Berthon Spain Review Service and Refit | 2024

By Rowan Fairbrass

The spring of 2023 brought with it a period of great change for Berthon Spain. We welcomed Jaume Benejam to our management team, as Head of Technical, overseeing the ever-growing Engineering Department. Since joining us in March, he has implemented numerous positive changes to the work environment through the year and helped us to build a dynamic team. Alongside Jaume, Fabian Santos joined the Berthon Spain Service Team early in 2023 to assist with the smooth operation and organisation across all departments in his role as Technical Coordinator. Further recruitment during 2023 has expanded and improved our skills base, now that we are working more frequently with Volvo, Mercury, Yanmar and Cummins Onan engines.

In the office, our accounts team oversaw the implementation and execution of a completely new accounting software system. This has already proven to be hugely beneficial for the organisation of stock control, budgeting and cash flow projections. Working alongside our office manager Alice, they are continuing to improve the day-to-day operation of the business.

Our Head of Electrical Richard Green chalked up a major improvement to the business by successfully writing the computer code for an internal intranet system that links up to our existing job App, used by all our technicians to keep accurate records of all work completed and parts used. A screen has been erected in the workshop showing up to date information on each active job, which means that each technician has access to the most current data.

This improvement in internal communication is streamlining the work schedules and making the business as a whole, much more efficient.

The Guardiennage Department had a strong 2023, maintaining the fleet from 2022 and adding two new yachts. The majority of our Guardiennage yachts are sailing yachts, one of which was sold to the current owners by Sue Grant herself, over 10 years ago!

Berthon Spain has kept the storage shed packed with tenders and other boats of all shape and size. We are also delighted that our storage facility is the winter home for a Maxi 72 racing yacht and support container. Her late-night arrival at the end of summer was for sure, the talk of the town! Roads were closed and a special escort was needed for this pioneering move. She now sits snug in the Palma Berthon Big Blue shed.

Berthon Spain’s Service Team completed a number of refits throughout 2023, notably on BLISS, a custom carbon 25m sailing yacht. The extensive job list included pulling the rig for survey, servicing the keel locking pins, rebuilding the fuel tanks and subsequently the saloon sofas where they were housed. The fuel tanks had been leaking and therefore needed to be replaced, which resulted in a much improved design and reinstalled by Berthon technicians. As part of the rig survey, a full service of the rig was completed and all the running rigging was replaced. The Electrical Department took advantage of the easy access provided by having a horizontal mast on the ground to install a new Pepwave antenna for improved internet connection on board. Further electrical refit jobs that were carried out on this very specialised sailing yacht include calibrating tank sensors, keel readings and vang adjustment readings, as well as programming the magic trim for each sail.

The Berthon Spain Electrical Department are now registered installers for Starlink. Reliable internet on board is no longer seen as a luxury, but vital to the successful running of a superyacht, providing essential communication channels throughout the yacht and with the wider world. We are seeing an increase in requests for our Electrical Team to oversee the programming of whole yacht on board electrical control systems, as well as the installation of new devices. In the spring, our electrician Leo spent many days building a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system from scratch for a 34m sailing yacht. These types of systems are proving to be more popular within the 20m – 30m yacht range following advances in technology and a global trend of relying upon devices. Leo continues to work on some of the biggest yachts coming into the port of Palma, specialising in electrical fault finding, programming and the installation of PLC systems. Going into 2024 Berthon Spain are very excited about working with Böning Ship Automation technology, who have recently opened a new office in Palma de Mallorca.

The Engineering Team successfully completed a difficult job on an unusual Oyster 82’. Her centre board keel was dropped during a yard period to allow our technicians to replace the guides. At this time, we also disconnected and serviced all seven Lewmar steering gearboxes and installed a new water maker on board.

Marten 80’ NIMROD came to us for extensive work on her hydraulic feathering pitch propeller and hydraulic auto pilot system. This was a brilliant example of the value of our inhouse Fabrication Department assisting other departments by being able to manufacture exactly what is needed, in the shortest time frame possible. Berthon Spain technicians also re-built her matrix keel, after poorly executed alterations left it severely damaged by galvanic corrosion. NIMROD uses Coppercoat in place of antifouling paint, so as the hull would not necessarily be inspected ashore as frequently as a normally antifouled yacht, it was paramount that this issue was confidently resolved.

Towards the end of 2023 we were given the green light on an interesting refit on a Catana 65 catamaran brought to Mallorca from the South of France. Our Electrical Team will install a grand total of 58 solar panels, complemented by a Mastervolt lithium ion battery bank, allowing the owner to cruise in silence, without the need to run a generator. This refit includes an overhaul of the B&G navigation equipment together with improved internet and Starlink installations.

Aside from all this, the usual routine of annual haul outs continues to roll on. Getting all the yachts with whom we are involved antifouled, polished, PropSpeed applied and under water systems checked and ready for the sunshine is not a trivial undertaking. The collection of yachts for sale through Berthon now based in Valencia continues to expand, so we are now providing guardiennage and service in this lovely area too.

We look forward to seeing you all again soon for more fun on the water in 2024.

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