The Shipyard

Growing from less than 10 to more than 40 employees, our yard isn’t same yard it was 20 years ago. Times change and we’re changing with it. What hasn’t changed is our location, the small Frysian village of Makkum. It has been our home from the very start and its down to earth mentality keeps us healthy and focussed.

Our DNA

In a fishing village like Makkum, living with the sea and battling the water have been facts of life for generations. It created a culture of no-nonsense and cooperation that is the foundation for building top quality yachts. After all, if it means the difference between sink or swim, you will make sure to deliver your absolute best work.

History

1997

The beginning of KMY

KMY is born when Eeuwe Kooi moves from yacht repair and storage to yacht building by aquiring their bankrupt neighbour’s yard.
2003

KMY starts working with DNA

KMY starts working with DNA, Dykstra Naval Architects and the build of Bestevaer 2, Gerard Dijkstra’s personal aluminium yacht really gets things going.
2004

Bestevaer 76S ‘Annagine’

Build of Bestevaer 76S ‘Annagine’ (now ‘Aurelius’), the biggest Bestevaer to date.
2007

10 year of KMY

Celebrating 10 years of KMY. A year for reflection as well as looking ahead.
2011

New office

As the business grows, the office starts to feel a bit cramped. Time to build a brand spanking new office space.
2012

Tulip 88

Delivery of our biggest boat yet, the ‘Tulip 88’, a German Frers design.
2016

Bestevaer 45 Pure

Introduction of the Bestevaer 45 Pure. Our semi-custom yacht build concept.
2019

NanuQ

Build of NanuQ. With her 24 meter, NanuQ (Inuït for polar bear) isn’t our longest, but in volume still our biggest build to date. And as her name suggests she was built for the arctic.
2020

Bestevaer Motoryacht

2020 sees another Bestevaer introduction. This time one without sails: the Bestevaer Motoryacht.
2021

Pelagic 77

Delivery of Pelagic 77, Skip Novak’s latest expedition ship, ready to explore the seven seas and beyond.

Design process

Translating the customer’s demands and wishes into a comfortable, reliable and safe yacht is basically what the design process entails. It all starts with listening to the customer, what do they want, what do they need and how can we make that happen.

Heart for aluminium

Aluminium is our material of choice when it comes to yacht building. It is lightweight, strong, stiff, low maintenance and customisable. Moreover, it can be recycled indefinitely.

Our people

Between the first contact with a customer and the moment that champagne bottle hits the hull around 50 people have put in their share to create the customers dream yacht. The way we work differs from other companies in the way that we realise every chain in this link is equally vital to have every boat meet our standards. Every part between bow and stern has been thought over, discussed, designed, constructed and assembled by self-managing teams. All of our people, from the yard floor to the design studio, to the administration office, work for the same goal are all equally responsible for getting there.

Building process

A yacht isn’t built in a day. For the future owner it starts when after years of dreaming they decide that the time to have their own yacht built, is now.