Interview with Elan Yachts

Elan Yachts is known the world over for its luxury sailing boats. The company's yachts have twice won the European Yacht of the Year award and in 2017 scooped up one of Sail Magazine's prestigious Best Boats Awards. We caught up with Elan's Marketing Manager, David Rajapakse, shortly after his hectic stint at the Düsseldorf Boat Show. We invited him to share his thoughts about the company's heritage, best-selling yachts and plans for the future.

First, congratulations on your success at the Düsseldorf International Boat Show. You claim to have had the most photographed stand of the show. What made it such an eye opener?

Thank you very much, we truly put a lot of effort into the stand. As for what made it an eye opener, we would of course like to say it was the new Elan E4 and the legendary Elan GT5, both poised beautifully in pools of emerald green water, and connected by a waterfall. The display had the uniqueness that made people look twice and take a selfie to remember. The media noticed too, so all in all we were very happy.

I see you were exhibiting the new Elan E4 and GT5. How was feedback?

We are very lucky in a sense that we have a following of passionate people who are true sailors and like fast boats, but also enjoy sailing in safety and comfort. Feedback from these people was extremely positive, as our yachts are built with their needs in mind. The new Elan E4 turned the most heads as it was the first time this new version was shown at Düsseldorf. At times it was a bit overwhelming and the queues became barely sustainable, but we managed to keep everything in line in the end. Please take a look at our video and see what you think.

From what I can gather, you didn't exhibit the Impression range. Is that right? I think they're beautiful boats.

Thank you! You are right, unfortunately we weren't able to bring an Impression to Düsseldorf this year – but we're definitely making up for this at boot Düsseldorf 2020. The Elan Impression line is currently under a redesign, and the new versions will be coming out later this year. The Impression 45.1 will be released at the beginning of July, and the other versions coming out later so I'm sure we will represent the Impression range in a new light at Düsseldorf 2020.

How about forthcoming boat shows in 2019? Where will you be exhibiting?

Confirmed exhibitions as of March are:

The industry press has commented very favorably on the E-line's new, luxurious interiors. What was the thinking behind this? I mean, was it something you just went ahead and did, or was it was based on customer feedback?

It was definitely based on consumer feedback, industry trends and targets we had set ourselves. We wanted to give our customers an uncompromising experience on the water. We wanted to provide them with a fast yacht in which one can compete in a regatta or two, but also one with which users can enjoy quality and comfortable time with friends and family. With the redesigned E Line, we were inspired by our heritage and the days when performance cruisers and racer cruisers reigned the market. And encouraged by our knowledge and modern composite technology, we knew we could create a crossover between the racing and cruising worlds without any compromises.

You're obviously operating in a very competitive market. In your opinion, what really makes Elan's yachts stand out?

Elan produces three yacht lines, all with their own benefits and competitors. All in all they are united with unprecedented quality craftsmanship, attention to detail and modern composite technology. All Elan owners know they are getting the best possible yacht for their needs, as well as safety and performance. All of our yachts sail beautifully, benefiting from Elan's 70 years' experience and Rob Humphreys design.

To be fair, we can't really talk about Elan Yachts without mentioning Rob Humphreys. You've enjoyed a fantastically successful collaboration with Rob and his input has resulted in several award-winning boats. Are Elan and Rob still closely involved?

Yes, our collaboration with Humphreys Yacht Design has been extremely fruitful and many of our yachts have become part of history as a result. The Elan 340, the Impression 344 and the Elan 350 are now legendary. The Elan R&D and design team is now leading the charge - but the hull and sailplan design, as well as all the calculations are done by Rob Humphreys and his design team. We're planning on continuing this successful collaboration with all future projects.

To what extent has Rob's creative input rubbed off on Elan's in-house design team? I mean, are they guided by Rob or are they encouraged to explore ideas of their own?

In reality it's a cooperative process. Our R&D and design team is very experienced and knowledgeable – they have learned a lot from Rob on one hand, and innovated themselves on the other. They know what they want and need, and Humphreys Design Team helps them make it a reality. Design is a fluid thing, so the process takes an organic back and forth flow until a perfect shape is then agreed upon.

Out of all of Rob's designs, what's your favorite?

My personal favorite is the Elan 350. I would dare to say its was not just a yacht – but a historic platform from which Elan Yachts grew into what it is today and truly encapsulated our philosophy. It was also heavily imitated. Every sailor worth his or her salt will say that sailing an Elan 350 and all the later models inspired by it is a complete joy. People have pushed it to incredible speeds and explored its planing capabilities. In addition, it offers an unbelievable amount of comfort for the size and performance capabilities. It's just a perfect all-round yacht, and on top of all that, it looks very slick.

As we approach April 2019, which of Elan's yachts are proving most popular?

Currently, the GT5, the E4 and the Impression 45 are the most popular models.

How about regional variations? For example, does the GT range sell better in some countries than others? Do certain markets have a preference for a particular type of sailing yacht?

The GT is a favorite all-rounder, performing well in all the major markets. The Elan Impression Line is very popular in locations where chartering is common, because it's such a good fit for charter investors. It's also popular in the USA because it offers so much comfort. The E Line is popular in locations where they have the longest sailing traditions and regattas, namely Australia, New Zealand, UK, Italy and so on.

What about plans for new models? Anything in the pipeline right now?

As mentioned before, we're currently redesigning the Impression Line – they are very successful yachts and we're very much looking forward to the update! After this, we're looking into expanding our GT or E Line ranges, but that's all I can say for now.

Let's talk a bit about you. How long have you been with Elan Yachts and how would you define your role in the company?

I recently (February) celebrated one year here at Elan Yachts and I must say it's been one of the most rewarding years of my career. I have previously worked in the automotive industry, but my sight has always been on sailing. So I'm really lucky that I can now combine my passion with work. One thing unique about the Elan Yachts team is that we're all here because sailing is in our souls. We're all working with our hearts, and we're all extremely proud of what we create. I took the role as Head of Marketing, and my job in reality is to transfer all the energy, dedication and knowledge I see in this team and communicate it to the public.

What's the best thing about working for Elan?

Well, you're working with great boats! That's the best thing. And you're surrounded by a devoted team, who are here because they all want to create and be part of something special. That makes all the difference. Plus, the factory is surrounded by beautiful Alps, so what else would you want?

OK, thanks very much for taking the time to answer our questions. Anything else you'd like to add?

Thank you. I'd like to invite everyone to the Elan Impression 45.1 launch, happening in Pirovac Marina in Croatia on the 3rd of July, and all who wish to know more about our yachts to visit our website at www.elan-yachts.com