Get Ahead: The importance of Pre-Season AV & IT System Checks for Superyachts
As the summer charter season approaches, ensuring your superyacht’s AV and IT systems are fully operational is more important than ever. There’s nothing worse than discovering a critical failure mid-season – especially when the fix requires parts with lead times and you’ve got guests coming! That’s why pre-season checks should be a non-negotiable part of your annual routine.
Why Pre-Season Checks Matter
Sam Jablonski, former ETO and now Bond AV Support Manager says:

One of the most common culprits? Wireless Access Points (WAPs). WAPs are the backbone of a smooth onboard experience, and they’ll provide subtle warnings of failure long before they go offline entirely.
Inspecting them before the pre-season will catch those warning signs before guest Wi-Fi crashes suddenly halfway through the charter.
AV and IT systems are embedded in every part of the guest and crew experience – from streaming media to operating lights and blinds. When they go wrong, it’s not just a technology issue – it’s a service disruption.
What Can You Do Onboard?
You don’t need to wait for a shipyard period to get started. You can carry out system checks all over the vessel, ideally in coordination with your interior team.
We would recommend testing:
- Guest cabin TVs and control systems
- Streaming services and media servers
- Wi-Fi coverage in guest spaces
- iPad or touchscreen control panels
- Network speed and redundancy
- Device connectivity and stability

Don’t Have Time To Check? Let Bond Help
If your crew is too busy preparing the rest of the boat, Bond can support you in two ways:
- Create a tailored test plan: We’ll work with you to outline a checklist specific to your yacht’s systems.
- Remote or onboard support: Our engineers can remotely log in or come onboard to run full pre-season diagnostics, highlight weaknesses and recommend fixes.
Looking Ahead: Autumn Shipyard Planning
While you’re checking systems for summer, it’s also the ideal time to think ahead to your Autumn shipyard period. If there’s anything you’ve been meaning to upgrade, modernise, or overhaul – now is the time to start planning. Lead times for specialist AV and IT equipment are improving but they still require forward planning.
Let us know if you’re heading into the yard post-season. We can help scope, specify, and take care of everything from new hardware to a complete technology refit.
Need help with your AV/IT pre-season checks or upcoming yard period?
Get in touch with Bond for a system review – remote or onboard and avoid seasonal surprises