Are you thinking about buying a new or used yacht? Or you have a project in mind for your current yacht? We’ve been there and done that several times ourselves and have helped others to do the same. Kismet Services (Bluewater) was established to help owners with anything they need in connection with their boat – our service is totally flexible and tailored to your needs.
Not everyone has the technical skills or the available time to devote to the design of new systems, or the procurement of equipment and project managing the installation work. You might know what you want to achieve but not how to get there.
Each project we undertake is individual – it could just be replacement of your electrical system or electronics – or it could be a complete renovation. We will listen to what you are aiming to achieve, come up with smart and cost-effective designs and we’ll help you buy the equipment at the best possible price. No project is too small.
Building a New Boat
If you are considering a new yacht, we work with Selene Ocean Trawlers as introducers for “bluewater” cruisers. We don’t tread on the toes of the formal dealer network which exists in some countries – but if you are planning to cruise blue water, or you don’t have a dealer in your area, then we’re here to help.
We will help you define the initial specification of your boat and we’ll liaise with the factory to get you the best price up to the point of signing your order. You don’t pay for this service at all.
Once your order is placed, your contract is direct with the factory and you can take over from that point onwards if you wish. However, we can also continue to work for you on a chargeable basis to project manage your build process – helping you to develop the detailed specifications and liaising with the yard. We can also procure specialised equipment and we can visit the yard at relevant points to check on the progress of your boat and check quality.
Every owner is different – in what they need, as well as how much time and money they can devote to their project. Our rates are realistic – we don’t work for the super-yacht owners, we’re working for normal people with normal budgets and we can tailor our work to suit you.
For years we have cruised in the Med and recently this has been sailing onboard our Bavaria 40 Cruiser Avantgarde “Liberation”. Our sailing blog documents our travels from Slovenia where she was commissioned – through Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Malta and Italy. In 2019, we returned to Greece when we sadly handed her over to new owners.
Liberation was meant to be an “interim” boat – to get out on the water all summer while were waiting for our trawler. When we bought her we had already begun planning for our future world cruise. Learning to sail after years of cruising with fast motor yachts was our first preparation. A very different prospect when power is not the easy solution to every problem you encounter!
We used Liberation as our testing ground for many of the live-aboard solutions we intended to fit on our trawler. We tested our concepts to see what worked and what we really needed. It was a difficult day when we left her behind in Greece! Her new owners will benefit from a very high spec boat and we’ll be helping them to learn the systems on board.
Our sailing blog documents some of the technical solutions we found along the way. We upgraded battery systems, water systems, electronics and the anchor among other things. We talk about the breakdowns and problems of course – like all boats. Living onboard all summer, we also got to see some wonderful places in Europe. We will miss sailing in the Med!
MV Destiny is our Selene 60 Ocean Trawler yacht designed for bluewater cruising. She will be our home and mobile working base for the foreseeable future. We spent more than three years designing and building the boat with the Jet Tern Marine shipyard in China and after delivery to Hong Kong, a further 18 months commissioning and warranty work. Our journey has been full of trials and tribulations (we prefer to call them challenges!) which have called for continual changes to our plans – the worst of which being the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. The impact to our project was not just delays, but caused some more far reaching issues .
When we finally finish commissioning, we plan to cruise the world, exploring different countries and cultures as we go. Our website will journal our travels but will become a technical resource for any boat owner interested in high-tech solutions.
Destiny has been designed for long-term bluewater cruising which demands technical solutions more normally found on large super-yachts. We have tried to design “mini” systems to fit in a more modestly sized vessel – and a more modest budget! This has been a joint project between us and the shipyard. With their limited experience of high tech solutions, we have introduced them to new concepts and have worked on the shop-floor alongside their technicians to design, install, commission and test everything. It’s been a learning curve for all concerned.
The yard has been responsible for the “standard” boat with their usual attention to detail in hull manufacture, interior design and layout and standard fitted equipment. Destiny is a fine example of their exceptional carpentry, all made to measure by hand. The customisation of technical systems has been designed by us. The equipment has been procured by us from around the world, supported by the Jet Tern import department for import to China.
Scope of our Project
We will be documenting our rationale and designs on our website and some of the areas we will cover are:
AC and DC electrical systems – a smart combined system of generators, shore power, solar power, lithium batteries, battery management systems, invertors, chargers and switching. The system is built around Victron products capable of operating at different voltages and frequencies in different countries with varying amps for the shore power inputs.
Marine electronics – a high end NMEA2000 network of navigation and ships management electronics centred on TimeZero PC navigation software and best-in-class sensor devices from Furuno, Digital Yacht, Airmar, B&G among others
Ships monitoring – a Maretron monitoring system to keep close tabs on all machinery and equipment on-board to make sure all is in good working order and running as it should. The system includes monitoring of tank levels. engine and generator performance, fuel systems, fire and CO alarms, bilge pumps, temperatures, weather and navigation data
CCTV – a network of cameras for operational safety – monitoring equipment and remote boat locations, security on-board and to aid navigation both day and night
Audio Visual network – combining entertainment and glass-bridge for navigation using matrix switching to display data or TV entertainment in any location on the boat, together with centralised music and videos, satellite TV and streamed TV
Communications network – local area data network with mobile internet, VHF, satellite internet, VoIP telephone systems. The network also supports remote access to all of the boat’s navigation and monitoring systems.
Hydraulic systems – with ABT Trac stablisation including zero-speed, PTO get-home system, bow and stern thrusters and hydraulic crane
Air conditioning and heating – for live-aboard comfort in the tropics and the poles! A combination system from Webasto and Kabola for chilled water air-conditioning and diesel fired central heating working together with the addition of under-floor heating from Mave
Water systems – water-maker, upgraded pumps for water circulation, anchor wash, waste water tank cleaning, high pressure shower systems, jet-wash on decks, city water hook-up for marinas
Custom-made mattresses and bed linens imported from Europe thanks to Ship Shape Bedding
Anti-fouling treatments for the hull with a combination of CopperCoat anti-fouling paint for the hull, Amorsil for the moving parts and an ultra-sonic system to boost performance
We are now also working on behalf of Jet Tern to introduce new bluewater cruising owners to the wonderful brand. This is just one of the services we are offering through our company Kismet Marine. In addition to boat sales, we undertake a wide range of projects for owners of all types of boats. Follow our build and cruising or get in touch to start design of your own Selene trawler yacht …..
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