and Mrs. Kelly Esser, Gary Groenewold-Westrec
• Maria Fetcher-CNI, Bob Saxon-ISS, FYBA
• Dean Klevan-SeaKeepers, Karlene Pack-Yachts International, Peter Vogel-Triple S Consultancy
• Espen Øino-Retiring ISS Judge
• Leslie Lott-Lott & Friedman, Michael Moore-Moore & Company
• David Pedrick-Pedrick Yacht Designs, Ken Hickling- Awlgrip Paints
• Captain Donna Marie Smith, Sabrina Farmer-IMA, Amy Halsted-ISS & THA, Maria Fletcher-CNI
• The Young Professionals in Yachting
o Summer Osterman, Charter Broker at BURGESS
o Tracy Hess, Sales Manager at Yachtworld.com
o Jordanna Joffe, Charter Fleet Coordinator at the Sacks Group at IYC
o Sara Ingersoll, Marketing Director at Merritt Yacht Brokers
o Katie Baron Nullman, Director of Sales at Aquamarina/Vertical Yacht Club
The International Superyacht Society is the sole organization serving and representing the large yacht industry worldwide. Society members are individuals and companies who have been recognized for their leadership and dedication to raising the standards of design construction, maintenance, repair and operation of large yachts.
Business of the Year Trinity House Matthew Jaenicke-Viking Recruitment Sabrina Farmer- IMA
About International Superyacht Society
Founded in 1989, the Society is a not-for-profit organization and relies wholly on membership dues, the support of corporate sponsors, revenues from special events, and other donations. An elected Board of Directors guides the Society’s activities.
Education Programs are conducted internationally and include open forums such as symposia, informal gatherings and round-tables. It is a Society priority to foster dialogue among Society members and others in the large yacht segment of the marine industry, leading to the strengthening and growth of the business interests of Society members and the industry as a whole.
