1 of 3
West Bay Shipyards
West Bay Shipyard’s waterfront location with the 72’ Sonship at the floating boat house.
2 of 3
West Bay Shipyards
The type of project varies from vessel to vessel yet each boat is assessed, providing customers with a full evaluation, a clear understanding of the project and overall cost.
3 of 3
West Bay Shipyards
West Bay Shipyards’ mandate is to also focus on service and re-fits on its brand of yachts as well as other yachts in the 40 to 100-foot range.
Words by Steve Fennell
Serving the yacht industry is a business that comes naturally for West Bay Shipyards. Based in Delta, BC, approximately 20 minutes from Vancouver, the company not only has a long-standing reputation of building custom and semi-custom yachts from 18 to 33-plus metres (60 to 100-plus feet), but has built up its name for re-fitting, redesigning, and re-rigging existing yachts to exact specifications and needs.
An extension of its yacht sales that was introduced in recent years, the service division of West Bay Shipyards has since evolved into the company’s core business. In fact, every yacht that is completed at its expansive waterfront facility along the shores of the Fraser River bears the same stamp of approval the company has been offering in its own yachts for the last 52 years.
“As economies change, so does our business,” said Wes Vermeulen, President of West Bay Shipyards. “We always have to adjust according to the industry and market demands and look for new opportunities to be profitable.”
A seasoned veteran of the marine industry who eventually took over operations of the company his father launched in 1967, Vermeulen explains that West Bay still offers a complete line of spec’d to order yachts, along with engine removals/reinstalls, drive repairs, wiring, custom painting, fibreglassing, the designing of hardtops plus complete interior redesigns.
With Vermeulen’s extensive background in yacht design, manufacturing, and sales – as well as an expert staff that includes his brother Bas and brother-in-law Danny Killberg – adding a strong service division was a logical move, especially in an age of where instant gratification and terms such as DFY (aka: done for you) are king.
“What we are seeing right now are less customers ordering semi- or custom yachts and not wanting to go through the whole building process,” says Vermeulen. “So, we are also focusing on service and re-fits on our brand of yachts, as well as other yachts and powerboats in the 40 to 100-foot range. We are continuing to grow and right now we are looking to double our service business.”
The grounds of West Bay Shipyards spans an impressive 6.5 acres and boasts more than 9,290 square metres (100,000 square feet) of climate-controlled design/production space. The facility also houses 200-ton marine ways and a floating boathouse that can accommodate two vessels up to 36 m (110 ft) with more space for eight yachts up to 80 feet along its slips.
While the type of project varies from vessel to vessel, each boat is assessed and managed from the get-go, providing customers with a full evaluation, a clear understanding of the project and overall cost. What can’t be done at West Bay is sub-contracted to local specialty shop. Yet, according to Vermeulen, West Bay Shipyards has created a reputation to handle very specific designs that other boat yards don’t offer, including custom helm designs and specialty hard tops.
“If heavy mechanics are required for an engine or there’s a special request then we’ll outsource to a local shop,” said Vermeulen. “Yet, our focus is completing everything in-house. It’s not only more economical for the customer, but the project meshes together easier. Being a custom boat builder also means we have quick access to other OEMs and the purchasing power to buy supplies cheaper and charge consumers less for parts.”
Vermeulen explained further that many boat owners in the last few years are requesting to have much of the convenience they have in their homes available on their yacht. This means the installations of current Wi-Fi systems and all-access, wireless convenience, a trend that keeps growing.
“After about ten years or so, electronics start to get old or need to be replaced,” says Vermeulen. “Right now (as of October 2018), we have three vessels in the yard that require all-new electronics and Wi-Fi systems. We do all that as well.”
With its diversified expertise and long-standing position in the yacht market, West Bay Shipyards is not only meeting the needs of its customers, but they are doing it at a brisk pace. The company has evolved into a one-stop facility to meet the demands of serious boaters and they effectively meet every project on target with steadfast service.
“We’re very proud on what we accomplished,” says Vermeulen. “This is in our DNA and it’s what we do. Most importantly, it’s what we know best.”
The new edition of SunCruiser West Coast is available on newsstands in BC and Alberta, or you can purchase a print or digital edition by clicking here.
Connect With SunCruiser Magazine on social media: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram