Yachts routinely undergo maintenance and refit periods throughout their lifetime. Whether it’s to stay ahead of any major issues or completely alter the yacht’s style, refits don’t just upgrade the yacht’s look and feel for the owner or charter guests — it greatly enhances life on board. Utilizing YATCO’s extensive database, we’ve pulled the top yacht refits of 2023 and spoke to the captains and crew on board to see how the recent refits have helped to change and enhance crew life. M/Y MIMI 2008 Benetti 196′ 11″ (60 meters) For sale with Samuel Watts of 37South Yachts. MIMI completed a major refit alongside her Lloyd’s Special Survey in Palma de Mallorca. There was an exhaustive list of work completed, including rebuilding of engines, fuel and tanks replaced or serviced, major paint job on the hull, strip out and rebuild of the galley, A/V systems upgraded, and windlasses fully rebuilt. The crew share how these upgrades have affected their day-to-day life on board MIMI: “Preparing meals for 20 people daily in a temporary kitchen was a challenge. Returning to a newly rebuilt, completely functional, and professional galley on board has made life much easier. The refitted galley floor is bright and contrasting — it feels like another life.” — Chef Marc Riedmueller “In line with our classification society, MIMI not only rebuilt her critical machinery, she also undertook a large re-paint to really show off her timeless shape. Now that we have seen a short amount of time post refit, the quality of the work put into MIMI is unmistakable. Having the newly painted hull has allowed the deck team to spend our time on other matters with far less input required to have MIMI in an impeccable state and an ease of cleaning.” — Chief Officer Robbie Macgregor M/Y NEXT CHAPTER 2003 Benetti 180′ 6″ (55 meters) For sale with Mark Elliott and Matthew Stone of IYC. “NEXT CHAPTER completed an eight-month refit where we completed a Lloyd’s 20-year survey and main engine overhaul to include the transmissions. As the refit was purely for compliance, we [found] projects and items that would also benefit the owners and crew daily. We agreed to start with a paint job to boost the exterior [and to] make the daily life of the deck crew much easier and the whole crew proud of the way she looks walking up on her. For the interior, we set out to re-varnish most of the interior and new carpets throughout the yacht — giving the interior a new vibrance and appearance. Then, we sat with the two chefs and decided they needed new appliances, so we installed new ovens, new pizza ovens, and new fridges and freezers. As we are a world traveling yacht, storage and provisions are always an issue on longer trips. A small bonus was new teak flooring in all the crew areas and new crew mess cushions to make the crew feel fresh and at home. At launch and sea trials after eight months, I could see a new excitement with the crew and pride to bring a 20-year-old yacht back up to her high standards. Even for the owners’ first trip, which we are on now, I have seen a new joy being on board. Overall, a long eight months, but I’m proud to see that a 180-foot classic yacht can stay modern, reliable, safe, and enjoyed by guests and crew alike as a new yacht again.” — Capt. Caleb Semtner M/Y NONNI II 2008 Mariotti 175′ 3″ (53 meters) For sale with Bart Kimman of Fraser Yachts. “The majority of our refits are technical, not aesthetic. It is the kind of improvement that guests and crew alike will not notice, until it stops working. Over the last three years, NONNI II has worked on the following extensive upgrades: Alarm Monitoring System (AMS) — The AMS allows crewmembers to simply walk up to a screen and instantly understand the health of a yacht all in one place. Over time as the AMS degrades, alarms stop showing up and this greatly adds stress to the crew as one must manually inspect every single piece of equipment visually. Since the installation of our new AMS, the chief engineer and I have been able to finally sleep peacefully at night, as we know that a reliable system will alert us should something need attention. Power Management System (PMS) — The power management system’s main objective is to always ensure the ship has uninterrupted electrical power. On a ship without PMS, the ship would be blacked out until the engineers manage to restart the generator or start and receive load from the backup generator, while with a PMS, this happens automatically; guests and most crewmembers would be completely oblivious of this apart from the watch keeper. This greatly helps my crew as uninterrupted rest hours, especially during heavy charter, is crucial in allowing us to give the best service. Air conditioning system — By engaging the system from all angles, we eliminate the presence of mildew and mold (especially in warm and humid countries such as Thailand), which is great for the health of crew and guests alike. Sleep and the general working conditions of the crew and guests have all improved as the environment is more comfortable. Renewing insulation for the chilled water system reduces condensation of the air surrounding the chilled water pipes, which can potentially lead to electrical issues and pose a safety threat. Navigation system — The benefits of keeping an updated navigation system with the latest technology cannot be overstated. NONNI II has upgraded our dual independent ECDIS and replaced both radar scanners in 2022. This has greatly helped officers on board to supplement their situational awareness of their surroundings. Having instant information and access to advanced tools gives the bridge officers confidence, especially since NONNI II frequently performs out of the ordinary runs in exotic locations. Shore power converter — We have since replaced our converter during our 2022 refit and it has given all the crew peace of mind. Never should a crewmember have to worry about an explosion when doing a routine job such as transferring from generator to shore power.” — Capt. Nigel Tang To explore thousands of yacht and boat listings available for sale, charter, and new builds, start your search with YATCO.com.