| Christensen 157 |  |
In all types of yachtbuilding, design is a critical yet sometimes
conflicting element in the construction process. Delivering a project on budget
and on schedule requires precise engineering and planning, as well as timely
information—especially from the customers and outside designers—and this
point is always a potential bottleneck. Christensen Shipyards’ success over the
last several years is due in large part to the company adopting a semi-custom
build program for the largest boats in the range. This has not only raised
the quality of the outfitting but has streamlined the production line by
eliminating many of the expensive and time-consuming changes that inevitably
arise during the course of custom projects.
| Click on the Spec and Design tab at top to see complete list of resources. |
As the latest example of Christensen’s Custom Line—which allows
clients greater flexibility in interior design, styling and
outfitting—Barchetta
is an exception to the spec-boat program. She shares the same general arrangement as other sisterships in the series, and
the popularity of the six-cabin layout is proof positive that buyers can find
little fault with the space planning, but the joinery and décor are complete
departures from previous boats launched in recent years. For Barchetta’s Pacific
Northwest owners, the decision to order a new build from Christensen Shipyards
was simple. Having owned the 120-foot Christensen motor yacht Cacique for two years—during which time they
commissioned a complete refit at the builder’s Vancouver, Washington, yard—the
move up to their new 157-footer (47.8-meter) was a natural progression.
 Christensens are known for their spacious sun
decks. Barchetta’s features a spa positioned outboard to
port. (Click image to enlarge)
"We were really impressed with the yard during the whole
procedure with Cacique," the owner
explained. "My wife had done a complete interior makeover on the
boat…furnishings, fabrics, different wall-finish treatments. Mechanically, we
didn’t change too much, just basic things. "Then, while we were using the boat, [Barchetta] became available for sale, and we were able to
negotiate a sale back of Cacique. We liked
working with the people [at Christensen], and we liked having them nearby. We
had worked with [project manager] John Cochran on both boats and were really
pleased with his skill set and the way he worked with us." Another factor that played an important part in the
decision-making process was the couple’s affinity for composite
construction. "We’d owned smaller fishing boats and that sort of thing," the
owner said, "but the first large boat was Cacique, which, of course, is composite. "I like composites over metal hulls, so that was the type of
boat I wanted to stay with. To me, it doesn’t make much sense to put a piece of
steel in saltwater and run a bunch of electricity through it. I just like the
integrity of a composite hull. "Of course, the No. 1 reason was that we wanted a new boat,
with more of our touch to it, right from the ground up. The bulbous bow was
quite impressive to us because of the fuel economy and ride.
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