As the captain of a 38m ocean explorer yacht, I approached Amico Loano for major mechanical and interior upgrades. The initial quote seemed reasonable, but it quickly ballooned as the yard added charges for basic tasks that were supposed to be included in the estimate.

The crew assigned to our refit had little knowledge of yacht systems: panels were mismeasured, structural components were installed crookedly, and safety protocols were ignored. When we raised these issues, management responded with excuses and asked for more time and money.

After months of delays and spiralling costs, we were forced to halt the project and tow the vessel to another yard to complete the work properly. The experience left us with a half-finished yacht and a depleted budget.

— Luca Verdi