Designed by Hoek Design Naval Architects, ‘Weatherly’ was built in 2002. A beautiful wooden ship that was transferred to us by the new owner from the USA in 2021 for a major refit.
Among other things, a bow thruster, heating and a new engine were installed. In addition, the hull was painted and most of the wood was painted white to lighten the interior.
New upholstery was installed and the entire interior was updated.
After a refit of nearly two years, the refurbished ‘Weatherly’ was delivered back to her owners in 2022. The intention is for them to take her to the Mediterranean.
The world of sailing is one of dreams, adventure, and personal connections with the seas. For sailing enthusiast, William, this led to a journey with KM Yachtbuilders, transforming his dream yacht, Weatherly, into a true wonder of the seas.
A fateful meeting between William and KM Yachtbuilders
William’s journey with KM Yachtbuilders began when he met Eeuwe, the owner of KM Yachtbuilders, at the Southampton Boatshow a few years ago. At that time he considered purchasing a Bestevaer 50, but his heart led him to a Bestevaer 53. After the purchase, he took the boat to the yard for refit work every year. William says: “It was my ambition to take what was already a very good boat and make it into a very best Bestevaer 53 and I think we did very well.” William decided after more than 5 years that it was time for something new.
Over the years, a strong bond grew between William and the KMY-team. They successfully sold his Bestevaer 53, and with the earnings he bought Weatherly – a boat that was yet to be seen as it was acquired during the challenging times of the Covid pandemic. With the expertise of KM Yachtbuilders, the boat underwent a major 12 month refit, turning it into a modern masterpiece.
A new life for Weatherly
The refit process was no easy task as it has basically renewed everything except the hull and teak deck. The boat has been completely modernized with advanced systems, heating, electronics, painted and renewed interior, rigging and new engines. “Essentially it’s a brand new boat technically and aesthetically, all the equipment is brand new, but it happens to be in the existing hull.” William said.
William particularly likes the new Yanmar engine, an updated version of the original, with more power and whisper-quiet performance. Despite the many challenges posed by this ambitious refit, the mutual trust and understanding between William and KM Yachtbuilders, coupled with open communication, ensured seamless solutions every step of the way.
KM Yachtbuilders strengths and potential improvements
Throughout the collaboration, William praised KM Yachtbuilders’ remarkable communication and teamwork. The small, dedicated team made sure everyone was kept informed and involved in the decision-making process, a key factor in achieving success. Douwe, the project manager, played a central role in carefully guiding the refit.
While there were minor frustrations such as delayed phone calls, they paled in comparison to overall satisfaction with the service provided by KM Yachtbuilders. William appreciates that the yard offered comprehensive in-house solutions, saving him the trouble of hiring different professionals for individual tasks. William: “It’s been my experience that only a very few yachts are able to undertake every last item of work that you need and boats are really complicated pieces of work, they are very complicated machines. So to have a yard which will change your engine and replace the cushion covers on your upholstery is fantastic. Rather than having to organize marine engineers to do one job and upholster and electricians do another. Everything is in-house and integrated. It makes things a lot easier.”
