Best Boat Brands from Overseas

Once upon a time all the cars sold in North America were made right here. But over time imports from overseas began to appear, offering buyers features and styling that was different from what the domestic brands provided. Today, many of these overseas brands – once dubbed ‘foreign cars’ – have become household favourites and set up their own plants in North America to meet high demand.

It’s no different with boats.

Once upon a time every boat on the water here was made somewhere nearby. But today, boats from overseas are becoming increasingly common right across the US and Canada, again by offering buyers features and styling that’s different from what the domestic builders have.

So who makes these boats from overseas? You might just be surprised at how many familiar boat brands are actually made abroad. Here are two dozen well known boat brands that arrive here on a ship.

Aquila

We think of the popular power catamaran as an American brand, but the boats are actually made overseas in Hangzhou City, China. Learn more.

Axopar

Performance boat manufacturer Axopar has its production plant in Helsinki, Finland. Learn more.

Azimut

The full line of Azimut luxury yachts are built in Avigliana, Italy – no surprise, given Italy’s reputation for building universally high quality vessels. Learn more.

Beneteau

While some Beneteau boat models are now made in Marion, South Carolina, they started out by importing boats from overseas, with five factories in the Vendée area of France. Learn more.

Bombard

Depending on the model, Bombard inflatable boats can come from a new plant in Summerville, South Carolina or from their main plant overseas in Enfidha, Tunisia. Learn more.

East Bay

The legendary East Bay ‘downeast’ style luxury yachts are in fact made in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Learn more.

Fairline

Performance luxury yacht builder Fairline is proudly based in Oundle, England. Learn more.

Galeon

Built in Straszyn, Poland, Galeon has earned a global reputation for building high quality yachts with innovative features. Learn more.

Hanse

Yacht builder Hanse builds three different brands of sailboats at its plant in Greifswald, Germany. Learn more.

Horizon

The 10th largest yacht builder in the world, Horizon operates a state-of-the-art shipyard in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. Learn more.

Jenneau

Founded by Henri Jeanneau in 1957, the Les Herbiers, France based boat builder makes a full line of both power and sail yachts. Learn more.

Leopard

While many people think of Leopard Catamarans as an American company, the luxury yachts are actually produced overseas in Woodstock, South Africa. Learn more.

Maritimo

Maritimo’s full line of luxury yachts are imported into the US from their plant in Coomera, Australia. Learn more.

Monte Carlo

Part of Groupe Beneteau, Monte Carlo Yachts are proudly built in Monfalcone, Italy. Learn more.

Ocean Alexander

While we tend to think of Ocean Alexander as an American yacht given their popularity in south Florida, but they’re actually built in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Learn more.

Parker Poland

If their name didn’t give it away, Parker Poland builds its full line of fiberglass sport boats in Cząstków Polski, Poland. Learn more.

Pershing

Part of the Ferretti Yachts group, Pershing hand-crafts its super-luxury performance yachts at their historic shipyard in Mondolfo, Italy. Learn more.

Princess

Many people know Princess Yachts are built in England, but not many realize they’re assembled in Plymouth, where the Mayflower set out on its historic voyage to America in 1620. Learn more.

Riviera

Well known in North America as a top-quality ocean cruiser, Riviera yachts come all the way from Coomera on Australia’s Gold Coast. Learn more.

Sanlorenzo

The fabled superyacht builder operates four shipyards located in Ameglia, La Spezia, Viareggio and Massa in Italy’s magnificent Cinque Terre region. Learn more.

Saxdor

Although a Finnish company, Saxdor builds its performance sport boats in Elk, Poland. Learn more.

Sunseeker

Sunseeker luxury yachts are known and loved all over the world, yet each one begins life at the company’s shipyard in Poole, England. Learn more.

Williams

Another UK builder, Williams builds its full line of high-quality RIBs on Oxfordshire, England. Learn more.

Zodiac

Like its Bombard sub-brand, Zodiac inflatable boats and RIBs are built in plants located in Summerville, South Carolina or overseas in Enfidha, Tunisia. Learn more.