Session 3-A:
Owner satisfaction will always be the key element affecting the future of the yachting industry, and without this critical component in place, our industry will cease to grow. Refit projects typically draw intense scrutiny by owners because of their complexity, their unpredictability, and their expense, and those of us in this industry need to perform at our best on these projects. But do owners always know what they’re getting into? Not necessarily. If the yard period or costs begin to exceed original projections, things can get out of control quickly. And if the owner wasn’t engaged at first because it was all supposed to be “routine,” that can change quickly, too! Jeff Bowles and Colin Kiley will share some tips, tricks, and lessons learned – including from a couple of refit projects-gone-wrong, to help in planning for a successful next experience at the refit yard. With proper planning and preparation, cost and schedule risks can be significantly reduced, and the chances of an on-time and on-budget departure will be increased.
Wednesday, April 10, 3:00-4:15pm
Jeffrey Bowles
PE, PMP
Jeffrey Bowles is the director of DLBA (formerly Donald L. Blount & Associates). Now a part of Gibbs & Cox, DLBA is a consultant Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering group supporting a wide range of maritime industry market sectors. Jeff graduated from Webb Institute with a B.S. in Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering in 2000, and then obtained a Master’s in Marine Engineering from the University of Newcastle in 2001. After joining DLBA later in 2001, Jeff spent considerable time in South Florida on Refit projects acting on behalf of the owner, the building yard, and the Refit yard. Jeff is a licensed Professional Engineer and a certified Project Management Professional.
Colin Kiley
Lauderdale Marine Center
Colin Kiley is executive vice president at Lauderdale Marine Center. He studied mechanical engineering at Tulane University, and project management at Nova Southeastern University. As the former president of the multi-million-dollar manufacturing and service company Nautical Structures Industries, he oversaw its international expansion. He founded several marine companies including Rigging Systems International, and Ocean Yacht Systems Service, and he served as the director of supply chain management at Rybovich. Colin’s 30 years’ experience in the marine industry began at age six, when he began sailing in his native Massachusetts. He won his first championship at 12 and he’s been sailing competitively around the globe ever since.
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