Press Release / Customer Report

„Fractional Ownership: The smart way of owning a yacht!“

Your own yacht in the Mediterranean? Businessman Heinz Grabher had dismissed the possibility until now. He considered that the cost of purchase and maintenance, and the personal effort involved, were disproportionate to the amount of use he would enjoy. SmartYacht fractional ownership gave Mr Grabher a yacht solution that makes sense. In 2010 he joined other yacht enthusiasts as the fractional owner of "L’Aventure2", an Azimut 70 SeaJet motor yacht berthed in Monaco. Having gathered some first-hand experience of life on board the yacht, he now provides a detailed review of fractional ownership from the customer’s point of view.

VALUE FOR MONEY
"SmartYacht makes dream yachts affordable. I would never have bought a yacht in the Mediterranean on my own. Having your own yacht means high costs and a high level of personal stress. With SmartYacht, I have all the benefits of owning my own yacht, but without the high costs involved in purchase and maintenance. When I made my purchase, I was surprised how much lower the price was compared to the value of the yacht - here SmartYacht truly keeps its promise of offering real "bargain yachts". The allocation of costs between the shareholders is transparent and fair, and with SmartYacht as the manager of my yacht, there are no points of contact or conflicts with other shareholders. This way I have my "floating 70-foot residence" in Monaco for the same price that a 48-foot boat would cost me on my own."

USE ALLOCATION
"At first I had some concerns as to how use would be allocated. Who is entitled to use the yacht when? SmartYacht has resolved this issue with a fair three-season system, whereby my use time is distributed in three equal parts over high season, mid season and low season. I am flexible within the season, and the online reservation system always gives me an overview of my yacht as well as the option of making long-term and short-term reservations conveniently from wherever I am."

SECURITY
"One important aspect for fractional ownership for me is the security of ownership and independence from the other shareholders. After all, I do not want to be constrained by other people’s decisions. SmartYacht keeps the owner company separate from the management company, so any default by SmartYacht or other owners does not affect me. I am also flexible as regards selling my share, and am not bound by the co-ownership agreement for a particular length of time.

SERVICE – OWNERSHIP WITHOUT HASSLES
“Who is looking after my yacht? Is the engine working properly? How do I reserve a berth in Cannes? The aspect of personal time and effort is also very important to me since I do not have the time to visit Monaco often, and I am not a yacht expert. SmartYacht really relieves me as a shareholder of everything (apart from paying), and offers me an all-inclusive package: my yacht is always maintained and cleaned, making carefree trips with friends and family a truly relaxing break. My personal belongings are ready when I arrive, the bed is made up with my own linen, and our favourite supplies are in the refrigerator. The captain is on board all year; he is always there to deal with my enquiries, and plans my yacht trips before I arrive. My stays on board my yacht "L’Aventure2" have been extremely well organized, from the moorings when visiting other ports through to restaurant recommendations on shore - each trip has been an experience!"

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