Notable Projects
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Atlantide, Philip & Son

To Justin Christou, captain of Atlantide, there's nothing like being aboard the classic sailing ship, which underwent an extensive refit at Knight & Carver in early 2008.

"She has so much Old World charm," Christou said of the 122-ft yacht that dates back to 1930. "There aren't many more boats that have as much character as she does. She has such a colorful history. To be part of it is quite a privilege."

Owned by celebrated venture capitalist and yachtsman Tom Perkins, Atlantide serves in large part as a shadow vessel to Perkins' Maltese Falcon, one of the world's largest privately-owned sailing yachts at 289 feet.

"Because he's a yachtsman himself, he knows what it takes to man a boat of this stature," said Christou, a life-long sailor and native of Banff, Canada who's served five years as captain. "He's the best boss I've every worked for - hands down."

Best described as a "gentleman's yacht," Atlantide served as a backdrop for the classic 1962 movie "Tender is the Night," based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel.

Years before, in 1940, it was one of several thousand British-owned vessels of all shapes and sizes that helped evacuate 250,000 stranded Allied soldiers, including many U.S. troops, from the German-occupied beaches of Dunkirk, France.

"I've always had a keen interest in history," said Christou. "So being on this vessel gives me the opportunity to live that history every day."

Helios, 194’ Oceanco

Helios is now ready for her close-up.

The yacht's once-classic European styling has been stripped away, to be replaced with a far more glamorous, sexy look. Think Nikki Beach meets LA style.

"It's a floating beach house, totally chic, edgy and contemporary," said Captain Tommy Gurr. "The owners wanted something more fitting to their lifestyle."

Launched in 2001, Helios now calls the West Coast its cruising base, one reason Gurr opted for a lengthy refit at Knight & Carver.

"We really love San Diego," said Gurr, a native of Great Britain. "It's got so much going for it. The downtown's vibrant, the concert scene is alive, and there's the beach life and amazing weather. Everything's here for us. I'd say San Diego covers all the bases."

Besides the major interior overhaul of the salon and all six staterooms, the refit included full exterior paintwork as well as a full remodel of its 500 square foot sundeck, plus considerable system upgrades and maintenance.

Knight & Carver's Cliff Mayo, who served as project manager with technical superintendent Howard Buller, viewed the Helios refit as an complex collection of smoothly moving parts. The daily workforce included carpenters, electricians, steelworkers, upholsterers, floor carpenters, mechanics and engineers, among other trades.

"We formed a cohesive team with a high level of craftsmanship, teamwork and cooperation," said Mayo.

Reverie, 230’ Benetti

Reverie, a 230-ft. Benetti, departed Knight & Carver in early April after undergoing an extensive schedule of repair, maintenance and upgrades.

“I’ve been to many repair yards and this was the best yard experience I’ve ever had,” Captain Henning Heltberg told Knight & Carver employees. Capt. Heltberg praised K&C’s craftsmanship, attitude and attention to detail.

“Don’t be surprised if we come back again,” he said at a celebration BBQ a few days before the blue-hulled vessel departed for the Mediterranean. “We really had a great time here.”

Reverie ranks as the eighth largest privately owned megayacht in the U.S. The vessel carries a 32-member crew.

“The ship expressed its complete satisfaction with the yard period,” said Project Superintendent Howard Buller.

Knight & Carver assigned up to 40 employees and subcontractors to the project, which grew substantially from when the vessel arrived in early January.

Despite those workload additions, the project was completed on-time and on-budget, with virtually no re-work required.

“At times, it seemed that everybody had a ‘wish list’,” said Buller. “We started pulling rabbits out of our hat, and met most all of their different departments’ needs.  We got it right the first time.”
Corrie Lynn, 130’ Westport
From the moment the 130 ft yacht Corrie Lynn arrived at Knight & Carver, it was clear the crew would be easy to work with.
Same with their departure. As a thank-you gesture, Captain Steve Rodda and his seven-member crew hosted an after-work BBQ for Knight & Carver’s workers.
Such hospitality comes naturally to the easy-going Rodda, who hails from Cairnes, a city in Northeast Australia where the seemingly pristine beaches are bedeviled by hazardous, even lethal, conditions in the water.
“We’ve got more ways of killing you than anywhere I know,” Rodda said with an easy laugh. “Go in the water and you might die. We’ve got saltwater crocs, jellyfish and sea snakes. But that’s never stopped us (natives) from going in. It helps keep the tourists away.”
Built by Westport and launched in late 2003, Corrie Lynn gets around. Already, the yacht has amassed 35,000 nautical miles, with plans to spend the summer cruising Alaskan waters. The vessel’s Los Angeles-based owner also is building a 180’ megayacht at Trinity Yachts in Gulfport, MS, with Capt. Rodda supervising the new-build process.
Even with 25 years as a captain – piloting yachts, tugs, fast ferries and container ships – Rodda had never seen hurricanes as fierce as those in recent years off Florida and the Gulf Coast. “We’ve survived four hurricanes in three years,” he said. “A few times, we we were in big trouble but we made it.”
A few hurricanes aren’t enough to make him give up yachting. “I’ve retired twice already,” said Rodda. “I’m having too much fun right now to do it again.”
Chogori, 117’ Feadship
Chogori’s chief engineer, Jason Burdon, has the perfect description for the elegant 117’ Feadship motoryacht he calls home: “The last of the gentleman cruisers.”
Though Chogori was built fairly recently, in 1968, she evokes a decidedly non-contemporary era of yachting. Based on the Trumpy design, dating back to the 1920s and ’30s, the yacht’s interior fairly glows with traditional teak styling and an aura of elegance – embued with subtle hints of Art Deco décor.
When Captain Wolfgang Petrasko speaks of the steel-hulled beauty that recently underwent a five-month refit at Knight & Carver, he uses reverent tones.
“What I feel about this boat is difficult to put in words,” said Petrasko, who’s been a captain “on and off” for 32 years.. “I feel we’ve developed a close relationship. I know this: Her traditional lines would be difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate.”
A native of Austria, Petrasko worked as a carpenter at Knight & Carver in the mid-1990s, so visiting the repair yard is like coming home.
“It was great of (repair yard manager) Mike (Alvarez) to let us bring our own crew,” said Petrasko. “What’s been really helpful is, I have so many friends here that we were able to work together smoothly.”
Steadfast, 122’
What Chance Strickland wants you to know about him is that he’s young -- but not inexperienced -- as captain of Steadfast, a 122’ wood-hulled yacht.
“I’d say 99 percent of the people I meet in this business are older than me,” said Strickland, who’s 25. “I know it can be difficult to have a ‘kid’ saying how things should be done. So I have to earn their respect. Once that happens, things are all right.”
Steadfast, built in 1992 and one of the larger wood-hulled yachts in the world, spends nearly 150 days each year fishing the West Coast of the Americas – from Alaska to Chile, with the majority of time spent in Central America.
“We travel more than any other boat I’ve ever heard of, about 20,000 miles a year,” said Strickland, who’s skippered Steadfast for three years. “My owner (a Southern California-based businessman) likes it that way. As long as he’s fishing, he’s happy. And as long as he’s happy, I’m happy.”
Born and raised in the San Juan Islands off Washington state, Strickland grew up working on his family’s commercial fishing boats. .
The vessel’s quarry is usually black marlin, though Steadfast follows a fish-and-release policy. “I don’t kill anything with a bill,” said Strickland. “The way I see it, they’re the reason I have a job.”
Golden Boy II, 115’ Sovereign
Together with Irish-born Captain Vareek Breaden, the crew of Golden Boy II includes a Swede, an Aussie and a Brit – an ethnic stew that gives the 115’ Sovereign a distinctly international flair.
“I enjoy it because there’s not a dominant stereotype on board,” said Capt. Breaden. “Everyone brings their own flavor.”
What’s more, the yacht’s owner is a fast-rising American, Matt Sawyer, a 23-year-old industrial business developer who happens to be one of the world’s youngest megayacht owners.
Mr. Sawyer bought his first boat, a 94-foot Hargave, nearly two years ago. He named it Golden Boy because that’s what his grandfather, who was his business mentor, called him when Sawyer was growing up.
This past June, he decided to purchase the yacht he renamed Golden Boy II. Since then, he and his crew have traveled more than 100,000 miles. The vessel offers five staterooms and accommodates up to 10 guests, plus crew. Charter operations are scheduled for January 2007, after cruising to The Bahamas and South Florida.
As for Capt. Breaden’s unusual first name, he explains it this way: “It’s a very old Viking name. My parents made a spelling mistake when they named me. It should be correctly spelled “Varick.’. But true to Irish form, they got it wrong.”
Jagare, 127’Abeking & Rasmussen
The 127’Abeking & Rasmussen ketch Jagare spent two weeks at Knight & Carver in September 2005, undergoing bottom paint, prop repair and general maintenance.
Berthed in San Diego since early in 2005, the classic sailing yacht is scheduled to cruise Cabo San Lucas in October, according to Captain Pierre Ollemans.
Capt. Ollemans, who hails from outside Capetown, South Africa, is a former world-class water skier and kite-boarder who turned to yachting in his early 20s.
Ronin, 192’ Lurssen
M/Y Ronin, the 192’ Lurssen megagycht owned by Oracle founder/CEO Larry Ellison, spent three months at Knight & carver during the summer of 2005.
The project’s emphasis was on extensive audio/visual and IT upgrades, cabinet carpentry throughout the state rooms, re-caulking of the teak decks and complete hull repaint. A full-time crew of Knight & Carver tradesmen was assigned to the project.
The most substantial portion of the project was completed on Knight & Carver’s 1,000 foot drive-on dock, with haul-out performed nearby at our teaming partner, BAE Systems (formerly Southwest Marine). Cliff Mayo served as project manager.

Keywords: Knight, Carver, Yachts, Yacht Sales, Yacht Design, Yacht Construction, Yacht Repair, Travelift