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ALPHA FEMALE: ANGELA PERNSTEINER

Dominator Yachts’ Angela Pernsteiner has achieved much in her time as the shipyard’s CEO, taking the Ilumen project from concept sketch in 2014, to successful launch in only three years. We catch up with the Harvard graduate to see what defines her as a leader.

What is the best part of being a superyacht builder?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a superyacht builder is being able to work with such a diverse range of individuals, from the owners, down to the skilled craftsmen in the shipyard, to create a yacht from what was just a concept several years earlier.

Seeing the end result must be very rewarding?

It’s an amazing feeling, knowing that our team designed and created this beautiful, but very complex, vessel. Every time one of our bespoke Dominators touches the water, I feel overwhelmed. It shows just what our team has achieved after many long days and nights that are filled with energy-consuming negotiations, worry and, honestly, putting all our blood, sweat and tears into the project.

Equally as rewarding for the owners?

Yes, it’s quite an amazing feeling seeing the owners on board their dreams for the first time. That sense of pride and achievement makes us – myself and my whole team – feel that the long, difficult process was worth it.

It’s a great achievement for yourself, too?

I enjoy proving that women can exert equal influence, authority, knowledge, mental stamina and physical strength as the leader of a successful shipyard. We’re in a male-dominated industry, and I’ve found that it’s important for female leaders to set a statement by speaking our minds and rejecting unfair terms or conditions in daily business practices.

What defines you as a leader?

Achieving gender-equality in the industry, along with building the world’s most beautiful bespoke superyachts, are my parallel goals and the driving force of my daily work life. They define who I am as a leader.   I’ve found that success is ultimately not dependent on gender or age, but one’s ability and determination to inspire and motivate others. That is key to leadership for any woman or man in any industry.

Can you tell us about your favourite project?

At Dominator, every project is unique. But there have been some very special projects. After a long and intensive development phase for engineering and design, we launched the Ilumen range in 2017. The first Ilumen not only revolutionised our brand, but it pushed the entire industry forward.

It’s proving to be a popular range?

Yes, last summer, another two Ilumen models touched the water for the first time. It was truly gratifying to finally show the yachting world how we can build bespoke yachts, incorporating every detail that the owner wants in their dream yacht. In fact, from the moment we start designing a boat for an owner, we take the approach that every project is unique and will involve a variety of tastes, features and preferences.

Creating bespoke superyachts must be a 24/7 operation?

It’s a challenge at times, to say the least, but it’s just what I love about every project. There is nothing standard. Every boat is unique. What really drives us is to find innovative solutions to challenges and introduce ground-breaking concepts. Our goal, above all, is client satisfaction.

What has been your most interesting build?

If I had to choose one yacht, I think the construction of 28M Ilumen CADET V was a truly remarkable experience. The Owner is an admirer of art, which is the reason why he chose to have different centerpieces in various areas on board. For instance, there is the piece by Lorenzo Quinn in the salon, and two mesmerizing artworks of Stefano Curto that include thousands of Swarovski crystals. The collaboration with Stefano Curto in the shipyard was a very special experience for everyone involved. Further, through the great contributions of the Owner, his family and his crew in all areas of the design, we created not only a completely different layout, but also made on board living much better, thanks to the yacht’s improved insulation and shaft propulsion.

What really drives us is to find innovative solutions to challenges and introduce ground-breaking concepts. Our goal, above all, is client satisfaction.

Would you say that the superyacht industry is male dominated?

Indeed, the decision makers are almost always men, whether it’s the clients, their lawyers, the advisors, the brokers, the technicians, the captains or the suppliers. We build yachts for the most demanding UHNWI, and during construction as well as in tough negotiations with suppliers I deal with what I would describe as mostly male-oriented traits.

Has is been a challenge?

Yes, being in a male-dominated industry was a challenge in the beginning. My age and gender were not taken seriously or initially respected in this industry. But I have found that continuous skills development, increasing technical knowledge and furthering my education in materials and construction processes has helped gain that respect. On top of everything, I feel that two to three times more effort was required to gain the same respect and be treated with the same professional courtesies as men.

The experience made you tougher?

Through these challenges you grow. For instance, I’m now able to outperform many male sales brokers in technical arguments. That is a huge advantage in this industry. I’ve also learned that a little courage goes a long way and that in order to gain acceptance and to get things through, you have to be persistent and sometimes aggressive.

You’ve inspired other females?

I try to lead by example for other women in the industry – either those working with me, or outside the company – to encourage them to be persistent and determined in everything they do. Women need to learn to take risks and not be afraid of failures. This is the most common obstacle that we impose on ourselves and why men always seem confident, even with a lack of knowledge behind that confidence. This industry can often be filled with sharks who teach me new lessons every day. It’s often difficult and stressful, but I’m also thankful for this harsh training since I’m able to improve the skills needed to thrive in this industry. It can be a tough industry for women, but if you persist and adapt, you can grow and thrive as a businesswoman and person.

Angela Pernsteiner CEO Dominator Yachts awarded the prestigious “Rising Star Award” of the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam

The prestigious Boat Builder Award celebrates and rewards outstanding business achievements of individuals and teams across key areas in the worldwide superyacht industry and is held during the METSTRADE show, the world’s largest trade exhibition of marine equipment, materials and systems.

The category Rising Star celebrates those aged 35 or under who have been making a growing impact on any aspect of their business and are therefore pioneers in the yachting industry.

Especially at the end of 2019, where Dominator Yachts celebrates its 20 th anniversary and announced the kick-off of the 42M Tri-Deck Ilumen project during the Cannes Yachting Festival in September, all the Dominator management team celebrates this important achievement. Few yacht builders have been successful at turning dreams and design concepts into reality. With the Ilumen series Dominator Yachts has transformed from being a respected motor yacht brand to one of the premier marques in the small-but-competitive custom mini-superyacht segment. Noticeably different from any other player in the industry: several different nations and several strong women, one of them another young Austrian, Sophie Hotz, who is responsible for Marketing and Angela’s sparring partner, set the tone.

When Angela Pernsteiner introduces herself outside of the marine industry, people usually look strange at her for being such an “unusual package”: young, female, grown up in Mühlviertel, the Austrian countryside world-renowned for granite stone, studied business below minimum time foreseen in the curriculum, carried out research in Neuroeconomics, founded companies in Liechtenstein, builds technically complex yachts in Italy, negotiates hard with Arabs and Russian, argues in sneakers and dusty jeans with electricians and carpenters and parties in high heels with evenings gowns on luxurious lifestyle events.

During her childhood and youth there was no school year, where she was not best-in-class. Her perseverance and perfectionism continuously increased, which was a blessing and curse at the same time. Very often she met with disappointed by her environment because she demanded too high standards not only from herself but also subconsciously from everyone around her. “Angela’s iron butt and her bull head are tough as the granite in Mühlviertel” is something she heard often.

However, only due to this perseverance she was able to finish her studies in Accounting, Finance, Controlling and Strategic Management as first person ever under minimum curriculum time with summa cum laude in Austria. Further academic and professional stations included University of Harvard, Singapore, Liechtenstein and St. Gallen, where she worked at the Chair of Accounting and Auditing amongst others, Ernst & Young Vienna or the Financial Advisory Firm FAS AG in Stuttgart. Together with her doctorate supervisor she founded the Neuro-Accounting Center and conducted research with functional magnetic resonance imaging, analyzing decision making of experts and novices in brain scanners. The more exotic and untypical something sounds; the more Angela feels attracted to it.

At Dominator Yachts, quite a lot has happened over the last 20 years and having more than 160 tailor-made yachts in the water. The core management team at Dominator Yachts is particularly proud about the last three years, where the yachting industry was revolutionized with the Dominator Ilumen series.

Dominator Yachts was not only the first shipyard in the world who developed a virtual reality experience that allowed the owner to walk through the Ilumen before she was built, but with its innovative design, style, comfort and livability as well as technological innovations, and performance, the 28M Ilumen series perfectly responds to the changed demands of owners, who nowadays want more space, light, comfort, safety, trip range while at the same time aiming at less fuel consumption, overhead and maintenance costs, less crew on board and a low draft to reach adventurous places and undiscovered bays.

The challenge for Angela and all her team was to tie a knot between very different, contrasting worlds and ideas, which was achieved thanks to an intense and tireless collaboration of highly skilled and experienced yachting individuals: Merging sleek and aggressive exterior design that one can usually only find on planing yachts with a semi-displacement hull, combining Dominator’s yacht-building tradition with extensive innovation and technology, providing a fully bespoke philosophy with not only decoration-options but offering individual choices such as propulsion system, personalized cruising speed or structural re-engineering of technical and interior spaces in a semi-custom series, integrating an interior volume of 30M on a pleasure craft registered under 24M or joining an unprecedented ceiling height of 2,18M with a stable and robust hull and a low draft to name only a few.

“#BeBold and ‘Combine Extremes for Unique Results’ were not coincidental or random choices for the motto of the 20-year anniversary of Dominator Yachts. “Personally, I consider myself as a ‘Product of two Extremes’ because my parents are so contradictory like nothing else: My father is a full-blooded entrepreneur in different industries and my biggest critic, who always throws me into ice-cold water since I was little ‘because that’s the best way to learn swimming’ or asked me if I feel sick when I didn’t bring exam results with full score back home. My mother, president of the Austrian Catholic Women, is engaged in social charity projects fighting for minorities like refugees, women or politically prosecuted people all over the world, repeats every day that I am not born to be a hamster in a running wheel (laughs). It is very likely that I love this crazy, unpredictable yachting industry exactly for this reason – because contradictions are deeply engrained in my DNA.”,says Angela and smiles.

The 42M Project MY Peppermint is aimed to be another example of pushing boundaries and creating something that the market has not seen. A category-buster, which can reach 19.5 kn like the 28M semi-displacement hull with a transoceanic range, engineered by the best Italian engineers and tested in the famous Austrian tank test of Vienna, world-renowned for military vessels and cruising ships. The presentation of this new project was celebrated in style with the well-known Austrian wine maker Kracher and the schnapps distillery Reisetbauer – both globally awarded lifestyle brands with international outreach distinguished by an Austrian down-to-earthness as Dominator Yachts likes to describe themselves equally.

Especially due to the Rising Star Award Angela will bear even more responsibility to differentiate her products and make her way in the male-dominated shark tank of the yachting industry, which also comes with the commitment to serve as a role model for young women. Since childhood, her academic and business mentors were exclusively male, that’s where her occasional rationality and coldness probably stem from. However, as she is convinced that in the long run only diversity will lead to success, she is combining her “Mühlviertler iron butt and granite head” with the right portion of Austrian warmness. It comes with no surprise that her inner circle describes Angela undoubtedly as “Love in the Heart, Snow in the Eyes, Peppermint in the Blood!”.

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Ten Minutes with Wolfgang Pernsteiner

Dominator’s new yacht, illumen 28, is scheduled to launch later this year. we caught up with company owner wolfgang pernsteiner to find out more.….

Dominator, headquartered in Austria, launched its first luxury yacht, the Dominator 65, back in 2001. From their shipyard in Italy, they have since built many more, ranging from 20 to 40m. Currently, all eyes are on the new 26m Ilumen, designed by Alberto Mancini. The Superyacht Owner speaks to Wolfgang Pernsteiner, who bought the company back in 2009.

You owned a Dominator yacht before deciding to buy the company. What motivated this decision?  Well, we have to go back a step. Before I owned a Dominator, I owned another well-known brand of yacht and whilst out at sea, suffered an electrical fault which nearly started a fire and also left us stranded with no back-up systems. On returning to land, I immediately set about selling the yacht and searched around asking everyone for the company with the best quality. This is how I heard of Dominator Yachts. My ownership experience of the Dominator was far better and I fell in love with yachting once again. When the opportunity arose to buy the company, I did not hesitate.

Tell us about the new Ilumen 28. The Ilumen 28m was borne out of my ideas of yacht usage and our designer’s concepts of space and light. We raised the pilot house so that you can have a very large owner’s cabin on the main deck and a large salon. Further to this I believe we have the largest flybridge for a yacht of this size. So much thought has gone into the proportions providing all of these benefits. The owner cabin will have a very private area with sea views, a moon roof to watch the stars at night and even a bow terrace. There are a further four cabins on the lower deck. The total volume of the yacht compares with a 30m+ yacht, so this is very much the yacht of the future.

The company has won awards for design – could you tell us a little about this? Alberto Mancini has worked with us for many years. He established two core themes for the new Ilumen series of ‘space and light’. Form and function have to work hand in hand. It is not good enough to have a beautiful yacht which is not practical. The owner enjoys the beauty and the practicalities that our designs create around them.

What changes or improvements would you like to see in the market in order to sustain and grow the ownership value model? We find that only too often, owners or captains of older yachts tend to make decisions too quickly when it comes to servicing or maintaining their yachts. I would like to see more qualified engineers and service outlets out there. I think more accreditation systems  also need to be in place to highlight to owners the safest places to go to.

What is the most important piece of advice you could deliver to a first-time owner? There are many deals out there. the market is flooded. What I would say is, if you are going to spend the money, don’t just go for what seems like the best deal. It may seem wise at the start but then after the first season you regret that you did not find something that really fulfilled your needs. That is the mistake I made. It is then more expensive to correct that mistake. So think about investing the extra money to make the decision perfect to you. Then, once you have chosen - make more time to enjoy on your yacht! We have a client who changed one of the cabins into an office and this only on a 64 footer. He uses this open plan office to work 2 months of the year from and has the latest tele-communications systems onboard to help him do this. We think he has got it right!

What are the company’s plans for the future? We are working hard on launching the first Ilumen and will be taking her on a tour of the Med next year. We are also in discussions with clients interested in larger Ilumen models up to 36m. So we can expect to see the launch of some larger yachts and we also have something up our sleeves for the other end of the scale.

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DOMINATOR ILUMEN AG

Dominator goes middle east & brand developments.

Dominating the UAE with Dominator Yachts | Check out the interview during Dubai Boat Show with Angela Pernsteiner, CEO of Dominator Yachts, talking about the most recent brand developments and the market entry with the Ilumen range to the Middle East.

Interview: Dominator goes Middle East

Angela Pernsteiner, CEO of Dominator Yachts, talking to superyachts.com about the Ilumen premiere in Dubai and further plans for this year.

Brand Developments

Custom-made and unique to the last detail, these beautiful boats offer mega-yacht features in a 28M configuration and embody the philosophy of Dominator as the bespoke yacht builder, which blends advanced technology and master craftsmanship to produce one-off works of art, comfort, style and sophistication.

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• Yacht Industry
• Absolute Yachts

Angela Pernsteiner

Angela Pernsteiner was awarded the prestigious “Rising Star Award”

The prestigious Boat Builder Award celebrates and rewards outstanding business achievements of individuals and teams across key areas in the worldwide superyacht industry and is held during the METSTRADE show, the world’s largest trade exhibition of marine equipment, materials and systems.

The category Rising Star celebrates those aged 35 or under who have been making a growing impact on any aspect of their business and are therefore pioneers in the yachting industry.

Especially at the end of 2019, where Dominator Yachts celebrates its 20th anniversary and announced the kick-off of the 42M Tri-Deck Ilumen project during the Cannes Yachting Festival in September, all the Dominator management team celebrates this important achievement. Few yacht builders have been successful at turning dreams and design concepts into reality. With the Ilumen series Dominator Yachts has transformed from being a respected motor yacht brand to one of the premier marques in the small-but-competitive custom mini-superyacht segment. Noticeably different from any other player in the industry: several different nations and several strong women, one of them another young Austrian, Sophie Hotz, who is responsible for Marketing and Angela’s sparring partner, set the tone.

When Angela Pernsteiner introduces herself outside of the marine industry, people usually look strange at her for being such an “unusual package”: young, female, grown up in Mühlviertel, the Austrian countryside world-renowned for granite stone, studied business below minimum time foreseen in the curriculum, carried out research in Neuroeconomics, founded companies in Liechtenstein, builds technically complex yachts in Italy, negotiates hard with Arabs and Russian, argues in sneakers and dusty jeans with electricians and carpenters and parties in high heels with evenings gowns on luxurious lifestyle events.

During her childhood and youth there was no school year, where she was not best-in-class. Her perseverance and perfectionism continuously increased, which was a blessing and curse at the same time. Very often she met with disappointed by her environment because she demanded too high standards not only from herself but also subconsciously from everyone around her. “Angela’s iron butt and her bull head are tough as the granite in Mühlviertel” is something she heard often.

However, only due to this perseverance she was able to finish her studies in Accounting, Finance, Controlling and Strategic Management as first person ever under minimum curriculum time with summa cum laude in Austria. Further academic and professional stations included University of Harvard, Singapore, Liechtenstein and St. Gallen, where she worked at the Chair of Accounting and Auditing amongst others, Ernst & Young Vienna or the Financial Advisory Firm FAS AG in Stuttgart. Together with her doctorate supervisor she founded the Neuro-Accounting Center and conducted research with functional magnetic resonance imaging, analyzing decision making of experts and novices in brain scanners. The more exotic and untypical something sounds; the more Angela feels attracted to it.

At Dominator Yachts, quite a lot has happened over the last 20 years and having more than 160 tailor-made yachts in the water. The core management team at Dominator Yachts is particularly proud about the last three years, where the yachting industry was revolutionized with the Dominator Ilumen series.

Dominator Yachts was not only the first shipyard in the world who developed a virtual reality experience that allowed the owner to walk through the Ilumen before she was built, but with its innovative design, style, comfort and livability as well as technological innovations, and performance, the 28M Ilumen series perfectly responds to the changed demands of owners, who nowadays want more space, light, comfort, safety, trip range while at the same time aiming at less fuel consumption, overhead and maintenance costs, less crew on board and a low draft to reach adventurous places and undiscovered bays.

The challenge for Angela and all her team was to tie a knot between very different, contrasting worlds and ideas, which was achieved thanks to an intense and tireless collaboration of highly skilled and experienced yachting individuals: Merging sleek and aggressive exterior design that one can usually only find on planing yachts with a semi-displacement hull, combining Dominator’s yacht-building tradition with extensive innovation and technology, providing a fully bespoke philosophy with not only decoration-options but offering individual choices such as propulsion system, personalized cruising speed or structural re-engineering of technical and interior spaces in a semi-custom series, integrating an interior volume of 30M on a pleasure craft registered under 24M or joining an unprecedented ceiling height of 2,18M with a stable and robust hull and a low draft to name only a few.

“#BeBold and ‘Combine Extremes for Unique Results’ were not coincidental or random choices for the motto of the 20-year anniversary of Dominator Yachts. “Personally, I consider myself as a 'Product of two Extremes' because my parents are so contradictory like nothing else: My father is a full-blooded entrepreneur in different industries and my biggest critic, who always throws me into ice-cold water since I was little ‘because that’s the best way to learn swimming’ or asked me if I feel sick when I didn’t bring exam results with full score back home. My mother, president of the Austrian Catholic Women, is engaged in social charity projects fighting for minorities like refugees, women or politically prosecuted people all over the world, repeats every day that I am not born to be a hamster in a running wheel (laughs). It is very likely that I love this crazy, unpredictable yachting industry exactly for this reason - because contradictions are deeply engrained in my DNA.”, says Angela and smiles.

The 42M Project MY Peppermint is aimed to be another example of pushing boundaries and creating something that the market has not seen. A category-buster, which can reach 19.5 kn like the 28M semi-displacement hull with a transoceanic range, engineered by the best Italian engineers and tested in the famous Austrian tank test of Vienna, world-renowned for military vessels and cruising ships. The presentation of this new project was celebrated in style with the well-known Austrian wine maker Kracher and the schnapps distillery Reisetbauer – both globally awarded lifestyle brands with international outreach distinguished by an Austrian down-to-earthness as Dominator Yachts likes to describe themselves equally.

Especially due to the Rising Star Award Angela will bear even more responsibility to differentiate her products and make her way in the male-dominated shark tank of the yachting industry, which also comes with the commitment to serve as a role model for young women. Since childhood, her academic and business mentors were exclusively male, that’s where her occasional rationality and coldness probably stem from. However, as she is convinced that in the long run only diversity will lead to success, she is combining her “Mühlviertler iron butt and granite head” with the right portion of Austrian warmness. It comes with no surprise that her inner circle describes Angela undoubtedly as “Love in the Heart, Snow in the Eyes, Peppermint in the Blood!”.

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A Superyacht in Mini Size: Dominator’s Midi Ilumen M35 Unveiled

By Frances Flannagan

An innovative new product within the day boat market, Dominator Yachts' Midi Ilumen SAFESPACE represents a unique dimension within the industry. A fully customisable day boat containing all the features of a superyacht, the Midi Ilumen is a sensational development; for not only the Austrian-based shipyard, but also for revolutionising the yachting market.

The Dominator Midi Ilumen contains the DNA of every Dominator Ilumen superyacht. Managing Partner of Dominator Yachts, Angela Pernsteiner, herself described the Midi Ilumen as 'the big Ilumen shrinked to a mini format' .

Launching into the day boat market is a monumental moment for the brand, as, not only will they now undertake much smaller builds, with the Midi Ilumen available in either 7m, 11m or 14m, but also as this new model is the only yacht of its style on the current market. Whether used as a luxury yacht tender, a stand-alone performance yacht or day boat, she is sure to turn heads as an innovative creation within the industry. 

The same rational approach to engineering that has been central to the 30-40 metre yachts has been utilised in the production of the brand new Midi Ilumen SAFESPACE. Safety and comfort were of high priority, with superb sea keeping and stability achieved by a planing hull and Computational Fluid Dynamics. Maximum speeds range from 35-48 knots, meaning that she performs sensationally at top speeds, but also at cruising speeds, showcasing the versatility of this luxury boat.

She has a highly advanced structural layout, with sandwich construction, a carbon hardtop and fibreglass. The fibreglass is the only element of the boat which is pre-produced, meaning that there is complete flexibility in every other aspect of the design. 

The exterior design features a repurposing of the distinctive elements of the large Ilumen in this smaller model. Dynamic lines and a careful balance between round and edges with unique details have been used to contribute to the bold and elegant look of the boat. 

All amenities that can be found on a superyacht are present in the Midi Ilumen, with hidden and integrated conveniences lending themselves to a minimalistic foredeck. Elements such as the full beam hull window and moonroof for star gazing have been carried over from the larger vessels. 

Other design features include a bathroom separated from the cabin by smart-glass, a BBQ concealed under a seat in the cockpit and wireless chargers integrated in the teak. 

The interior represents everything uncommon for a day boat of its size; the design is sleek and stylish and the space has been effectively used to allow for complete independence on the sea. Ultra-luxurious materials have been used, including Italian leathers in Grey tones with Hibiscus accents, stainless steel details and fine woods. A spacious skylight results in an abundance of natural light, beautifully contributing to the elements that were integral to the overall design and the name ‘Ilumen’ itself: light, glass, and air. 

Dominator’s strategy is that it doesn’t choose to be serial; it has developed a more affordable, approachable and niche day boat that can be fully customised to the owner’s requests. This mega-yacht feeling on an 11m boat is revolutionary; for Dominator, and for the industry in general. Angela Pernsteiner commented: 'That was really important for us: something you can use not only as a day boat, but as a yacht' , highlighting the Midi Ilumen's versatility and unique place within the day boat market. 

Superyachts.com would like to congratulate Dominator on this spectacular unveiling. We wish SAFESPACE and future Midi Ilumen’s the best of luck on their journeys as revolutionary products within the industry. 

"That was really important for us: something you can use not only as a day boat, but as a yacht." Angela Pernsteiner, Managing Partner of Dominator Yachts

"That was really important for us: something you can use not only as a day boat, but as a yacht."

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Angela Pernsteiner on 20 Years of Dominator Yachts

With over 160 bespoke yachts sailing proudly in worldwide waters, dominator yachts celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and is to present its largest ever yacht at cannes next month. angela pernsteiner, managing partner of dominator, took time to speak to superyachts.com about the unique philosophy that drives the austro-italian shipyard..

20 Years of Tailor-made Craftsmanship Dominator’s ethos and success has evolved through a close attention to high-level individualisation that every owner wishes to have, no matter the size of the yacht. 

“Our tireless dedication to bring industry-leading engineering and handcrafted elegance together in one 21st century yacht made us the go-to yard for a limited number of bespoke boats every year, ranging from 20 to 40 metres,” says Angela Pernsteiner. “Especially over the last five years, all the efforts in every department were put into being different from mass producers: collaborating with the top experts, universities and research institutions in their field to ensure that every yacht engineered and built is at the cutting edge of engineering and design, in order to offer yachts that are powerful, thrilling, beautiful and safe.”

Through the meticulous research carried out behind the scenes, Dominator offers owners an upscale high-tech construction that is known only to be used on mega yachts. “With the new construction method of fibreglass, the Dominator Ilumen series does not only offer 10 years of warranty to the structure but also an infinite choice of completely bespoke colour choices.”

No Limitations It is therefore no surprise that Dominator is a favourite among experienced yacht owners, who appreciate the yard’s ability to provide a one-stop shop with fully-individualised specifications that remove limitations.

 “An experienced owner appreciates this high flexibility of Dominator to cater the individual clients’ needs in relatively small sizes. On the competition level, serial mass producers can only satisfy such requirements by charging a huge extra cost or they cannot satisfy individual structural changes in the yachts at all.”

Be Bold “’BeBold’ and ‘Combine Extremes for Unique Results’ were not a coincidence nor a random choice for the motto of the 20 years brand anniversary. It is in fact the epitome of the brand identity that we have lived, developed and therefore incorporated every day in all our activities since we have combines the Austro-Italian worlds. The female team members’ DNA and every day motto is #BeBold in order to demonstrate knowledge, mental stamina and continuous technical development in this male-dominated industry.”

Dominator pursues a combination of contradictions to the extreme, something that stems naturally from a boutique family yard with a bespoke approach and international reach.

“We were not only the first ones worldwide in the luxury and yachting industries to develop a fully immersive VR experience, but the overall project Ilumen is like tying a knot between very different, contrasting worlds and ideas… We tied a knot between young, tireless and entrepreneurial people and older, experienced craftsmen. More than anything, we knotted two very different cultures – Austrian and Italian – which proved to be our most unique treasure: to melt the structures and the creativity, the rules and the emotions, the colder Northern European and the passionate Southern European in one pot.”

The ‘Lederhosen’ and ‘Prada’ Moods The seamless merging of contradictory approaches is apparent in what Angela Pernsteiner describes as the two ‘moods’ that the Dominator team work in.

“Everyone in our team can and loves to be in the ‘Lederhosen-Mood’, which means feet on the ground, supporting in production and being the entrepreneur, wearing five different hats at the same time that a small team sometimes demands. In the next moment, we are equally confident in the ‘Prada-Mood’ showing our handcrafted masterpieces at the boatshows, having international artists perform at our events and brainstorming together with our clients in their villas about the next projects.”

Bigger and Bolder Since the Dominator Ilumen concept was first presented at Cannes Yachting Festival in 2016, the Ilumen yachts have amassed an impressive collection of awards including Best Innovation at the Cannes World Yacht Trophies. This year, Dominator will unveil the in-construction 42 metre TriDeck on Friday of this year’s Cannes Yachting Festival. The 42 metre superyacht is intended to emulate its predecessors at the World Yacht Trophy, and encapsulates Dominator’s approach that “genius is measured by quality and innovation, not quantity.”

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DOMINATOR ILUMEN AG

Boat builder awards 2019: rising star award.

AMSTERDAM. Boat Builder Award's category "Rising Star" celebrates those aged 35 or under who have been making a growing impact on any aspect of their business.

Boat Builder Awards 2019: Rising Star Award for Angela Pernsteiner

AMSTERDAM | 19.11.2019 The prestigious Boat Builder Award celebrates and rewards outstanding business achievements of individuals and teams across key areas in the worldwide superyacht builders industry. The awards gala was held yesterday night under the glittering glazed ceiling of the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam.

The category " Rising Star " celebrates those aged 35 or under who have been making a growing impact on any aspect of their business .

Dominator Yachts is thrilled that Angela Pernsteiner has been recognised for her hard work and dedication to the business.

Angela Pernsteiner

Managing Partner & CEO Dominator Yachts

"Rising Star"

Boat Builder Awards 2019

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Boat of the Week: This Sleek New 35-Foot Express Cruiser Thinks It’s a Superyacht—and That’s the Point

Dominator's new midi ilumen 35 is the ultimate weekender, styled after its 92-foot sistership. we get the first ride in montenegro., howard walker, howard walker's most recent stories.

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‘People Don’t Want to Be Inside’: How the Outdoors Became Yachtmakers’ Most Coveted Design Element

Only when it eases off plane and glides through the entrance to Montenegro’s new Portonovi Marina is the confusion answered. This thing is definitely “midi.” Even “mini.” As in just 35 feet length overall.

“That was our thinking; to create an 11-meter sports boat with all the DNA, the style, and luxury of our 28-meter,” says Dominator Managing Partner, Angela Pernsteiner . “This is an important new niche for us, and very different to our established business of building superyachts in the 20- to 42-meter range.”

We’ve come to this tiny boating paradise on Europe’s Adriatic Sea, on the border with Croatia, to put this head-turning mini-superyacht through its paces on the Bay.

Priced between €900,000 and €1.2 million ($1 million to $1.35 million), the new Midi Ilumen is aimed at the top end of the luxury weekender market. Buyers, according to Pernsteiner, will likely range from superyacht owners looking for a bespoke, luxury tender, to wealthy consumers wanting a unique sportboat they can customize like a Rolls-Royce.

Just don’t expect to see one tied to the docks at every waterfront eatery; fewer than 10 a year will be built at Dominator’s yard in Trieste, northeast Italy, with each one taking up to eight months to complete.

Hull #1—already sold and christened SafeSpace —has a hand-laid teak deck, mirror-polished stainless steel around the spacious cockpit, a compact cabin filled with bookmatched Astana gray marble (contrasting with the hand-stitched Nubuck leather), and oak floors.

Dominator designer Lorenzo Berselli points out the styling cues that he incorporated from the Ilumen 28M. From the full-beam, glass-filled bulwarks in the cockpit, that deliver an open-air feel while adding protection from wind and spray, to the wraparound windshield, with its cut-down center to give access to the wide foredeck.

“It would have been much easier to create a different boat. But the brief was to keep the look and proportions of the Ilumen 28M and make it, unmistakably, a Dominator,” said Berselli.

For the Ilumen’s planing hull, Dominator chief engineer Andrea Agrusta, came up with a bold design capable of delivering a 52 mph top speed which, as I discovered, also delivers a smooth ride and nimble handling. Like the bigger Dominators, it uses vacuum-bagged GRP construction with carbon-fiber stringers to add strength.

“This is not a light boat, being built as much for comfort as outright speed,” explains Agrusta. “The aim was to make few demands on the driver and give those on board a feeling of safety and security.”

Powering the test boat is a pair of 300 hp Volvo D4 turbo diesels mated to Volvo Aquamatic sterndrives. Part of the reason for the drives is that when they’re in the up position, the Ilumen draws just 27 inches, so it can access shallow depths—or, as a tender, it can squeeze into a superyacht garage.

Push forward on the throttles and the Midi Ilumen gathers speed and climbs on plane with determination rather than immediacy. There’s a lot of weight here—around 9.5 tons—from those twin Volvos, Seakeeper 2 gyro stabilizer, and Fischer Panda diesel generator.

Want to go faster? There’s the option of twin 440 hp Volvo D6s, or 430 hp Volvo gas V8s for a 50 mph-plus top speed. Even Mercury Verado 600 V-12 outboards, if you’re so inclined. But with the fuel-sipping D4s throttled back to an easy, hushed, 25 mph cruise, there’s over 300 miles of range.

Depending on the reception the 35-feet Midi Ilumen receives, Dominator has plans to bookend the Midi with a 23-foot open day boat version and a stretched 46-footer with a bigger cabin. “We like to think that superyachts can come in all sizes,” Pernsteiner adds.

Click here for more images of the Dominator Midi Ilumen 35.

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New Dealer for Dominator Yachts in the Middle East

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Written by Zuzana Bednarova

The Dominator Group is delighted to present the new exclusive representative of the Dominator brand in the Middle East – a very successful team headed up by Mr. Toufic Khoueiri, a bespoke Lebanese entrepreneur and Dominator owner.

As Rome wasn’t built in a day, Dominator was undergoing a long process for finding an adequate partner in the Middle East who is not only acquainted with the local customs and cultural backgrounds but also understands and lives the Dominator philosophy to the fullest. Angela Pernsteiner, who heads Dominator Design & Development AG and is responsible for the Dominator brand: “With Mr. Khoueiri who is a cosmopolite and at the same time deeply embedded in the Arabic culture, Dominator has found what we were looking for quite some time. As enthusiast, connoisseur and part of the Dominator family, Mr. Khoueiri recognizes the Dominator brand values and spreads them in the Middle East in a way that we could not do better.”

Dominator will shortly be delivering a Dominator 800 S yacht to the region. Not only the stunning design but also the innovative propulsion system or the carbon hardtop amongst others will exceed all expectations. Dominator is delighted that the team of partners around Mr. Khoueiri will be available to show this masterpiece to clients. Alex Langhein, who heads up Dominator International GmbH: “The Dominator 800 S which will shortly be delivered to the region, is the second 800 we have built, the first of which had its world premiere at the Miami Boat Show . Hull #2 of the 800 is even more technically advanced based on the discerning customer’s specification wishes. The propulsion system is a first for the private yachting world. It reduces noise, vibration and provides fuel efficiency. This feature alone is worth investigating let alone the outstandingly beautiful exterior and open plan interior of the yacht”.

Mr. Toufic Khoueiri states: “Dominator yachts are directed by Austrian leadership using advanced German technology, and combined in the beauty of Italian design, producing state of the art masterpieces that are second to none.”

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "New Dealer for Dominator Yachts in the Middle East".

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Cruising the Moskva River: A short guide to boat trips in Russia’s capital

There’s hardly a better way to absorb Moscow’s atmosphere than on a ship sailing up and down the Moskva River. While complicated ticketing, loud music and chilling winds might dampen the anticipated fun, this checklist will help you to enjoy the scenic views and not fall into common tourist traps.

How to find the right boat?

There are plenty of boats and selecting the right one might be challenging. The size of the boat should be your main criteria.

Plenty of small boats cruise the Moskva River, and the most vivid one is this yellow Lay’s-branded boat. Everyone who has ever visited Moscow probably has seen it.

This option might leave a passenger disembarking partially deaf as the merciless Russian pop music blasts onboard. A free spirit, however, will find partying on such a vessel to be an unforgettable and authentic experience that’s almost a metaphor for life in modern Russia: too loud, and sometimes too welcoming. Tickets start at $13 (800 rubles) per person.

Bigger boats offer smoother sailing and tend to attract foreign visitors because of their distinct Soviet aura. Indeed, many of the older vessels must have seen better days. They are still afloat, however, and getting aboard is a unique ‘cultural’ experience. Sometimes the crew might offer lunch or dinner to passengers, but this option must be purchased with the ticket. Here is one such  option  offering dinner for $24 (1,490 rubles).

If you want to travel in style, consider Flotilla Radisson. These large, modern vessels are quite posh, with a cozy restaurant and an attentive crew at your service. Even though the selection of wines and food is modest, these vessels are still much better than other boats.

Surprisingly, the luxurious boats are priced rather modestly, and a single ticket goes for $17-$32 (1,100-2,000 rubles); also expect a reasonable restaurant bill on top.

How to buy tickets?

Women holding photos of ships promise huge discounts to “the young and beautiful,” and give personal invitations for river tours. They sound and look nice, but there’s a small catch: their ticket prices are usually more than those purchased online.

“We bought tickets from street hawkers for 900 rubles each, only to later discover that the other passengers bought their tickets twice as cheap!”  wrote  (in Russian) a disappointed Rostislav on a travel company website.

Nevertheless, buying from street hawkers has one considerable advantage: they personally escort you to the vessel so that you don’t waste time looking for the boat on your own.

Prices start at $13 (800 rubles) for one ride, and for an additional $6.5 (400 rubles) you can purchase an unlimited number of tours on the same boat on any given day.

Flotilla Radisson has official ticket offices at Gorky Park and Hotel Ukraine, but they’re often sold out.

Buying online is an option that might save some cash. Websites such as  this   offer considerable discounts for tickets sold online. On a busy Friday night an online purchase might be the only chance to get a ticket on a Flotilla Radisson boat.

This  website  (in Russian) offers multiple options for short river cruises in and around the city center, including offbeat options such as ‘disco cruises’ and ‘children cruises.’ This other  website  sells tickets online, but doesn’t have an English version. The interface is intuitive, however.

Buying tickets online has its bad points, however. The most common is confusing which pier you should go to and missing your river tour.

“I once bought tickets online to save with the discount that the website offered,” said Igor Shvarkin from Moscow. “The pier was initially marked as ‘Park Kultury,’ but when I arrived it wasn’t easy to find my boat because there were too many there. My guests had to walk a considerable distance before I finally found the vessel that accepted my tickets purchased online,” said the man.

There are two main boarding piers in the city center:  Hotel Ukraine  and  Park Kultury . Always take note of your particular berth when buying tickets online.

Where to sit onboard?

Even on a warm day, the headwind might be chilly for passengers on deck. Make sure you have warm clothes, or that the crew has blankets ready upon request.

The glass-encased hold makes the tour much more comfortable, but not at the expense of having an enjoyable experience.

Getting off the boat requires preparation as well. Ideally, you should be able to disembark on any pier along the way. In reality, passengers never know where the boat’s captain will make the next stop. Street hawkers often tell passengers in advance where they’ll be able to disembark. If you buy tickets online then you’ll have to research it yourself.

There’s a chance that the captain won’t make any stops at all and will take you back to where the tour began, which is the case with Flotilla Radisson. The safest option is to automatically expect that you’ll return to the pier where you started.

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