Denison Yachting Scores Alpha Custom Yachts in N.A.
On Wednesday, Alpha Custom Yachts (ACY) named Denison Yachting as the brand’s exclusive dealer in North America. “We consider Denison not only to be a leader in the brokerage community but also accustomed to selling new yachts,” said Roberto Abourmrad, principal in ACY. Denison has 22 offices scattered around the U.S., and Denison’s David Johnson will handle ACY builds in North America. ACY is a relatively new company that is owned by two Mexican brothers who have been active in yachting and the boat business for over 30 years. They have assembled what we think is a remarkable team from concept to market.
Alpha Custom Yachts, a US-based brand, was established in 2017 by Mexican brothers Roberto and Jorge Aboumrad, both yacht owners who have expanded their yacht business interests through the formation of the new brand. The involvement of the brothers in the boating business dates back over 30 years to 1989 when they set up Performance Boats in Mexico.
The Aboumrad brothers grew up sailing, and boating has been their one abiding passion through the years. After their father (a 1930s Lebanese immigrant) died they inherited the father’s Mexican textile business and the Aboumrad Bank, which was nationalized in 1982. The first motoryacht they owned was a 46’ Gallart, the leading builder in Spain at the time. Their experience with large motoryachts started 40 years ago.
Performance Boats of Mexico
In the mid-1980s, the story goes, the brothers decided to buy a ski boat and finding none built in Mexico suitable, went to the Miami boat show to buy one. They ended up importing them and starting Performance Boats of Mexico in 1989.
Today, Performance Boats of Mexico is a full-service marine company involved with new and used boat sales, charters, yacht management, insurance, boat transport and repair. This company has been and remains a leading stakeholder in the Mexican boat business.
Performance Boats acts as a dealer for the Ferretti Group brands of Ferretti Yachts, Custom Line, Pershing and Riva; as well as Fairline Yachts, Sea Ray, Boston Whaler and Malibu. The company has eight locations scattered around Mexico in its most prestigious yachting locations.
Alpha Custom Yachts
Building on their extensive experience in the yacht market both as boat owners and boat sellers, the two Aboumrad brothers decided in 2017 to form ACY. Once you see the designs they have embraced, you will immediately understand why the Aboumrad’s were searching for a motoryacht more fitting for the tropics, and the lifestyle found there. The ACY’s are open, airy, with maximized deck spaces and out-of-doors exposure – ideal for places like Acapulco or the Mayan Riviera of the Yucatan.
Designed and Built by Venture Yachts
The ACY motoryachts are designed and built by Venture Yachts, in a yard located in Yalova, Turkey on the Sea of Marmara, across a bay from Istanbul. Venture Yachts is a consortium of four of the world’s most renowned naval architectural firms: Omega Architects, based in the Netherlands, H2 Designs and Laurent Giles in the UK, Gregory Marshall from British Columbia, and Giorgio Cassetta in Rome. Each design house has dozens, and in some cases, scores, of large motoryachts to their credit.
The smallest yacht offered is 31.2m the Alpha Spritz 102-06 with a Cassetta Design interior and exterior, a 33m Spritz 110, two 38m Alfresco 125 models with interior and exterior design by H2 Yacht Design and a 44m Alpha 145. Laurent Giles provided the naval architecture for both the Spritz and Alfresco models.
We’re told that at least one of the ACY vessels will be on display at the 2021 Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show.
Turkey – the Rising Star of Yacht Building
Over the last 10 years, or so, Turkey has emerged as one of the most favored places in the world to build large fiberglass or cold-molded luxury yachts. Turkey has a long seafaring and boat-building heritage – mostly in wood boats. And, it is that old-world workforce of carpenters and joiners – and the devaluation of the Turkish Lira of over 50% over the last several years – that has made building there so attractive.
While fiberglass, resin, engines, and equipment all have a world market price, labor rates are a bargain these days in Turkey. That means more hours can be lavished on the boats without a pricing penalty. Labor, along with infrastructure costs, are pretty much the only variables in boat building. No wonder companies like Sirena marine, Numarine, Vicem Yachts, and Bering yachts, among many others, are building there, and are all busy.
Denison Yachting, North American Dealer
“We consider Denison not only to be a leader in the brokerage community but also accustomed to selling new yachts,” said Roberto Abourmrad. “They’ve already represented other brands and that sets them apart from the standard activity of a brokerage firm. Obviously, our size of boats is not for a normal-sized dealer; so it was complicated to make our decision, but for sure we made the right choice.”
David Johnson of Denison Yachting, who will be heading up ACY sales, said, “They have a combined lifetime of yachting experience and when they put their heads together to design the Spritz and Alfresco models — the outcome is the perfect yacht in its size category.”
David has 20 years of experience in the superyacht industry and has sailed over 100,000 miles during his tenure as a captain of Feadships and other large motoryachts.
Denison Yachting has long been a leader in the yachting industry with a rich family history dating back to 1948, and the start of Broward Marine in Fort Lauderdale. Today, the company provides complete yachting services worldwide, including superyacht sales, yacht charter, crew placement, and new construction. Denison operates out of 22 waterfront offices in the United States with a team of 90+ licensed and bonded yacht brokers.
For more information about Alpha Custom Yachts, contact David Johnson at 954-610-3263 | [email protected].