Starting with a small workshop in Harkstead on the Shotley Peninsular, Demon Yachts Ltd has grown from a two-man band to a multi-skilled business based on two sites, employing eight full-time and two part-time staff.

We took over the Aldeburgh Boatyard in the autumn of 2016, with the aim of continuing the rich history of boatbuilding in the town. The Aldeburgh Boatyard was run for the previous 40 years by Peter Wilson and has been well-known for building International Dragons and Loch Long one-design class keelboats, restoring and building 8- and 6-metre class yachts as well as other classics, building a replica of Blondie Hasler’s famous Folkboat, ‘Jester’, and even a Formula 40 catamaran! Peter is now enjoying semi-retirement, which means he comes in daily to work on his own projects, without the worry of running the yard. We value Peter’s experience, contacts and company greatly; Peter is a tremendous asset who is not on the balance sheet!

We have retained the core Aldeburgh Boatyard team, all of whom have great experience of wooden boat-building and joinery, and are excellent at hand-painting and varnishing. We also have good ties with local marine trades: riggers, marine engineers and electricians, upholsterers, a yacht-finishing and spraying expert …. and so on, and we also have machine-shops and fabricators in the nearby engineering town of Leiston.

Our Harkstead workshop is set up for composite production for small craft and components using hand-laminating under vacuum and vacuum-resin infusion techniques.

We do not like to be pigeon-holed either as traditional boat builders or as high-tech composite boat builders – we do both. We cross over technology and skills whenever we feel it is to the client’s advantage in order to incorporate different ideas, techniques and materials into our projects. We have a very good reputation for attention to detail, for everything from initial design through to final finishing, ensuring that boats built by Demon Yachts are fit for purpose and stay that way for many years….we like to think everything we build should outlast us!

At Demon Yachts we are passionate about producing high-quality, performance boats. From dinghies to offshore racing yachts via day- and metre-boats and even trans-oceanic rowing boats, we will go out of our way to help get you over the finish line first or to your next cruising destination in style.

We love a challenge, and technical excellence and attention to detail are our guiding principles. We have the skills to work in both high-end composites for the latest carbon racer, or in traditional timber and sympathetic materials to restore a classic to the glory of her former days.

With in-house design, engineering and CNC manufacturing capability we will endeavour to provide practical, innovative and effective solutions to any problem. We regularly work in close cooperation with leading yacht designers and engineers on new build, optimisation and restoration projects.

The Aldeburgh Boatyard

The Aldeburgh Boatyard has been operating on the Fort Green site since 1966 and was originally owned by Tom Coates and John Gill.

In 1979 the yard was acquired by Peter Wilson, who owned and ran it up until he sold the business to Demon Yachts in 2016.

During the 37 years of Peter’s ownership the yard has built new boats for several well-known classes, including his own run of International Dragons (known as St George’s Dragons), Loch Long One Designs, 2.4-metre single-handers, and Aldeburgh Lapwing racing dinghies. The yard was also commissioned to build a replica of Blondie Hasler’s famous transatlantic-crossing Folkboat, ‘Jester’, to be completed in time for the 2008 Jester Challenge, an Atlantic-crossing race for single-handers. In addition, the yard built ‘Ganymede’, a modern 8-metre yacht designed by Julianne Hempel.

In addition to building new boats, the Aldeburgh Boatyard has been involved in many major restoration projects, including, ‘Gudgeon’, a 1920 49’ yawl designed by Alfred Mylne, ‘Fara’, a 1937 30-square metre yacht also designed by Alfred Mylne, ‘Hiltgund’, a 1938 40-square metre ‘Windfall’ yacht designed by Karl Martens, ‘If’, a 1930 8-metre yacht designed by Bjarne Aas, and ‘Maudorces’, a 43’ 1925 Silver’s gentleman’s motor-yacht, to name but a few.

The fire

Just after 8 o’clock on the morning of Thursday the 29^th of April 2010, a fire started inside the workshop which in a very short space of time caught hold and frighteningly quickly destroyed the yard buildings completely – not surprising given that a boatyard is full of very flammable material! Very sadly, three boats that were inside at the time, including ‘Mackay’, a Bombay Tomtit, and ‘Shalan’, a Loch Long One Design, were totally destroyed. Prompt action by the yard staff managed to save ‘Zest’, the 1935 Tumlare cruiser/racer made famous by Adlard Coles, and ‘Jacana’, an International Swallow day-racer. Tragically, along with the three boats that were destroyed, many old books, records, photographs and other irreplaceable items were lost.

The local community in Aldeburgh rallied round, lending tools and working space, which enabled the business to continue until the new buildings were fully up and running a year later. This enabled the construction of a replacement Bombay Tomtit for ‘Mackay’.

They say that every cloud has a silver lining, and the construction of a new yard means that today the great tradition of high-quality boat-building, restoration and maintenance is being continued and further developed with Demon Yachts, along with the same professional team of boatbuilders. With modern workshop facilities and an extensive yard, the Aldeburgh Boatyard is perfectly equipped to cater for all your boatbuilding, maintenance and storage needs for the foreseeable future.