New Build VS Conversion

High Quality Wooden Boats

Q: What makes a "1st-world standard boat"? A boat of strength, durability, quality, and safety?
A: Quality of the planning, design, and supervision.

It's not where you build it. Its how it is built. Get this right and you can construct a world-class yacht anywhere in the world.

Hull Construction

Do not be fooled by those who think yacht construction in Asia is below par. World-class yachts are now being built all over Asia, in yards from China, to Taiwan, to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.

In the specific domain of wooden hulls look no further than Indonesia where the Sulawesi Konjo boat builders have a very long and highly successful wooden boat building tradition. They also have a superb eye for shaping a ship. And they can build extremely strong hulls, with the extremely durable Kayu Ulin/Belian wood (ironwood).

New Builds

If you want the best quality wooden hull, it is recommended to go for a new build.

When we supervise a new hull build, our aim is to plan and build the hull for strength, durability, safety, and hull speed. To create a foundation on which a luxury yacht, scuba liveaboard, or private charter vessel can be built.

It is important to use top quality timber planking of the maximum obtainable length, strong quality frames, closely spaced stringers, with close proximity of joints, higher quantity and quality of fastenings.

These changes create a large difference in terms of the quality and integrity of the resulting vessel as compared to the used vessels originally built for fishing or cargo.

However it is more expensive.

Conversions

A conversion from a fishing or a cargo boat is cheaper, although the quality is not the same. If budget is an important factor in your planning there are used cargo hulls that are in better condition than others, and if you are looking to do a conversion project we can help you find ones that are suitable.

After the Hull Construction

The hull construction (or purchase) is just the first step: When building a high quality pleasure boat it is generally accepted that the hull accounts for only 30% of the final costs.

The next steps are requiring a great deal of specialist attention and altogether will cost a great deal more than the hull:

  • Ballast
  • Deck
  • Deck Structures
  • Engine and machinery
  • Fuel and Water tanks
  • Steering gear
  • Rigging
  • Accommodations
  • Electricals
  • Plumbing
  • Air conditioning
  • Electronics
  • Navigation
  • Safety Equipments
  • Scuba Compressor
  • Tender and Toys