US broker Scott Goldsworthy has filed a lawsuit in the Broward County, Florida, against a customer and Italian shipyard Baglietto regarding a yacht purchase deal. The broker claims, two parties have circumvented verbal agreements on paying a commission to the brokerage.
At the same time, the customer, who appears to be Miki Naftali, CEO of New York-based real estate developer Naftali Group, has made a related filing. He has filed a lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court against Scott Goldsworthy.
Naftrali states, Goldsworthy is not entitled to a commission for assistance in concluding a deal to buy his 39.5-metre Baglietto yacht worth $ 14.5 million, according to New York real estate media The Real Deal.
Goldsworthy, in turn, in his counterclaim, accuses Naftali of fraud and seeks a $725,000 compensation.
The Real Deal reports, Goldsworthy has been in brokerage for about 15 years. They collaborated with Naftali for the past six years, during which Goldsworthy invariably received commissions after transactions on yachts purchases and sales.
The preparation of the most recent deal with Baglietto began in 2016. Goldsworthy stated that while regular personal meetings were held to discuss the design and characteristics of the future boat, Naftali, Goldsworthy and Baglietto CEO Michele Gavino had a mutual agreement, for the broker to receive a 5% commission of the total yacht’s price once the transaction is completed, which Baglietto CEO Michele Gavino agreed to, Goldsworthy’s suit says.
Naftali finally decided to order the vessel from Italian shipyard. However, he decided to sign a contract with Baglietto directly, without Goldsworthy’s involvement. According to Goldsworthy's lawyer Joshua Alper, quoted by The Real Deal, Naftali was supposed to save on the final cost of construction, and the shipyard was able to gain a foothold in the market for customised boats in the United States.
From the different angle, according to the lawyer of Naftali, the parties ceased cooperation in October 2016, and a written agreement that Goldsworthy should receive a commission never existed, nor did a written statement on Naftali's potential purchase interests. According to this view, Naftali told Gavino directly about his intention to buy a small private and inexpensive yacht for his family in June 2017, and Goldsworthy had nothing to do with it.
Naftali’s suit also claims that Goldsworthy 'did not play any role in the negotiations' on the project and that Naftali 'never discussed the potential construction' of the boat with Goldsworthy.
After the reports had been published, Baglietto also issued a written statement:
Baglietto, by means of its CEO, Michele Gavino, wishes to point out that the company has not taken part in any illicit action taken by the subjects mentioned. <…> In particular, Baglietto wants to point out that they have always conducted themselves and will continue to do so in a professional and ethical manner towards both the Owner and the brokerage community. Thus, Baglietto reserves the right to defend its behaviour and reputation in any qualified office.
In the meantime, Naftali Group currently works on several projects in New York City, including an assemblage from 1039-1045 Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side and a luxury condo project with Rockefeller Group at 200 East 83rd Street. The firm has also signed a contract to acquire 470 Kent Avenue on the Williamsburg waterfront in February for about $182 million.
Introducing Naseem (2008) - a classically elegant 47m motor yacht by Heesen Yachts, which combines award-winning design by the acknowledged Bannenberg & Rowell Design Studio and unmistakable Dutch prestige. Delivered in 2008 and beautifully maintained by her present owner, the superyacht was fully refurbished in 2018 with a major focus on outdoor activities. NASEEM is equipped with 5 cabins and can accommodate on board up to 12 guests in utmost comfort, as well as a 10-person crew. Among her key features there are a Deck Jacuzzi and a convertible tender garage which can be used as a beach club for swimming and sunbathing or as a launchpad when using water toys. The yacht is powered by twin MTU 8V4000M70 heavy-duty engines and has a comfortable 14-knot cruising speed. With an impressive range of 4,000 nautical miles, she is suitable for Transatlantic cruising. The interior of the yacht is open-planned and is finished with bleached Wenge wood and polished marble flooring. The sense of space and light is enhanced by large windows.A vast salon on the main deck offers an open-plan lounge with an elegant bar for pre-dinner cocktails. It is also equipped with a 60” plasma TV with a full entertainment system and can be transformed into a private cinema for after-hours movie sessions. The spacious formal dining area can comfortably fit up to 10 guests. Naseem’s full-beam master suite is located forward on the main deck and is beautifully finished in cream with a nice contrast of wood veneer shades. The suite offers guests a private lounge and vanity area overlooking the ocean and a bathroom finished in marble.Exterior-wise the yacht offers multiple lounges, dining spaces and a forward-facing spa pool - perfect for onboard socialising, enjoying panoramic ocean views and relaxing in the sunshine.
September 21, 2020
The classic Benetti yacht Hidalgo got seriously damaged by the fire on September 15 in morning. The yacht fire was spotted at the Muggiano shipyard close to La Spezia in the region of Liguria where Hidalgo was hauled out for refit works.
“A dense column of smoke” was created by the fire and was “visible from a considerable distance”, as the local news portal "Liguria Nautica" reported. Main and upper deck of the vessel got severely damaged, however the fireguards were on time to prevent the fire from spreading elsewhere, and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire still remains unclear. Designed for long-distance cruising, the yacht was delivered in Viareggio in 1968 and got last refitted in 2012. The vessel was previously known as Mirabella. (Photos: Giusppe Orru)
September 19, 2020
The new Ferretti Yachts 500 are the winners in the “Best Interior Design” category, whilst the Pershing
7X and CRN M/Y 62m Voice won in their “Best Exterior Design” categoriesCannes, September 16, 2020 – The harmonious number three is the number of major prizes taken by Ferretti Group at the World Yachts Trophies 2020, the prestigious seasonal event in yachting organised by SG Publications, for undeniably perfect style and design.The ceremony took place last Saturday, on September 12, in Cannes - on the beach of the luxurious InterContinental Carlton, - and was attended by guests and business insiders.Ferretti Group's boats that feature innovative technology and design, along with inimitable Italian style in all aspects, deservedly won three
awards.These are the Awards assigned to the boats: - Ferretti Yachts 500: Best Interior Design Trophy, 45 to 64-foot category (13.70-19.50 meters); - Pershing 7X: Best Exterior Design Trophy, 64 to 80-foot category (19.50-24 meters);- CRN M/Y 62m Voice: Best Exterior Design Trophy, 164 to 270-foot category (50-82 meters)
Ferretti Group continues to grow and will be announcing many important novelties in the coming months.Ferretti Group shows sustainable growth and is going to announce a lot of interesting novelties in the near future.(Press release and photos provided by Ferretti Group Web News)
September 18, 2020
Sunreef Yachts has revealed a 40 metre catamaran explorer concept. The yard adds an unstoppable explorer concept to the shipyard’s range of luxury catamarans. The 40M Sunreef Power is a versatile multihull craft dedicated to discovering new horizons. Her propulsion options allow for transoceanic range and solid performance in rough seas.Blending elegance and modern technology, the 40M Sunreef Power can be heavily customized to match ambitious navigation plans. The extended aft deck houses a launching crane, a 7m tender, two jet skis and storage for a variety of water toys. With the hydraulic aft platform lowered, guests can enjoy a full-beam private beach.The superyacht’s 13,34m beam provides for immense living areas totaling 654m² with accommodation spread across three decks. Custom features available for this concept include a playroom with a self-leveling pool table, a steam room or a master suite with a private fold-out balcony.⠀Alfresco relaxation areas include a large sun lounge with a spa pool surrounded by oversized sunpads and a bar as well as a vast bow terrace.
September 10, 2020
If you could combine rock star level partying with down-to-earth innovative design, what kind of superyacht would you end up with? Meet Project FG (Freddy Gump), a Feadship design created for the fictional combination of Freddy Mercury and Forrest Gump. It is the latest design to be revealed from the “Carte Blanch Exclusives” archives.⠀The 109-metre Project FG came to life during the Feadship Brokers Course in 2019. Together with the Feadship design team from Studio De Voogt, the invited brokers created a design for a wild – but down to earth – Freddy Gump. In a few days’ time, Project FG was born as a technically feasible design that allows for wild partying at night and peaceful relaxation during daytime.More than 200 people can party in the outdoor beach club. Hidden from the outside world, FG includes a mysterious hidden club in the bow of the yacht for exclusive private gatherings.Marsha Van Buitenen and Jan Schaffers in conversation. Credit: FeadshipFeadship sales director Marsha Van Buitenen says:“The group wanted a character that embodied extremes. They thought about a client that one hand has a party attitude but on the other is very down to earth as well. They combined a fictional character and a real character to dream up the client – for the down to earth side, it was Forest Gump, and for the wilder side, it was Freddie Mercury. With that, Freddie Gump as born.”On the aft deck there is a huge outdoor beach club, which is four times larger than Feadship designed “Savannah”. This beach club accommodates parties of up to 300 people while a panoramic piano lounge on the upper deck acts as the heart of the superyacht and the meeting point of the two personalities – a place that both Freddie Mercury and Forrest Gump could retire to as dusk falls and from where the rest of the yacht design branches out into the individual elements of each character.Other unique design elements of Project FG include a pop-up table tennis court on the tip of the bow that features a glass tube that “pops up” at the push of a button and encloses the table-tennis table so that the players are protected from the effects of the wind.One particular design feature that certainly caters to the rockstar inspirations of Freddie Mercury is the hidden club for where the really crazy parties happen – even crazier than those happening on the aft deck. Guests are not given directions on how to get there but instead have to find a hidden door past an engine in the superyacht’s belly.While Project FG Freddie Gump has yet to find an owner, the technically feasible Feadship design is still open for the kind of owner with an appreciation for wild nights of partying like Mercury and peaceful days of relaxation.Farouk Nefzi, Feadship marketing and brand director, says:There are so many future concepts coming out, but they are simply designed for 50 years from now. That too easy. Everybody can dream but to create something using technology that's applicable today, if you just have the will to do it, that's what we're showcasing. We feel like we can bring some joy to people's life by showcasing the possibilities that we are able to do right now. If you look at these designs, they trigger people to move forward and leverage on the existing technology. We want to showcase what is possible and not be dominated by the generics of this industry. It's very easy to make baby steps into what the next stage of yachting should be. We think we could really speed up the process if we find clients ready and wanting to invest in this.
September 9, 2020