Grand Banks Marks 70th Anniversary with Seven-Month Programme
By APB Staff
Asian boatbuilder Grand Banks marks its 70th anniversary with events and historical deep-dives.
Grand Banks Yachts plans to mark its 70th anniversary in 2026 with a series of events and initiatives scheduled to begin at the Palm Beach International Boat Show on 25 March. The program is planned to run for seven months and includes owner gatherings, historical features and editorial content examining the company’s development since its establishment in 1956.
The builder traces its origins to the Hong Kong waterfront, where the business was founded as American Marine Ltd. Over the following decades, the company introduced a range of cruising yachts and construction approaches that contributed to the development of the long‑range power cruising segment.
“People who know me well know I’m not someone who spends much time looking in the rearview mirror,” said Mark Richards, CEO and chief designer of Grand Banks. “But when you reach a milestone like this, it’s worth pausing to recognize the pioneers, craftsmen, designers, and owners who built something truly special. Grand Banks didn’t just build boats—it helped define what long-range cruising could be. The responsibility we carry today is to honor that spirit of innovation while continuing to push forward.”
The company’s early years focused on building practical cruising vessels. In 1964 it introduced the Grand Banks 36, a model widely associated with the emergence of the production trawler yacht segment. The design influenced subsequent passage making yachts and remained a reference point for later models produced by the brand.
Additional developments followed in later decades. In 1968 the yard introduced the Alaskan raised pilothouse series. The company later transitioned from wooden hull construction to fiberglass production, reflecting broader changes in yacht manufacturing. In 1993 it launched the Eastbay range, which contributed to the development of the Down East performance cruiser category.
The company moved its production from Hong Kong to Malaysia in 1995. The firm now produces its luxury motor yachts (including Grand Banks, Palm Beach, and Eastbay brands) in a large manufacturing facility in Pasir Gudang, Johor.
Richards assumed leadership of the company in 2014. With a background in competitive sailing and boatbuilding, he oversaw changes to the company’s design and production strategy, with a focus on hull efficiency and modern composite construction techniques.
That approach informed the development of the Grand Banks 60, introduced in 2017. The model also marked the introduction of the company’s V‑WARP Technology hull and construction approach, designed to improve cruising efficiency and extend operational range. According to the shipyard, yachts built using this approach can achieve up to 65 per cent greater fuel efficiency than comparable vessels in the same class.
The Grand Banks and Eastbay ranges currently include sixteen models. These yachts are designed for long‑range cruising and incorporate construction and design features intended to support extended operation at sea.
“Grand Banks has never been about standing still,” Richards added. “From the beginning, this was a company willing to rethink what was possible. Our founders embraced new ideas, new materials, and better ways of building boats. That mindset continues to guide everything we do today.”
The anniversary program is expected to include several initiatives during the seven‑month period. These include an official opening during the Palm Beach International Boat Show, a commemorative edition of the company’s in‑house magazine examining its history and yacht designs, and owner gatherings planned in the United States, Australia and Europe. The company also plans to publish digital and editorial features highlighting historical milestones, notable yacht designs and individuals associated with the brand.
Alongside the anniversary activities, the company indicates that development work continues on future models. One project currently under development is the Grand Banks 70, a model intended to expand the range while building on the efficiency and performance characteristics associated with the brand’s recent designs.