Handover, services and commissioning within the base price

Pegasus sailboats delivered bluewater-ready at base price

There are two key aims of this – helping owners to fully understand their vessels and systems, while also ensuring all systems are properly commissioned and tested. The philosophy extends to adjusting rig tension to account for the initial stretch of the standing rigging after the boat has sailed a few hundred miles.

Equally, the main halyard and reefing lines are marked to show the precise settings for each reef. This dramatically reduces the time it takes to reef, minimising crew effort and reducing wear and tear on the sail, reefing lines and deck hardware.

Nevertheless, figuring out exactly where the marks should be is a task that can only be carried out once the boat is fully rigged and sailing. It therefore rarely makes it to the commissioning list of anything other than pure raceboats. With typical attention to detail, Pegasus uses whipping twine in a contrasting colour and a fluorescent glow-in-the-dark marker for this purpose. It’s also sewn in place, so will last as long as the rope.

Equally, when watermakers are commissioned, for example, they aren’t simply switched on briefly. The output volume is measured over a specific period of time and checked against the unit’s specifications, as is the purity of the water produced. 

Comprehensive set up and commissioning

“Our work is definitely not done when the boat leaves the shipyard,” emphasises Pegasus Yachts partner and co-founder Miha Breskvar. A team of riggers, for instance, put the standing and running rigging together and dress the mast. They then bend on the sails with the sailmakers to check if everything is as designed.

While it’s not essential, Breskvar says owners often sail with the riggers, sailmakers and Pegasus team members for four or five days at this stage. They will then go away to sail by themselves for several days, before returning for a further stage of checks and adjustments, which includes the final tensioning of standing rigging and the marking of halyards and reefing lines.

Customised onboarding and technical briefings

It’s only after this stage, once everything has been assembled, commissioned and thoroughly tested, that the final on-boarding and handover to the owner takes place. This process is customised to suit each owner, their experience and background. Breskvar says, for instance, if an owner has used B&G systems for 20 years, they will need less time to get up to speed with the new electronics on their boat than an owner with experience of other brands.

Transforming the handover process into an immersive technical briefing in this way enables owners to become intimately familiar with their vessel’s systems and maintenance procedures. This is as important for long-term performance and reliability as the extensive checks and adjustments that are carried out on each vessel pre handover.