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The year 2026 marks an important milestone for Grand Banks. The American shipyard is celebrating 7 decades of building motor cruiser trawlers. From its beginnings in 1956 to today's models, the brand has undergone several major transformations in yachting.
A company born on the docks of Hong Kong
The story begins in 1956 with the founding of American Marine Ltd. in Hong Kong. The company drew on the expertise of local marine carpenters to build sturdy boats for coastal navigation and transport.
These units quickly attracted the attention of Western yachtsmen. The first models combined traditional construction techniques with architecture inspired by Asian workboats. This approach gave rise to launches designed for distance and autonomy.
The Grand Banks 36, a model that has become a benchmark
In 1964, the shipyard launched the Grand Banks 36, a cruising trawler that quickly became an iconic model in the motor yachting world.
Its silhouette is distinguished by a pronounced freeboard, a compact flybridge and a displacement hull suitable for long crossings. The interior layout favors life on board, with a protected saloon, wheelhouse and cabins designed for extended sailing.
This model helped to structure the category of mass-produced pleasure trawlers. It has had a lasting influence on the design of yachts for long-distance cruising.
Constantly evolving construction techniques
Over the decades, the shipyard adapted its construction methods to developments in naval architecture. The first wooden boats gradually gave way to fiberglass hulls.
This transition enabled production to be rationalized, while retaining the seaworthy qualities of the historic models. Structures became more homogeneous, and maintenance was simplified for owners.
Grand Banks then developed several ranges of motor yachts, including the Alaskan series introduced in the late 1960s and the Eastbay line introduced in the 1990s. These models broadened the shipyard's offering to include faster cruisers inspired by the Downeast style.
A new phase of development since the 2010s
In 2014, the management of the shipyard was entrusted to Mark Richards, navigator and shipbuilder. Under his leadership, the brand embarks on a technical transformation based on new design methods.
This led to the launch of the Grand Banks 60 in 2017. The shipyard introduced a design approach called V Warp Technology, combining hull architecture, composite structure and weight optimization.
The aim is to offer trawlers capable of covering long distances at high cruising speeds, while keeping fuel consumption under control.
An anniversary celebrated on an international scale
The launch of the seventieth anniversary celebrations takes place at the Palm Beach International Boat Show, from March 25, 2026. Several events are planned over a seven-month period. Owners' gatherings will be organized in the United States, Europe and Australia. The shipyard is also planning a special edition of its in-house magazine, as well as a series of contents retracing the history of its models and the people who have contributed to its development.
Today, the Grand Banks and Eastbay ranges include sixteen models of motor trawlers. All are produced in the Group's industrial facilities and distributed through an international network. This anniversary marks both a milestone in the shipyard's history and the continuity of a brand that has been associated with motorized ocean cruising for several decades.
Grand Banks timeline
- 1956: Company founded as American Marine in Hong Kong by Robert J. Newton and his sons John and Whit.
1961 Chantyman 34 - 1962: naval architect Ken Smith is commissioned to design the Spray, forerunner of the future Grand Banks 36.
1962 First Grand Banks Spray - 1964: Launch of the first Grand Banks 36, hull 36-001. A total of 1,141 units are built before the model is discontinued in 2003.
1964 Grand Banks 36 Classic - 1965: Launch of the Grand Banks 42, hull 42-001.
1965 Grand Banks 42 Diamond Head - 1968: Launch of the first Alaskan series with model 46 designed by Art DeFever. The Alaskan 45, 49, 53 and 55 designed by Robert Dorris follow.
1968 Alaskan series - 1969: Construction of the first Grand Banks in Singapore, hull 32-138.
- 1971: Launch of the first Laguna series.
- 1973: Construction of the first fiberglass Grand Banks with the 36-366 hull.
- 1980: Presentation of the Grand Banks 49-001.
- 1984: Launch of the Grand Banks 46, hull 46-001. Almost 300 units are sold worldwide.
1984 Grand Banks 46 Classic - 1993: Presentation of the Eastbay 38 EX.
1993 Eastbay 38 EX - 1995: Production site opens in Malaysia.
- 1996: Launch of the Eastbay 49, an immediate success.
1997 Eastbay 49 - 2001: Presentation of the Aleutian 64RP, the first model in the series with raised wheelhouse.
2001 Grand Banks Aleutian Class 64 - 2003: Launch of Eastbay 54.
2003 Eastbay 54 - 2005: Delivery of the last hull of the Grand Banks 42, number 42-1560, one of the brand's most emblematic yachts.
2005 Grand Banks 42 - 2006: Grand Banks celebrates its 50th anniversary.
- 2009: Presentation of the Heritage 41 EU, which introduces planing hulls to the range.
- 2014: Acquisition of Palm Beach Motor Yachts and appointment of Mark Richards as CEO.
- 2015: Reintroduction of the Eastbay 44 equipped with IPS engines.
- 2017 : Launch of the new-generation Grand Banks 60.
2017 Grand Banks 60 - 2019 : Introducing Grand Banks 54.
2019 Grand Banks 54 - 2022 : Launch of the Eastbay 60.
- 2022: World premiere of the Grand Banks 85, the brand's flagship.
2022 Grand Banks 85 - 2025: Presentation of Grand Banks 62.
2025 Grand Banks 62 - 2026: 70 years of Grand Banks, a new stage in the history of the shipyard.
