Westport Discuss Growing Alongside American Demand

“We’re still coming off a few tough years,” starts Daryl Wakefield, President of Westport Yachts, “no one was immune but we’re seeing an amazing number of people coming out and touring the facility over the summer which was a good surprise.”

The most prolific superyacht builder in America, Westport Yachts introduces a steady stream of high-quality production yachts to the water annually; however, with the American market standing strong behind Westport, how do they fare in Europe?

“We’ve always had a difficult time breaking into that market, not to say that we don’t have product over there because we do but, but nothing like we have in America,” explains Daryl. “We’re hoping, with the new model [125] that has a bit more of a European flair, both interior and exterior, so we’re hoping that’ll broaden that market for us.”

With markets broadening and a new 125 model attracting a lot of attention, the reality of demand is looming as customers and clients of Westport begin searching for larger yachts.

“We start at 112’ today and finish at 164’, and the difficulty for is that we have a number of clients that are outgrowing us. So, we are looking, we’ve started some designs for a bigger product. We just have to do it.”

Watch the full interview with Daryl Wakefield of Westport Yachts to find out more about the resilience of the market in the face of the new Presidency, as well as the shipyard’s relationship with the American market.