Knight & Carver Honored as Boatyard of the Year

Knight & Carver YachtCenter has been honored by the American Boat Builders & Repairers Association (ABBRA) as the nation's most outstanding boatyard for 2007.

The organization's annual Boatyard of the Year award is made annually to the U.S. vessel repair company that, according to the citation, "demonstrates excellence in all facets of business through commitment to customer relations, quality management, positive employee and vendor relationships, regard for the safety of their employees and their customers, is a good steward of the environment, and innovatively employs technology to enhance their marine business."

Accepting the marine-industry award on behalf of Knight & Carver at the recent ABBRA awards ceremony in Atlanta were repair yard manager Mike Alvarez and production manager Giovanni LoCoco. Known for specializing in megayacht refits, Knight & Carver will soon complete a major refit of Helios, a 194-ft Oceanco-built motoryacht that has undergone an extensive five-month renovation and upgrade. The yacht's traditional European styling has given way to a more glamorous, contemporary decor, reflecting the owners' lifestyle. As many as 100 full-time workers have been assigned daily to the project, set for completion Jan. 31. Next up for Knight & Carver is Arctic P, a 288-ft. converted icebreaker that ranks high among the world's 100 largest megayachts. The vessel is scheduled to spend several months at Knight & Carver, starting in early February. Last year, Knight & Carver completed an extensive refit on Reverie, a 230-ft Benetti megayacht.