Just over 2 hours north of Seattle sits the small town of Anacortes, Washington, known as the “Gateway to the San Juan Islands.” It is home to James Betts Enterprises, Inc., a family owned and operated boat building company specializing in custom racing and cruising yachts.
With 40+ years in the business, JBE custom yachts have been raced in prestigious events around the globe including the America’s Cup, Admiral’s Cup, and Around Alone. Even more impressive is their commitment to making a custom yacht a viable option to a wider audience. Utilizing their “Integrated Project Delivery” system, Betts has streamlined the build process so that steps are clearly defined and the high standards of JBE are maintained through out.
James Betts Enterprises, Inc. is committed to innovation, redefining the custom yacht building experience. They have incorporated green building and lean construction to their core values. They also have the good fortune to be located in one of the country’s leading manufacturing and technology hubs. (Think Boeing, Janicki Industries and Hexcel Corporation.) With a team of highly skilled craftsmen, engineers and technicians, JBE has developed proprietary construction techniques using state-of-the-art composite materials, the latest 3D CAD software and CNC milling technology.
It is an impressive shop – and one that we’re thrilled to announce is joining in with SWYD to build Cirrus, a custom 62’ sloop that combines contemporary design with modern classic styling cues.
Despite the modern form, the design examines generous classic cues with a nod to the styles of the 1950’s – 60’s. The hull of Cirrus has a restrained modern aim delivering a good distribution of powerful long-lines and sections for good sailing in most conditions. Among these hull shaping elements are a strong degree of flare in the topside sections forward to help suppress green water and spray over deck with the slight hollow entrance to her waterline that will contribute to light-air performance — the result adds nuance to her great looks. As you can see in the drawings below, a hull that is well balanced (despite the broad stern) with moderate displacement to help discourage the offshore discomfort associated with extremely light vessels.
SWYD is pleased to have James Betts Enterprises join the team as we work together to realize the client’s dream of owning a custom made Spirit-of-Tradtion yacht. Stay tuned next month for our deep dive on Cirrus where we’ll share details from the extensive design and development meetings with our client, to the critical building decisions that are made with JBE that will allow our owner to experience unparalleled levels of satisfaction and the reward that only comes from the custom yacht building process.