Boats

A Visit to American Custom Yachts

Building a 68-footer and in its 24th year of boat building, ACY has been rocking steady.

By Christopher Balogh

Updated: January 15, 2016

A new build is on its way from Stuart, Florida-based American Custom Yachts (ACY). This 68-footer, named Chach, will be completed within the next two years. Soon after, it will be competing in the world’s best tournaments. Chach will have the hull interior reinforced with Kevlar. Interior bulkheads have been installed, and preparation is underway for the rudder table and forward subfloor.

Boat Building in his Bones

ACY President Dominick Lacombe stands in front of his latest creation, a 68-footer named Chach. Christopher Balogh

American Custom Yachts President Dominick Lacombe says that all their boats are different and that they never build the same boat twice. When it comes down it, he credits the talent.

“We got a good group of guys that have been together for a long time,” he says. “And we got a good group of young guys coming up into the business.”

When it comes to the toilsome aspects of the operation, ACY is always evolving with the times.

“The challenging part is with the higher horsepowers, making the boat strong enough to go fast enough in the heavy seas, and still make a stable platform for fishing.”

But, ACY does just that. Backbreaking work that stems all from an idea in someone’s head. Vision to visual, this is why ACY has been around all this time.

Driving down I-95 South, get a glimpse of the massive facility. Christopher Balogh

Sketch to Sea

The plans sit next to its real-life, 68-foot counterpart. Christopher Balogh

From inside the hull, one can feel as small as an ant. Christopher Balogh

Most boat builders agree that cold-molded wooden boats generally out-perform glass boats because they are almost always lighter and faster. Christopher Balogh

Utilizing computerized plasma cutters provided by shipbuilder Edison Chouest Offshore, ACY fabricates a permanent steel jig for each hull. This method ensures that each hull meets ACY’s exacting specifications, while reducing hundreds of man-hours in set-up and breakdown time. Christopher Balogh

Each boat features a uniquely-crafted hull that is precision-built for speed and efficiency. Christopher Balogh

American’s cold-molded construction technology duplicates the weight-saving advantages of foam-core hulls, while adding the extra strength of a wooden hull. Christopher Balogh

One of ACY’s past creations, the Bluewater Cat out of Orange Beach, Alabama, sits in the warehouse for maintenance. Christopher Balogh

The Bluewater Cat in all its glory Christopher Balogh

ACY’s talented crew at work. Christopher Balogh

More: behind the boat, Sport Fishing Boats

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