The set of values and beliefs of Steve Jobs and Apple may also be the most popular topics yacht owners care about while sailing and during their stay onboard.
Obviously all owners care for a great product but additionally more than half of luxury yacht owners search and pay extra for simplicity. During the design of Steve Jobs’ superyacht "we tried to reach the elegance of the minimal", revealed designer Philippe Starck in an interview with Vanity Fair. Steve Jobs superyacht was baptised "Venus", released in 2012 and build by the world leader in the field of pure custom superyachts: Feadship.
Steve actually choose Stark as the designer for his particular minimalistic design skills. In 1998 Stark designed the famous transparent chair named La Marie which Steve called an “almost perfect object”.
During their first meeting Jobs gave Starck very simples rules to work: The length of the hull: 82 meters exactly. The number of passengers: “Family and crew. A total of six rooms, all of them identical.” And above all, one requirement: silence.
Adding simplicity to a yacht or maybe better said: not adding any complex items is the key for relaxation on-board. Venus has room for a fixed crew of 22, however on smaller 70 feet luxury yachts there is no space for a crew without adding complexity to the overall yachting experience.
Why do boaters love simplicity on-board so much? Three reasons jump out from the surveys.
Yachting in itself is a hassle. Before getting in that place on the aft-deck enjoying the views, relaxing and being in the now, a lot of hurdles need to be past: plan itineraries, making harbor reservations, the trip from home to yacht, fill the tanks, searching for local groceries, on-board systems check and startup, manoeuvre from the dock, stow the fenders and lines…It’s nothing like taking a car for a spin.
The majority of yachters search for rest and peace on-board. They come to recover from their busy daily life to spend time with family and loved ones. Clutter and untidy rooms, noise, buttons and screens in every corner result in mental confusion: not the best state to recover. Simplicity is an enabler for guests on board to declutter their thoughts and feelings and to return to a calm and peaceful state of mind.
Technology is complicated. A yacht is a network of mechanical, electronic and software components from various suppliers working together. Each single functionality comes with a manual which the luxury yacht owner is supposed to understand and remember.
Note to Boaters: Simplicity ads up and goes beyond interior and exterior design choices. Do focus on the simplicity of the technology, amenities and services on board.