Sea of FriendsShai Tilinger · Yacht expert
Shai Tilinger · Independent yacht expert

Your Independent Expert for Building and Running a Sailing Yacht

I help owners spec, build and run sailing yachts and catamarans across Europe and the northern Mediterranean. I don't sell boats or options. I work only for you, from the order form at the dealer to open water, and every season after.

What do you need?
Look after my yacht Help with a build or refit
Shai Tilinger on the aft deck of a sailing yacht, a headland and lighthouse behind him
Shai at work in a deck hatch under a blue and white spinnaker
Why independent

Working Only for You

Thirty-five years at sea and hands-on work across electrics, plumbing, fiberglass and mechanics mean I see problems before they happen.

I represent the owner. That's it.

  • No commissionsNot from the yard, the dealer, or the suppliers I bring in.
  • ForesightPatterns across every boat I look after tell me what yours will need next season, and the one after.
  • TailoredA summer week, ten years aboard or a circumnavigation each need a different boat.
What I do

How We Can Work Together

All year round

Yacht Management

Crew and technicians, maintenance, breakdowns, marinas, the lot, all year round. A boat that is captained and maintained by the book is also easier to sell when the day comes.

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New builds, maintenance & refits

Project Management

New builds from the spec to handover, planned maintenance periods, refits and inspections. I plan the work, order the parts and follow the job through to the end.

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A new build project

From Spec to First Sail

You buy from the dealer, not the yard. I make sure the order the dealer sends is the boat you actually need, then follow her through the yard, commissioning and sea trials.

  1. 1

    Spec

    How will you use her? A summer week, ten years aboard, or a circumnavigation each need a different boat.

  2. 2

    Order

    I go to the dealer with you. They know we're serious, so the first offer is the real one.

  3. 3

    Build & Yard Visits

    Visits at the yard to check the work before it's hidden behind panels.

  4. 4

    Commissioning & Sea Trials

    At La Rochelle. Every system tested, every snag listed before you sign the handover.

  5. 5

    Delivery Passage

    From the Atlantic to her home port in the Mediterranean.

  6. 6

    Owner Training

    On your own boat, until you're confident handling her.

“I don't just hand you the keys. I'll turn a first-time owner into a genuinely good skipper.”
46°09′N 01°09′W · La Rochelle → Mediterranean
A catamaran passing through the Corinth Canal at night, cliffs lit on both sides
Owner stories

Stories From Real Boats

Solar & electrics · Viareggio, Italy

The €30,000 Lesson

An owner took the factory's flexible solar panels: over €30,000, for barely 400W. They're glued to the deck and can't come off, so the fix was to add a proper array on a stainless frame.

The local quote for the frame alone was €22,000, before panels, wiring or breakers. I had the frame built in La Rochelle, sourced the right panels in Italy, and brought in a trusted installer. Same result, a fraction of the cost.

The real lesson: get the spec right before you order.

Read the full story →
Stainless frame only, EUR
Local yard quote, Italy€22,000
Built in La Rochelle + transport to Viareggio≈ €7,800
€0€11,000€22,000
≈ €14,200saved on the frame alone
Shai Tilinger at the helm station, Greek coastline behindA lighthouse on a rocky Greek headland seen from the water
About

Shai Tilinger

I've been sailing since I was a child, 35 years at sea. A sailor before anything else, I know the marinas, the people in them, the routes, the seasons and the winds.

On the technical side I've worked across electrics, plumbing, fiberglass and mechanics. I know Fountaine Pajot inside out, and I've delivered Lagoon, Bali and Dufour too.

More about me →
Who I work with

Is This a Fit?

I take on a limited number of owners, and it has to be a fit both ways. These are the owners I help most.

  • About to OrderYou're choosing a new catamaran or sailing yacht and want the spec right before you sign.
  • Just OrderedThe boat is on order and you're unsure about the options, the handover or the first season.
  • First-Time OwnersYou want to become a confident skipper, not just collect the keys.
  • Owners Who Are AwayYour boat is in the Mediterranean and you want someone you trust to run her.
Questions

What Owners Ask First

I've already ordered my boat. Is it too late?

Often not. There can still be time to change options before production starts, and if not, we plan the additions properly. Send me your order and I'll tell you what I'd change.

Do you only work with Fountaine Pajot?

No. I know Fountaine Pajot and the yards at La Rochelle especially well, and I have delivered Lagoon, Bali and Dufour too. I work with any yacht, sailing yachts above all, and the right builder depends on how you will use the boat.

Where do you work?

Across Europe and the northern Mediterranean, from the yards on the Atlantic coast of France to Italy and Greece. I do not work in North Africa.

How many owners do you work with?

A limited number, so that every boat gets proper attention, including in high season. If I cannot give your boat the time it needs, I will tell you.

Do you take commissions from yards, dealers or suppliers?

No. I sell nothing and take no commissions from anyone. I represent the owner, and the owner is the only one who pays me.

Contact

Let's Talk

Thinking about a new build? Reach out before you order: that's where I can help the most. Already own her? Tell me where she is and what's on your mind.

WhatsApp+972 54-421-4815
Emailshai@seaoffriendsyachts.com
Message me on WhatsApp Email
WhatsApp ShaiContact