FAQ

I HAVE HEARD CUSTOM BUILDERS DELIVER OVER BUDGET AND WITH LONG DELAYS.

While this is often true you can avoid both of these traps with patience.  At York we ask our customers not to force us into the actual building until a full specification is written, right down to the brand and item number of the hardware and fixtures to be included.

 And if we can agree not to start building until the proper amount of design and engineering can be completed we will avoid the change order trap(s).  So, if you and I are on the same page from the beginning, we will deliver on time and on budget.

I CAN’T TELL FROM PLANS WHAT MY BOAT WILL REALLY BE LIKE.

 You are hardly alone in this.

Most people have trouble getting a sense of what the spaces will be like from looking at two-dimensional plans. At York we try to give you the sense and feel in two ways.

The less expensive and quicker path is three-dimensionally modeled plans that allow you to walk through your yacht in virtual reality.

However, for those of our customers who are willing to take the time and accept the additional expense, which often costs much less than the changes that would otherwise occur after your boat is in-build, we strongly urge you to have us build full mock-ups for cabin and sometimes exterior spaces.

TALK TO ME ABOUT CHANGE ORDERS. I UNDERSTAND THEY CAN BE THE DOWNFALL OF CUSTOM BOAT BUILDERS.

Yes, change orders can be the stumbling block for custom yacht builders, and we recognize that. We hope to minimize the need for changes by developing a complete set of specifications for you, and we encourage you to be patient while your yacht is being designed and engineered.

Yet changes sometimes creep into a build, so we are careful to explain to you what the change means and its impact on cost and delivery time. With honest information in your hands, you can make the decision as to whether the change you’re thinking about is worth the additional cost and delivery delay.

I should mention that in rare cases the change can actually reduce cost and accelerate the delivery, but that is not often the case.

WHY SHOULD I BUILD A BOAT WHEN I CAN BUY ONE ALREADY BUILT?

 At the end of the day, that is the most important question you can ask, and we cannot make the final decision for you.

There are certainly benefits to buying an existing or production boat – in fact, we build a line of production and semi-production yachts – but they do not exactly represent your vision of what your boat should be.

Unlike a yacht that is built specifically for you, a used or production boat will ask you to make compromises that you don’t need to make in a custom build.

And, to be honest, if you don’t think you will enjoy the build process, of visiting the yard and/or watching the build on a web-cam, to see your vision take shape, perhaps the custom built yacht is not for you.

We would be happy to talk about this when you visit with us and hopefully help you make the decision that is right for you.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I HAVE A WARRANTY PROBLEM AND THE BOAT ISN’T IN MAINE?

Whether warranty or service we want to perform whatever work is necessary on your boat. We built her, know her better than a stranger and love her like she was one of our children, which metaphorically she is.

If your boat is too far away for it to be practical to have her returned to our facility, we will work with you to identify a professional repairer that is close to the boat. Depending upon the problem we may well send a representative to oversee the repair.

And, if it is a case of warranty we will either reimburse you or pay the repairer directly.

IF WE WANT THE BOAT MOVED EITHER BY WATER OR IF ON LAND BY TRUCK, CAN YOU HELP?

You bet. We have a handful of experience captains who are known to us and whom we engage to move our boats.

And if for instance your boat wants to travel south for the winter, we can arrange for an hydraulic boat trailer to haul her out wherever she is and transporter to the location you specify.

CAN WE COME TO THE YARD TO WATCH YOU BUILD OR REPAIR OUR BOAT?

If you don’t we’ll be disappointed.

We invite all of our customers to visit while we are  working on their boat.

And if it’s not convenient to arrive during normal business hours, we will make whatever arrangements in our schedule to accommodate yours.