Choosing a yard to build a new yacht?

Don't wait till you need that speed to escape or you might well find the conditions are not suited to your vessel reaching those speeds.

A boat to consider

NEO56, by reading your requirements for your new boat, like being able to go faster if needed, a fishing cockpit, real yacht appearance, at least semi custom possibilities, good range at displacement speeds and first of all, a high quality builder and a reliable yard with good financial performance (thinking as a US buyer), one yard and one boat immediately comes into my mind as being perfect for your needs.

Nordhavn and their 75 EYF

I personally believe, Nordhavn is one of the most trustworthy and highest quality US boatbuilders in that range of boats. I would at least check them out.

US Boatbuilder? Brokerage and selling company US but certainly not built in US.

Still your recommendation is logical.

Nordhavn

OB, by your definition several US builders are just broker and selling companies. Nordhavn in my opinion is much more and a builder. The boats are designed, naval architectured and calculated in the US, built under closest and permanent supervision and complete project management by their Dana Point staff. Final outfitting, testing and commissioning is done in the US. In my opinion Nordhavn is a US builder with overseas poduction facilities.

Final outfitting, testing and commissioning is done in several countries. I would consider the parent a US company, but I would consider the builder not to be and they are separate companies. But it's just semantics and use of the word and not really important. I had just personally not heard Nordhavn referred to as a US builder. Would you then also include Hargrave, Marlow, and others to be US builders? I'm not saying that you're not right, just was interested in your interpretation.

Interestingly too we think of going long distances to Chinese yards. In fact the time from LA to Taiwan is very little difference than Miami to Seattle. Either way you take a day.

There are huge differences there. In order for a builder to be a U.S. builder, the keel has to be laid in the U.S. There is a huge problem with that when it comes to yachts and U.S. flagged yachts and comes into play with the charter industry. In order for a charter to start and end in the U.S., the boat has to be a U.S. built and flagged boat.

While agree that Nordhavn builds a great boat with good supervision. A U.S. builder they are not. They are no different than Ocean Alexander was with their management team. The factory is still in Taiwan, they also still have some Taiwanese builders quarks that U.S. builders don't do.

What makes a company a builder

I believe, the big difference is here is the business setup of Nordhavn. You are talking to a US company, you buy a boat from a US company with their strong reputation and trustworthyness and their known quality. You are not buying from a selling company which just arbitrates you a foreign product. The boat is sold under US juristriction and they stand with their name for their product. That is more than brokerage. By dislocating their production to sister companies in Taiwan and the PR of China, they are making their high qualtity and sturdy boats affordable.

I have seen the Nordhavn and Horizon facilities in Taiwan personally. This quality type of boatbuilding would be much, much more expensive in the US or Europe and it is not Med type plastic fantastic.

I have had a long eye to eye conversation with Dan Streech (owner and president of Nordhavn) about their boats. I was really impressed about his profession in and his dedication towards boat building. These people have boatbuilding in their blood (as we say in Europe ).

Btw., I am not related to Nordhavn in any way and I never bought a boat from them, it is just my opinion based on personal exprience by looking at their facilities and having seen (in and outside from 86 down to 47 ft) a few of their boats.

P.S. Capt J, I was under the impression these laws start with boats above 200 GT ?

and where may Outer Reef build a boat for NEO56?

Hmmmmmmm.


Outer Reef builds you a boat in Taiwan, using a mold from someone else.

Take a wild guess who will be footing the rental of the mold.

You guessed correctly.

Hatteras - any thoughts regarding an extended cockpit version of their 100'?


Hatteras - 100 Raised Pilothouse



Any thoughts regarding used?

http://www.*****************.com/ya...te=1399560602000&photo_name=Main&photo=0&url=

P.S.- Can you picture her sporting a pair of triple spreader outriggers?

Good point.

I mean, if seas can go from 4-6 to 15 in just a few short miles, just imagine what could happen over a longer haul?

Although I have yet to own a large yacht, I have seen the Westport 86 and it seems to be a first-rate yacht, designed by William Garden. Beautiful hull.

I would be very nervous having a yacht built using a non-name rented hull even if the parent company is reputable. Especially if I was ordering a boat larger than they have built in the past.

Have you looked at the Offshore line? They seem to be decent quality. There is a 94 foot semi-custom called the Paragon as well. Flemings have a good reputation but their largest may be too small for your needs.

I heard Northern Marine makes great boats, and are excellent when it comes to launching them!

But in all seriousness, Nordlund?

No telling with them building from unknown hull, could be in unknown place. Definitely not in the US unless they decide maybe they could pick up some work in Anacortes. I heard rumors there's a facility there not in use right now.

I know nothing about Nordlund as a company or builder but they build Yachtfisher's which appears to be what Neo wants. At least they've actually built them in that size range.

I have driven by their facility. It's between Anacortes and Seattle. It appears to be a clean facility and I have heard good things about Nordlund, but they do appear to build what Neo is looking for in the size range Neo is looking for. I'd be very apprehensive about using a rented hull from someone else, which means who did all of the calculations for the superstructure etc, and I also wouldn't want to own a yacht much larger than the manufacturer is used to building.

Based on the specs NEO posted, the hull sounds like it's coming from Johnson. They make/made the 86' and 109' from the same mold and it has a 24' beam. They just dammed the mold to make the shorter boats in it.....They extended the 86' mold to make the 109'. The 109' ran perfectly, 20 knot cruise with 16v2000's, good running boat at 10-12knots also....I have a lot of mileage on hull #1 of the 109'. ..the 86' ran bow high and squatted and only cruises at 14 knots with 12v2000's.

I believe Nordlund's latest build is for sale. It's a 115' yachtfish. If I recall, the buyer passed away before it was finished...

Completed: Nordlund 35M Yachtfish "Netto" - YachtForums.Com

I would go with Nordlund, without hesitation. Great family business to work with.

Experience, great design (Ed Monk Jr.) / engineering (Tim Nolan) team, quality built in USA, absolutely good people to work with. Their 100+ plus West Coast style Yachfishers have much to offer, a really versatile and proven platform.

Located in Tacoma (SOUTH of Seattle), they have been in a boatbuilding hub that has produced may great yachts.

A no brainer, if you ask me........

I believe it's the 111'. It says available on their website and here's a listing below.

Nordlund Yachtfisher boat for sale in Seattle United States - Ref: 1436 - ************** Mobile

Just skimming what was mentioned earlier, she seems to be in the right size range, meets range requirements as well as being capable of 20+ knots and I believe I read a desire for Cats, which this build has.