Andy Smith Boatworks

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A Long Standing Relationship

Andy Smith has a long standing relationship with James Wharram Designs, beginning as a JWD apprentice in the 1980s and later becoming manager of the ‘Wharram Built’ Yard in Cornwall (1989), building the Tiki 28 and Tiki 36 designs. Owing to Andy's previous boat building experience in southwest England, and very capable Filipino building crew proficient in West System epoxy construction methods, Andy Smith Boatworks affords a combination of high quality craftsmanship at acceptable Asian labour costs. The completed boats are of the highest standard.

A team of boat builders with an almost-finished large blue catamaran under a shelter
The Andy Smith Boatworks crew

Andy has exclusive rights for the professional building of the Ethnic design the Tama Moana - Child of the Sea (this design is however also available for Self-Building). The yard also has the exclusive building rights for the Islander 55 and 65 designs, which are only available professionally built.

Andy Smith specializes in ply-epoxy-glass, strip-plank and double-diagonal ply construction methods.

Compliments From The Designers

James Wharram and Hanneke Boon came aboard and thoroughly inspected the entire boat, and after a sail to Siquisor they gave very positive feedback on all aspects of construction and finish, compliments indeed from such a well respected sailing boat design and construction team. Please pass my comments to your entire team, they have built a boat that they can be proud of and that would be envied in any marina around the world, congratulations and thank you.

- Stuart Hall

A Bit Of History

Andy's career started with building the Wharram Pahi 42, commencing 1979. During 1988-89, whilst apprenticing with James Wharram Designs, he built the first Tiki 28. Forming his own company under contract with James Wharram Designs, he built three more Tiki 28s, a Tiki 21, both Tiki 36s, and built much of the Pahi 63 Wharram flagship 'Spirit of Gaia'.

1994 brought Andy to Germany to build Tiki 30 'Reggae'. 1995 saw him build Pahi 42 'Spirit of Maganda' in the Philippines. He also built fast load-carrying, work-boats for local dive shops in the central Philippines.

Andy Smith Boatworks was also commissioned to build the two Tama Moana double canoes for Hanneke's vision - the Lapita Voyage.

Large blue catamaran under shelter, looking at the stern
Islander 55 under construction at the yard

Boat Showcase

A selection of Wharram cats built at Andy's yard. You can also catch a few glimpses of the yard at work on boats under construction. Swipe/click left or right to see more of each design.

About The Yard

Andy Smith Boat Works is a franchised yard for building Wharram Catamarans. They have a close relationship with the designers James Wharram Designs, who will assist the customer with their choice of design and handle any design queries or modifications. It is seen as a three-way relationship between designers, yard and customer where at the end of the day all three parties are proud of the boat built.

To assure our customers that they get a quality built boat, we have established a number of safeguards.

Plywood & Timber, storage and treatment

We use quality Philippine marine plywood and local Philippine boatbuilding timbers by the name of White and Red Lauan, kiln-dried to assure good seasoning of the wood Philippine Mahogany, Gemalina, and Yukal and Tugas (hardwoods).

There is a fear amongst many would-be boat owners that boats built in the tropics can pick up wood borers during the build. We have taken various measures at our yard to prevent this happening.

  1. Our boatbuilding sheds are made of steel and have a clear, smooth concrete floor. All floors are swept and vacuumed daily to prevent any build-up of wood debris that could be the breeding ground for insects and wood borers.
  2. Plywood and timber is treated with insecticide on arrival at the yard and stored in closed steel containers also fumigated once a month and recorded. All wood is coated with epoxy as early in the build process as is practical.
  3. We regularly check the boats during the build process for any signs of borers.

These measures have proved effective, as we have experienced no problems with borers since we established the yard at its present premises at Bolod Panglao Island 9 years ago.

Close up of catamaran hull under construction

Customers checking their boat and visiting the yard

We encourage new customers to visit the yard to inspect our working conditions and meet the people that will build their boat. At such a visit, discussions can take place to determine all the customers wishes and how they will be met.

Once the build is in progress customers can arrange more visits to inspect the build and have further discussions.

Customers who reside locally during the build of their boat are allowed to visit the yard once a week to inspect progress at which time they are asked to sign an acceptance/complaints slip (copies of which will sent to James Wharram Designs if their boat is a Wharram Design)

This is a practice we have recently established when it was found that having too many customers and visitors at the yard at all times seriously disturbed our workers and confused them with conflicting orders, being given by customers instead of the yard management.

Overseas customers on a short visit do not have these restrictions and will be given all the time they need to inspect progress and discuss requirements for their boat.

Changes and additions asked for by the owner during the building of their boat are put in writing and signed, so both the customer and the yard have a written record of negotiations.

Islander 65 sailing

Contact Andy Smith Boatworks

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