Celebrating the Astondoa 100 Century with Rick Obey

Sitting down on board after taking the grand tour of the brand new 30-metre vessel, we started the conversation by asking Rick's personal opinion on the model. He began, "The 100 Century is simply a yacht that exceeds its class. It is innovative it is all its own. You won't see anything like it [...] I really think that Astondoa as a brand makes a statement with the yacht. It's the pride that the family brings to the table with the build. It's the commitment. It's the customisation. There's so much you could talk about."

Indeed, after spending some time with the Astondoa team, it became apparent that the Astondoa brand is unique. Rick explained, "It's like family."  And a family affair this operation really is. Holding the Astondoa name since 1916, the shipyard's owner and his daughter were both present at the show accompanied by a huge number of colleage who, although not related by blood, appeared as though they might be. 

Rick continued, pushing a message that resonated the longer we spent at the Astondoa stand! "I am so happy to work with Astondoa.," he explained, "I can safely say every time I've gone to the factory, I feel like i'm going to a family member and when you build the yacht [...] It's not just about trying to push a boat out the door [...] It is an amazing brand to be associated with."

Nevertheless, in an active American Market, Rick's job is to place the right clients on the right yacht. Does he see his client-base welcoming the 100 Century with open arms?"I really think we will set a new standard with this 100 Century" said Rick, "I really expect the 100 Century to do really well in this market place [...] It will become a statement in the industry." 

Watch the full interview with Rick Obey in the video above.