For the 11th edition of the German Superyacht Conference, BOOTE EXCLUSIV has once again invited high-calibre speakers from the superyacht industry, of which Michael Schmidt has been a member for eight years. The Kiel native is a well-known face on the sailing scene; YACHT entitled a portrait of Michael Schmidt a few years ago with the words: "Schmidt Happens!" As a child he built optis in his mother's laundry room, at the Schwarz shipyard in Wedel he realised the legendary admiral's cupper "Düsselboot" in 1981, and a year later sailed the first carbon yacht in Germany with "Blaupunkt". From 1990, he built Hanse Yachts into the second largest yacht shipyard in the country, employing up to 560 people and building 1,500 yachts a year.
From private fun to renewed success
After years of rest, he founded a new shipyard in 2015: Michael Schmidt Yachtbau. Again in Greifswald, but in the spirit of a garage start-up and to build the Brenta 80 DC "Cool Breeze" for himself and with a team of thoroughbred sailors - without compromise, of course. The vespa-green 24-carbon metres were fast, comfortable, easy to operate and had an extraordinary interior designed by Sir David Chipperfield. Schmidt brought the star architect on board more by chance than anything else - it wasn't primarily a PR manoeuvre, that much can be revealed. The whole story and how Michael Schmidt Yachtbau became the YYachts brand with 41 deliveries between 70 and 90 feet is told by the sailing-mad founder himself.
The German Superyacht Conference (GSC) will take place on 23 February at the Hotel Hafen Hamburg. Last tickets are available here (please click!)
Speakers and topics of the GSC
- Holger Schulze-Seeger, archineers.berlin - Topic: "'Kenshō' - the creation of a masterpiece"
- Dickie Bannenberg & Simon RowellBannenberg & Rowell - Topic: "Design & Politics, Insights into the British Government's SIGNAL yacht concept"
- Dr Tim Schommer and Dr Volker Lücke, Clyde & Co - Topic: "What moves owners - The most important questions about yacht law"
- Norbert Sedlacek CookManaging Director Innovation Yachts - Topic: "Vulcanised fibres in yacht building and how recycling processes are compatible with the industry"
- Michael SchmidtFounder of Y Yachts - Topic: "History of Y Yachts and an insight into the sailing yacht market"
- Luca TriggianiCaptain "Roe" (73 m) and Chairman of the Italian Yacht Masters Association - Topic: "What do captains need to be able to work at their best?"
Discussion panel interior designers
- Kai Dittmar, Metrica
- Carsten Loges, Oldenburg
- Stefan Böwer, Böwer
Topic: Shipyards, work processes, supply bottlenecks, skilled labour, green tech and modern materials
