yacht builders new zealand

Tauranga   New Zealand 

+ 64 7 281 0078 

[email protected]

New Zealand's leading advanced composite Boat Builders, specializing in both race and pleasure, working with you to build your  custom boat to the highest standards. 

SAIL  |  POWER  |  RACE  |  PLEASURE

Nic de Mey takes great pride in building New Zealand’s finest custom advanced composite boats.

Nic and his team of professional boatbuilders specialize in advanced composite construction to create everything from small racing boats to luxury superyachts. They work in close communication with their clients, merging yachties’ dreams with boat builders’ experience to construct beautiful and bespoke custom boats built to an incredibly high standard.

As a qualified boat builder and a competitive ski racer, it’s safe to say nobody knows boats quite like Nic de Mey. In his company’s 25 years, his team has built everything from carbon rowing skiffs to ski race boats, superyacht parts to foiling catamarans and even weapon systems for the Australian Navy.

Nic de Mey Yachts has built boats for clients all around the World. Whether you are after a boat built for speed or one for pleasure, whether you’re a first-time boat buyer or a lifelong yacht enthusiast, Nic de Mey Yachts will deliver.

Get in touch with Nic today at 64 07 281 0078 to work alongside our team of passionate boatbuilders.

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Making your dream boat a reality

“Designing and building a custom motor yacht is an expression of ones individuality, daring to be different, standing out from the crowd, creating something that is unique and uncompromised”.

Here at Elite Marine Design we bring those thoughts and dreams into reality. Principal designer Bill Upfold has been doing exactly that throughout his career, firstly as a qualified yacht builder then full time yacht designer since the late 80`s.

Bill has a unique talent in being able to interpret a client`s needs and requirements and then create not only an atheistically pleasing vessel but one that is fuel efficient, sea kindly and practical.

“Our number one priority is to give the customer a rewarding and fulfilling experience that will make all involved truly proud”

Ramy regulacyjne: Różne kraje zaczęły ustanawiać ramy prawne regulujące hazard online. Pomogło to stworzyć poczucie legalności i zaufania wśród graczy, ponieważ licencjonowane kasyna online musiały przestrzegać określonych zasad i przepisów.

Postęp technologiczny: Wraz z ciągłym rozwojem technologii, Neon54 Kasyno ewoluowało, oferując lepszą grafikę, ulepszone funkcje rozgrywki i szerszą gamę gier. Wprowadzenie bezpiecznych metod płatności i ulepszonych technologii szyfrowania również przyczyniło się do wzrostu popularności kasyn online, ponieważ gracze czuli się pewniej podczas przeprowadzania transakcji online.

Rewolucja mobilna: Rozwój smartfonów i urządzeń mobilnych jeszcze bardziej zwiększył popularność kasyn online. Wraz z wprowadzeniem mobilnych aplikacji kasynowych i responsywnych stron internetowych, gracze zyskali możliwość korzystania z ulubionych gier kasynowych w podróży, zawsze i wszędzie. Wygoda gier mobilnych odegrała znaczącą rolę w przyciągnięciu szerszej publiczności do kasyn online.

Elite Marine Design can also offer project management to any level that the client may require.

EMD works closely with the most respected boat building yards throughout New Zealand that share the same vision, which is to produce bespoke Motor Yachts to the highest standards ensuring you the client has total satisfaction in the end result.

If you’re looking to try your luck at online gambling in New Zealand, why not do it in style? While you wait for the reels to stop spinning, imagine yourself lounging on the deck of your very own custom motor yacht, designed and built just for you. A luxurious vessel that reflects your personal style and meets your every need.

With advanced technology and innovative design, you’ll be cruising the seas in ultimate comfort. Whether you’re using the yacht for leisure or entertainment, there’s no denying the impressive impact it will make. And with your winnings from the NZ-casinoonline , you may just be one step closer to making this dream a reality.

Contact us with your Design Requirements

Elite 17.5m Mid-Pilothouse – Convivial

Elite Motor Yacht “Convivial” For Sale Launched in 2005, “Convivial” is powered by twin 510hp Caterpillar diesel engines, delivering a…

Elite 20m Sky Lounge Motoryacht – Highlander

Unleash the spirit of adventure with Highlander – where opulence meets performance on the high seas! This 20-meter is designed…

15.5m Mid Pilothouse – Humdinger

Humdinger with its proven hull design, exceptional engineering and hand built craftsmanship is now offered for sale. By fusing a…

Elite 17m Mid Pilothouse – Coastal Cowgirl

We are proud to present this outstanding example of one of our popular Elite Mid Pilothouse Motor Yachts to the…

HALL MARINE DESIGN

True custom powerboats, award winning.

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HMD 12m Displacement Cat

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Pure freedom, we design with freedom so you can experience it, pure passion, designing our legacy, we have the vision and passion to radically change the face of the marine industry. it might sound ambitious, but that’s what gets us out of bed in the morning., powering dreams, we specialise in powerboat design and will never stop looking for new ways to balance power with form, function and speed., pure perfection, focusing on detail, our proven process means you have peace of mind every detail has been thought through, tested and measured. no exceptions..

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We are always keen to discuss your ideas.

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Build your ultimate dream boat

With johnson yachts international boat builders – auckland, new zealand.

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Associated with the Floating Classroom Academy

we are a yacht design practice producing thoughtfully crafted power and sail designs for clients seeking style, efficiency and performance

My studio is based in Auckland, New Zealand. I believe that the yachts I design should be beautiful, functional, and meet the owner's brief.

Our office motto > A successful project is a happy client.

To achieve this I work meticulously, considering projects from every angle, right through to the smallest detail. I strongly believe that good relationships are the key to successful projects, and our office prides itself on building a strong sense of trust and understanding with our clients and suppliers.

What's the point if the whole exercise is not a pleasant experience for all involved?

+64 9 537 2644 contact us online

Design Studio

20 Tanglewood Place Howick Auckland New Zealand

NAVAL ARCHITECTURE AND STYLING

Our services.

With 17 years of experience, Built Boats has established itself as a premier boat design consultancy in the world-renowned city of Auckland, New Zealand – home to the America’s Cup. Delivering services tailored specifically for our customer’s wants and needs – whether pertaining to performance or style innovation– we collaborate with prominent boat builders worldwide, ensuring quality results that provide an unrivaled on-the-water experience. Our diverse portfolio comprises Super Yacht Tenders, Production Boats, and sophisticated appendages, setting us apart from other designing firms while being sought after by those seeking unparalleled excellence in boating endeavours.

Matthias Gibson BDes(Hons) AMRINA Nav.Archit 

Matthias Gibson was born into a family with deep ties to the seafaring industry, including his great grandfather being a former deep sea fisherman and his father looking for any opportunity he could find to sail. It only seemed natural that Matt would grow up inspired by these experiences, eventually pursuing boat design as an academic program at Massey University. After seventeen years of design experience – from high-speed planing craft to super yachts and more – Matt took it upon himself on embarking on this mission professionally; founding Build Boats alongside many successes along the way.

Recognised Member

Built Boats is a member of the New Zealand marine industry association

Institution Member

Built Boats is a member of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects

call  021 423 851 or send us a message below

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The project required meticulous planning and collaboration between our design team and the client to meet the stringent design brief.... read more

Confidence at sea.

A tradition of building quality New Zealand made boats.

Circa Marine are specialist aluminium boat builders and fabricators.

If it’s a workboat, pleasure boat, fishing boat, ferry, pilot boat, rescue or barge. For over 40 years, Circa Marine has excelled in high quality aluminium fabrication. At our dedicated workshops in Whangarei, New Zealand, offer a full design and build package of your new yacht, motor yacht, ferry, rescue, pilot vessel, workboat, fishing boat/barge to a maximum length of 40m. All work is completed in house by our highly experienced NZMITO trained and skilled staff.

Aluminium Boat Builders NZ

Circa Marine and Industrial Ltd specialise in the quality fabrication of explorer and passage-makers yachts , catamarans , fishing boats , workboats , ferries, barges and launches. We also provide quality aluminium and steel fabrication covering the marine, industrial and general engineering sectors. Our fully equipped workshops onsite in Whangarei offer vessel and steel fabrication and marine engineering. We also provide marine cabinetmaking, joinery and upholstery , machine shop facilities, painting and electrical services - and we run the only foundry in Northland to produce both ferrous and non-ferrous castings. Our service provides full vessel refit and repair , including structural modifications, extensions, interior design, electrical and electronic upgrades, and equipment servicing. We also offer repower and upgrades, fairing and painting, and we specialise in plant repair and maintenance, shutdown work, boat and yacht repairs and insurance claims.

Design & Build

As professional marine aluminium boat builders , we offer a complete design and build package for your new yacht, motor yacht, ferry, rescue boat, pilot vessel, workboat, or fishing boat/barge to a maximum length of 40m. All work is completed in-house by our highly skilled and experienced aluminium fabricators . Our builders are New Zealand Marine Industry Training Organisation ( NZMITO ) qualified, and all work is based on exceeding client expectations and meeting the requirements of various classification organisations - including the prestigious Lloyd’s Register , DNV, ABS MCA and CE.

Leading Service & World Class Innovation

Working closely with clients while developing their projects, our dedicated team will help you realise your vision for a personal vessel or a vehicle to bring to market. Circa Marine utilises the latest technology during design and construction to ensure the finest tolerances are maintained - and we work hard to minimise waste throughout production. Only the highest quality materials are sourced to ensure component quality equals the craftsmanship of all builds - including for upholstery, fairing and painting. 

"There are few companies in the world who can build aluminium boats to the standard of Circa Marine in New Zealand. They have the experience and skill to make the most of the material's advantages without appearing to suffer from any of the well-documented difficult characteristics of working with aluminium. Anyone looking for a quality custom aluminium boat would be well advised to speak to Circa first."

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We can offer a turnkey service to clients who are looking for a complete solution to realise their dream work-horse or luxury yacht.

Over 40 years proven history in building high quality aluminium vessels.

Circa excel in working with clients during the development of their projects. A dedicated highly skilled team will work with a client to bring their ideas to reality or to market.

Interior craftsmanship of the highest standards , born from a passion of excellence by the whole Circa team.

Custom luxury yachts, aluminium products and boat refits are completed in-house by highly experienced craftsmen .

Circa offers a turnkey service to those clients who require a complete solution. Realise your dream, from a daily workhorse to a luxury yacht.

A New Class of Cruising

Long distance exploration

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Pinnacle Marine Luxury Yachts

Pinnacle Marine is a luxury yacht brokerage in Auckland, New Zealand. We are New Zealand's exclusive dealer for Azimut-Benetti – the world's premiere brand for luxury yachts and the world's largest private yachting group. We also partner with Elan Sailing Yachts, winner of a 2021 Red Dot Design Award.

As of 2024, Pinnacle Marine has the largest fleet of European yachts in New Zealand.

March 10 2024

Pinnacle Marine Sells an Azimut Grande Trideck

We are proud to announce the sale of an Azimut Grande Trideck. Sold to a buyer here in New Zealand, this luxurious superyacht is scheduled for delivery towards the end of 2024.

We're Moving!!

Pinnacle Marine European Ltd (Azimut Yachts NZ) will be relocating to Beaumont Street, Auckland Central in the coming weeks. This is an important step for our business and a big change for us, so we want to keep our clients and friends up to date with our move.

The new office space will be a great new home for us and the business. It will give us modern co-working areas, more social space and much easier access for our clients.

The office is located just a short walk from the Viaduct precinct and Auckland Marine hub – there's plenty of street parking and it's close to marine shops, cafes, restaurants and green spaces nearby. Overall, this will be a positive move.

There will be a short period where we'll be working remotely, our staff are available via email or phone at any time, please watch this space for our new office opening details.

Find a Used Boat, New Zealand

If you're looking for a used boat in New Zealand, we can help. In addition to our global connections, we've got a network of contacts across the North and South Islands and can usually find pretty much anything you're looking for.

To get started, we need an idea of the type of boat you're looking for (preferably the make and model), the year, and an estimate of your budget. Once we've got your details, we'll take care of the rest.

We make things easy for clients. We manage surveys, insurance and delivery logistics, and arrange handover right here in New Zealand.

If you're looking for a used boat, trust is essential. We build lasting relationships and give advice that's respected throughout the industry.

We organize fam trips to European ship builders and yacht festivals, as well as offering sea trials on our stock and demo boats in New Zealand.

News & Events

Pinnacle Marine Sells an Azimut Atalntis 51

18 April 2024

We're to announce the sale of a very stylish Azimut Atlantis 51. Let's take a detailed look at this superb boat.

Pinnacle Marine Sells an Azimut Grande 32M

12 September 2023

Pinnacle Marine announces the sale of a second Azimut Grande 32M. In July 2023 the yacht was delivered to her new owner in Phuket.

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The benchmark for quality & Performance

Helping our clients bring their dreams to life by building exceptional boats.

The ultimate 10m sports cruiser on the market. Incorporating larger launch features and luxuries and combining them into this perfect small launch package.

Designed around a game/sportfishing concept and available with full custom fitouts, get to your offshore adventures in speed and style  

Our new 10m Sportfisher utilizing a full new transom/cockpit design, featuring and extended cockpit, single sealed transom door, livebait tank and tuna tubes, full teak coamings and more ‍

Premium New Zealand built boats

At our boat building company, we make ordering a custom-built boat a seamless and enjoyable experience. Here's what makes us one of NZ's premier award winning boats

Exceptional Design and build

Embark on extraordinary adventures with our meticulously crafted boats, where every detail is meticulously honed that guarantees that each ride is an unforgettable experience, surpassing all expectation.

Superior Construction

Stringent quality and meticulous attention to detail, and composite engineering ensuring durability, reliability, and exceptional performance on the water.

Collaborative performance

Teaming up with Volvo Penta to showcase exceptional efficiency and agility, superb blue water performance and quiet comfortable cruising

Discover Your Dream Boat Today

Book a consultation to discuss your boat building project.

Only admiral Boats Can Offer

signifies the unique and exclusive offerings that are distinctive to Admiral Boats, highlighting their unparalleled features, quality, and experiences that cannot be replicated by any other boat manufacturer or brand

Designed to Perform

"The team at Boat Builders exceeded my expectations. Their attention to detail is unmatched." - John Smith

Strong & Rigid

"I couldn't be happier with the boat I purchased from Boat Builders. It's truly a work of art." - Sarah Johnson

Safety at the Forefront

"Boat Builders delivered my dream boat on time and within budget. Highly recommended." - Mark Davis

Made in NZ, for NZ

"The craftsmanship and quality of the boat I received from Boat Builders is exceptional." - Emily Thompson

High Retained Value

"Boat Builders' attention to detail and customer service are second to none." - Michael Wilson

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Discover our stunning collection of handcrafted boats.

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Building Boats with Excellence and Precision

Trusted by our clients for exceptional boat craftsmanship.

Explore our stunning collection of boat designs.

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SALTHOUSE COACH BOATS

The sailors’ favourite coach boat , designed and built in new zealand. supporting high-performance sailing around the world..

Clean tracking, comfortable and fast. For pacing the world’s high-performance classes, coaching junior sailors or just enjoying a day out. Enjoy the smooth ride, tight turning angles and more flexible working room of a Salthouse Coach Boat.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE

YOUR COACH BOAT

Keep up with the pace. Stay dry and comfortable. A smart ride for coaching Optimists to Olympians. Read what top coaches have to say about their Salthouse Coach Boats.

YOUR WORK BOAT

Light, durable, easy to store and transport. A great choice for marinas, resorts, charter businesses, large regattas and events worldwide. See why the 37th America’s Cup Regatta and a world-leading RIB charter company, have invested in Salthouse Coach Boats.

YOUR FAMILY BOAT

Enjoy a boat that will take your family through all levels of sailing and be available for epic marine adventures on your days off. See why Emirates Team New Zealand sailor Richard Meacham has chosen a Salthouse Coach Boat for his family.

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Purekraft Boats | Premium Custom Offshore Aluminium Fishing Boats | Made in New Zealand

Purekraft Boats is an award-wining custom aluminium boat builder, driven by design innovation , premium finish

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Pure freedom.

We believe boats are all about freedom. The freedom to go anywhere and do anything. The freedom of the ocean and all the adventures it holds. Purekraft Boats are designed with freedom, so you can experience it.

Why Purekraft View our range Contact us

DESIGNED FOR LIFE

With Purekraft by HMD, your dream boat is in your hands. Invest in one of our turnkey packages, where every element has been taken care of for you. Experience the peace of mind that comes from a boat designed to be fit for purpose, robust, and constructed by an expert team.

Customise your boat for the ultimate lifestyle

We offer a completely design-led and award-winning product that is multi-use. Whether it’s fishing with a few or entertaining a dozen, our boats can comfortably do it all. It's a Purekraft, and it's Pure Freedom

The fisherman

• • Designed with the fisherman in mind, with large cockpits or raised casting decks – the perfect boat for all fishing activities
• • Caters for all your fishing needs
• • Enjoy a day on the water with your mates
• • Great stability
• • Modular tuna tube system for game fishing

Multi-purpose

• • Modular systems
• • Dynamic interior options
• • Optional ski and watersports poles
• • Quickly transform your vessel to suit your needs

The Entertainer

• • Enjoy time on the water with family and friends
• • Custom stereo and entertainment system options
• • Mood lighting options
• • Galley options
• • Custom wooden table tops for serving food
• • Roll away chilly bin system
• • Dive bottle and gear underfloor storage
• • Recessed dive ladder for easy entry

WHY PUREKRAFT?

All Purekraft hulls are professionally designed by HMD for the softest, smoothest ride even in rough waters.

PURE STRENGTH

Our boats are designed to be fit for purpose, robust and built to an industry-leading standard.

PURE LENGTH

We guarantee true hull length so you know you’re getting the full value – without the frills.

PURE CUSTOM

Why settle for anything less, when you can have a Purekraft custom-designed and built to exceed expectations?

PURE VISIBILITY

Experience true innovation in the form of Purekraft’s Industry-leading one piece glass windscreen.

Purekraft boats are all 100% Kiwi made, for Kiwis that want the purest experience on the water.

There is a Purekraft model that's perfect for you

View our range

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Firm that built superyacht Bayesian say ‘human error’ is to blame

The firm that built tech billionaire Mike Lynch’s superyacht, which sank off the coast of Italy, has dropped a bombshell.

First picture of billionaire’s daughter

Plane crash in Thailand kills all on board

‘Scary’ ordeal before man climbed out plane

The firm that built tech billionaire Mike Lynch’s superyacht Bayesian that sank off the coast of Sicily say “human error” is to blame.

On Thursday, the head of Italian Sea Group, Giovanni Cotantino, said the tragedy could have been avoided after the $58 million ship capsized in a water spout on Monday morning.

“Everything that was done reveals a very long summation of errors,” Mr Costantino said.

The company, which includes the Perini Navi company, built the luxury 56-metre yacht in 2008.

Mr Costantino told Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper that bad weather was forecast and all the passengers should have been gathered at a pre-arranged assembly point, with all the doors and hatches closed.

Security camera footage of the ship from the shore showed the lights on its mast going out, which Mr Costantino said indicated a short circuit, meaning that the ship had already taken on water, AFP reported.

“A Perini ship resisted Hurricane Katrina, a category 5 (hurricane). Does it seem to you that it can’t resist a tornado from here?” he told the publication.

Mr Costantino said it was “good practice when the ship is at anchor to have a guard on the bridge, and if there was one he could not have failed to see the storm coming”.

“Instead it took on water with the guests still in the cabin. They ended up in a trap, those poor people ended up like mice in a trap,” he said.

He also told The Sun modern sailing ships, especially high-tech ones like the Perini, are designed to be extremely safe and stable.

“Even in very critical conditions, if procedures are followed, a sailing yacht like the Bayesian will return to an upright position,” he said.

“However, if the ship takes on water, this stability is compromised.

“Where the water entered will be determined by the investigators.

“What is certain is that the ship took on hundreds of thousands of litres of water.”

He also disputed widely reported claims that the ship sank in just 60 seconds - instead saying logs show it took 16 minutes to go down.

“The torture lasted 16 minutes. It went down, not in one minute as some scientists have said,” he told The Financial Times .

“It went down in 16 minutes. You can see it from the charts, from the AIS [Automatic Identification System] tracking chart.

“The captain should have prepared the boat and put it in a state of alert and of safety, just like the boat [the Sir Robert Baden Powell] anchored 350 metres away, which was built in 1957 and handled the [weather] event brilliantly.”

He claimed the Bayesian was “one of the safest boats in the world” and was virtually “unsinkable”, telling Italian publication Corriere della Sera : “The passengers reported something absurd, that the storm came unexpectedly, suddenly. That is not true. Everything was predictable.”

Prosecutors in the town of Termini Imerese, close to Porticello, where the vessel went down, have opened an investigation into the disaster. They will seek to establish what caused the yacht to sink and whether any of the crew are criminally liable.

The body of billionaire tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch is among the five bodies divers recovered on Wednesday.

The 59-year-old was said to be trapped by two mattresses inside a cabin on the superyacht, according to Italian publication La Repubblica.

Italian officials said on Wednesday that they believed his 18-year-old daughter Hannah to be among those recovered, but she is now thought to still be inside the boat.

Fifteen people have been rescued, including Lynch’s wife Angela Bacares, a mother with her one-year-old baby , and New Zealand captain James Cutfield who is recovering in hospital.

Captain questioned

Prosecutors, who have been interviewing survivors from the tragedy, questioned Mr Cutfield for several hours about the disaster, Giornale Di Sicilia reported.

The 51-year-old, who managed to escape from the vessel, told Italian media, “We just didn’t see it coming” , when speaking of the abrupt nature of the water spout.

There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Mr Cutfield.

Mr Cutfield’s brother Mark told the NZ Herald his brother was a “very good sailor” and was “very well respected”.

He said he is currently in hospital but was not suffering from injuries “too dramatic”.

“He’s safe, he’s okay,” Mark said.

Mr Cutfield’s wife had flown from their home in Palma, Mallorca, to be by his side in Italy and has been updating his family back home in New Zealand.

According to the NZ Herald , he had been a captain on luxury yachts for eight years and had previously been working on them and involved in building them for the past 30 years in various locations around the Mediterranean.

The publication reported that before Mr Cutfield worked for the British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, he had worked for a Turkish billionaire.

Mr Cutfield’s interrogation comes after divers found that the keel, a crucial part of the boat’s structure which helps keep it balanced, had been raised when the yacht was anchored off shore.

The keel operates as the main structural backbone of the yacht, filled with heavy materials, keeping it balanced and helping it to correct in stormy waters.

Dan Green, Research & Investigations lead at eSysman SuperYachts, told The Mirror that if the keel was raised it would harm the boat’s stability and could explain why it sank so quickly.

“The keel when lowered increases the stability of the vessel,” he said.

“When raised, this reduces stability as the centre of gravity is raised, as the keel is also weighted with lead.

“Another effect of the keel being in the up position is the vessel will not self-right if it leans far over.

“If you add to that the possibility of hatches being opened on the vessel that would explain why it’s saying [sinking] so quickly.”

The UK’s marine accident investigation branch also sent four inspectors.

Matthew Schanck, from the Maritime Search and Rescue Council, told AFP what happened was “pretty unprecedented” after the yacht was struck by a “black swan” waterspout during a storm.

UK meteorologist Peter Inness described a waterspout as a “narrow column of rotating air below a thunderstorm that occurs over water”.

More Coverage

Like tornadoes, they suck up air in a rotating motion. Many are fairly inconsequential, but some can pack winds of more than 100km per hour, Mr Inness said.

Jean-Marie Dumon, a former naval officer now with the GICAN, the French maritime industry association, added that conditions with winds of 100kph or more can “create completely anarchic sea conditions which can cause capsizing”.

- with AFP, The Sun

Tributes have flooded in for Hannah Lynch after divers found a sixth body following the tragic sinking of the Bayesian superyacht on Monday.

A plane carrying tourists has crashed shortly after taking off from Bangkok. All nine on board are believed to have died.

A Jetstar passenger has described the moment a fellow passenger opened the emergency exit where he was seated and climbed out.

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Superyacht sinks latest: Investigators looking into possible manslaughter - Italian media; family of billionaire releases statement

Divers have recovered the body of the final missing person after a superyacht sank off the coast of Sicily. The family of Mike Lynch and his daughter Hannah have released a statement - with tributes also pouring in for the pair.

Friday 23 August 2024 22:05, UK

• Superyacht sinking

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• Seven bodies recovered after five-day search of superyacht wreckage off Sicily
• Prosecutors investigating shipwreck and manslaughter - reports
• Divers discover body of final missing person
• 'Unspeakable grief': Lynch family releases statement
• Hannah Lynch's sister pays tribute to 'my little angel'
• Friend pays tribute to 'brilliant mind' Mike Lynch
• Explained: Inside the superyacht | What challenges have faced divers?
• Eyewitness:  Sombre scenes greet rescue teams as final body is brought ashore
• Live reporting by Mark Wyatt

Search and rescue teams finished their task of searching for those uncounted for from the Bayesian's sinking today.

Divers have spent all week searching the shipwreck, looking for six people missing after the vessel foundered on Monday morning.

Of those six, all but one had been found by this morning. At around 11am UK time, the final body, believed to be that of 18-year-old Hannah Lynch, was discovered.

It was brought to shore shortly after, signalling an end to five days of intense search operations.

Below, we have a look at some images from the operation today as it unfolded:

The speed at which the Bayesian sunk is "puzzling" and testimony from the crew will be "absolutely fundamental" in understanding how it happened, says the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Sailing Technology.

Dr Jean-Baptise Souppez, an expert in mechanical, biomedical and design engineering, told Sky News a vessel like the Bayesian "shouldn't sink that fast".

"For a ship that size to go down in a matter of minutes is particularly puzzling," he said.

"I think it's important to remember that all these vessels are built to very strong rules and regulations. And one of the reasons this is so puzzling is because those rules should ensure that this doesn't happen."

Investigations into the ship's foundering are already beginning to get underway, where the evidence supplied by survivors will be crucial, according to Dr Souppez.

"A lot of the job will be to try to establish a timeline of what happened prior to the events, in terms of the storm warning and what measures were taken on the vessel," he adds. 

"What happened during the crucial minute? From the moment the ship started to lean on its side up until it sank. For this, the accounts from the survivors and the crew will be absolutely fundamental.

"But it will also be a lot of physical evidence from the wreck that the divers have been able to collect, and more that they will be able to observe in the future."

A maritime investigator says the first priority of the Bayesian's crew would likely have been to prepare the ship for the oncoming storm, rather than wake all sleeping passengers.

James Wilkes said the watchkeeper on the yacht "might have considered" waking captain James Cutfield, who he "imagines would have been asleep" at the time.

"He would go down, wake him up, explain what he's got," Mr Wilkes told Sky News. 

"The master then would take over. He would make the decisions about raising the rest of the crew, if they're going to lift the anchor and start the engines, motor the vessel out pointed into the weather, that would require all the crew. 

"And I should imagine they would have also briefed some or all of the passengers. But their first priority would have been to get the vessel ready to take on the weather that was approaching."

Mr Wilkes added that those steps were likely taken but "by the sounds of it", the Bayesian was overwhelmed by the weather incredibly quickly.

British technology tycoon Mike Lynch was among the people who died following the sinking of the Bayesian superyacht on Monday morning.

The vessel had arrived off the coast of Sicily on Sunday, remaining at anchor 500m from the port of Porticello overnight.

At around 3.50am local time, a violent storm sent chairs and tables into the wind on the shore, while a mini-tornado known as a waterspout is believed to have ripped through the Bayesian.

Fifteen passengers and crew members made it onto a life raft and were picked up by a nearby boat, with seven people unaccounted for from the initial 22 on the ship's manifest.

All seven were found and recovered over the following days. They are believed to be:

Divers confirmed the entrepreneur's body had been recovered yesterday.

Dubbed the "British Bill Gates", Mr Lynch has been in the headlines in recent months over a high-profile fraud case related to the £8.64bn sale of his company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

HP accused him of deliberately overstating the value of the company before it was acquired by the American technology firm. Mr Lynch denied any wrongdoing. In June, a US jury  cleared him of all charges .

Hannah Lynch

Mr Lynch's 18-year-old daughter was also on board. A body believed to be that of the teenager was found and recovered from the wreckage today.

She had been on holiday with her parents, having secured a place to study English at the University of Oxford.

Her older sister, Esme Lynch, said her younger sibling was "endlessly caring, passionately mad, unintentionally hilarious and the most amazing, supportive and joyful sister and best friend to me".

Chris Morvillo

US lawyer Chris Morvillo was among those found dead by divers yesterday.

The father-of-two worked on Mr Lynch's US fraud trial and was a partner of law firm Clifford Chance's US branch.

He was also assistant attorney for the Southern District of New York between 1995 and 2005 and worked on the terrorist investigation into the 9/11 attacks.

Neda Morvillo

Mr Morvillo's wife Neda died in the disaster alongside her husband.

The 57-year-old had a luxury jewellery brand, which she ran under her maiden name Neda Nassiri.

Recaldo Thomas

The yacht's on-board chef Recaldo Thomas died in the sinking. He was Canadian-Antiguan and part of the crew of the Bayesian.

His body was the first to be recovered from the wreckage.

Jonathan Bloomer

Jonathan Bloomer, the chairman of investment bank Morgan Stanley International, was confirmed dead yesterday.

According to the Financial Times, Mr Bloomer appeared as a defence witness for Mr Lynch during his US criminal trial, and the pair were good friends. He also chaired Autonomy's audit committee.

The 70-year-old was the chief executive of UK-Hong Kong insurer Prudential until he was ousted by the board in 2005.

He was also chairman of the insurance provider Hiscox.

Judy Bloomer

Mr Bloomer's wife Judy was on the yacht trip with her husband. Divers confirmed they found her body yesterday.

Mrs Bloomer was a former board member at The Eve Appeal charity, which focuses on gynaecological cancers.

The charity described her as a "brilliant champion for women's health and medical research... an incredible supporter, committee member, and trustee of our charity for over 20 years".

More tributes have come in now for Mike Lynch, whose body was recovered from the Bayesian yesterday.

Close friend of the Lynch family Albert Read called him "warm, funny, brilliant, loyal and exceptionally brave".

"I've never met anyone like Mike - a searing intellect, a steel that would transform the world around him, an instinct for family and friends - organising children's treasure hunts, big gatherings of neighbours in Suffolk. 

"And, with Angela, a determination to light up the worlds of art and science for his two beloved daughters.

"Warm, funny, brilliant, loyal and exceptionally brave, with a heart as big as his brain."

The final body has now been retrieved from the wreckage of the Bayesian, leaving every person accounted for who was on the ship at the time of its foundering.

The captain of the yacht, 51-year-old James Cutfield, has reportedly already been questioned by Italian authorities for two hours.

He managed to survive the sinking along with 14 other passengers and crew members - including Mike Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares.

Mr Cutfield previously told Italian media "we didn't see it coming" when asked about the extreme weather that sunk the vessel.

His brother Mark said he was a "well respected" mariner who had captained luxury yachts for eight years and previously worked for a Turkish billionaire.

He told the New Zealand Herald he'd been involved in building yachts for 30 years and also raced dinghies competitively in his youth.

A maritime investigator says it is "unfair" to start blaming the crew of the Bayesian for its sinking.

Giovanni Costantino, CEO of The Italian Sea Group, which owns a firm which makes and sells vessels like Mike Lynch's sunken superyacht, told Sky News they "are absolutely safe", suggesting human error was behind the boat going down.

He said the "event" that capsized the British-flagged luxury yacht Bayesian off the coast of Porticello, Sicily, on Monday "could have been managed with an average amount of attention".

No official cause has been given for why the boat sank and James Wilkes, a marine investigator, says it's "premature" to start casting blame around before the facts are established.

"It's not uncommon to blame seafarers and the crew when a vessel has suffered a casualty of this magnitude," he tells Sky News.

"There were a lot of people who are understandably upset about this incident. And of course, the builders of this vessel potentially have their reputations on the line, their brand on the line. 

"You can imagine why they would be so forceful in their assertions and speculation at the moment. 

"But no, I don't think it's fair right now to jump to the conclusion that the crew must have done something wrong, because we simply do not know that as a matter of fact."

He added: "None of us were there at the time when it happened, it was only those 15 survivors on board who can tell us what happened.

"They were undoubtedly doing what they possibly could to keep that ship and the passengers safe. 

"So, I think at the moment we should wait to find out what the statements of the witnesses are, and then we can draw conclusions from that point forward. 

"It is definitely premature to start casting blame and spreading  aspersions around like that."

Hannah Lynch's older sister, Esme Lynch, has paid tribute to her late sibling after her body was recovered from the wreckage of the Bayesian.

The 18-year-old, who was due to start studying English at Oxford University next month, was the last person rescue divers were searching for in the wreckage.

Esme's statement says: "Hannah often burst into my bedroom and lay down with me.

"Sometimes beaming with a smile, sometimes cheeky, sometimes for advice. No matter what, she brought boundless love to me. 

"She was endlessly caring, passionately mad, unintentionally hilarious and the most amazing, supportive and joyful sister and best friend to me. 

"And on top of all this, she had even more love to give endlessly to all her friends and passion to give to her incredible studies and goals. 

"She is my little angel, my star."

A maritime investigator says the authorities looking into the sinking of the Bayesian will need to deal with the situation "diplomatically".

It comes as Italian media report that prosecutors are investigating shipwreck and manslaughter. Sky News understands that this line of investigation is standard procedure in complex cases such as these. 

James Wilkes told Sky News investigators were "accustomed" to managing these kinds of probes that see two countries - in this case the UK and Italy - involved.

"The Italian officials are known as the coastal state because it was in the waters of Italy that the yacht sank," he says.

"We have the British officials from the MAIB (Marine Accident Investigation Branch) down there because they are what's known as the flag state. 

"The vessel was registered in the UK and many of the passengers on board were British. And so they are acting as the flag state. 

"There will be a level of cooperation, privacy at the moment will remain, I would anticipate, with the coastal state, with Italy, with their coast guard, with their fire and rescue teams. 

"And obviously, you have a local prosecutor in Sicily, who has opened a file on this and that, conducting their own investigations, as well. So there has to be some cooperation. 

"But you have to deal with these things diplomatically. You can't push for your own position or for your own access without considering that other people will want access and need access for their own reports and official reports in due course. So it is a matter of diplomacy."

Mr Wilkes added that he thought nobody would be putting a timescale on the investigation, with the priority up until now being focused on recovering the bodies.

" The emotional tension and urgency will have abated," he adds.

"Now the investigators will get on methodically with the investigation. I guess it will probably take a couple of months before they're in a position to provide an initial report."

The search operation to recover the bodies of those who died on board the Bayesian has been plagued with difficulties.

But, after five days of searching, all the people who were unaccounted for following the ship's foundering on Monday morning have now been located and recovered.

Conditions underwater have been described as "complex" and "prohibitive" for the divers, who have been called in from across Italy to help with the operation.

Here, we look at some of the factors that have made this week so difficult for divers.

Depth of the wreckage

The British-flagged superyacht is still largely intact on the seabed, but the 50m depth to which it sank makes it difficult to access.

The depth is far deeper than most recreational divers are qualified to reach and requires special precautions.

This means divers can only spend around 12 minutes under the water at a time - with a maximum of 10 minutes of actual search time.

This is in part to help avoid decompression sickness - also known as the "bends" - which can occur when divers stay underwater for long periods and ascend too quickly.

"The person sitting on the sofa at home wouldn't understand any of these kinds of complexities," Sophie Rennie, a national diving officer, told Sky News.

"But divers cannot put themselves into the dangers of getting decompression illness. So that's why it's only a 10-minute dive from start to finish."

Ms Rennie said divers would swap in and out throughout the day, taking part in a maximum of two dives each day.

Visibility and entering the yacht

Getting down to the wreckage was only the beginning of the difficulties posed to divers, who have been working in near pitch-black conditions on the seabed.

Not only that, but finding entry points into the vessel, which is currently lying on its right side, have been hard. 

Upon entry, they've then been met with floating debris. The command bridge was full of electrical cables when searched earlier in the week.

Ms Rennie said: "The visibility will be at best a few centimetres. And that's not including all the things that are floating around in the water once they get inside the wreck.

"Things like furniture moving around, as well as oils and cooking stuffs and foodstuffs that will have been onboard when the yacht sank."

Mental health support

Not only has the week been taxing physically for those diving to the Bayesian, but it will also take its toll mentally.

"We've talked about debris and we've talked about the complex layout, but the lasting impacts on everybody involved is going to be on the mental health and we hope that the support is going to be there," says Matthew Schanck, chair of the Maritime Search and Rescue Council.

"And I'm sure it will be for the emergency responders and also for the people who have survived and what has obviously been a very, very traumatic experience."

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Marianna Giusti in Porticello

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The manufacturer of the superyacht that sank off Sicily, causing the deaths of UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and at least five others, has said the boat was “absolutely safe” and the crew should have had time to evacuate the passengers.

Giovanni Costantino, chief executive of The Italian Sea Group, which owns several boat brands including the yacht’s builder, Perini Navi, told the Financial Times that the Bayesian “was designed to be absolutely stable and carry . . . the world’s second-tallest mast”.

“The boat sank because it took on water,” Costantino said, suggesting that proper procedures were not followed.

He suggested the large opening just above the waterline on the stern, which pivots down to make a bathing platform and launching point for small boats, may have been open and become flooded, and the same might have been true for another waterline opening on the side.

Italian and UK authorities, which are investigating the circumstances of the incident , have not said when the boat started filling with water, whether vulnerable hatches were open, or whether the crew started the engine and tried to manoeuvre out of danger.

Video description

CCTV footage of the Bayesian sinking during a violent storm

The Italian coastguard has said divers had found no breaches in the hull and the mast was intact. The vessel — a 540-tonne, British-registered yacht designed by Ron Holland and built in 2008 — was resting on the seabed on its starboard side.

James Cutfield, the Bayesian’s skipper, did not immediately respond to the FT’s request for comment. His brother told the New Zealand Herald that Cutfield was “a very good sailor” and “very well respected” in the Mediterranean.

Costantino said it took 16 minutes from the time the boat was caught by the wind and started dragging its anchor near Porticello before it finally sank , which should have given the crew time to secure the vessel and save the passengers. 

“The torture lasted 16 minutes. It went down, not in one minute as some scientists have said. It went down in 16 minutes,” Costantino said. “You can see it from the charts, from the [Automatic Identification System] tracking chart.”

The FT has verified that AIS data is consistent with Costantino’s timings, but it is not possible at this stage to confirm his belief about what may have happened during that period.

“The captain should have prepared the boat and put it in a state of alert and of safety, just like the boat [Sir Robert Baden Powell] anchored 350 metres away, which was built in 1957 and handled the [weather] event brilliantly,” said Costantino.

Karsten Borner, the skipper of that boat, described to reporters in Sicily how he turned on his engine and manoeuvred to control his vessel and avoid a collision with the Bayesian. He saw the Bayesian heel over and then lost sight of it, before spotting a red flare from the Bayesian’s life raft. He rescued the 15 survivors. 

Costantino said Cutfield, a 50-year-old New Zealander, “should have locked everything up. He should have gathered all passengers in the safe point. This is protocol. No one should have been in their cabin. [You should] turn on the engine, weigh [raise] anchor, [point the] bow to the wind and lower the keel. This would have added stability, safety and comfort.”  

It has not been confirmed by divers whether the Bayesian’s long retractable keel was in the safer, lowered position or raised to allow entry to shallow water.

According to ISG, when the boat’s keel is raised, the Bayesian can withstand an inclination of up to 73 degrees; when the keel is lowered, she can tilt by up to 88 degrees — a nearly flat position with the mast on the water — without capsizing.

But Costantino does not believe the position of the keel was the issue. He said that once it was clear the boat was taking on water — CCTV footage from the shore showed the lights going out, presumably when water reached the generators or the electrical panels, he said — there should have been time to get everyone off the boat and into the life rafts.

“Jesus Christ! The hull is intact. The water came in from [hatchways] left open. There is no other possible explanation. If manoeuvred properly, the boat would have comfortably handled the weather — comfortably,” he said.

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