Cresta Motor Yachts was established in 1965.  The Australian luxury motor yacht company rapidly grew in prominence in the ensuing years thanks in part to the country’s natural proclivity to seafaring paired with the guiding principles of its founders.  “Quality, Workmanship and Dependability” is the stalwart motto, which has enabled Cresta Motor Yachts to crest to success in the competitive yacht industry.  Ron Robinson built the first Cresta 32 in 1965.  Many followed, the most famous being “Karma” the Channel 7 “Eyewitness News” vessel of the late 1980s.  Karma also distinguished itself as an east coast heavy tackle game boat skippered by numerous sports fishing luminaries.

In 2006, the company was propelled onto new heights through the savvy business acumen of President of Cresta Motor Yachts, Adrian Ballintine.  The oldest and most respected Australian boat brand received an infusion of life catapulting it back into the 21st century, Iconic Australian motor yachting brand, Cresta Motor Yachts Limited has developed and engineered three new and innovative class leading luxury motor yachts at a much lower price point than Australian and international competitors.  All boats are made unde43r the strict supervision of Australian and New Zealand boat-builders, which ensure that all vessels are constructed to international recognised standards.

Cresta is currently manufacturing three varieties of motor yachts: a 62 Open Flybridge targeted at a amateur and professional sports fishermen; a 66 Enclosed Flybridge that appeals to both coastal cruisers and ocean adventurers, and a 70 Motor Yacht, the luxury flagship with, says Cresta, “accommodation and affordability on a scale never offered before”.  These luxurious motor yachts are a result of a collaborative international effort.  In addition, the company’s naval architects were determined to demonstrate their ability to utilize state-of-the-art design techniques and building composites.  Cresta said its production plant in Wei Hei was selected as the perfect location to build, as it is renowned for its local boatbuilding industry and the availability of skilled workers.  “Many of Cresta’s Chinese boat-builders come from families who have been in the industry for over eight generations,” said the company.  The results to date have exceeded expectations.  Vessels can be produced in survey for charter operators or ‘custom’.  The boat builder said it offers customers a unique selling proposition, as all of its vessels are semi-customized, providing owners’ flexibility in the design and appropriate power for their boats.  Furthermore, its semi-custom approach to production ensures owners have a vessel that reflects their own personality, achieved in conjunction with the company’s interior design team.  “With unlimited choices, including open access to all engine propulsion systems, owners of Cresta Motor Yachts are uniquely placed to enjoy the best of all worlds.

E&W had the luxury of speaking with President of Cresta Motor Yachts, Adrian Ballintine.

Please tell us how you found yourself aboard a Cresta and at the helm of one of the leading yacht companies in the world?
I started out as an owner of a 56 Cresta Motor Yacht.  As one of the oldest Australian boat brands, it came with a solid reputation and reliability.  I acquired the company in 2006 with the intention of rejuvenating the legacy and launching the brand back onto the competitive seascape.

How did you manage to successfully revive the Cresta brand?
It started with my strong affinity for Cresta Motor Yachts, a powerful desire to preserve a vestige of the past by employing the best team and using state-of-the –art technology.  My belief is, if you call together the best in the business you can build a superior product.  The process entailed a truly global collaboration in conjunction with utilizing the power of modern technology.

How has modern technology enhanced your designs?
First, we decided to specialize in 60+ foot yachts.  In the past, shaft drive propulsion was the only package available to recreational vessels.  Today, there is a growing demand for a more modern propulsion package in the form of pod drives.  Modern technology has enabled us to focus and deliver on speed, acceleration and efficiency, which has enhanced our vessel designs.  In addition, the use of lightweight and strong core materials throughout the vessel enables us to deliver a 70 foot yachts at 35 tonnes, as opposed to 80 tonnes, providing greater integrity and strength.  The innovative architecture of the new range of yachts resulted from three years of intense research and development by internationally recognised naval architects and the Cresta team.  This has ensured the vessels can take full advantage of the latest technology in both engine propulsion and construction materials, thus creating lighter, stronger and smarter yachts.

How do you build an unrivalled brand?
It is an international effort!!  I espouse, if you want to build a product that has everlasting qualities than you need to think of all the opportunities available around the world.  Cresta Motor Yachts are composed of core values such as strength, safety and craftsmanship paired with new technologies of the world.  Therefore, we are able to deliver better yachts to the world market at half the cost but twice the value and quality.  By keeping an open mind and using the forte of the international community, we can tap into a labor pool of highly skilled engineers, designers, and manufacturers.  This collaborative effort yields an unrivalled brand.

What do you think of the yacht industry in today’s global market?
The yacht industry is subject to the effects of the global downturn as it is considered a luxury item.  However, people will always look at value for money, benefits for what they are paying.  Cresta Motor Yachts has been able to build its business on smart economics, thus delivering the best value for money to our customers.  It is a very exciting time for Cresta as the work of the naval architects begins to take shape in a physical form.  The high standard of the design and computations made available to the production team by the vessels’ architects has facilitated for a very smooth and cost-efficient approach to the boatbuilding process.

What is the biggest joy of owing a yacht?
The biggest job is the solitude that comes with owning a yacht.  There is so much peace and quits on the high seas, which offers harried people an escape from their frenetic lives.  There is so much to enjoy on a yacht from sport fishing to snorkelling around the Great Barrier Reef or remote and exotic islands.  But most importantly, owning a yacht allows you to spend quality time with close friends and family in the beauty of nature.

What is the Cresta 7-star experience?
In succinct words: Quality, Workmanship, Dependability since 1965.

by Pascal Najadi