Art of Kinetik is a relatively young company. What is its mission?
Indeed, it is a young company. We set up in 2007 and the first two models Mazokist and Hedonist were launched during summer 2010 at the Cannes and Monaco Yacht Shows. That said, the Art of Kinetik team possesses over a 10-year experience of building high-end luxury wooden power boats and has applied all its time-tested knowledge, expertise and craftsmanship to our yachts.
Art of Kinetik is bringing to the market a new vision of what modern yachts can represent: both art and engineering, focusing on a timeless design, ultimate luxury, quality and high-end craftsmanship. It’s a marriage of noble, natural materials like wood, leather, glass, stone and stainless steel – simply modern and beautiful yet immutable timeless in design. Our idea is to create yachts that are few in number but enjoyed both visually and experientially by their owners, as well as their kids and grandkids. In today’s market focused on profits and cookie-cutter approaches to design and engineering, where yachts built in plastic all look alike, ours is a very unique approach. We used our launch models to show our vision of a contemporary yacht, and we plan on developing yachts between 8m and 30m. We will be introducing them to the market in the coming years. All of our products, regardless of size, will stay true to our core values.
Why is your Hedonist model being likened to a work of art?
To me, our boats just happen to be yachts. They’re floating pieces of art. Art differentiates itself from purely industrial objects, by having a dose of practical irrelevance, not focusing only on function, but on bringing a new dimension to the experience through its emotional impact. In that sense, the Hedonist brings its owner much more than just function and performance. It provides him with an irrational emotional effect where each trip is a journey, something difficult to describe in words. In fact, the reaction of most people when they see the Hedonist is just to remain silent in order to absorb its impact. Although I’ve been living with the Hedonist from its very inception on a piece of paper, I still do just that every time I see it. You never get tired of it because it’s timeless. And at least to me, it is art.
Wood, particularly mahogany, seems to be very important for your boats. What’s the reason behind this?
Why are jewellery boxes, Rolls Royce dashboards, fine chests and cigar humidors made of wood and not of plastic? We still have not found an alternative that has such a unique combination of structural integrity, performance, timelessness and aesthetic beauty. Wood possesses all we need. Structurally it is very strong and durable and lighter than plastic or metal, and it does not wear over time. Also, it naturally absorbs sounds and vibrations, which is significant as it means we can achieve a ride unmatched by plastic boats. What’s more, wood’s natural beauty is something that cannot be denied and it has excellent longevity. If properly maintained, these boats can last for ages.
Why is the Middle East important for you?
I’ve just returned from Beirut, where I spent a wonderful week. Ever since our launch and recent press coverage we’ve been receiving inquiries from all over the world, including a number of inquiries from the Middle East. In Beirut I met with several potential clients based in Lebanon and the Gulf, but also I wanted to get a better picture of the yachting market in the region in general. What I have seen is very interesting and I see this market as a great opportunity.
What are the latest technological advances of the Hedonist?
The point of the Hedonist is not technology in itself, but rather the experience it brings. Everything on the boat is ‘best in class’, from the epoxy cold-moulded vacuum laminated hull to its triple Rolls-Royce vector propulsion, all the way to its Böning centralised control and monitoring system. The Hedonist has a unique combination of performance, comfort and control with complete safety and security.
How did you manage the Rolls Royce propulsion on the Hedonist?
The Hedonist was conceived as the ultimate boat of its class. So the Rolls Royce waterjet propulsion was a natural and obvious choice. However, up until now the Rolls Royce waterjet propulsion was reserved exclusively for the most high-end and much larger yachts primarily due to its high cost. Therefore, you’d not normally find such propulsion in this class of yacht despite the fact that it offers higher speeds, better acceleration and higher efficiency than a conventional propeller propulsion. It also is much safer with no exposed moving parts in the water, which at the same time means less noise and vibrations. Finally, the manoeuvrability that jets provide, both at speed and in close quarters, is unmatched by other propulsion systems.
So what type of person that would buy the Hedonist?
Hedonist is for anyone. Before our public launch we were expecting a certain character, but no one single type emerged. What we found was that people are just affected by it, even if they weren’t initially looking for a boat. The interest transcends geography, age and family status. But what our customers have in common is an appreciation for something unique, without compromise, that is different, beautiful and bespoke. Not something that is different for the sake of being different, but rather something tailored to their own requirements and tastes.
What do you think the future of luxury boats will look like?
This depends on your definition of luxury. There has definitely been a trend towards larger boats and that’s likely to continue. However, I believe that we’re entering an era where there will be more emphasis on quality and uniqueness rather than size. We are entering a post-industrialised period, where even high-end brands, across all market sectors, are now being mass produced. While these brands may well continue to be successful, I believe that high-net worth individuals will be looking for unique products reflecting true craftsmanship, something not possible through industrial production. Thus they will be looking for a one-of-a-kind boat made to their exacting standards.
