It is quite amazing how many new build yacht I see that have no mission statement or mission profile. I know that making a mission profile involves getting the owner to sit down and discuss the intended realistic usage of his or her vessel, which can be rather difficult however, it cannot be stated enough how critical this single document is to your vessel.
Many in the yachting industry have never seen a mission profile for their yachts and as a result would have a hard time producing one for the first time or might even confuse it with the vessel specification. So we thought it was time to discuss what a mission profile is and why you should have one.
First off what is this “Mission Profile”I keep mentioning?.. It is a single document that contains all of the owners wishes, cruising itinerary, operational requirements, as well as the specific intended usage time and other “mission” critical information.
Next, why is a mission profile so important? In today’s fast paced industry, we all seem to rush to SPEC development, without a clear understanding of the vessels intended purpose. But really how can we put together an accurate spec without truly understanding the ins and outs of the owners goals and desires for their vessel. If you are fortunate to have worked with your owner for years and have a solid, open dialog with them, then you are likely well ahead of the curve. However in most cases, this is not the norm nor does having this relationship provide you with the correct details- as many times a new boat means new cruising habits.
The mission profile is the blue print that the Spec is developed from and when done correctly and thoroughly, has the potential to get your project started and completed correctly, thus minimizing costly change orders and keeping delivery on schedule. It also helps the build team lay out and appropriately spec the boat We are seeing more and more vessels delivered that have skipped this step and after a season or two of usage, the owner are looking to sell because the yacht does not meet their needs- this is a worst case scenario for everyone involved in the industry, as sometimes they sell and don’t come back.
So lets get into it, the basic components of a a mission profile include:
· Goals
o Owners
- Examples would include, but are not limited to:
· Wanting a galley the owner can cook for himself in
· Having all guest cabins on the main deck/
· Maximizing outdoor space and water access
· Having a spa and massage area
o Crew/operational
- Examples would include, but are not limited to:
· Quick launch tenders so guests can go ashore immediately on arrival
· Wine lockers for the owners wine collection?
· Hidden crew access into guest areas?
· Service areas on each deck?
o Reasons for each goal
- These need to be fully understood, to ensure that the owners are doing things for the right reasons and not based on miss information they were told once upon a time.
o Prioritize goals as some may contradict one another or result in major design changes to yacht, including its size.
· Cruising itinerary
o Tropical, subtropical, temperate, polar
o Does it need to be ice classed or ice rated?
o Are there any flag or class considerations for this itinerary?
o How long will the ship spend in each of these climate zones?
· Usage
o How many miles per year will the boat do for repositioning’s & crossings?
- What is the ideal transit speed or time?
o How many miles will the boat do each year with guests aboard?
o Will the speeds be the same with guests aboard or higher?
o Does the owner have a friend who he wants to go faster than?
o How long does the owner want to own the boat?
o What is more important, build cost or lifetime cost of the yacht?
o Crunch the numbers to figure out:
- What the total usage in hours will be?
- What is the usage time in hours at certain speeds?
· Other:
o How many guests will usually be aboard?
- Minimum and maximums
o What are the guest and owner age & demographic? Are there special considerations that these require?
o How many crew will be aboard during guest trips and down time?
o Any other considerations that are vital to the ships mission?
Once you have sourced all this information, it should be compiled concisely, simplyand in a way that is understood by a layman, with the data clearly laid out in charts and other visual media. Once you have the document finalized, review it with your owner and get them to make any final edits before signing off on it- then distribute it to all the relevant parties. Now you are finally ready to get started on your spec document.
If you have any questions about a mission profile or would like us to create one for your vessel, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and we will be happy to help.