Alameda’s Bay Ship & Yacht has been in the ship building business since the 1970s, building everything from mega-yachts to barges.
By Joel Williams
Published: September, 2009
Most modern yachts are manufactured at facilities that use fiberglass hulls made from a mold. The production lines then complete the yachts with a standard list of amenities. Custom yachts, on the other hand, are one-of-a-kind, one-at-a-time efforts built to each owner’s unique requirements. According to Bay Ship & Yacht owner Bill Elliott, “There really is nothing like that in this area. There are some places up in Seattle and there’s a lot of it on the east coast. What we want to do with this boat is to showcase the talent and level of skill that we have here in the yard.”
The process starts with a consultation with the client to determine the desired size and style of boat. Then, a naval architect will design the boat specifically to the client’s requirements. Blue Thunder was designed by William Garden, whom Elliott refers to as “the dean of yacht designers in this country.” Each custom project taken on by Bay Ship & Yacht will have a team of specialized craftsmen that will take on an individual project from concept to completion, much like the mega-yacht business. The result is a completely unique vessel built to the specifications of the client.
“A lot of people look at a shipyard as a just being a bunch of guys that can hammer steel and apply bottom paint,” says Elliott. “We wanted to show the range of expertise and let people know about the fine craftsmanship here.” Blue Thunder is magnificent showpiece for just that.
All photos courtesy of DavidAllenStudio.com
