From May 15 to 17, 2014, the six finalists of the Boat International Young Designers Award had a unique opportunity to visit the Lurssen facilities in Northern Germany.
The Young Designer Award 2014 Finalists in front of the Lurssen Shipyard
In total the group of finalists consisted of seven young designers.
After their pick-up on the 15th May in the morning their first stop was the Lürssen Rendsburg facility.
During the tour there they had the opportunity to see three yachts all in a different stage of building and met with some of the staff that are responsible for building the yachts.
The Young Designer Award 2014 Finalists - Image credit to Klaus Jordan
After the shipyard tour the trip lead them further south to Bremen, where after dinner they had the opportunity to present their own projects to Lürssen and most importantly, to each other. Everyone of the Young Designers was very enthusiastic not only in presenting his own design but also to see the new ideas presented by the other designers. All in all it was a very impressive, exciting and enriching evening for everybody.
The next day began with another shipyard tour through the Lürssen facilities in Bremen. There they visited two yards and everyone was impressed by the size of the shipyard, the order and cleanliness, the professionalism, the whole logistical and engineering process and last but not least, the enormous size of yachts which can be built there.
In addition to the “white” yachts, there are also naval vessels under construction at the Bremen shipyard which gave the young designers an idea of the complexity of shipbuilding and the diversity of Lürssen.
Friday afternoon was laid out for entertainment. The Young Designers had the chance to participate in the annual “Lürssen Rowing Regatta”, which is organized once a year to entertain owner’s representatives and crews who spend many months in Bremen and Rendsburg during the building process or while their yacht is at the yard for refit works.
Lurssen Rowing Regatta Group - Photo credit to Klaus Jordan
It was a colourful, entertaining and sportive afternoon, where in total eight rowing teams battled against each other to win the huge Challenge Trophy.
The designers were put in different teams and had to experience firsthand what water can do to a small craft! This also gave them the chance to meet yacht professionals and hear their side of the industry.
After the presentation ceremony everybody relaxed on the terrace followed by a barbeque to round off the program.
The Young Designer Award 2014 Finalists at Lurssen Rowing Regatta - Photo by Klaus Jordan
When the Designers left Bremen the next morning they were tired but full of new impressions and ideas!
Here are some of the impressions of the Young Designers:
Dennis Dreier
“Lürssen invited us six finalists for a two-day visit to their facilities. We started at Thursday morning in Hamburg and drove to the Lürssen-Kröger shipyard in Rendsburg. We visited the yachts which are in built there. It was very impressive to see the different stages of a yacht new build. In the afternoon we continued our tour to Bremen, where we had a pleasant diner at the Feuerwache. Good Italian cuisine. On Friday we got up early to see Azzam leaving Bremen over the Weser river. What a look! After that we inspected the facilities in Aumund and Lemwerder. It was incredible to see how those big yachts are been build! And for me it was very interesting to take a look inside the engineering offices and how the guys there are doing and loving their work. At noon we walked to the Vegesacker Ruderverein where the 9th Lürssen Rowing Regatta was held. The weather was on our side and the teams were highly motivated. That way we spent a superb afternoon with people who had the same passion like us: Yachts! So I’d like to say a very big thank you to all the people who were involved! It was an awesome experience! I had a very good time and met so many interesting people! Thank you for that!”
Graham Kukla
“Lurssen provided a priceless opportunity to this year’s finalists, allowing for a detailed examination of shipbuilding, and design related elements of superyachts. Rarely do young professionals in the design industry have the opportunity to appreciate these magnificent vessels from up close. Exploring various Lurssen facilities helped to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex engineering, special requirements and build processes behind some of the world’s top yachts.”
Raphaël Laloux
“I would like to thank Lürssen for those amazing days passed in the yard. It’s an incredible opportunity to discover the different steps of the shipbuilding industry on high quality yachts. Many thanks to the Lürssen team for the welcome and kindness. We had wonderful times and lot of funs at the regatta!”
Daniel Zoghby
“It was a great privilege to have been part of the organized YDY event and to have visited your shipyards, which allowed me to expand my knowledge in this domain. I am particularly honored to have made your acquaintance. I would like to thank you for accompanying us during our stay in Germany. Please accept my gratitude for your patience and your lasting smile. I admire your professionalism and your sense of organization.”
Jiantao Zhu
“I’m so glad to meet you all. Thank you for your warm hospitality. We really enjoyed our visit at your shipyard and benefited a lot. The modern and advanced construction has left me a deep impression. I was very excited about seeing super yachts built at your shipyard. It’s a nice trip, thank you!“
