From a broken wall to an international brand

From a broken wall in a small shed to an international shipyard: the lesson was never about yachts.

When people see a high-performance racing yacht cutting through open water, they usually see speed, design and action. But what they do not see is the environment in which it was built, and more importantly, the people who made it possible.

The first yacht I built came out of a shed that was barely large enough to build it in. We had to break a wall to get the 26-foot prototype outside. The space was rough, the tools were basic, and resources were limited. What we did have was a small group of people who were willing to take responsibility beyond their job description.

It was never straight. There were many mistakes, financial pressure, production setbacks and moments where walking away would probably have been simpler. Each time, we stayed close to the work, kept moving forward and learned from what was in front of us.

As the yard evolved, so did the structure around it. Processes became clearer. Roles became better defined. Engineers, laminators, designers and suppliers worked towards the same standard. The workshop changed over time, and so did the way we worked together.

The same principle applied during ocean races. Success never depended on one person. Different people brought different strengths. Some could read weather patterns almost instinctively. Others remained calm when equipment failed or conditions deteriorated. The strongest teams were rarely made up of the same type of people. They worked because each person contributed something different.

Building a racing yacht and forming an ocean racing team follow a remarkably similar pattern. Both depend on trust, shared standards and a willingness to support one another when conditions become demanding. When people understand their role, respect each other's strengths and work towards the same goal, performance tends to follow.

Over time, the small workshop grew into a structured production environment serving customers around the world. The yachts travelled further than any of us imagined in those early days.

What stayed constant was the importance of people. Skills can be learned. Processes can be improved. Standards can be refined. A group of people who genuinely care about the work and about each other is much harder to create.

The lessons from that shed and from the ocean still apply today. Whether building a company, developing a product or bringing a team together, the foundations remain surprisingly similar. Choose people carefully. Create an environment where responsibility is shared. Set standards early. Keep improving them.

The sea remains an honest test. In the end, it reveals what was built with care and what was rushed.