[YachtForums]

Westport is nearing completion of its largest build to date — the new 50m (164ft) tri-deck motoryacht, which is due for delivery in early 2006. Designed by naval architect William Garden and stylist Donald Starkey, the new tri-deck provides accommodations for up to 12 guests, and is powered by twin 16V 4000 MTU engines, with a top speed of 24knots.

The New Westport 164' rendering...

[Tweaked Torpedo]

I never thought I would see the day that super and mega yachts were made out of fiberglass! Just out of curiosity, what is the largest yacht made from composite materials?

[DBowman78]

I could be wrong on this, but I believe the largest fiberglass yacht is the 161ft Evviva, built by Admiral Marine in 1993 for the founder of Bayliner.

[christo303]

Orin Edson's Evviva is not the largest superyacht that was built out of composite materials.

Most modern superyachts have a steel hull with an aluminium superstructure. Older yachts were built completely out of steel.

Except for the steel/alu combination, some faster yachts like the ones from Oceanfast have an aluminium hull with a composite superstructure. As such, one can say that Greg Norman's Aussie Rules is the biggest yacht with an aluminium hull and the biggest yacht with a composite superstructure.

Evviva has hull and superstructure out of composite materials. She might be the biggest all-composite yacht built in North America but she's not the biggest in the world.

Two other, both of them Jon Bannenberg designed yachts, with hull and superstructure in composite materials are larger :

- the 1998, 163'39" Oceanfast THUNDER (see photo 1);
- the 1986, 181'00" Sterling Yacht SOUTHERN CROSS III (see photo 2)

[mrtaxman]

Originally Posted by YachtForums

The New Westport 164'...

please give me your opinion on the westport 164
quality
value

[Motoryacht]

Originally Posted by mrtaxman

please give me your opinion on the westport 164
quality, value.

I don't think there is any question here. Westport is America's leading builder because of quality and value. It's yet to be seen how the 164' will be recieved, but you can bet previous Westport owners will get in line for this boat. I wouldn't have any reservations about buying the first one out of the mold.

[sailronin]

Christo303
The question was largest GRP yacht, not the largest composite. While the Oceanfasts were composite, I don't believe they were all GRP. The old wooden boats with steel frames were also considered composite construction.
The US Navy built some minesweepers of all GRP that were in excess of 200 feet, I don't know what the largest yacht of all glass is.

I have been captain of two Westport 112's, they are good solid boats and a very good value. Westport had very good after sale support with follow up calls, parts ordering and tech support on the phone. Not exactly a Delta or northern European yacht but excellent for a production yacht. I would have no qualms about going to sea in the first 50 meter Westport.

Dave

[AMG]

I think Christo is right, Southern Cross III, now Indian Princess, is probably still the largest all GRP motor yacht at 181 feet. However Mirabella V, the worlds largest sloop at 246 feet, is also a GRP composite boat.