About Us
History
The foundation of Offshore Yachts was actually established during World War II when steel shortages led the US Navy to consider alternative construction materials. Richard O. Hunt, future founder of Offshore Yachts, pioneered the use of laminated fiberglass in the construction of auxiliary navy boats. After the war in 1948, Richard went on to build the first laminated fiberglass pleasure cruisers. Ten years later, Richard’s sons joined him in the business.
All yacht buyers look for safety, comfort, convenience, and performance, and in the 1960s, to achieve these goals, Offshore Yachts sought out legendary naval architect William Crealock, one of the world’s leading authorities on performance cruising boats. His “deep fore foot” designs led to Offshore’s very successful high-speed Marauder series, which were built from the 1960s into the 70s. His designs are masterful realizations of the yachter’s abstract needs in physical form. In 1983, Crealock extended the deep-fore-foot design to the first Offshore 48, a boat that is the direct progenitor of our current line of cruisers (now reaching 92 feet). More recently, designs have been created by Doug Sharp and continue the form, function, and style begun by Crealock.
The deep fore foot has become the signature element of Offshore design. The “finely veed” forward section allows a sharp entry that cuts cleanly through rough seas, offering a smooth controlled ride and virtually eliminating slap and pounding. As a result, Offshore owners frequently report that in choppy seas they feel confident in proceeding when other craft are turning back to the docks. In addition, the immense core strength structure of Offshores combined with the finely detailed, sensual elegance of the interior/exterior provides an uncommon feeling of luxurious safety. A generous beam offers liberal space for comfortable accommodation.
Offshore hulls derive their amazing strength from being molded as a single integral unit. The construction molds are equally admired for their aesthetic features - built-in facet lines, insets (vs. cutouts), and their clarity and flaw-free smoothness of surface. This is attention to detail that many manufacturers prefer to skip.
Today’s Offshore has evolved from our long history of refinement, materials development, and customer inputs and experiences. As of the newest Offshore 80 now nearing construction completion, the company has built 300 + yachts, an important number because it is no easy task to build a luxury yacht, and in the end, it’s the builder’s experience that makes all the difference. Indeed, Offshores are almost always semi-custom crafts, a one of a kind conception perfectly tailored to the owner’s requirements, and so our half-century plus of know-how is doubly critical in making them all such successful creations.
Because of their quality and high reputation, Offshores have tremendous liquidity. As an owner, you have a built-in exit strategy and a lower overall ownership investment. In one recent quarterly survey of brokerage sales (Yachtworld.com data), thirteen Offshore yachts ranging in size from 48’ to 66’ sold as opposed to three yachts from our top three competitive brands. This says just about all you need know.
We urge you to ask Offshore owners, shipyard owners, captains, professional yacht brokers, surveyors, yacht club members this simple question, “What do you think of Offshore yachts?” The answers will surely be overwhelmingly positive, and if not, we want to hear about it.
