Two to Tango
Developer Joshua Berger, the owner of 37m Tango, built at Austal in 2006, plans to invest in the superyacht industry with a build to sell business plan…
Developer Joshua Berger is the director of Australian company Fivex, and the owner of 37m Tango, built at Austal in 2006. Ellie Brade spoke with Berger about his plans to invest into the superyacht industry with his company C.Way, which will see him build yachts on spec for sale.
As the Australian dollar has strengthened in recent years, so the numbers of Australian superyacht owners have grown with it. In contrast, because of the high building costs in Australia versus those of yards offshore, the numbers of yachts being built in the country is at an all time low. Having built his first yacht yacht, the 37m Tango, at home in Australia, Joshua Berger is an Australian owner who is bucking the trend by looking to build yachts in Australia as part of a build to sell business plan.
The Director of Australian company Fivex Commercial Property, Berger’s success comes from the investment, development and management of commercial and retail property and Fivex owns a number of iconic building assets, primarily in Sydney and Melbourne. As well as his work with Fivex, “My main interest for the past five years now has been to establish a boat design, construction and sales business,” said Berger. The company trades as C.Way Pty Ltd, and with it Berger is looking to carve a niche in the 35-45m market, building on the knowledge gained from his own building experiences.
A long-term yacht enthusiast, Berger has owned yachts since his twenties. His first boat was a 20ft speedboat, which must now seem a long way off from Tango, which he has owned since her launch in 2006. Entry to the superyacht sector “was a progressive increase over many years,” he said. Prior to building Tango, Berger undertook the refit of a 22.86m twin-screw gentleman’s yacht Shilo, originally built in South Africa in 1965, before eventually deciding to build his own yacht. This experience provided insight into the construction process that proved invaluable when it came to building his own yacht. With his long history of boat ownership he did not charter before buying and went straight into the construction of Tango, which was designed and fitted out by C.Way after being built by Oceanfast at Austal.
Seeing the business potential of the superyacht industry, Berger commissioned Will Allison, of Australian company Imaginocean Yacht Design, to undertake a design for a second Tango, known as Tango Two. The two had met when Berger initially commissioned a tender, named Contender, for Tango from Allison. The intention is to build the new yacht once Tango, which is listed for sale, has sold. Once that second boat has sold the process will begin again. It is a not dissimilar approach to that of Hanseatic Marine, although on a smaller scale and without yachts in parallel construction.
Berger describes himself as being an ‘armchair designer’ and was very involved in the design process of Tango Two. “I know what I want and I know what looks good, however I rely on professional designers and technicians to execute the concepts,” he said. “Tango Two is merely an evolutionary progression of Tango. The two are fairly similar.” The new design, which is 10m longer than the original Tango, will boast several new features, including being able to open the saloon windows, a silent generator and the ability to swim in the spa against a wave current. A lot of focus has been placed on maximising indoor/outdoor living – very fitting with the typical Australian lifestyle. As well as selling yachts the company will also sell the Contender tenders. According to Berger, the tenders will fill a perceived niche for luxury tenders that also offer good weather protection and the intention is to market these worldwide.
The choice to undertake build work in Australia is very intentional, and in support of the local industry. As with Tango it is intended that some of the construction work of the Tango series will take place offshore, to help offset costs, with completion work taking place in Australia to ensure a high standard of finish. “Globalisation is very real and a great opportunity to take the best that each country can offer to achieve an optimal end result,” says Berger by way of explanation for this decision. “The best and only way to support the local industry is to recognise that the openings for success come from innovation and technology and design.”
The full interview with Joshua Berger will appear in The Superyacht Owner magazine, Issue 6, out in February 2013.
As the Australian dollar has strengthened in recent years, so the numbers of Australian superyacht owners have grown with it. In contrast, because of the high building costs in Australia versus those of yards offshore, the numbers of yachts being built in the country is at an all time low. Having built his first yacht yacht, the 37m Tango, at home in Australia, Joshua Berger is an Australian owner who is bucking the trend by looking to build yachts in Australia as part of a build to sell business plan.
The Director of Australian company Fivex Commercial Property, Berger’s success comes from the investment, development and management of commercial and retail property and Fivex owns a number of iconic building assets, primarily in Sydney and Melbourne. As well as his work with Fivex, “My main interest for the past five years now has been to establish a boat design, construction and sales business,” said Berger. The company trades as C.Way Pty Ltd, and with it Berger is looking to carve a niche in the 35-45m market, building on the knowledge gained from his own building experiences.
Joshua Berger
A long-term yacht enthusiast, Berger has owned yachts since his twenties. His first boat was a 20ft speedboat, which must now seem a long way off from Tango, which he has owned since her launch in 2006. Entry to the superyacht sector “was a progressive increase over many years,” he said. Prior to building Tango, Berger undertook the refit of a 22.86m twin-screw gentleman’s yacht Shilo, originally built in South Africa in 1965, before eventually deciding to build his own yacht. This experience provided insight into the construction process that proved invaluable when it came to building his own yacht. With his long history of boat ownership he did not charter before buying and went straight into the construction of Tango, which was designed and fitted out by C.Way after being built by Oceanfast at Austal.
Tango (credit Davis Henry)
Seeing the business potential of the superyacht industry, Berger commissioned Will Allison, of Australian company Imaginocean Yacht Design, to undertake a design for a second Tango, known as Tango Two. The two had met when Berger initially commissioned a tender, named Contender, for Tango from Allison. The intention is to build the new yacht once Tango, which is listed for sale, has sold. Once that second boat has sold the process will begin again. It is a not dissimilar approach to that of Hanseatic Marine, although on a smaller scale and without yachts in parallel construction.
Berger describes himself as being an ‘armchair designer’ and was very involved in the design process of Tango Two. “I know what I want and I know what looks good, however I rely on professional designers and technicians to execute the concepts,” he said. “Tango Two is merely an evolutionary progression of Tango. The two are fairly similar.” The new design, which is 10m longer than the original Tango, will boast several new features, including being able to open the saloon windows, a silent generator and the ability to swim in the spa against a wave current. A lot of focus has been placed on maximising indoor/outdoor living – very fitting with the typical Australian lifestyle. As well as selling yachts the company will also sell the Contender tenders. According to Berger, the tenders will fill a perceived niche for luxury tenders that also offer good weather protection and the intention is to market these worldwide.
A rendering of the Tango Two design
The choice to undertake build work in Australia is very intentional, and in support of the local industry. As with Tango it is intended that some of the construction work of the Tango series will take place offshore, to help offset costs, with completion work taking place in Australia to ensure a high standard of finish. “Globalisation is very real and a great opportunity to take the best that each country can offer to achieve an optimal end result,” says Berger by way of explanation for this decision. “The best and only way to support the local industry is to recognise that the openings for success come from innovation and technology and design.”
The full interview with Joshua Berger will appear in The Superyacht Owner magazine, Issue 6, out in February 2013.
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