The Man Who Spent Years Supplying Chase Boats to the World's Largest Yachts. Is Now Building His Own Brand.
ONE enters the water in 2027 with a single premise: performance and craftsmanship should not require a tradeoff.
For years, Albert Franko has occupied one of the more demanding seats in the industry. He supplied chase boats to owners of yachts built by Lürssen, Feadship, Benetti, Ocean Alexander, and other world-leading shipyards. The chase boat is the vessel that carries guests, toys and crew alongside a 50-meter + yacht, and at that level it is judged by the same standard as everything else the owner touches. Now Albert is launching his own brand, ONE, and the thesis behind it comes directly from what he learned in that seat.
"I wanted to build the boat I always wished I could offer my clients"
We spoke with him about the founding idea, the design, the market, and the lessons carried over from his recently launched Manari brand.
The lesson from the mothership
Ask Albert what supplying chase boats to superyacht owners taught him, and the answer is unsentimental. Everything must work flawlessly. A chase boat is an extension of the mothership, and it should never create concern for the owner, captain, or crew.
"At this level, performance alone is never enough," he says. Owners expect considered design, absolute reliability, discreet service, and meticulous attention to detail. Every element matters, from the way a door closes to how the boat behaves alongside a 100-meter yacht. Years of working closely with owners, captains, and family offices shaped his understanding of what the highest end of the market actually values.
The case against compromise
That understanding produced a frustration, which produced ONE. After representing several of the industry's leading brands, Albert kept running into the same wall. A buyer could choose a boat focused on performance, or one built around exceptional craftsmanship, but rarely both. Fewer brands still backed either with the after-sales service the top of the market expects.
"I wanted to build the boat I always wished I could offer my clients," he says. The founding thesis is a refusal to pick. Exceptional design, superyacht-level craftsmanship, real performance, and uncompromising support in one package. The name is the argument: performance, craftsmanship, and design become ONE.
The design language has been developed by established yacht designers and naval architects, with the stated goal of a boat that reads as dynamic, powerful, and premium at a glance. Every line is meant to serve both performance and presence, finished with superyacht-level materials so the boat carries the refinement of a large yacht with the behavior of a true power boat.
The boat
The ONE range will consist of 30, 35, 40, and 45-foot models sharing a consistent DNA. The first two into production are the ONE 40 and the ONE 45, sized to cover the core demand for premium day boating and superyacht support. A bespoke division will tailor individual boats to owner requirements or to the dimensions of a specific superyacht garage.
The first generation is engineered around high-performance outboard propulsion, chosen for its performance, worldwide serviceability, and simpler maintenance. The platform, however, has been designed to accommodate inboard and hybrid propulsion as the technology and the market mature.
What makes it unique, in Albert's telling, is both visual and functional. Visually, he is after instant recognition through proportion, the hardtop, the seamless integration of the tubes, and an assertive stance. Functionally, every decision points back to the owner's experience: generous walkaround space, inviting social areas, premium materials, intelligent storage, lightweight construction, strong seakeeping, and effortless boarding.
He is also blunt about a distinction he considers false. Asked whether ONE is a chase boat or a standalone day boat, his answer is that the question misses the point. A chase boat is, in essence, the day boat of a superyacht, so it deserves the same quality, craftsmanship, performance, and equipment. What ONE adds is engineering developed specifically for chase boat operations, from certified lifting points and structural calculations to class documentation and owner-specific technical requirements, all managed in-house. Where many boats are adapted for superyacht use after the fact, ONE was engineered from the outset to meet those requirements.
Why the RIB is having its American moment
RIBs have been the default premium tender across the Mediterranean for decades. In the United States, adoption has been slower, and Albert has a clear read on why.
"For decades, the U.S. market has been dominated by fishing-oriented center consoles," he says. That is changing as owners change how they use their boats. They entertain, cruise, explore islands, and spend time with family, and that is precisely where the RIB makes its case. The inflatable tubes deliver a softer, drier ride, exceptional stability, lower overall weight, better efficiency, and real protection when docking alongside yachts or other boats, all while keeping the open, agile layout owners want. Europe recognized that combination long ago. Albert believes the American market is on the same trajectory, and that demand will build as more owners experience a premium RIB firsthand.
Where the white space is
The opportunity, as Albert frames it, is not any single attribute. It is the combination. Many performance boats give up high-end quality. Many refined boats give up driving dynamics. Others become prohibitively expensive the moment customization begins. He sees room for a brand that holds superyacht-quality craftsmanship, contemporary design, and genuine performance together inside the premium segment, without asking the buyer to surrender one for another.
Launch, and what Manari taught him
ONE will launch simultaneously in the United States and Europe. Florida anchors the American effort, where Albert's Powerboats USA has built its reputation. In Europe, the focus is the Mediterranean, including Monaco, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and Spain. These are the markets that have long driven the strongest demand for premium tenders and chase boats.
Development is on track for the first ONE to enter the water in 2027. Orders are already secured despite the first hull not yet being launched, which Albert reads as validation of the vision as much as the product. He is deliberate about the timeline for a specific reason. First impressions last, and he intends the first ONE to set the benchmark for everything that follows.
The discipline comes in part from Manari, the brand he launched recently. Manari reinforced a conviction he already held. Building a premium brand takes patience, relentless attention to detail, and surrounding yourself with the best people. He brings the same principles to ONE with more experience, a clearer vision, and a higher bar for quality.
His ambition is stated plainly. The goal is not to build another premium boat. It is to build a brand that earns its place alongside the very best.
And of course, you will be able to find them listed for sale on YachtWay the moment the designs are made public.
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