For most of us, our daily working lives have us answering to one `boss'
� and sometimes that's just ourselves. Tony Firth, Yachting Partners
International Project Manager on the impressive Matterhorn Construction
Project has four! We sent photo-journalist Justin Ratcliffe to find out if
having to answer to the sometimes demanding mistresses and masters that
are owners, yards, time and money really does make being a Superyacht
Project Manager the hardest job in the world.
THE HARDEST JOB IN THE WORLD?
A superyacht is not only a hugely complex feat of technology and engineering, it is also a
significant asset that should permit its owner to enjoy the highest levels of excellence in terms
of luxury and comfort in complete safety. From a design perspective, it should provide long-
range reliability in potentially hostile conditions. As an independent floating villa, the hotel
systems have to cope with the water, power, heating, cooling and catering demands of the
guests and crew combined. No single individual has the required expertise to develop and
execute such a complex construction alone, but a good Project Manager should come
close by having an intimate knowledge of all the processes involved.
An Australian from Newcastle, New South Wales, Tony Firth is the Project Manager responsible
for hull no. 600GR, code-named Matterhorn, a 60m steel and aluminium motoryacht currently in
build at the ISA shipyard in Ancona, Italy. After graduating from college with a degree in marine
engineering, Tony worked as a marine fitter and studied to become a Commercial Master
before meeting Alex Braden and coming into the sphere of Yachting Partners International
as build engineer on the stunning 54m Dubois sloop, Tiara launched by Alloy Yachts in 2004
and managed by YPI Yacht Management. He was again sub-contracted by the company to
oversee the build of ISA's 47m Aquamarina, which made her debut at the Monaco Boat Show
last year. Having put down some family roots in Ancona, it was a relatively simple decision to
stay on when the Matterhorn project was given the thumbs up.
Tacked to the wall in his office at the ISA yard, Tony has a hand-written message to himself
that serves as a constant reminder of his role as Project Manager. The message reads: "A
shipbuilding project is a sequence of unique, complex and connected activities having one
goal or purpose that must be completed by a specific time, within budget and according
to specification."
"That just about sums it up", he says, which makes it all sound quite simple and straightforward.
19
Above
Tony Firth, Yachting Partners
International Project Manager
on the impressive Matterhorn
Construction Project.

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