Yachts For Sale Blog Podcast

What actually happens when a brand-new superyacht is delivered to its owner? And why would someone who can afford an entire yacht choose to own just a share of one?
In this episode of Yacht Podcasts, Katia Damborsky talks to David Seal about a rather unusual filming project that followed the delivery and eventual public reveal of HEED, a 53-metre Rossinavi superyacht.
The project began on delivery day, a moment that David describes as organised chaos rather than the champagne-filled celebration people might imagine. With the final payment being transferred, shipyard workers completing their jobs and crew preparing to depart, there was plenty happening behind the scenes.
There was also an unusual restriction. David couldn't reveal the yacht's name, its builder or too much of its appearance until the official unveiling at the Monaco Yacht Show. Over four videos, the team gradually introduced the yacht and the business behind it.
That business is SeaNet, founded by Matty Zadnikar, which specialises in yacht co-ownership alongside crew services and yacht management.
David and Katia discuss why fractional ownership is attracting people who could comfortably afford to purchase a superyacht outright. For some owners, the attraction isn't simply financial. It's about enjoying their time on board without having to deal with every aspect of running a yacht that they may only use for a few weeks each year.
Of course, there are compromises. Sharing ownership means giving up some flexibility over when and where the yacht can cruise. David explains why he believes the financial advantages can nevertheless make the arrangement appealing.
The conversation also turns to the challenges of filming the final HEED video, which combined a yacht walkthrough with interviews involving the SeaNet team at the Cannes Yachting Festival.
David shares his impressions of the yacht's Alberto Mancini exterior design and Achille Salvagni interiors, including some particularly unusual furniture details, and reflects on working with Matty Zadnikar throughout the project.
In this episode:
What really happens on superyacht delivery day
Why HEED's identity had to remain a secret
The challenges of filming a four-part yacht series
How SeaNet's co-ownership model works
Why wealthy yacht owners consider fractional ownership
The financial advantages and practical compromises
Behind the scenes of the HEED reveal
Filming at the Cannes Yachting Festival
Alberto Mancini's exterior design
Achille Salvagni's distinctive interiors
David's experience working with Matty Zadnikar
Follow Katia Damborsky on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theyachtwriter/
Follow Yachts For Sale Blog on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/yachtsforsaleblog/
If you are interested in becoming a yacht broker:www.yachtbrokermasterclass.com
For updates from the Yachts For Sale YouTube team, join the free INSIDE INFO newsletter:www.yachtsforsaleblog.com

John Allen grew up near Nottingham, far removed from the world of yachting. After training as a toolmaker, he found his way into the marine industry and eventually established Quantum Stabilizers, a company that would go on to make a significant contribution to yacht stabilisation technology.
I met John in Fort Lauderdale to find out how he built the business and how Quantum developed the zero-speed stabilisation systems that are now such an important feature of modern superyachts.
John tells me about his childhood in England, his engineering apprenticeship and the girlfriend whose father first introduced him to sailing. That early experience eventually led him to Corsica, where he found his first job aboard a sailing yacht before moving on to work as an engineer on larger motor yachts.
One thing that particularly interested me was how John first became involved with stabilisers. During his time working aboard yachts, he repeatedly encountered equipment that engineers were reluctant to touch. Captains would warn him not to interfere with the stabilisers because nobody knew how to repair them if something went wrong.
We discuss his move to America, his time working at Derecktor Shipyards in Rhode Island and his decision to start his own business. Quantum began in a small workshop in Newport, producing components for classic yacht restorations, including bronze keel bolts, before John gradually moved into repairing existing stabilisation systems.
John explains how the business expanded to Fort Lauderdale and how he began working with engineers in the Netherlands to develop more sophisticated stabiliser controls. One of the important developments came through his collaboration with Theo Koop and Hans Ohms, whose control technology offered a considerable improvement over the systems available at the time.
We also talk about Quantum's first complete stabiliser installations, including an early order from professional golfer Greg Norman for his yacht Aussie Rules. John recalls how the company developed its own equipment while competing against much larger, established manufacturers.
Perhaps the most interesting part of our conversation concerns the development of zero-speed stabilisation, which allows a yacht to reduce rolling while at anchor rather than only when underway.
John describes how an owner agreed to let Quantum experiment with a system aboard his yacht, despite there being no guarantee that it would work. What followed was months of testing, repeated failures and some rather unconventional engineering, including building electronic filters by hand using components purchased from Radio Shack.
Eventually, the system began to work. John remembers the yacht arriving in St Barts, where other captains noticed that it was barely rolling while the surrounding yachts were moving considerably. That demonstration helped establish a technology that would become an important part of Quantum's business.
We also discuss the challenges of introducing new technology to an established industry, the importance of finding the right people and the difficulties of competing with companies that had considerably greater resources.
An interesting conversation with someone whose career began in a small engineering workshop in England and led to the development of technology used aboard some of the world's largest yachts.
This podcast is sponsored by Keane Specialty Insurance.
If it floats, they can quote it. For specialist yacht, boat and watercraft insurance, use the link in the description or scan the QR code shown during the podcast.
Follow Yachts For Sale Blog on Instagram:@yachtsforsaleblog
Watch and subscribe to our YouTube channels:
@YachtsForSaleBlogYachts For Sale Blog
@YachtsForCharterYachts For Charter
@YachtBuildersYacht Builders
@YachtPodcastsThe Yacht Podcast
If you are interested in becoming a yacht broker:https://yachtbrokermasterclass.com
And if you would like to keep updated on events at the Yachts For Sale YouTube team, you can join the free INSIDE INFO newsletter at:https://yachtsforsaleblog.com/

To get a quote for your vessel from Keane Specialty Insurance:https://keanespecialty.com/get-a-quote/
Jasper Smith made his career in the video games industry before discovering a passion for ocean exploration that eventually led him to establish ARKSEN, a company building explorer yachts, adventure vehicles and outdoor equipment.
I first met Jasper several years ago, when ARKSEN was still developing its first explorer yachts, so it was good to catch up and see how the business has progressed.
In this podcast, Jasper tells me about his adventures sailing through Alaska, Greenland and the Bering Sea, and how those experiences influenced his approach to building yachts.
We look at ARKSEN's growing range of boats, from small RIBs and the new Adventure Series to the ARKSEN 85, a long-range explorer yacht capable of travelling 7,000 nautical miles.
One thing I particularly wanted to understand was why ARKSEN yachts cost considerably more than some other boats of a similar size. Jasper explains where the money goes, including the engineering, hybrid propulsion, soundproofing and backup systems designed to make these yachts reliable in remote parts of the world.
We also discuss why ARKSEN has expanded into clothing, vehicles and adventure travel, its involvement in the David Attenborough documentary Ocean, and the company's rather different approach to yacht construction.
Finally, Jasper shares his views on some of the problems facing the yacht industry, including shipyards competing on price, cutting costs and promising owners more than they can deliver.
An interesting conversation about yacht building, the importance of good engineering and why Jasper believes that quality and customer trust should come before price.
This podcast is sponsored by Keane Specialty Insurance.
If it floats, they can quote it. For specialist yacht, boat and watercraft insurance, use the link in the description.

To get a quote for your vessel from Keane Specialty Insurance: https://keanespecialty.com/get-a-quote/ Jonny Dodge has built a career that has taken him from the Monaco Yacht Show to the Gumball Rally, Formula 1, nightclubs, superyachts, private jets, luxury property — and even sending clients into space. In this podcast, recorded at the Monaco Yacht Show, Jonny tells me how it all started, including his early exposure to the superyacht world through his father, his years organising events around Formula 1, and the unexpected circumstances that eventually led him into yacht charter. We talk about how My Ocean grew from chartering a relatively small yacht during the pandemic to arranging some of the largest and most expensive yacht charters in the world. Jonny also explains why social media has become such an important part of his business, how a younger generation of wealthy clients is changing the luxury industry, and why he believes people buy into people rather than brands. But we also talk about the parts of entrepreneurship that aren't always visible. Jonny discusses losing the money he invested in his nightclub, seeing his Formula 1 events business effectively stop during the pandemic, and why some of his biggest opportunities have emerged from his biggest setbacks. We also discuss his growing group of businesses spanning yachts, private aviation, real estate and experiences, his approach to maintaining his extraordinary energy levels, and why he believes the future of luxury is increasingly about community rather than simply owning things. A fascinating conversation with one of the most energetic and unconventional entrepreneurs working in the luxury and superyacht industries today. This podcast is sponsored by Keane Specialty Insurance. If it floats, they can quote it. For specialist yacht, boat and watercraft insurance, use the link in the description or scan the QR code shown during the podcast.

David Seal sits down with Francesca Muzio of FM Architettura for a conversation that goes back more than 20 years, to the time when they worked together at CRN and Custom Line, and continues through to projects such as AKULA, one of the yachts particularly close to Francesca’s heart.
Francesca went on to establish her own architectural studio, which today has a team of more than 55 people and works across yachting, residential and hospitality projects in 16 countries.
But this is less about the size of the company and more about how that journey happened, and how Francesca’s approach to yacht design has evolved along the way.
For her, designing a yacht today no longer begins with colours, materials or a particular style. It begins with understanding how the owner actually wants to live on board. That shift from style to lifestyle has become increasingly important as owners spend longer periods at sea, work remotely and use their yachts throughout the year.
AKULA is a particularly interesting example. Francesca explains how the owner’s sailing background and desire to use more sustainable materials led to some unusual design decisions, including the use of recycled Kevlar sailing sails within the interior.
David and Francesca also explore the design process itself, from listening to the owner and developing a strong idea before developing the project, to working with shipyards and suppliers, managing a growing creative team, dealing with criticism and understanding when perfection has to meet practical reality. 
n this episode:
More than 20 years of working in yacht design
From CRN and Custom Line to building FM Architettura
Why understanding an owner's lifestyle comes before choosing a style
What makes yacht design particularly complex
The story behind AKULA and its recycled sailing materials
Why a strong idea must come before the project
How Francesca responds when an owner rejects a design
Managing creativity, discipline and a team of more than 55 people
Why the next generation of designers matters to the future of yachting
 
To get a quote for your vessel from Keane Specialty Insurance:https://keanespecialty.com/get-a-quote/
For more details about Francesca and FM Architettura:https://fm-arch.it/
Watch our YouTube channels:
@YachtsForSaleBloghttps://www.youtube.com/@YachtsForSaleBlog
@YachtsForCharterhttps://www.youtube.com/@YachtsForCharter
@YachtBuildershttps://www.youtube.com/@YachtBuilders
@YachtPodcastshttps://www.youtube.com/@YachtPodcasts

David Seal is back from Venezuela, and Katia Damborsky has heard quite a lot about the trip already. Now is your turn.
In this episode of The Yacht Podcast, David shares what really happened behind the scenes of his journey to Los Roques and the wider Blue Corridor project, a route designed to support superyachts travelling between Los Roques, Panama and the Galápagos.
What started as a project focused on a little-known superyacht destination became something much bigger. David talks about exploring the islands by boat, snorkelling among coral and marine life, trying kite surfing, fishing for yellowtail snapper and experiencing a side of Venezuela that left a very strong impression on him.
The journey then took an unexpected turn with a private flight into the Amazon, a helicopter trip over Angel Falls and conversations with members of the Venezuelan government about the country's potential for tourism. There was also a rather eventful flight over the jungle involving suspected illegal mining operations and some very unhappy passengers.
In this episode:
How the Blue Corridor project began
Why Los Roques could be interesting for visiting superyachts
David's first impressions of the archipelago
Snorkelling, fishing, paddle boarding and kite surfing
Travelling into the Amazon and flying over Angel Falls
An unexpected conversation with Venezuela's Minister of Tourism
The rather dramatic flight over suspected illegal mining operations
Why David says this definitely wasn't a holiday
And the freshest fish he has ever eaten, prepared just minutes after it was caught
As David puts it, there was far more to the trip than could ever fit into one video, and this podcast tells some of the stories that happened when the cameras weren't necessarily rolling.
Follow Katia Damborsky on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theyachtwriter/
Watch our YouTube channels:
@YachtsForSaleBloghttps://www.youtube.com/@YachtsForSaleBlog
@YachtsForCharterhttps://www.youtube.com/@YachtsForCharter
@YachtBuildershttps://www.youtube.com/@YachtBuilders
@YachtPodcastshttps://www.youtube.com/@YachtPodcasts
Follow Yachts For Sale Blog on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/yachtsforsaleblog/
If you are interested in becoming a yacht broker:www.yachtbrokermasterclass.com
And if you would like to keep updated on events at the Yachts For Sale YouTube team, you can join the free INSIDE INFO newsletter at:www.yachtsforsaleblog.com
 

Sometimes a yacht shoot runs perfectly. And sometimes you lose a drone, discover halfway through the day that considerably more footage is expected, and Katia somehow manages to trip over absolutely nothing while presenting.
This was the shoot of RHINO, a 55-metre Benetti delivered in 2016.
The assignment came together quickly. What started as a request to film a yacht in Croatia eventually became RHINO, an immaculately maintained, high-volume Benetti of more than 700 GT. That meant a substantial amount of yacht to capture in a single day, with two videographers, a photographer and Katia on board.
But the real story of this episode is what happens behind the camera.
David and Katia talk about the sometimes difficult balance between producing the video they believe their audience wants to watch while also delivering the photography and footage required by brokers and owners' representatives. When several people are involved, each can understandably have slightly different expectations of what the finished production should achieve.
RHINO, however, made their job considerably easier. Katia describes her as an exceptionally well-presented yacht with impressive volume for her length, and it was clear how much work had gone into keeping her in such good condition.
There were still a few complications. The filming day ran considerably longer than expected, the drone was lost and a replacement had to be brought to the dock. And somewhere along the way, the production schedule insisted that everyone stop at midday for a properly served lunch on the upper deck, complete with carbonara prepared by the yacht chef.
It's an unusually candid look at what goes into producing a yacht walkthrough, including the parts that viewers normally never see.
In this episode:
• How a last-minute filming request became a shoot on RHINO• A 55m Benetti with more than 700 GT of volume• Why larger yachts require a larger production team• What happens when expectations change during a shoot• Balancing the audience, broker and owner's representative• Why brokers also need footage that may never appear in the final video• David's "horse designed by committee" analogy• How pressure behind the camera can affect presenting• Katia's thoughts on learning to present yacht walkthroughs• The unexpected yacht-chef lunch on the upper deck• Losing a drone during the shoot• Finding a replacement drone and getting the job finished
Follow Katia Damborsky on Instagram:@theyachtwriter
Follow Yachts For Sale Blog on Instagram:@yachtsforsaleblog

It takes quite a lot for Katia Damborsky to get this excited about a yacht. KORU managed it.
The 50-metre Feadship, originally delivered in 1983 as AZTECA, has a history that Katia knows particularly well. Designed by the legendary Jon Bannenberg, she was one of two remarkable Feadships built in tandem, an ambitious project that produced two yachts whose design was years ahead of its time.
More than 40 years later, KORU looks very different. Following a major refit, her exterior has been transformed, and as a serious Bannenberg fan, Katia admits she was slightly nervous about what she would find when she went on board. Had too much of the yacht's original character disappeared? In fact, she came away impressed by how sympathetically the yacht had been updated for modern use.
From there, the conversation moves behind the scenes of the shoot itself, and unusually, almost everything went right. Katia describes KORU's crew as the best she has ever worked with on a yacht shoot, with spaces prepared before the filming team even had to ask.
David and Katia also talk about what it is really like to film a 50-metre yacht, the value of having a broker who knows the boat alongside you, and why the right crew and filming team can completely change the experience of a long day's shooting.
As David eventually points out, this may be one of those rare podcast episodes where everything simply went perfectly.
In this episode:
• Why KORU got Katia so excited• The story behind this classic 1983 Feadship• Jon Bannenberg's original design and KORU's history• The story of the two Feadships built in tandem• Why Katia was nervous about seeing KORU after her refit• How the yacht's heritage has been brought into the modern era• Why Katia calls KORU's crew the best she has ever worked with on a shoot• What really happens behind the scenes when filming a 50m yacht• Why having a knowledgeable broker on board made a difference• How a new videographer changed the dynamic of the shoot• One of those rare filming days when everything simply worked
Follow Katia Damborsky on Instagram:@theyachtwriter
Watch our YouTube channels:
@YachtsForSaleBlogYachts For Sale Blog
@YachtsForCharterYachts For Charter
@YachtBuildersYacht Builders
@YachtPodcastsThe Yacht Podcast
Follow Yachts For Sale Blog on Instagram:@yachtsforsaleblog
If you are interested in becoming a yacht broker:Yacht Broker Masterclass
And if you would like to keep updated on events at the Yachts For Sale YouTube team, you can join the free INSIDE INFO newsletter at:Yachts For Sale Blog

What happens behind the scenes when a yacht shoot starts with a missed connection, seven hours stuck at Milan Linate Airport and just two hours of sleep?
In this episode of The Yacht Podcast, David Seal sits down with Katia Damborsky to talk about filming DONA FRANCISCA, the remarkable 52-metre sailing yacht she recently presented for Yachts For Sale Blog.
The trip certainly did not begin according to plan. Katia and Slava were travelling from Sardinia, after filming AMICA MEA, to Mallorca when a delayed flight meant they missed their connection. What followed was a long wait in Milan, another delayed flight, a very late hotel arrival and almost no sleep before filming began the following morning.
But DONA FRANCISCA turned out to be worth the journey.
Delivered in 2014, she was built in Uruguay by Astilleros Buquebus for an experienced Uruguayan owner who wanted a completely custom sailing yacht built around his own ideas. Her traditional schooner appearance hides some surprisingly advanced construction, with Katia explaining how the captain corrected information she had found online and told her that the yacht's hull and superstructure are carbon.
David and Katia also discuss why sailing yacht owners and buyers can be very different from the motor yacht market, why brokers working in this sector really need to understand the technical side of sailing, and what makes filming a sailing yacht such a different experience.
There is also the usual look behind the scenes of the Yachts For Sale team, from travel disasters and exhausted presenters to Slava apologising on Katia's behalf at the hotel reception, David admitting that while all of this was happening he was partying on another yacht, and the reality of finishing a full day of filming only to return to the hotel and record voiceovers.
And, somehow, they still came away with a walkthrough they were genuinely excited about.
Watch the full episode to hear what really happened behind the scenes of the DONA FRANCISCA shoot and why this unusual Uruguayan-built sailing yacht made such an impression on Katia.
Follow Katia Damborsky on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theyachtwriter/
Follow Yachts For Sale Blog on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/yachtsforsaleblog/

From discovering sailing while backpacking through Europe to captaining superyachts and becoming the face of Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Captain Glenn Shephard’s route into yachting has been anything but conventional.
In this episode of The Yacht Podcast, David sits down with Captain Glenn Shephard aboard Glenn’s own sailing yacht, Avalon, to talk about the experiences that shaped his career, life as a superyacht captain, and what really happens behind the cameras on Below Deck Sailing Yacht.
Glenn grew up in Montreal and had no sailing background as a young person. His introduction to life at sea came while backpacking through Europe in the 1980s, when he spotted a notice in a Rome youth hostel looking for someone to help sail around the Aeolian Islands. What started as an unexpected opportunity eventually became the beginning of a completely different life.
His professional career later took him aboard yachts including Atmosphere and Mirabella V, starting as a deckhand and working his way through the ranks while gaining his qualifications. Glenn eventually moved into command and went on to spend many years aboard Parsifal III.
In this episode:
• How Glenn discovered sailing almost by accident• His unconventional route into professional yachting• Working his way from deckhand to captain• The captains who influenced him along the way• Life aboard Atmosphere, Mirabella V and Parsifal III• Managing a superyacht crew and learning leadership on the job• How Parsifal III became part of Below Deck Sailing Yacht• What filming the show is really like from the captain’s perspective• Why Glenn says the situations and drama aren't scripted• How Below Deck has opened up the traditionally private world of superyachting• The difference between life as a superyacht captain and sailing his own yacht, Avalon• Some of Glenn’s experiences and adventures at sea
Glenn also explains how Below Deck Sailing Yacht came about. Initially, his interest was simply in bringing charter business to the yacht. After the production team visited, met Glenn and members of the crew, and took the idea back to the network, the sailing franchise began to take shape. Glenn admits that television was never something he had aspired to do, but says the situations viewers see aboard are real rather than scenarios created for the cameras.
David and Glenn also discuss what the programme has done for the wider perception of yachting. The superyacht industry has traditionally placed enormous importance on privacy and discretion, while Below Deck has opened a window into that world for millions of viewers. Glenn points out that the programme should be taken with a grain of salt, but that it does portray some of what life in superyachting is about.
The episode also brings the conversation back to Keane Specialty Insurance, whose collaboration with both David and Glenn helped bring them together. As a yacht owner himself, Glenn discusses the importance of having a good working relationship with people you know and trust when it comes to insurance — and the value of being able to speak directly to someone who knows you and your boat when something happens.
From an unexpected introduction to sailing to decades working aboard yachts and an entirely unplanned television career, this is a fascinating conversation about Captain Glenn Shephard’s life on the water — both in front of the cameras and away from them.