How to become Yacht Project Manager and Yacht Consultant

[yeol]

I'm a Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering student and I'm on my way to get my bachelor degree. The role that I hope to cover is the figure of the project manager and the yacht consultant and this is the reason of my post, I hope to find someone with more experience than me and maybe that had my similar doubts and path that can clear my mind. I know that those are roles in which is requested so much experience, so based on that I have some doubts to how reach my goal. My main question is about what I have to looking for as a recent graduate, in particular of what kind of job offers I have to consider in terms of usefulness for my career. Then I want to know how the training process works, because as a fresh graduate without experience I suppose that I don't have all the knowledge for cover the PM role at the beginning. The last thing is about the fact if the bachelor degree is enough or not to start this journey. Thanks.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Hi there. ex Naval Architect here. You'll need significant relevent experience, and an industry network. Because without them you'll have no credibility, and no work.

To get started I'd suggest you target Graduate management training schemes in sizable businesses operating in your chosen field (and country perhaps). You've posted this in the Motor Boat section so I'd suggest you investigate the usual boatbuilder and refit suspects (eg Princess, Sunseeker, Fairline (maybe), Berthon, Pendennis, Fox's etc in the UK.

 

[Motor_Sailor]

The key to successful project management and consultancy is 'experience'. You will be expected to generate feasible options and often decide on a particular course of action. Your knowledge needs tempering in the commercial world.

I know this would appear to be the classic 'chicken and egg' situation, but there is a workable route through it. One way to do this initially, is to divorce your gaining of experience from your desire to work as a consultant. Attack the first as a way of getting to your final position. If it's the superyacht world that appeals, then get a job on board a super yacht on the engineering side, if it's construction - get into a yard in almost any position. I did about ten years in a aluminium yacht construction yard before anyone thought my opinion was worth asking. Later in my career my designs were always noted as being 'done by someone who knew how they were going to be built'. Getting up to your ears in the internals of boats will always pay dividends. That's where the problems are usually found. Good luck.

Edit: Also spend every spare moment while you're at university mastering a top of the range, industrial strength solid modelling software package. You'll never have more time than you do now to become expert. All the big yards have migrated to IronCAD / Solid Works / Catia etc but the standard of modelling from some firms leaves a lot to be desired. If you have mastered 3D solid modelling, you will have an immediately employable skill set.

 

[yeol]

The key to successful project management and consultancy is 'experience'. You will be expected to generate feasible options and often decide on a particular course of action. Your knowledge needs tempering in the commercial world.

I know this would appear to be the classic 'chicken and egg' situation, but there is a workable route through it. One way to do this initially, is to divorce your gaining of experience from your desire to work as a consultant. Attack the first as a way of getting to your final position. If it's the superyacht world that appeals, then get a job on board a super yacht on the engineering side, if it's construction - get into a yard in almost any position. I did about ten years in a aluminium yacht construction yard before anyone thought my opinion was worth asking. Later in my career my designs were always noted as being 'done by someone who knew how they were going to be built'. Getting up to your ears in the internals of boats will always pay dividends. That's where the problems are usually found. Good luck.

Edit: Also spend every spare moment while you're at university mastering a top of the range, industrial strength solid modelling software package. You'll never have more time than you do now to become expert. All the big yards have migrated to IronCAD / Solid Works / Catia etc but the standard of modelling from some firms leaves a lot to be desired. If you have mastered 3D solid modelling, you will have an immediately employable skill set.

Thank you for your exhaustive answer. The fact is that I'm not really interested in the designer figure but I'd like to be in a different role, do you think that I have to follow necessarily the design way at the beginning to reach my goal?

 

[Motor_Sailor]

I think it was the naval architect Colin Mudie who said that designing boats was a combination of a 'scientific art' together with 'artistic science'. In other words yachts are a blend of great aesthetic design that has to be strong and functional enough to work in the demanding environment of the sea.

In the design of larger yachts (where the money is to be found), then people tend to specialize. Most work is in structural and systems engineering of all the systems from sails and rigging, power plants, electrical,to moving swim platforms, etc, etc. So a strong engineering background to your naval architecture is probably the most employable combination. It also transfers more easily to commercial boat work and underpins all the consultancy work with refit and scheduled maintenance management.

 

[Bigplumbs]

You say you are a Student and striving for a high academic qualification. This is excellent but to be a consultant with any credibility you need years of varying experience in your field Working along side others. I am afraid this means starting low and working your way up

 

[henryf]

The key to successful......

Great answer from someone who clearly knows their onions !

 

[henryf]

Thank you for your exhaustive answer. The fact is that I'm not really interested in the designer figure but I'd like to be in a different role, do you think that I have to follow necessarily the design way at the beginning to reach my goal?

That was indeed a great answer. Keep your options open as wide as possible to begin with. You never know where a door will open and make the best use of any technology, contacts and knowledge available at your university.

 

[Portofino]

Learn Italian, get a placement in Italy .
Go from there .
The SY industry in IT will welcome an Eg born understanding fully En culture + better at reading US , with open arms .
As 90:% of WW clients will open the batting in Eg .

 

[volvopaul]

learn to design a good looking boat that’s practical from every angle, steal all other builders great design, invention , put it into a hull that gives great economy along with an engine room that can actually be worked in to reduce service cost and longevity in an area of the boat that will really cost the owners small fortunes every year, top it off by keeping all theGreen Party environmental boffins happy for years to come . Try and get all the parts manufacturers to talk to each other rather than they all do there own thing in the hope when they are installed they will work .

In reality no such boat exists , maybe this is your goal to create such a thing , I know I will be retired by then but foreseeable boat owners can dream this will one day become reality. Amen

 

[penfold]

Doing navarc but you don't like design? Does not compute. Get your marine engineering ticket and go to sea for a few years to learn what works and as importantly what doesn't, then start looking for yard jobs.

 

[Bajansailor]

The role that I hope to cover is the figure of the project manager and the yacht consultant

I also did naval architecture at university, albeit 35 years ago now, and I had similar aspirations when I graduated, thinking that the world was my oyster.
But I quickly found out that it wasn't - ok, you have a degree, but you now have to effectively start at square one again, to gain lots of broadbased practical experience. I spent some years in design, and a year in a boatyard building fibreglass fishing boats, and then ended up in the surveying field.
My dream at the time was to become a project manager with a yard like Pendennis (hey, if you are going to dream, then dream big), but things did not quite work out that way.
And 35 years later now, I probably have more doubts about my ability to be a project manager and yacht consultant than I did back then.

 

[Portland Billy]

Took me over thirty years experience in all aspects of the job before I aspired to project management and thence to consultancy.
Your degree is merely a toe in the door.

 

[colhel]

There's suppliers manufacturing bespoke products for the super yacht market. I was based in the workshop for 5 years building super yacht rigging and hydraulic equipment so no real networking opportunities. But these companies need designers, project managers and supply chain managers where you'll be in direct contact with people further up the chain in the industry. This would be a good place to start IMHO.

 

[Seastoke]

I'm a Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering student and I'm on my way to get my bachelor degree. The role that I hope to cover is the figure of the project manager and the yacht consultant and this is the reason of my post, I hope to find someone with more experience than me and maybe that had my similar doubts and path that can clear my mind. I know that those are roles in which is requested so much experience, so based on that I have some doubts to how reach my goal. My main question is about what I have to looking for as a recent graduate, in particular of what kind of job offers I have to consider in terms of usefulness for my career. Then I want to know how the training process works, because as a fresh graduate without experience I suppose that I don't have all the knowledge for cover the PM role at the beginning. The last thing is about the fact if the bachelor degree is enough or not to start this journey. Thanks.

You could send a pm to hurley on here he runs a boat manufacturing plant in the saaaaaaaaf some where.

 

[jointventureII]

Learn Italian, get a placement in Italy .
Go from there .
The SY industry in IT will welcome an Eg born understanding fully En culture + better at reading US , with open arms .
As 90:% of WW clients will open the batting in Eg .

This would really work.

You could absolutely clean up by being British over here. The position of project manager in a superyacht orientated shipyard literally makes or breaks the yard period from the owner and crew point of view, and I mean that 100%. A good one will make a poor yard seem quite good whereas a poor one will ruin a good yard's reputation. Language is often a barrier for many, I speak fluent Italian thanks to hours in a classroom and now an Italian wife, I couldn't do my job effectively otherwise.

Age wise, don't be put off as project managers start fairly young, 25 would not be totally uncommon. Of course they're not going to assign you Madame Gu or Ecstasea as a first project but you'd be surprised how quickly you move up the ladder. I'm currently midway through a RINA renewal survey and partial repaint of a San Lorenzo 118 and once that finishes, exactly the same with a Pershing 108 and our yard manager is 30.

You need to be:
Extremely well organised
Polite, courteous
Know what you're talking about, and admit it when you don't
Up to date, the superyacht world considers a boat more than about 10 years old, as old
Willing to spend hours learning about the most menial of things
Good with numbers - budgets etc.

If you're planning to get into construction then I'd absolutely recommend doing a few seasons on small to mid size superyachts (25-40m) - you'll learn so much about what is good and what isn't. There is a reason ex-yacht captains are in demand during constructions and refits - they know what works, what doesn't, what is good and what isn't.

Consultancy is a term widely used and often one that people like to apply to themselves but in reality there are few good consultants.

Good luck, send me a message if you've got any questions - I've dealt with project managers for 15 years as a yacht captain and started the journey by asking questions on this very forum!

 

[Durley245]

You could send a pm to hurley on here he runs a boat manufacturing plant in the saaaaaaaaf some where.

Durley 245. Poole is where Quayline is if he wants to PM message me is fine