Germán and Mani Frers Form Production Yacht Design Partnership

Building on an established and collaborative working relationship, Germán Frers and his son Mani Frers have entered into a design office partnership focused on production yachts.

The partnership brings together decades of experience and strengthens a common philosophy in support of a segment of the marine industry where both designers have strong and enduring relationships.

Although Germán and Mani have led separate practices for some years, they have regularly collaborated on projects and discussed ideas. The formalisation of this cooperation serves to create a solid framework for the continued development of successful production ranges across a number of leading yacht brands, and the partnership is already engaged in a number of early-stage design studies, applying shared principles to the next generation of yachts.

Alongside the partnership, both Germán and Mani will continue to lead their independent practices, working with private clients on custom sailing yachts, superyachts, and advanced engineering projects. For Mani, this includes the 85- metre New World sloop currently under construction at Royal Huisman, alongside a portfolio of other projects.

“This collaboration is focused on production yacht design,” says Mani. “It allows us to work together in an area where long-term planning and development are essential, while each of us continues our independent work with the same focus and commitment as always.”

Germán Frers agrees. “I am fortunate to be able to be selective about the projects I take on,” he says, “focussing on those where I can bring together the best of
everything I have learned so far. Working more closely with Mani deepens a dialogue that is already stimulating and demanding, and opens new possibilities where
experience and perspective build on each other.”

For more than 40 years, Germán has been responsible for the naval architecture of some of the world’s most admired production sailing yachts, including long-standing collaborations with Hallberg-Rassy, Nautor Swan, and more recently Sirena Yachts.

These relationships are built on trust, consistency, and an understanding of what defines the very best yachts: elegance, poise, seaworthiness, and performance.

These ideals are shared by both Germán and Mani, and any Frers-designed yacht can be recognised by how it feels at sea. Balance at the helm, confidence-inspiring motion, and the ability to combine performance with comfort underway. These qualities are not stylistic choices, but the result of principles developed and refined over decades, and applied consistently across generations of Frers. They define a sailing experience that has become closely associated with leading production yachts, and this consistency has enabled ranges to evolve over time without losing their identity, even as models, technologies, and expectations change.

The chief goal of the production partnership is ensure that the Frers philosophy continues to evolve with clarity and purpose. It will have added benefit of reinforcing long-standing relationships with builders, create new opportunities for future development, and preserve creative independence for the principals.