FLIBS Launches RefitX Conference for the Yacht Refit Industry

Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show has launched RefitX, a dedicated two-day event for the yacht-refit industry scheduled for 27–28 October 2027 in Fort Lauderdale. The new conference will bring together shipyards, captains, owner representatives, designers, engineers, project managers and technology providers immediately before the 2027 edition of FLIBS.

RefitX creates a dedicated forum for yacht lifecycle work

FLIBS positions RefitX around the practical realities of extending, modernising and maintaining yachts over their working lives. The event is intended to give the refit sector its own education-led meeting point rather than treating refit as one subject among many within a wider boat show programme.

The audience spans owners and owner representatives, captains and senior crew, shipyards, project managers, yacht-management companies, naval architects, designers, marine engineers, contractors and technology suppliers. That breadth reflects how complex modern refit projects have become, particularly on larger yachts with integrated technical and hotel systems.

Six programme tracks cover the full refit lifecycle

The seminar programme is structured around six tracks: project delivery and management, technology and modernisation, design and engineering, shipyards and infrastructure, workforce and skilled trades, and the future of refit. FLIBS says the emphasis will be on practical knowledge, original perspectives and real project experience rather than sales presentations.

Suggested subjects include case studies, emerging technical solutions, lessons from complex projects, sustainability, efficiency, workforce development and the business of refit. A call for speakers is open to professionals able to contribute educational and industry-focused sessions.

The conference leads directly into FLIBS 2027

RefitX will take place on 27 and 28 October 2027, with the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show running from 27 to 31 October. The format is designed so delegates can move from focused conference discussion into the show’s shipyard, equipment, brokerage and service-provider environment.

Fort Lauderdale is a natural location for the event because South Florida supports one of the world’s largest concentrations of yacht refit, repair, brokerage and marine-service businesses. The city’s regular flow of large yachts also gives the conference direct relevance to owners, captains and technical teams managing active fleets.

Refit demand is becoming more technically demanding

Refit projects increasingly involve propulsion upgrades, batteries, navigation and communications systems, cybersecurity, hotel loads, interior redesign, emissions reduction and changing class or regulatory requirements. Coordinating those disciplines can be as complex as parts of a new-build programme, particularly when a yacht must return to service within a fixed seasonal window.

For Superyacht Guide readers, RefitX adds a dedicated industry forum around that challenge. Its value will depend on the quality of the final programme, but the structure recognises refit as a major technical and commercial sector in its own right rather than simply an after-sales activity.

Official sources: www.flibs.com.