American Marine Ltd, along with Grand Banks, was the inventor of the pleasure trawler.
Sailing on a Grand Banks offers a different approach to cruising and life aboard. Powered by Ford Lehman engines, a Grand Banks boasts significant autonomy at speeds below 10 knots.
It also provides its crew with ample living space while offering a high level of equipment.
For over 60 years, Grand Banks boats have gracefully traversed all the seas of the world with their distinctive silhouette. Let's delve into the history and evolution of the precursor to the cruising trawler.
The story of the legendary Grand Banks trawler begins on the shores of an island in Hong Kong. Two brothers, John and Whit Newton, encouraged by their father, set up a wooden boat construction yard in one of the parking lots of the family factory.
The initial units produced were orders from wealthy local entrepreneurs, desiring to acquire long-keel sailboats or wooden motor yachts.
In 1962, the shipyard moved to larger premises to meet growing demand. The family business settled in Junk Bay, north of the archipelago.
In 1963, the two brothers decided to abandon custom orders and venture into serial production. They asked architect Kenneth Smith to design a 36-foot wooden cruise boat with a displacement hull and diesel propulsion.
At its launch, the first in the series was named "Spray" and was a resounding success. Inspired by the design of North American trawlers, the Spray foreshadowed the philosophy of the Grand Banks: a raised pilothouse, high bulwarks, and rounded hull lines. The combination provided incredible living space while sporting an extraordinary design. Additionally, the displacement hull behaved very well in rough seas, although it sometimes suffered from pronounced rolling.
1124 units of this 36-foot model would be manufactured, foreshadowing the market's attraction to this type of vessel. In 1974, the shipyard expanded its expertise into polyester manufacturing. Easier to work with than traditional wooden construction, the shipyard gained in productivity.
Due to its proximity to Asian forests, the shipyard developed renowned expertise in teak implementation for its decks and interior fittings, offering an incomparable maritime ambiance whose quality has remained unmatched over the years.
This polyester boat is a second-hand vessel in excellent condition, well-equipped.
