Mainebiz

V O L . X X I V N O X X V I I I D E C E M B E R 1 0 , 2 0 1 8 10 B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S M A I N E B U S I N E S S N E W S F RO M A RO U N D T H E S TAT E contact us today to fuel productivity at your business! productivity with onsite gourmet coffee, tea and water service (207) 945-5688 1-800-432-7919 cascobayfb.com Full setup, management, and maintenance Wide range of beverage kiosks to choose from Promote a positive work environment and sense of community www.harriman.com 2018 AUBURN BOSTON PORTLAND PORTSMOUTH © Blind Dog Photo Associates THOUGHTFUL SOLUTIONS AND INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES FOR THE FUTURE. Hodgdon Yachts finds market for waterborne 'limousines' to serve superyachts B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r E a s t B o o t h b a y — When you own a superyacht, you need a small boat to get you into small harbors. Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay has developed a niche market, building so-called tenders for the yacht owners, many of whom are in the European market. The launch of two new tenders for a superyacht under construction in Germany signals a thriving niche market — although one facing increasing competition — for the superyacht tender division of Hodgdon Yachts. Hodgdon Tenders, which operates out of Damariscotta, launched a 31-foot Venetian limousine tender and a 26-foot Venetian center-console tender. The limousine tender features mirrored windows that electrically raise and lower, port and starboard hull side doors that swing open for easy aft-side board- ing, and a power roof that lifts for full headroom height. The luxury cabin, with heat and air conditioning, seats up to 12 passengers. The center-console tender has a similar exterior as the limousine, but the design, layout and performance capabilities were tailored for beach use and water sports. There's growing demand in the superyacht tender market, fifth-generation yard owner Tim Hodgdon told Mainebiz. "There's a lot of growing competition as well," he added. "The strength of the dollar is an obstacle because most of the competition is in Europe and other parts of the world." Both tenders were designed by Michael Peters Yacht Design of Sarasota, Fla. They'll be delivered early next year to the German boatbuilder Abeking & Rasmussen, which is constructing an 260-foot motor yacht for one of its cus- tomers, Hodgdon said. Why does one yacht need two tenders? "One is a limousine, which is designed for [the yacht owner] to transport guests and himself from shore-side facilities," said Hodgdon. "It's like having a Lincoln town car — it's a chauffeur-driven limousine. They would use the other tender for water sports, going to a beach perhaps, fishing — it's more of a sport boat." Two centuries of custom yachts Hodgdon Yachts, in East Boothbay, was founded by the Hodgdon family in 1816 and is still owned by the same family. Over the course of 200 years, Hodgdon has built boats ranging from the Arctic schooner Bowdoin, now owned by the Maine Maritime Academy, to the 100-foot superyacht Comanche, which in 2016 shattered the west-to-east transatlantic monohull sailing record. In recent decades, Hodgdon diversified its services. Today, the company's divisions include Hodgdon Yachts, specializing in custom sail and power yacht construction; Hodgdon Tenders; Hodgdon Yacht Services, offering full service boatyard services and refits; and Hodgdon Defense Composites, building spe- cialized defense craft. The design of the two tenders launched in November are semi-custom ver- sions of the existing Venetian line. "They're the identical look and styling as our Venetian line, but a little different configuration," Hodgdon said. The yard has built about 15 tenders to date, and recently signed three con- tracts, he said. "We have a backlog we're working on, and other proposals we're bidding on," he added. B R I E F P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F H O D G D O N YA C H T S Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay has developed a niche market, building so- called tenders for superyachts

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