CUSTOM SERVICE

Who’d have thought – when Lloyd Stevenson built his first boat in 1983, a Davidson 40, that 35 years later he’d be building custom boats for some of the world’s most prestigious superyacht projects?

But each of the boats produced by his yard over the past three decades, he insists, is testament to the unwavering craftsmanship of the entire team. The company has built more than 62 custom boats in this time, more than 20 of them the signature Elite mid-pilothouse design.

Being able to custom-build exactly what a customer wants, rather than forcing him to choose from a limited number of options around an existing design, means that, by definition, the customer is always happy with the end result. Added comfort comes from the company’s reputation for standing by its workmanship – and that it’s in the industry for the long haul.

While building superior quality product consistently may be admirable in itself, says Lloyd, it doesn’t necessarily sustain and grow a business. “My wife Tracey and I are still involved in the day-to-day management of the company – but we’ve built a team of dynamic thinkers, skilled and experienced craftsmen – around us. It’s a true team ‘culture’.”

Around 10 years ago, just as the GFC was biting hard, the team noted that superyachts were getting larger and more luxurious. Although the mid-range market was feeling the crunch, the mega-yachts were requiring bigger and better tenders.

The massive yachts often cannot berth in some of the smaller harbours around the world – and their owners demand tenders that are themselves an extension of the main yacht design. Boats that are designed to be headturners in their own right.

LSB has won numerous international design awards and been finalists in many others. Two of tenders were finalists in the 2018 Boat International Design & Innovation Awards.