In Conversation With Chris Cecil-Wright, Mega Yacht Influencer.
By Susan Kime Mar. 28th, 2022
Chris Cecil-Wright is now, arguably, at the top of his game. He became interested in the yachting industry in 1993, and moved to Monaco in 1995, to understand and be part of the mega yacht world. He now represents both buyers and sellers of yachts over 50 meters in length, and founded his own company, Cecil Wright & Partners. He thinks seriously about the creation and the worth of yacht world products and ponders what it takes to make the yachts he sells worth the money. He is one of the few who moves beyond the idea of the yacht as eye candy, to the yacht that creates bespoke legacy and long term worth.
JustLuxe: Recently, issues have arisen about the seizing of megayachts due to the war in Ukraine. A major high-end publication wrote an article on this, saying, the megayacht life was ultimate luxury with a hint of sordid... What do you say to that?
Chris: I work with billionaires all the time, and the idea of “a hint of sordid” can muddy the water somewhat. Many are self-made, many have come from great wealth and royalty, but their tastes and what they buy are their business. It may seem sordid to some, but in reality, the megayacht life is a life that should not be judged in any way. It is what it is, pleasurable for some, sordid for few.
Cecil Wright - The MegaYacht VANISH
JustLuxe: In another article, you mentioned Feadship before, and how you appreciated their work in terms of their design and worth. Is there any aspect, other than the Teak used in Feadship decks, that impressed you?Chris: Yes, I was always impressed how teak had been cut in Burma, aged for years before it was ever cut for the decks of the Feadships – That defined how particular they are in every small detail – things that buyers don’t notice, but in the end, always feel.
In the same vein is, and you might find this very mechanical – but I think it defines great worth – is their A/C (air conditioning) system. In megayachts made by Feadship and sold by us, the humidity inside the megayacht has to be perfect, the fan coil units must be perfect, the interior temperatures must be perfect as well, else the grand pianos, the mahogany and rosewood picture frames, and the original art must be at the right temperature all the time, else the wood will rot, the canvas will mold, the piano will be out of tune, and the whole interior no matter how expensive, might be odiferous in a most unpleasant way.
But with Feadship, the whole A/C system is in one area, and different pressures around the boat are controlled by that one room. If one wishes to smoke a cigar in one room, you will not smell it in any other. That is a subtle dimension of the meaning of worth, especially in mega yachts, but Feadship does it.
