Lazzara Series

Based on the 110’s showings last fall at the Cannes and Monaco boat shows, he’s right. The yacht was very well received and will likely be sold long before you read this. With six versions available, each outfitted with a choice of three woods and three finishes, there will be a 110 for almost every taste. Further confirming Dick’s point, the 840 with the matte pecan finish and sleek interior décor created for Europe showed well with American audiences at the Fort Lauderdale show.

To further attract European clientele, Lazzara applied for and received RINA and MCA certification for the first 110 Euro. "Classification is critical," says Dick, who takes a hands-on role in engineering. "Fortunately, we were already meeting many of the standards. And the thing about these certifications is that there isn’t a fixed method for getting there, as long as the end product meets the criteria. That allowed us to re-examine some of our processes. It was a healthy exercise." Lazzara now plans to build all its yachts over 110 feet, including those for the domestic market, to MCA standards. (Click image to enlarge)

Just building the boat, however, doesn’t necessarily get it sold, so Lazzara put in place the mechanisms and the people to do it.

Step one was forming Lazzara Yachts International, Ltd., a marketing organization staffed by former Sea Ray vice presidents Steve Helwig and Mike Meyers. Step two was striking an agreement with International Yacht Collection (IYC) to represent Lazzara in Monaco, Italy and France. Kevin Bonnie, managing partner of the two-year-old IYC office in Monaco, will oversee the day-to-day sales efforts.

"The two companies fit hand-in-glove," says Steve Hudson, IYC owner and president. "We couldn’t have made this arrangement with just any company. But the way that these guys look after their owners fits with IYC’s philosophy—not just selling yachts, but creating and maintaining long-term relationships with our clients."

While this last sentence may sound like twenty-first-century bizspeak, the fact is that the Lazzara brothers deliberately copied their father’s service-centered business model, which brought him success with Columbia Yachts in the 1960s and Gulfstar Yachts in the ’70s. Finding a way to carry out their brand of customer support overseas has, until now, been a self-imposed barrier to expansion. "Our customer service programs are what differentiate us here, and we know the same will be true there," says Dick.

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