Kris McClintock, Author at US Watercraft

Aug 30
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See Us at the Newport International Boat Show

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Alerion 33USWatercraft will have our Alerion Yachts, True North Yachts, and North Rip Boats on display at the Newport International Boat Show, Sept. 15-18, 2016.

Alerion Yachts: Show visitors will see four of our most popular Alerion models in Newport. We’ll have the Alerion 41, Alerion 33 (above), Alerion Sport 30 and the Alerion Express 28 on display. The Alerion 41 received a “Best Boats” award from SAIL magazine in 2014 and the Alerion Sport 30 is nominated for the 2016 award. The combination of classic lines and incredible sailing characteristics set the Alerion brand apart from everything else on the market. The flagship Alerion 41 features a cruising interior with 6’5″ headroom, galley, and accommodations for six guests. All Alerions have incredible cockpit seating and sail handling systems designed for ease of use. We’ll help you choose the Alerion that’s just right for your sailing style. Visit the Alerion Yachts website here.

True North 34 Outboard Express in Narragansett Bay, RI

True North Yachts: The exciting True North 34 Outboard Express will also be featured in Newport. The boat on display is fully loaded, including a SureShade cockpit cover. Classic Downeast hull design meets an elegant yet easy-to-maintain interior in this incredibly versatile yacht. Load your SUP or kayak on the coach roof, keep your dive tanks in the oversize cockpit, stow all of your equipment neatly in the giant lockers - with a True North, you have plenty of room for all of your toys, friends, and pets with no fear of marring a fussy interior. Thirty-four feet not big enough? Ask us about the True North 38. Visit the True North website here.

North Rip center console headed to Newport RI.North Rip Boats: Our new North Rip 21 and North Rip 30 center consoles are turning heads with their Carolina bow flare and tumblehome stern. These beauties are tough as nails and designed to take on the sportiest fishing waters. Monstrous insulated fish lockers, live wells, and plenty of dry storage combine with top speed and fuel efficiency to make the North Rip unbeatable in the fishing market. Its incredible agility and head-turning style are also perfect as a tender or family fun boat. Get on board and see for yourself why this new brand is a breath of fresh air in the center console market. Visit the North Rip website here.

Get your tickets to the Newport International Boat Show here.

Apr 08
0

USWatercraft Featured in Providence Business News

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SMOOTH SAILING: Randy Borges, president of USWatercraft LLC, is seen at his Warren boat-manufacturing facility. PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

SMOOTH SAILING: Randy Borges, president of USWatercraft LLC, is seen at his Warren boat-manufacturing facility.
PBN PHOTO/RUPERT WHITELEY

BY MARY MACDONALD | [email protected]

As in any other industry, manufacturers of luxury yachts survive and grow by learning what customers want.

Randy Borges, president of Warren-based USWatercraft LLC, initially opened a business focused on a particular niche, making racing sailboats faster and more efficient.

Beginning in 1988, the boat-service company, called Waterline Systems LLC, earned a reputation for optimizing speed in one-design boats, such as the J/24, a 24-foot racer, and larger boats competing in Grand Prix races.

The highly specialized work consisted of “trying to get every ounce of speed out of the boats by optimizing the underwater surfaces,” Borges said.

By 2000, the business had shifted. Borges had an opportunity to become a contract builder, manufacturing the J/22 and J/24 sailboats for J/Boats Inc.

With his business partner, Gunther Buerman, Borges launched USWatercraft.

Sixteen years later, the boat builder employs 70 people in a highly specialized trade. The company still provides marine service, including hull repair, but about two-thirds of its business is in manufacturing of new boats.

“We’ve transitioned to a point where manufacturing is the main point of the business and service is secondary,” Borges said.

In 2012, USWatercraft purchased the assets of the Pearson Marine Group, including its facility, equipment and business interests in several luxury-yacht brands.

The company manufactures about 50 recreational boats a year, according to Borges, including Alerion Yachts, True North Yachts, C&C Yachts and North Rip Boats, a fishing boat.

The Alerion yachts are an elegant, classic sailboat design, but with modern construction and systems. The focus of the brand is on day sailing, Borges said. The line is based on the designs of Nathaniel Herreshoff, a Rhode Island designer who created the first one in 1912.

This month, USWatercraft has about eight or nine boats in production, at varying stages. The labor-intensive work can take several months. The manufacturing process, taking stage in the company’s 100,000-square-foot facility, encompasses design to completion. The outfitting of each yacht, the choice of materials and wood finishes, all are part of the process, Borges said.

Most of the USWatercraft boats are sold to dealers, and sold to customers at prices ranging from $40,000 for a 22-foot J/Boat sailboat, to more than $500,000 for the 41-foot yachts.

Despite the image, the luxury market in boats is not recession proof.

In 2006 to 2007, the company had 60 employees, which was cut to 15 in the depths of the recession.

One of the greatest challenges to the industry may not be in economic conditions, but in lifestyle changes.

Sailing is a time-consuming activity, and people are stretched in many directions now, he observed. The most popular designs, perhaps not coincidentally, are those that do not require much intensive labor on the part of the sailor.

“It’s just being able to be adaptive,” he said, of the evolution of USWatercraft. •

 

Read the story on the Providence Business News website

 

 

Mar 14
0

Thank You for Attending our Open House

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True North, Alerion, North Rip and C&C Yachts were on display at the Open House.

USWatercraft welcomed more than 200 guests during our recent Open House. Held at our Rhode Island factory on Saturday, March 5, visitors included owners of boats built by USWatercraft, as well as new customers, journalists, industry friends, and local residents curious about the bustling 100,000-sq.ft-factory in their town. USWatercraft builds brands, both sail and power: Alerion Yachts, True North Yachts, North Rip Boats and C&C Yachts.

Cam Church (back to camera, blue shirt) explains how a mold is prepared for infusion.

Tours of the production floor were the highlight of the day. Members of the USWatercraft engineering and production teams guided visitors through the factory, explaining the high-tech process used to manufacture both sailing yachts and powerboats. The tour began with a look at the raw materials (such as fiberglass cloth and core materials) and the myriad of molds used to create the hulls and decks. Next was an explanation of the resin-infusion process and a look at a True North 38 hull in the process of being infused.

True North 38 hull set up for infusion.

Every hull produced by USWatercraft is built using resin-infusion, the gold standard for producing strong, lightweight, and consistent fiberglass hulls. The process begins with materials laid up in a precision mold, followed by vacuum-bagging. The vacuum pulls and distributes a precise amount of liquid resin into the lay-up of fiberglass and core materials. The vacuum pressure also compacts the materials, removing any trapped air. The result is an efficient, repeatable process that results in very high quality parts.

Steve Dennis introduces our production line.

The tour also included a walk down the production line, where parts from engines to hardware are added to the completed hulls and decks. The final stop was the extensive carpentry shop, where everything from interior woodwork and furniture to teak decks are produced both by hand and with the assistance of CNC machining.

“People ask great questions, and they’re very interested in what we do here,” says TJ Perrotti, Senior Naval Architect and Chief Design Engineer for USWatercraft, who led many of the day’s tours. “It gives our owners tremendous confidence to meet the people behind the construction of their boat, and to see that everything is built right here in Rhode Island to the highest standards.”

TJ Perrotti (back to camera, green sweater) explains how core materials are laid up prior to infusion.

Visitors were also treated to a look at nine finished yachts, representing each of the company’s brands. This included the two newest launches – the Alerion Sport 30 sailing yacht and the North Rip 30 center console fishing boat. Also on view were the Alerion 41, Alerion 28, and Alerion 20 sailboats, the C&C 30 One Design racing sailboat, the True North 34 Outboard Express and True North 38 powerboats, and the North Rip 21 center console.

“Everyone at USWatercraft is incredibly proud of the boats we build,” says Randy Borges, President and founder of USWatercraft. “It’s exciting to give our customers a behind-the-scenes look at everything that goes on here, and to introduce them to all of our brands. Some people know us for our sailboats, and others for powerboats; the Open House is a chance for us to show off our skill in building and servicing both.”

USWatercraft began as the service company Waterline Systems in 1988. The USWatercraft name was added in 2000 when the company began building boats, first as a licensed builder of J/Boats. USWatercraft purchased and began building the Alerion and True North brands in 2012, C&C Yachts in 2014 and North Rip in 2015. (Waterline Systems remains as the service arm of the company) USWatercraft employs 75 of the most highly skilled and experienced boatbuilding staff in New England.

Feb 16
1

Open House March 5

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On March 5, 2016, USWatercraft will open the doors to our Rhode Island factory for a behind-the-scenes look at the unique combination of high-tech construction and master craftsmanship that goes in to the build of each of our extraordinary brands. Visitors can take a guided tour of our factory and learn about our process, meet our team of boatbuilding experts, and ask questions one-on-one with our customer service team.

As the builders of True North Yachts, Alerion Yachts, C&C Yachts, and North Rip Boats, we produce luxury power and sail brands, as well as grand-prix racing sailboats and dedicated sportfishing boats. While very different boats in purpose, they share a common denominator – each hull is built to exacting standards, using the high-tech, efficient resin-infusion construction process for which we are known. The result is the highest level of performance for its designed purpose. You will also visit our carpentry shop, where modern CNC machining meets old-world craftsmanship, resulting in some of the most beautiful interior work available.

Tours run every hour, with the last tour starting at 3:00pm. Finished yachts are also on display throughout the day, and several of our industry partners will also showcase their latest products. Industry partners include Edson International, Lewmar, New England Ropes, Harken, and others.

In addition, you can enter to win a one-day fishing charter on Narragansett Bay aboard the North Rip 30, led by Captain Jack Sprengel of East Coast Charters.

The event is free and open to the public; bring your friends and family! To RSVP, and see our location, click the link below.

Click here to RSVP.

Schedule
Doors open 10am
Tours every hour, last tour begins 3:00pm
Drawing for North Rip Charter at 3:30pm
Vendor Fair open until 4pm

Finished Yachts on Display
Alerion Cruising 41
Alerion Sport 30
Alerion 28
Alerion 20
North Rip 30
North Rip 21
True North 34 Outboard Express
C&C 30 One Design
J/22

Models Under Construction
C&C 30 One Design
Alerion Express 20
Alerion Express 28
Alerion Sport 30
Alerion Express 33
Alerion Cruising 41
True North 38
North Rip 21
North Rip 30

Jan 12
0

Win a Charter Aboard the North Rip 30

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To celebrate the launch of our new North Rip 30, USWatercraft is giving away a one-day fishing charter to one lucky winner. You and a guest will board the exciting North Rip 30 for a full-day quest for striped bass on Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay, led by the dynamic Captain Jack Sprengel of East Coast Charters.

To enter, you must visit the North Rip display at the Providence Boat Show (space 2A), February 4-7, 2016, or attend the Open House hosted by USWatercraft, builder of the North Rip 30, on March 5, 2016, and fill out an official entry form in person.

The contest is open to everyone 21 years and older. No purchase is necessary, however, there is an entry fee to the Providence Boat Show (the Open House is free and open to the public). The drawing will be held March 5 at approximately 3:30pm.

For full contest rules, click here: North Rip Charter Sweepstakes Rules.

For Providence Boat Show times and ticket prices, click here. Details on the open house coming soon to this space.

Nov 18
0

Save the Date - March 5, 2016

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OpenHouseThe biennial USWatercraft Open House/Owners’ Rendezvous is scheduled for March 5, 2016 at our location in Warren, RI. This is a fun opportunity to mingle with other owners and see all of our brands - Alerion Yachts, True North, C&C Yachts, North Rip Boats, and Waterline Systems - under one roof. Tour the factory, meet other owners, attend boating seminars, and learn about aftermarket products and services specific to our brands. It’s a full day, not to be missed! So save the date, and watch this space, our social media, and your email for more details.