Simply Abu Dhabi XXVIII

‘Convention’ is not a word that interests Mr Fahad Al-Athel. He’s not limited by standard practice nor restrained by the unknown – his ambitions surpass the confines of what is typical in the yachting world, and instead, he is realising his goals one vessel at a time. Born in Saudi Arabia, Mr Al-Athel did not grow up by the sea. His passion for yachting was happened upon in 1999 when a good friend requested his assistance. “He asked me to visit Amels in Holland with him, and to discuss the potential of extending his yacht by three metres,” he says. “So, I went, it was a successful meeting, and from that time I became interested in boats.” When that same friend decided to build a 65m yacht, he once again placed his trust inMr Al-Athel. “He asked me to look for a good, reliable shipyard that could build a 65m at a competitive price,” he explains. “I didn’t want to go to Australia or Germany or Holland, so I decided to go to Turkey where I discovered a highly competent workforce at an achievable rate. So, I leased some land in Izmit near Istanbul, which I still have today, and decided to build the yacht myself.”