29. Building the Dashew Boats: Shipyards, Craftsmen and Lessons Learned with Steve Dashew

“If you want to make a small fortune in the boat business, start with a large one.” In this chapter of the Dashew Talking Books, Steve Dashew looks back at the shipyards, craftsmen and characters who turned more than six decades of ideas and designs into real boats. The story begins in California in the late 1950s, with the Wildcat catamarans and Steve's introduction to multihulls, before moving through the experimental Beowulf designs, the 14-foot Incomparable Eliminator and his involvement in the development of the Hobie 18.   As the boats became bigger and more ambitious, the search for the right builders became increasingly international. Steve recalls working with Salthouse Brothers and Kelly Archer in New Zealand, Cen Marine in South Africa, Scandi Yachts in Finland, the Oeland brothers and Walsteds in Denmark, and builders back in the United States. Exchange rates, local skills and individual craftsmen all played their part in deciding where the next Dashew yacht would be built.   Along the way came the Deerfoots, Sundeers and 72-foot cruising yachts, followed by BEOWULF, and eventually the move into motor yachts with WIND HORSE and the FPB series. Each generation brought new construction methods, different builders and another collection of lessons.   “We built if something broke, we made it a little bit heavier and if something didn’t break, then we made it a little bit lighter.” Steve also talks candidly about what makes a great boatyard, the importance of working closely with the people actually building the yacht, why apparently small decisions could lead to major design developments, and the financial realities of an industry where expensive boats certainly don't guarantee large profits. As Steve explains: “We were never able to get the boats we wanted executed unless we were intimately involved with it.”   From small Californian workshops to renowned European yards and a long association with New Zealand boatbuilding, this episode is the story of the boats, countries and people behind the Dashew designs, and the hard-earned lessons gathered while building them. Host: Sue Grant Guest: Steve Dashew About This Series The Dashew Talking Books is a special podcast series exploring the life, experiences and ideas of Steve Dashew. Across these conversations, Steve reflects on decades of innovation, offshore cruising, yacht design, business, adventure and the many unexpected stories that shaped his remarkable career. To explore more of Steve and Linda Dashew's work, visit SetSail for articles, owner stories and technical resources. You can also watch more conversations and videos on the Dashew Offshore YouTube channel, and explore FPB Motor Yachts at Berthon International to learn more about the cruising yachts that grew from Steve's pioneering design philosophy. To explore more of Steve's writing, technical articles and cruising knowledge, visit: SetSail: SetSail.com (https://setsail.com/) Dashew Offshore YouTube Channel: YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/user/DashewOffshore) To learn more about FPB Motor Yachts: Berthon FPB Motor Yachts: FPB Motor Yachts (https://www.berthoninternational.com/yacht-sales-brokerage/fpb-motor-yachts/) Steve Dashew - Dashew Offshore (https://www.berthoninternational.com/yacht-sales-brokerage/fpb-motor-yachts/) Iconic yacht designer and one of the true legends of modern ocean cruising. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.