JFA Yachts

What JFA Yachts does

JFA Yachts is a privately held French shipyard (SAS) founded in 1993 by CEO Frédéric Jaouen and headquartered at Concarneau in Brittany. The company builds and renovates sailing yachts, motor yachts, and catamarans on a custom or semi-custom basis, with construction range from approximately 18 to 65+ meters for new builds and infrastructure capable of accepting vessels up to 115 meters for refit. Core technology covers aluminium hull construction, composite fabrication using infusion and contact methods (glass, carbon, epoxy, with biosourced epoxy for electric applications), bespoke interior joinery, and aluminium welding — backed by a multi-discipline craft workforce. The Long Island catamaran range (developed with naval architect Marc Lombard) anchors a semi-custom line spanning 78-100 feet in both sailing and power configurations, alongside bespoke monohull projects delivered with a network of external naval architects (Vripack, Judel Vrolijk, Berret Racoupeau, De Vries Lentsch) and interior designers (Andrew Winch, Franck Darnet).

The business operates on a project-based revenue model with four visible streams: custom new-build construction (one-time construction contracts priced per specification), refit and repair services at the Concarneau facility (professional services engagement), tenders/support craft (hardware sales), and a smaller public-procurement vertical for professional vessels (most recently a motor boat for France's Lighthouses and Beacons Service in 2023). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with multi-year contract cadences reflecting build timelines. Go-to-market is primarily enterprise field sales to ultra-high-net-worth individuals (each project anchored by a single high-value contract), supplemented by direct shipyard visits, presence at three major European boat shows annually (Boot Düsseldorf, Cannes Yachting Festival, Monaco Yachts Show), and a referral architecture driven by naval architect and designer partnerships. Brand reputation, including the 2016 French government 'Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant' (Company of Living Heritage) designation, is a deliberate part of the marketing positioning. Customer concentration is structurally high: each yacht or refit represents a single major contract, with named clients including private owners of vessels such as WindQuest, NDS Evolution, and 4Ever.

Name

JFA Yachts

Legal name

JFA Yachts – Chantier naval, SAS

Website

https://jfa-yachts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

JFA Yachts is a privately held French shipyard in Concarneau building and refitting custom sailing yachts, motor yachts, and catamarans from 18 to 65+ meters (with infrastructure up to 115m) for ultra-high-net-worth private clients, governments, and superyacht support tenders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Yacht Manufacturing

NAICS

Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAA)

Keywords

• Custom yacht construction
• Yacht refit services
• Superyacht building
• Sailing catamarans
• Motor yacht manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Concarneau

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Yacht Construction: JFA Yachts builds bespoke sailing and motor yachts from 18 to 65+ meters, working with clients and naval architects to deliver custom limited edition projects. Revenue is generated through one-time construction contracts for custom yachts.
2. Yacht Refit and Repair Services: The shipyard provides refit, repair, and maintenance services for yachts including structural work, repaints, systems upgrades, and general maintenance at their Concarneau facility.
3. Tender Construction: Construction of custom tenders for superyachts, such as the LuXplorer 560 tender built for a 50m superyacht.
4. Professional Vessel Construction: Public procurement contracts for professional vessels such as the motor boat for France's Lighthouses and Beacons Service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

JFA Yachts is a French shipyard that designs, builds, and renovates bespoke sailing yachts, motor yachts, and catamarans ranging from 18m to 65m+ in length, with infrastructure accommodating vessels up to 115m. The shipyard specializes in aluminium hull construction combined with composite (glass epoxy/carbon) deck and superstructure fabrication, and offers the semi-custom Long Island catamaran range developed with naval architect Marc Lombard. In addition to new builds, JFA provides refit, repair, and maintenance services and constructs custom tenders and professional vessels.

Product overview

JFA Yachts is a French shipyard (based in Concarneau, Brittany) specializing in custom and semi-custom yacht construction and renovation since 1993. The company builds and renovates sailing yachts, motor yachts, and catamarans, offering bespoke quality craftsmanship. Their product portfolio includes the Long Island catamaran range (sailing models WindQuest, NDS Evolution, Long Island 85, Long Island 100; motor models Long Island 78 Power, Long Island 86 Power), classic sailing yachts (Kermor/Ryawy Bunny, Boréale, Atalanta/Ikigai), schooners (Magistral/Six Plus Two), explorer yachts (50m Explorer), and support vessels/tenders (LuXplorer 560, Vita Lion electric tender). They also provide comprehensive refit and repair services for vessels from 18m to 65m, with infrastructure supporting units up to 115m.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Long Island: Semi-custom and custom catamaran range including Long Island 78' Power, 85', and 100' models.

Products and services

• SY 60' Aqua New sailing catamaran project in the 60-foot range, part of JFA Yachts' custom yacht construction portfolio for private clients seeking bespoke multihulls.
• MY 85' Classic New motor yacht project in the 85-foot range featuring classic design elements, part of JFA Yachts' custom motor yacht construction portfolio.
• SY 150' Juno GT New sailing yacht project in the 150-foot range, GT (Grand Tourer) variant, representing JFA Yachts' largest sailing yacht offering.
• WindQuest — Long Island 85 First catamaran in the Long Island range — a semi-custom 26.25m sailing catamaran with aluminium hull and glass epoxy deck, designed by Marc Lombard, featuring a panoramic owner's cabin and used for worldwide cruising.
• NDS Evolution — Long Island 85 Second Long Island 85 unit featuring aluminium hulls with composite superstructure, 56T light displacement, carbon mast and boom, designed by Marc Lombard with interior by Franck Darnet Design, designed for circumnavigation including polar regions.
• 4Ever — Long Island 78 Power Semi-custom 23.72m power catamaran with aluminium hull and composite superstructures, powered by 2x500Hp Cummins engines, cruising at 12 knots with 3200nm range at 8 knots. Interior and exterior styling by Darnet Design.
• Long Island 100 31.55m semi-custom sailing catamaran in development, glass epoxy infusion composite construction, designed by Marc Lombard, offering elegance, performance and comfort for demanding clients.
• Magistral — Six Plus Two 36.3m schooner originally built as Orejona in 1972, extensively refitted by JFA Yachts with steel hull, redesigned by Berret-Racoupeau naval architects with Andrew Winch interiors using blonde Burmese teak. Accommodates 8 guests.
• Kermor — Runaway Bunny 22.87m aluminium sailing yacht, the first yacht built by JFA Yachts in 1993, designed by Finot Conq with Patrick Roséo interiors. Undertook a world tour two months after launch.
• Boréale 18.28m sailing yacht delivered in 1994, designed by Finot-Conq, second major unit by JFA Yachts. Features clean lines similar to Kermor 75, designed for charter with wide interior.
• Atalanta — Ikigai 25.13m fast cruising sailing yacht built on Judel Vrolijk plans, featuring carbon mast and boom on roller furler, with GCA arquitectos interior design. Previously named Sejaa.
• LuXplorer 560 5.6m superyacht tender built in collaboration with SPARK Marine Projects, ordered as a tender to a 50m superyacht.
• Vita Lion Electric luxury tender with carbon infusion hull using biosourced epoxy resin, built for Vita Yachts as the first unit of an electric tender series.
• 50m Explorer Custom 50m aluminium Explorer yacht project, confirming JFA Yachts' ability to build large exploration vessels for demanding private clients.
• Refit and Repair Services Comprehensive shipyard refit, repair, and maintenance services accommodating yachts from 18 meters to 65 meters, located in Concarneau, France with infrastructure for units up to 115m. Services include structural modifications, repaints, interior redesigns, and systems upgrades across aluminium, steel, and composite vessels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sail area upwind 370 m², downwind 485 m² for WindQuest catamaran
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Marc Lombard (Marc Lombard Design Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing collaboration with naval architect Marc Lombard on the Long Island catamaran range. Marc Lombard brings 25 years of experience designing cruising catamarans. Joint development of the Long Island 85, 100, and other models with aluminium hulls and composite superstructures.
• Franck Darnet DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Darnet Design for interior design and styling of Long Island vessels including the Long Island 85 (NDS Evolution) and Long Island 78 Power (4Ever). Darnet Design creates interior ambiances with new materials and contrasting wood combinations.
• Judel VrolijkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with German naval architects Judel Vrolijk on projects such as Atalanta, a 25.13m aluminium sloop built for fast cruising.
• VripackcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch naval architecture firm, inventors of the explorer yacht concept, collaborated on projects including Axantha I and Axantha II. Vripack brings expertise in rugged, long-range exploration vessel design.
• Andrew Winch DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBritish interior design firm that worked on the Magistral (Six Plus Two) project, creating interior designs using blonde Burmese teak while evoking a modern style.
• Berret RacoupeauminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench naval architects who modified superstructures on the Magistral project, creating a real deck salon and wheelhouse, and extending the interior space.
• De Vries LentschminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch naval architects who originally designed the Orejona (later Magistral/Six Plus Two) schooner, which underwent extensive reconstruction at JFA Yachts.
• Archi-DelionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNaval architecture studio that collaborated with JFA Yachts on the public procurement contract for the lighthouses service motor yacht.
• SPARK Marine ProjectsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with SPARK Marine Projects for the construction of the LuXplorer 560 tender, a 5.6m superyacht tender ordered as an accessory to a 50m superyacht.
• Vita YachtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecialized in electric power train, Vita Yachts approached JFA Yachts to build carbon infusion hulls with biosourced epoxy resin for the Vita X electric tender series.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sunreef Yachts: Polish-based custom catamaran and superyacht builder with strong presence in the sailing and power catamaran market, directly comparable to JFA's Long Island range in size and bespoke positioning.
• Royal Huisman: Dutch shipyard renowned for fully custom performance sailing yachts and superyachts with aluminium construction expertise, mirroring JFA's bespoke craftsmanship model and material specialization.
• Perini Navi: Italian builder of large custom sailing yachts and refits, historically a benchmark for full-custom sailing superyachts in the same size class as JFA's flagship projects.
• Heesen Yachts: Dutch custom motor yacht builder focused on aluminium displacement and fast yachts in similar size segments to JFA's motor yacht offerings, with comparable bespoke engineering.
• Alia Yachts: Turkish custom superyacht builder specializing in full-custom and semi-custom builds in similar size ranges, competing for the same UHNW bespoke client base.
• Wally (Ferretti Group): Premium sailing and motor yacht brand now under Ferretti, known for innovative design and performance yachts in size ranges overlapping JFA's sailing and motor yacht portfolio.
• Fountaine Pajot: French catamaran builder (also based in Brittany region) producing sailing and power catamarans; operates at higher volume than JFA but competes in the multihull space.

Broad incumbents

• Lürssen: German mega-yacht builder and one of the largest superyacht shipyards globally; a broader incumbent offering overlapping capabilities but at much larger scale and size class than JFA.
• Damen Shipyards: Large Dutch shipbuilding group with a superyacht/yacht division and broad refit capabilities, providing wider portfolio offerings while competing in custom build segments.

Others

• Vripack: Dutch naval architecture firm that is both a design partner of JFA and an independent design house competing for the same UHNW custom-yacht design briefs that feed yards like JFA.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/JFAYacht
• Facebookfacebook.com/JFA.Yachts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jfa.yachts
• Xx.com/JfaYachts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about JFA Yachts