Paul Madden’s career was built representing the world’s most demanding shipyards: Blohm+Voss / ThyssenKrupp, CRN / Ferretti Group, Camper & Nicholsons. That perspective — the inside view of how a shipyard structures a contract, prices a variation order, and treats an owner who is not paying close attention — is exactly what we now bring to the owner’s side of every new build engagement.
For most expedition-yacht missions, the right answer is a commercial vessel conversion — it delivers the same ocean-going capability at a fraction of the cost, often in less time. There are, however, missions where only a clean-sheet new build will do:
Most owners select a shipyard on reputation or a single trusted recommendation. We select on a comparable-tender basis: three to five capable yards bid on the same complete specification with documented build slots, sub-contractor lists, financial guarantees, and warranty positions. Reputation matters; quoted price does not always reveal the answer.
The shipyard contract is where the build is won or lost. Payment-milestone definitions, variation-order regime, schedule slippage damages, performance bonds, classification and flag, dispute resolution, and the warranty position after delivery. We negotiate every clause from the owner’s position — not from the form the yard provides on first read.
With our design network — Espen Øino, Greg Marshall, Tim Heywood, Steve Gresham, Grant Maughan, VPLP Design — we develop a specification dense enough that the build runs without ambiguity. Ambiguity in the spec becomes variation orders later. Variation orders are the most expensive way to build a yacht.
Weekly attendance at the yard during the build. Photo and video documentation. Variation orders tracked against a contracted ceiling and disclosed to the owner inside 48 hours. Schedule slippage flagged, costed, and routed for owner decision. Class and flag inspections attended.
Sea trials are owner-witnessed. Delivery is conditional on punch-list completion. Warranty positions are tracked through the first operating season; defects are routed back to the yard with documentation that holds up in arbitration if it has to.
Active design phase on a 106-metre wind/sail-assisted expedition yacht in France, through the WindVoyage joint venture. Engineering package complete on the RR81 81-metre Rolls-Royce Marine new build. Direct shipyard relationships across Europe (Germany, Italy, France, Netherlands, Turkey), the United States (Louisiana, Florida), and South America (Argentina).
The first conversation costs nothing. For sustained design coordination, shipyard tender, or build supervision we engage with a $15,000 USD / €15,000 EUR retainer that credits against the commission earned at construction-contract signature. Commission structure is disclosed in writing. We accept no undisclosed payments from shipyards, designers, sub-contractors, or any party that creates a conflict with the owner we represent.
Our compensation structure is disclosed in writing on every engagement. The principal sees what we see — not a curated summary.
See vessels & projects for active engagements. The principal’s background details Paul Madden’s 25 years inside European shipyards. For commercial-vessel conversion as an alternative path, see yacht conversions.
Bring us the mission. We will tell you in one call whether new build is the right path — and where, with whom, and at what realistic cost it should be done.
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