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Set Sail in Style: MennYacht Group

Travel
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28 May 2021
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9 min read

FOUR speaks to the President of MennYacht Group, Matjaž Murko, about the world’s most sought-after yachts, the beauty of the Adriatic and how time is life’s truest luxury…

MennYacht Group offers specialized, personalised services in all areas of yachting, from sales to chartering and servicing. With offices and service points spread across Europe, MennYacht’s unique combination of high-end tailor-made services and state-of-the-art products give the company a truly competitive edge. With France, Spain, Greece and Italy having an almost cult following of yachtsman, many people wonder what the Adriatic can offer them that they don’t already have. The answer? That MennYacht doesn’t just sell yachts but also sells the distinctiveness of the destinations and the first-class lifestyle to match.

ANCHOR’S AWAY

“We started the company in 1994 – so it’s more than 25 years now that we are in the nautical business. We started with a boat company that was very adept in boat technology during that time, the brand is called Pershing Yachts. We were really overwhelmed by the boat’s performance and so we fell in love with the product because it was so fast and so advanced. It was doing something we had never experienced before.”

“Not only did we fall in love with the product, but with the people who built it (Pershing is built in Italy). So we started to sell it all over Europe and began to build up a network of offices and service points because we understood quite fast that just selling a boat isn’t enough, you need to also repair it and support your clients with everything,” says MennYacht President Matjaž Murko.

So this is exactly what the company did – they assisted their clients with every aspect of the nautical experience, from insurance to chartering, crew management, berthing, maintenance and pre- and post-sales support. Over the years, their services grew along with their team. They are now present in over 13 regions, with service points and offices strategically placed in major marinas across the Adriatic Sea and Central Europe. This includes Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, BiH, Serbia, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania.

With very specific knowledge of the Adriatic and the greater Mediterranean region, MennYacht also offers advice on planning itineraries – such as which towns and beaches are the most beautiful, and which restaurants are best. Because, as Matjaž says, “Like the best things in life, everything is deep down connected with food.”

What makes the Adriatic Sea one of the most enjoyable for sailing is the fact that the water itself is very calm. With many islands, the waters are protected from harsh winds and adverse weather, making it sometimes resemble more of a lake than a sea. This is what makes it perfect for Pershing yachts admits Matjaž: “You never have big waves which means you can really sail fast which is important for the Pershings. If you have 3/4/5m waves, you can’t sail at 50 knots (around 100km/h). The calm sea helps a lot when selling Pershing Yachts, as clients can enjoy them fully while sailing them.”

MAKING WAVES

After being in the industry for over 25 years, there is certainly a large amount of know-how that the MennYacht team possesses. With this level of expertise, their services overshadow the rest. Matjaž shares why he believes their long-standing experience gives them the upper hand: “Regarding the charter business, I would say that our know-how is very important because there are hundreds of yachts on the market, but it is very difficult to know which yacht has the best crew. You can have the best yacht but if the crew and captain aren’t nice, it can turn out to be a nightmare. So we collaborate with an experienced crew and good people, and know what they can offer to our clients.”

“For the sales part, we became the official dealer of the Ferretti Group – some of the most iconic yachts on the market – Ferretti Yachts, Pershing, Itama, Mochi Craft, Custom Line and Riva yachts. They are among the oldest yacht brands still in existence and are very famous. They are like the Rolls Royce of the yacht industry.”

“Here we support clients with the know-how we have because, in the process of selling the yacht, we always try to understand what the clients need. We are not trying to just sell them the biggest kind of yacht, we are trying to find out their way of living and what they expect from their time at sea. If you just give them a big yacht with too many crew at sea, maybe they won’t like it. Maybe the owner would like to drive the yacht alone and just have a deckhand with him. So these are very important facets to consider.”

“There are a lot of aspects to understand in order to guide the clients in the right direction. Even if you decide on a yacht, there are 300 options to still select thereafter. You can decide which engine you prefer, what the furniture should be like and what is needed from the technical side. There are a lot of questions before you can make your final choice.”

“We are really supporting our clients with these decisions because we have been doing it for the last 27 years and we know what is the best on the market. And we are suggesting from our experience what you would really need on the boat. Because many things you can buy but you might not really need them, so why should someone spend a lot of money for something he would later not use,” adds Matjaž.

In terms of some of the company’s most in-demand yachts, Matjaž says that there is a renaissance of Riva yachts: “Riva is getting more and more popular. They are an outstanding yacht with lots of luxury elements and people are looking to stand out from everyone else. You can see a lot of yachts and you wouldn’t recognise which is which. It’s a little bit like the car industry, where you have a lot of similar cars – looking more or less the same – but if you have a Rolls Royce standing between them, everyone would say, ‘Aah yes that’s a Rolls Royce!’ Riva is a bit like that.”

“For the sporty yachts, Pershing is very different from everything else – it’s the Ferrari of the sea. We are very proud that we have the possibility to represent Pershing yachts. They are extraordinary, not just yachts like many others, but they have a special character and DNA.”

SMOOTH SAILING

As the exclusive dealer for Ferretti Yachts, Riva, Itama, Mochi Craft and Custom Line, MennYacht Group is no stranger to luxury. However, after the last year the globe has faced, Matjaž has realised that luxury encompasses more than just having the best boat: “The biggest luxury today is that you have time – enough time to experience and enjoy what you own and have made in your life. For sure, time is the biggest luxury.”

“Luxury today is also being alone with your family somewhere where it is secure. For example, being on a yacht is like being on an island. You know who is around you – you invite your close friends and family. It’s the new way of holidaying. When you are on a yacht with your family you are also closer somehow. You don’t get off, many hours of the day you spend intensive time with your children playing on the boat, playing games, etc. So the quality of time that you are spending with your children is very high.”

With carefully planned itineraries, MennYacht’s Charter team keeps clients’ focus on family time. Their experts specialize in customized itineraries in the Eastern Mediterranean, with charter yachts available in a range of sizes. Offering complete privacy and control, you can plan your journey down to the very last detail, in the safe hands of local, experienced, and dedicated professionals.

Matjaž shares some of the prettiest destinations to visit and the most popular itineraries they create for their clients: “Usually the trip starts in Split, the biggest town on the Adriatic Sea. It is very central, with good flight connections and a big international airport. Just in front of Split, we have the most beautiful and most well-known Croatian island – the island of Hvar. Hvar is something like Ibiza in Spain or Mykonos in Greece – it’s a hotspot. Hvar is 25 miles from Split, so there are many possibilities to get there, either by boat or by ferry. There are nice five-star hotels, the beaches are beautiful and the restaurants are the best.”

“From there you can go north or south. If you go south, you will go to Korčula, a beautiful town which is famous because they say Marco Polo was born there. After that, you would move south to Dubrovnik which is the most famous city on the Croatian coast. It’s a kind of fortress and it’s very picturesque – Game of Thrones was filmed here.”

“If you go north from Hvar, you will come to the beautiful and world-renowned Kornati islands, where it feels like you are on the moon. There are no trees or grass, only stones and sand. It’s a collection of islands that are desert-like but with beautiful bays and fisherman taverns where you can stop and eat fresh fish that was caught the previous night by the local fisherman. It’s different from the south islands which are much more green. From Kornati, you can go to Zadar which is also a very famous town in Croatia. It is very Roman, there are a lot of old buildings, ruins and historical monuments. Zadar also has an international airport.”

“Many yacht charters also start in Dubrovnik, they go to Hvar, Split and through the Kornati and finish their trip in Venice. This is a very nice cruise that can be done in 7 to 10 days, stopping at all these islands. Or you can do the reverse, fly to Venice, enjoy a few days there and then take the charter through MennYacht out of Venice, going south to Dubrovnik, passing by the famous Brijuni islands.”

“Last but not least, we should mention Montenegro as a nautical hotspot. Majestic mountains, breathtaking beaches and larger-than-life locals, with new developments in marinas like Porto Novi and Porto Montenegro. The historic city of Budva with Sveti Stefan and the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska) often called Europe’s southernmost fjord are absolutely a must-visit.”

A TASTE OF THE ADRIATIC

Croatia may not traditionally be known for its gastronomy, but over the years the country’s culinary scene has grown in leaps and bounds. From fine dining establishments to trendy bars and authentic cafés, the Adriatic nation and its many islands have borne a new wave of epicurean delights.

“We see many times that our clients are actually sailing from one restaurant to another. The good thing here in Croatia is that we have something like 1200 islands, some 50 of them are big with good restaurants, especially on the coast. People are aware of restaurants in Sardinia, the south of France and Mykonos, but Croatia is something new. There are some really wonderful places that can be visited on a yacht,” says Matjaž.

From the Kornati islands to Hvar, there is a range of top-class restaurants to choose from. Some of Matjaž’s favourites include:

  • Restaurant Monte in Rovinj – the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Croatia
  • Konoba Opat on Kornati
  • Festa on Žut island
  • Ikador in Opatija
  • Restaurant Rivica on Krk Njivice island
  • Restaurant Gariful in Hvar Town
  • Filipi on Korčula island
  • Kod Marka on Šipan island
  • Gverovic in Dubrovnik
  • Stari Mlini in Kotor
A WHALE OF A TIME

Spending your days at sea is certainly very relaxing. Travelling at your own pace, and in complete privacy makes yachting a favourite among discerning travellers. Of course, days at sea without access to the mainland could get boring without some fun toys, and MennYacht ensures that their clients have access to the best aquatic toys on the market.

“When you spend your time on the yachts, you can eat and drink, swim in the sea and snorkel but after 3 days this will be boring. You need some action and our water toys department MYYACHTOYS really help out. We have these dive scooters “iAQUA” that you go underwater in or ride on top of the water with – they are a lot of fun. We have produced and developed the Darth Craft which is a small electric boat for future captains that is a very nice toy for kids. We also have the Lampuga electric surfboards and “Burrasca” the new super powerful Marine Hypercraft.”

“We are also selling more and more big toys like tender boats and chase boats that the big yachts are using for daily excursions or water skiing. Being on an inflatable tube or riding a banana behind a tender is always fun. The most popular among them are Technohull Ribs from Greece and Williams Jet tenders. These are all the things that are very important today on owner’s yachts but also on charter yachts,” says Matjaž.

SAFETY FIRST

Since its founding, MennYacht has earned a stellar reputation for its honesty, integrity and efficiency. Personalised, hands-on service is paired with a forward-thinking attitude. This has led the company to great success, earning it a host of awards and building a loyal client base.

“We are always moving forward,” says Žiga Murko, Matjaž Murko’s son that was involved in the company’s activities and the nautical world from a young age. “We are well known in our region because we present a high level of integrity in all the work we do and all the services we represent. We do this so our clients will always feel safe, whatever happens at sea, and a lot of things can happen at sea. Our team will always do their best to solve any kind of difficult situation that may occur and that’s important to our clients so they can plan and enjoy their holiday knowing it will go smoothly.”

“Besides that, it’s important for us to leave our clients with the feeling that they have experienced something very special. It’s almost like a magical feeling, like music for example. A feeling that lingers on. Matjaž and I are both musicians as well, so we always find connections with art and music. So whenever there is an event that we organise, everyone remembers the event 10 years later and remembers what a great time we had together. It is this warm feeling that connects us inside our team and that we hope to foster for our clients.”

“If we look to the future, we want to bring this experience and our know-how to a bigger, broader community because the world is more and more connected and it is challenging to keep up with markets with longer history and recognition. Over the latest period when there were no boat shows or events, we had to be connected online and spread our information in new ways. That’s why we are very happy that we got the opportunity to speak with you to share our story that will enable more people to learn about what we have to offer in this beautiful region.”

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To find out more about MennYacht Group and their products and services, visit their website and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

World’s best winner 2014     |     World’s best luxury lifestyle media brand 2022

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