This dictionary explains Uniquity in detail by exploring some of the terms that are more or less related to Uniquity. After all, in a global superyacht industry where owners spare no expense to fulfill their ideas, it is important to know that we are all speaking the same language…
A

Artisans / ahr-tuh-zuh n /

An artisan is a highly skilled craftsperson who is able to work with materials by hand in an exceptionally precise way. The word conjures up images of traditional values passed on from generation to generation… And this is most certainly the case at Feadship. Whether in marble or wood, fabric or panelling, metal or paint, there is a consistency of approach that combines age-old principles of expert manual labour with the latest equipment and technologies. The art of our artisans is at the heart of the Feadship story.

B

Benchmark / bench-mahrk /

Having a benchmark by which to judge the quality of similar products is exceptionally important in every line of business. Companies who profess to set this benchmark are making a very bold statement — one which must be proven in practice, widely accepted and fully supported by influential people within the sector concerned. So when we say that Feadship is the benchmark against which all other luxury motoryachts are compared, we do so with a mixture of pride in the present and gratitude to those in the past who allowed us to come this far.

C

Carte blanche / kahrt blahnch /

While we are on the subject of starting from scratch, the design brief for every Feadship has its origins on — quite literally — a blank sheet. Our design philosophy is simple: clients have carte blanche to create whatever they desire, and we start with the assumption that everything is possible.

Craftsmanship / krafts-muh n ship /

Feadship has a workforce comprised of truly incredible people who live by the principles of Uniquity. These craftsmen are the living embodiment of our heritage and roots, and bring them to life with great skill and in myriad ways. Our yachts are built by hand. The Feadship way of construction involves tremendous attention to detail and extraordinary craftsmanship across all disciplines. Craftsmanship goes beyond manual labour, however: we take a hands-on approach to everything from project management to marketing. From top to bottom, the Feadship organisation is crewed by people who are passionate about the quality of the yachts we build.

Custom / kuhs-tuh m /

A luxury yacht is something very personal that costs a considerable amount of money. It should, therefore, suit owners entirely, and not be something universal which the yard designs first and tries to sell you later. This is why Feadship builds one-off custom yachts. It’s a matter of choice…

Customise/ kuhs-tuh-mahyz /

However similar they may sound, ‘customised’ means something very different than ‘custom’. To customise is to change something that already exists in order to fit the needs or requirements of a person. This is not what Feadship does as every Feadship is unique. Again, it’s a matter of choice.

D

Design / dih-zahyn /

If every Feadship is an archetype, then so is the design behind her. While the majority of owners entrust Feadship with the exterior design, we are also prepared to work with third-party designers — as long as Feadship values of excellence are maintained.

Dream factory / dreem fak-tuh-ree/

Another overused word in the superyacht sector is ‘dreams’ — but we certainly agree with the owner of the Feadship Kahalani, who had this to say at the launch of his Feadship: “Feadship is a dream factory, producing work of an unbelievably high quality for some of the most demanding clients in the world. Just as the best football teams have the best players and the best armies the best soldiers, the best companies have the best workforce. And Feadship is the very best.”

E

Engineering / en-juh-neer-ing /

An incredible amount of engineering goes into every Feadship, as each is custom engineered for her owner. What all Feadships have in common in this respect is that — thanks to the smart engineering deployed — each Feadship makes optimal use of the chosen volume. While competitors standardise their products, the intelligence contained within Feadship as an organisation means we are able to standardise the process. By integrating design, engineering and construction, Feadship builds entirely unique objects in a highly efficient way, leveraging on the enormous experience within our organisation.

Experience / ik-speer-ee-uh ns /

The turnover of personnel at the Feadship yards is extremely low. If they manage to stay the grade for the first five years, the odds are that staff will stay a long while. The average Feadship worker has some twenty years of experience and has been involved in at least forty Feadship builds. Staff must meet the highest expectations in terms of dedication to the task, while the need for a sharp eye and hands-on craftsmanship is instilled in the workforce from the moment they start their long career with Feadship.

Exterior / ik-steer-ee-er /

Every Feadship exterior profile is different. Some clients have fixed views on how an exterior should look, while others prefer to develop their profile together with the Feadship designers. This might involve a classic or modern look, with dynamic or static lines. As long as the overall design has a natural harmony and coherence, it really is up to owners to decide how simple or complex, minimalist or intricate their design will become. And they can also choose their own exterior designer should they so wish.

F

Family / fam-uh-lee /

When people talk about the Feadship family, this is much more than marketing speak. All three of the founding companies that make up Feadship today have been or still are family-run concerns. Moreover, the Feadship yards have traditionally employed families for many generations. No-one blinks an eye if a youngster says “my grandfather used to work here”.

Feadship / fed-ship /

A Feadship is a superyacht built by Feadship in the Netherlands. The brand Feadship is an abbreviation for First Export Association of Dutch SHIPbuilders, a name which was first coined in 1949 to unite the biggest names in Holland’s yachtbuilding industry: Koninklijke De Vries Scheepsbouw and Royal Van Lent Shipyard. The two royal companies now operate exclusively under the Feadship name.

Feadship experience / fed-ship ik-speer-ee-uh ns /

All you read here and more… The Feadship experience begins from the moment a project begins. In fact, many clients say they enjoy the whole design and construction process just as much as they do sailing on the Feadship that emerges. As the owner of Blue Moon succinctly said on the occasion of the launch of his Feadship. “It’s a happy day because my yacht is delivered and it’s a sad day because the build itself is finished.” And the owners of Gallant Lady enjoyed building a Feadship so much that they did it on no less than eight occasions.

Feadship Heritage Fleet / fed-ship her-i-tij fleet/

The Feadship Heritage Fleet is an association for the owners of registered Feadships that are more than thirty years old. Its key objectives are to unite the owners of classic Feadship yachts, to promote the continuance of the Feadship yachting heritage, to organise events for members and to offer them services related to their yachts. There are an incredible number of Feadships still sailing that were launched more than three decades ago. As well as being a testimony to Feadship standards of construction, many of these yachts have been scrupulously maintained by their owners. The Feadship Heritage Fleet is at their service.

Fleet (defining a Feadship) / fleet /

At the time this booklet went to print in the summer of 2014, the global fleet of Feadships counted 428 yachts. This figure does not include the impressive array of yachts launched by the De Vries and Van Lent families prior to World War II. It does include the yachts built by the members of the First Export Association of Dutch SHIPbuilders after its formation in 1949. As well as the De Vries and Van Lent yards, this included four other Dutch yards, namely Akerboom, Witsen & Vis, De Vries Lentsch and Van der Stadt. These latter concerns had all left Feadship by the early 1960s, from which time on a Feadship is defined as the yachts built by De Vries and Van Lent alone.

Frankness / frangk-nis /

A key part of the Feadship experience is being absolutely certain that, when an owner partners with our designers, craftsmen and engineers, they can expect complete honesty about what is feasible. The Dutch are known for their frankness and you shouldn’t believe those who say anything is possible on a superyacht. It’s not — we will make sure that a Feadship is comfortable and safe, and if the client’s ideas might compromise that comfort or safety then we’re not afraid to say ‘no’.

Fully custom / foo l-ee kuhs-tuh m /

A meaningless term in the superyacht dictionary as far as Feadship is concerned. A yacht is either custom-made or it is not. See Custom

G

General Arrangement / jen-er-uh l uh-reynj-muh nt /

Look closely at the GAs of superyachts from the same yard and you will often see many similarities. The owners of the Feadship Sea Owl explained how this brought them to Feadship: “Every Feadship has a personality. On other yachts you can walk from one part to another and discern no real difference; everything is identical. The galley is the galley on whichever boat you go from that particular brand; with another brand you find that the staircase is always in the same place in the saloon. You can instantly identify the yard from the layout, regardless of size, and that is not what we wanted from a bespoke boat. We wanted something different for every single aspect of our superyacht.”

H

Handmade / hand-meyd /

See Artisans, Custom, Feadship

Heritage / her-i-tij /

At Feadship, ‘heritage’ means more than just the impressive fact that the companies that initially made up Feadship all have well over a century of history behind them. Heritage can also be seen as the legacy of pioneering premium large motoryacht quality in all areas of the world. Feadship members made history by being the first Western yards to deliver to South America in the 1930s. We were the first Europeans to build custom yachts for the United States in the 1950s and in the Middle East a decade later. Having also led the way over recent decades in Africa and other areas of the Far East, in 2013 Feadship became the first ‘Western’ company to deliver an exclusive superyacht for a client in the People’s Republic of China.

Hidden gold / hid-n gohld /

An expression coined by the highly respected writer Jack Somer to describe the elements of a Feadship that you cannot usually see or hear but that are an essential part of the Feadship experience. Within the bulkheads, under the floors, above the overheads, behind the fine furniture, in the engine room, below the bridge console — everywhere — there is ‘hidden gold’ that makes a Feadship a Feadship. These intangible qualities are well known to the owner and crew members onboard a Feadship. It’s the way that the yacht feels like a Feadship. It is the way that everything works, and keeps on working for years due to the care taken to build it in the first place. Charter a Feadship and ‘feel’ this hidden gold for yourself.

I

Innovations / in-uh-vey-shuh n /

Each new Feadship is an innovation in itself, as we constantly strive to redefine the perception of perfection and make every Feadship better than the last in terms of construction and technology. Incorporating space-age technologies and materials, hyper-modern design tools, and the very latest insights into construction and systems, Feadships are the product of an evolutionary R&D and overall quality enhancement philosophy that results in yachts which cannot be imitated by anyone else.

J

Jacht / yot /

The Dutch word for yacht… Pleasure sailing onboard purpose-made vessels began in the Netherlands in the late sixteenth century, a time when the Dutch word for yacht (‘jacht’) first entered into common use. This was used to refer to boats that were faster than others thanks to their construction, rigging and sails. The internationalisation of this Dutch mode of transport began when the future King Charles II of England was exiled in Holland. The prince enthusiastically took up sailing and, when he was restored to the throne in 1660, the city of Amsterdam presented him with a shallow-water yacht of 92 tonnes named Mary.

L

Launch / lawnch /

Launch ceremonies are a source of delight to many Feadship clients. They are a wonderful opportunity for owners to bring friends and family to the yard and show them around their new Feadship for the very first time. Many owners turn the launch day into a party for the yard’s workforce as a way of thanking them for their efforts.

M

Madness of perfection / mad-nis ov per-fek-shuh n/

Anyone who values quality and has the financial resources to make the call would be crazy to accept anything less than the best.

N

Naval architecture / ney-vuh l ahr-ki-tek-cher /

This vital engineering discipline covers the design, construction and operation of superyachts, and Feadship has every aspect in-house. In fact, although we are known around the world as boat builders, Feadship actually has the largest yacht engineering office in the world.

O

On time, on budget / awn tahy, awn buhj-it /

It is a vital part of the build experience at Feadship that clients know that their boat will be ready on time at the price they agreed. People who have commissioned superyachts from less organised yards will know the frustrations (and costs) that come when these deadlines are not met, which is all too common. At Feadship, the combination of smart engineering, an unrivalled experience and a fierce determination to live up to our word ensures that every project is launched on time and for the agreed price.

Owner-driven / oh-ner driv-uh n /

Another fun part of a Feadship build is that owners can do their own thing and each Feadship benefits enormously from these individual touches. Feadship’s remit to build custom superyachts rests on owners and their original ideas.

P

Passion / pash-uh n /

Everyone who works at Feadship has a deep affinity with the exquisite materials with which they get to work and the stunning things they create with them. One needs to have a passion for one’s work that goes far beyond the norm to work at Feadship.

Perfection / per-fek-shuh n /

All Feadships are the outcome of the relentless pursuit of perfection that is the company’s hallmark. The facilities may have changed beyond all recognition over the decades but a sense of continuity prevails as generation after generation take on the challenge of building a new Feadship, each one slightly more perfect than the last.

Pilot / pahy-luh t/

Feadship’s Pilot magazine is the longest running commercial magazine in the yachting industry. And it’s grown over the years too by a factor of ten, from 18 pages in the first edition in 1986 to no less than 180 pages today.

Partners / pahrt-ner /

Feadship does more in-house than any other motoryacht builder when it comes to the integration of construction, piping and interior. This enables us to make more efficient use of space. At the same time, we have long-term relationships with a range of first-class suppliers and comakers whom we see as partners. These companies are used to delivering Feadship quality for a Feadship build, and have their own separate Feadship department to ensure the highest standard of equipment.

Platform / plat-fawrm /

Many yards assert publicly that they can build anything an owner requires. However, once negotiations begin, potential clients often find themselves subtly but surely guided towards an existing platform. While the people at Feadship are very frank when something is not possible or advisable, you’ll never hear them try to shoehorn people into any template (expect for maximum quality, of course).

Price / prahys /

There is a price to pay for perfection, and a Feadship is certainly among the most expensive superyachts you can commission. But, thanks to an ongoing efficiency drive, the finest quality motoryacht is available for only a little bit more than if she were built by the number two or three in the market. And it is vital to remember that the total cost of ownership of a Feadship is the lowest of all when factors such as maintenance and resale value are factored in.

Q

Quality / kwol-i-tee /

We are not going to attempt to define this word. In our experience, people who know what quality is know where to find us.

R

Refit / ree-fit /

If an original Feadship is entirely unique, the only way to ensure that it retains the uniqueness that made her a Feadship is to have her refitted at Feadship. While Feadships last an incredibly long time thanks to the inherent quality of the build, many owners like to put their personal stamp on a pre-owned Feadship. This is why the Feadship refit service was established. It has the records of every Feadship built and there is a good chance that there will still be people working at Feadship who worked on the original build. Meanwhile, our yard in Makkum is ready to carry out all major repair and refit work, ensuring that your Feadship stays a Feadship.

Resale value / ree-seyl val-yoo /

Feadships are renowned for holding their value like no other motoryacht. While ordering a Feadship is always going to be an expensive business, this high resale value combined with low running costs certainly alleviates the eventual cost of investing in the pleasure of owning a superyacht. Or, in the words of the owner of the Feadship Lady Christine: “You can get a boat of the same size elsewhere for half the price — but then you get half the quality and a poorer resale value. If you can afford it, then there is no need to look elsewhere than Feadship. You’ll forget the price when you remember the quality.”

Royal / roi-uh l /

Both Feadship yards have been granted the right to be called Royal, or Koninklijke in Dutch, which is the name that the De Vries yard prefers to use. This rarely bestowed accolade in the Netherlands is granted only to companies that meet very strict criteria. These include being a leading exponent of the business sector concerned, being a company of national importance, and serving an important function within the community. It is therefore the definitive recognition of an organisation’s good standing and reputation.

S

Semi-custom / sem-ee kuhs-tuh m /

There’s nothing wrong with a semi-custom or series boat — in fact, this is how almost every Feadship owner started out on their sailing career. But if you seek a semi-custom solution today, Feadship will not be able to help you.

Standardisation / stan-der-dahy-zey-shuh n /

Many yards try to eliminate customer input by standardising the process or even the entire yacht. While this caters to the middle and lower end of the market, each Feadship is custom-made to the wishes of her owner. We don’t do standard…

T

There are yachts and there are Feadships / th air ahr yots and th air ahr Fed ships/

The famous Feadship slogan ‘There are yachts and there are Feadships’ was coined at the end of the last millennium and has stood the test of time. Back then, however, getting the motto accepted by the no-nonsense Feadship board was not so easy. Feadship director Dick van Lent decided to call a Feadship owner to ask his opinion and received this answer: “If clients don’t feel comfortable with this slogan then they’re probably not Feadship clients.” The rest, as they say, is history…

U

Uniquity / yoo-nik-wi-tee /

The sum total of everything Feadship offers. See above!