META Yachts Naval Shipyard
META Yachts Naval Shipyard is a French boutique aluminum boat builder (Tarare, founded 1963, ~10 staff) that designs and constructs custom bluewater sailing yachts, trawlers, motorboats and floating habitats using its patented 1977 Strongall® pre-stressed aluminum construction technique, serving high-net-worth expedition and long-range cruising clients worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1963
- HeadquartersTarare, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What META Yachts Naval Shipyard does
META Yachts Naval Shipyard is a privately held French boat builder headquartered in Tarare (29 Avenue Edouard Herriot, 69170) that designs and constructs custom aluminum sailing yachts, motor yachts, trawlers and floating habitats under the Strongall® pre-stressed aluminum construction technique, originally patented by founder Joseph Fricaud in 1977. The firm operates from the same Tarare site it has occupied since 1963 and employs approximately 10 people, working in a human-sized atelier model ranging from bare hull to helm-in-hand ready-to-sail yachts. Its portfolio spans the META 50 bluewater cruiser series, the Alium 42S motor yacht, the JN 56 Long Range trawler (Joubert-Nivelt design), the 19.80m Fleur Australe expedition ketch, the Noé autonomous floating habitat, the Solar Carriage / Coche Solaire, and compact sailing models (META 33/36/39/BEAST 39/43DS Legacy); the TurboKeels® ballastable twin-keel patent and METAGRIP® zinc anti-corrosion coating round out the IP base. The company sells directly to end customers on a custom-quotation basis, supplemented by the META Yachts Services subsidiary in Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône (Mediterranean) for brokerage, refit, maintenance, rigging and used-boat sales.
The shipyard is a single-member SARL (META Chantier Naval, €250,000 capital) controlled since March 2020 by naval architect Philippe Brabetz, who also holds the TurboKeels® patent; previous ownership ran from founder Joseph Fricaud to Patrice Passinge (2005), who passed the firm to Brabetz just before France's first COVID-19 lockdown. Revenue derives from one-time custom yacht construction contracts, ancillary METAGRIP hardware sales, and recurring service revenue from META Yachts Services; pricing is bespoke for vessels and listed at €120K-€300K for used boats on the site. Primary customer segments are bluewater/expedition sailors, long-range trawler owners, custom one-off builders and floating habitat seekers — typically high-net-worth individuals sourcing vessels for circumnavigation, Arctic/Antarctic voyages, or autonomous floating residences. Go-to-market combines direct shipyard sales, presence at Cannes Yachting Festival and Nautic Paris, community-driven owner storytelling through an "Adventurers" section, and PR/video content.
META Yachts Naval Shipyard firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- META Yachts Naval Shipyard
- Legal name
- META CHANTIER NAVAL
- Website
- https://meta-yachts.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1963
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- META Yachts Naval Shipyard is a French boutique aluminum boat builder (Tarare, founded 1963, ~10 staff) that designs and constructs custom bluewater sailing yachts, trawlers, motorboats and floating habitats using its patented 1977 Strongall® pre-stressed aluminum construction technique, serving high-net-worth expedition and long-range cruising clients worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
META Yachts Naval Shipyard industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aluminum Boat Manufacturing / Custom Yacht Building
- NAICS
- Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Boat Building (336612)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury Yacht Hull & Superstructure Fabrication (Composite/Aluminum/Steel) (IMAJAMAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury Motor Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAD), Luxury Sailing Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAC), Semi-Custom & Series Production Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAM)
Keywords
Where META Yachts Naval Shipyard is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tarare
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
META Yachts Naval Shipyard business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Custom Yacht Construction: Design and build of bespoke aluminum sailing yachts, trawlers, motorboats and floating habitats. Offerings range from bare hull configuration to complete ready-to-sail yachts. Multiple model lines including META 50, JN 56 Long Range, Alium series, and custom projects.
- METAGRIP Anti-Corrosion Products: Sale of METAGRIP zinc-based anti-corrosion coating product. Sold in kit form (6kg) for DIY application or professional use on steel and aluminum hulls.
- META Yachts Services: Brokerage, advice on new and used boats, bluewater vessel preparation, refit services (Aluminum/Steel/Fiberglass), hull and deck preparation, rigging services, sails, and accessories. Located at Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | METAGRIP Kit (6kg) - Standard |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | METAGRIP Kit (6kg) - META Boat Discount |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom Yacht Construction |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
META Yachts Naval Shipyard product offering
Product offeringCore offering
META Yachts Naval Shipyard designs and builds bespoke aluminum sailing yachts, motorboats, trawlers, and floating habitats using its patented Strongall® pre-stressed aluminum construction technique. Offerings range from bare hull configuration to complete ready-to-sail yachts, with named model lines including the META 50 series, Alium 42S, JN 56 Long Range, Ecotroll series, Fleur Australe expedition ketch, and the Noé floating habitat. The shipyard also sells the METAGRIP anti-corrosion product and provides brokerage, refit, and maintenance services through META Yachts Services.
Product overview
META Yachts Naval Shipyard is a French aluminum boat manufacturer specializing in the Strongall® pre-stressed aluminum construction technique, building bluewater and expedition vessels since 1963. The core product portfolio centers on the Strongall® aluminum deck-hull system, which provides exceptional strength and longevity. Main offerings include the META 50 series of bluewater cruising sailboats (including META 50 Hurlants variant), motor yachts (Alium 42S, META BEAST 39), trawlers (JN 56 Long Range, Ecotroll series), the expedition ketch Fleur Australe, the Noé floating habitat, and the solar-powered Coche Solaire. The company also provides comprehensive yacht services through Meta Yachts Services division (brokerage, refit, maintenance) and sells the METAGRIP anti-corrosion product. The TurboKeels® patent enables twin-keel boats with displaceable ballast for improved performance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- META 50 Flagship bluewater cruising sailboat designed for long-distance ocean voyages with ultra-resistant Strongall pre-stressed aluminum hull. Features panoramic saloon, owner's cabin, and multiple keel options including TurboKeels ballastable system.
- Fleur Australe Large 19.80m expedition ketch made famous by navigator Philippe Poupon. Capable of withstanding icebergs and high seas, accommodating families with 5000L fuel and 2000L water capacity for multi-week autonomy.
- JN 56 Long Range 17m motor yacht/trawler designed by Joubert-Nivelt for transoceanic voyages. Features 4000 nautical miles autonomy at 8 knots, fly bridge, and accommodation for 8 in 3 cabins.
- Noé 23.94m mobile autonomous floating habitat for sea or river navigation. Configurable as floating home, travel vessel, or professional space. Features electric propulsion capability and greenhouse options.
- Alium 42S 12.77m motor yacht with hard-top option, designed for luxury and innovation in Mediterranean cruising.
- META 36 First production boat built under new management, featuring Strongall aluminum construction for bluewater cruising.
- Ecotroll Series (Ecotroll 39, Ecotroll 49) Series of long-range trawlers (11.70m Ecotroll 39 and 14.82m Ecotroll 49) with twin keels designed by Jean-Pierre Brouns, built with Strongall aluminum for expedition cruising. The Ecotroll 39 is the smallest troller approved for ocean navigation.
- Coche Solaire 13m solar-powered floating habitat with electric propulsion, powered by photovoltaic panels for ecological canal and river navigation.
- METAGRIP Zinc-based anti-corrosion protection product for steel and aluminum hulls. High-quality long-lasting protection against hull corrosion with 99% zinc content in dry film. Sold in 6kg kits (4.2kg powder + 1.8kg binder) providing coverage of 3-4 m² per kilo for 2 coats. Used as antifouling or covered by regular antifouling.
- META Yachts Services Comprehensive yacht services division offering brokerage, new and used boat advice, bluewater vessel preparation, transformation and refit (Aluminum/Steel/Composite), hull and deck preparation, rigging, sails, accessories, cleaning, concierge, and winterization services. Located at Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 300 aluminum boats and 400+ total boats built since operations began
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use META Yachts Naval Shipyard
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
META Yachts Naval Shipyard technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
META Yachts Naval Shipyard partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Joubert-NiveltcoreNaval architecture firm that has designed numerous META vessels including the JN 56 Long Range trawler and Fleur Australe expedition ketch. Michel Joubert and Bernard Nivelt are renowned French naval architects with long-standing relationship with the shipyard.
- Jean-Pierre BrounscoreCreates Brouns Architecture, designer of the Noé floating habitat and Ecotroll series. Long-term partner in developing innovative aluminum vessels for expedition and ecological applications.
- Alpen Yacht Concept (Joel Cabanes)minorPartnership on Territoire d'Alpen Yacht Concept project. Killian Cabanes participates in construction while also being part of the Alpen Yacht Concept enterprise.
- Bateaux pour la planète (Dominique Renouf)coreCollaborated on Solar Carriage project - floating habitats with electric propulsion powered by photovoltaic panels. Also developed the Coche Solaire (Solar Carriage) project.
- Société Noé (Nicolas Lallemand)corePartner for the Noé floating habitat project - a 24m mobile autonomous floating habitat. Nicolas Lallemand leads the Noé boat concept.
- Saint Jean IndustriecorePartner with Alain Thébault for industrializing the E-Nemo flying boat prototype. META constructs the hull for this innovative electric autonomous vessel reaching 70km/h.
- Olbia ShipyardminorPartnership on Ecotroll 39 development in 2009/2010. Smallest troller approved for ocean navigation, sailed from Lyon to Greenland.
- Chantier Naval HervéminorShipyard partner in La Rochelle for potential construction support.
- Jean-Marc Tabuteau (EURL C.A.T)minorExpertise, consulting and CE certification services for boats under Directive 94/25/CE.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
META Yachts Naval Shipyard competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Alubat (Ovni Yachts): French shipyard building aluminum lifting-keel bluewater yachts (Ovni 370, 400, 450, 540). Shares META's aluminum expertise and bluewater/expedition customer profile, and is one of the most established French aluminum specialists.
- Allures Yachting: French builder of aluminum bluewater cruising yachts (Allures 40.9, 45.9, 51.9) targeting long-distance and offshore sailors with semi-custom and custom offerings — directly comparable to META's expedition bluewater positioning.
- Garcia Yachts: French aluminum explorer yacht builder (Exploration 45, 52, 60) specializing in ice-rated expedition sailboats and trawlers, competing head-to-head with META in the aluminum bluewater/expedition niche.
- Aluminium Marine Consultants (AMC): Dutch specialist builder of aluminum motor yachts and trawlers (AMC 24, 28) using welded aluminum construction — comparable to META's aluminum construction expertise and long-range trawler focus (Ecotroll, JN 56).
- Boreal Yachts: Norwegian aluminum bluewater sailboat builder (Boreal 47, 55, 66) targeting high-latitude and trans-ocean cruising. Directly comparable to META on aluminum construction and expedition-grade product positioning.
- HH Catamarans: Builder of aluminum ocean-going sailing catamarans (HH44, HH50, HH55, HH66) with carbon composite components. Competes in the aluminum bluewater luxury segment served by META.
- Outremer Yachting: French builder of aluminum performance cruising catamarans (Outremer 45, 52, 55, 60) for long-distance sailing. Direct adjacency to META's bluewater aluminum sailboat offerings.
Broad incumbents
- Feeling Yachts: French sailboat builder with aluminum bluewater models (Feeling 32, 36, 44, 48) and broader sailboat lineup, overlapping with META in aluminum bluewater sailing yachts but with a broader catalog.
- Nordhavn Yachts: US-based long-range motor yacht and trawler builder (Nordhavn 41, 46, 52, 59, 63) with established expedition-trawler positioning. Comparable to META's JN 56 Long Range and Ecotroll long-range powerboat segment.
Regional players
- Rustler Yachts: UK-based builder of premium bluewater cruising sailboats (Rustler 33, 36, 42, 44) in aluminum and other constructions. Comparable target customer (bluewater cruisers) and craftsmanship positioning, but UK-focused rather than French.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
META Yachts Naval Shipyard social profiles
Digital presenceMETA Yachts Naval Shipyard financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
META Yachts Naval Shipyard leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
META Yachts Naval Shipyard subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
META Yachts Naval Shipyard funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
META Yachts Naval Shipyard M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about META Yachts Naval Shipyard
What does META Yachts Naval Shipyard do?
META Yachts Naval Shipyard designs and builds bespoke aluminum sailing yachts, motorboats, trawlers, and floating habitats using its patented Strongall® pre-stressed aluminum construction technique. Offerings range from bare hull configuration to complete ready-to-sail yachts, with named model lines including the META 50 series, Alium 42S, JN 56 Long Range, Ecotroll series, Fleur Australe expedition ketch, and the Noé floating habitat. The shipyard also sells the METAGRIP anti-corrosion product and provides brokerage, refit, and maintenance services through META Yachts Services.
Is META Yachts Naval Shipyard a public or private company?
META Yachts Naval Shipyard is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was META Yachts Naval Shipyard founded?
META Yachts Naval Shipyard was founded in 1963. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is META Yachts Naval Shipyard based?
META Yachts Naval Shipyard is headquartered in Tarare, France, in the Europe region.
How does META Yachts Naval Shipyard make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom Yacht Construction is the primary driver. The others are METAGRIP Anti-Corrosion Products and META Yachts Services.
Who are META Yachts Naval Shipyard's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Alubat (Ovni Yachts), Allures Yachting, Garcia Yachts, Aluminium Marine Consultants (AMC), Boreal Yachts, HH Catamarans and Outremer Yachting. Broad incumbents are Feeling Yachts and Nordhavn Yachts. Rustler Yachts is listed as a regional player.
Does META Yachts Naval Shipyard have an API?
No public API is recorded for META Yachts Naval Shipyard.
What industry is META Yachts Naval Shipyard in?
META Yachts Naval Shipyard's product category is Aluminum Boat Manufacturing / Custom Yacht Building. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAMAG, Luxury Yacht Hull & Superstructure Fabrication (Composite/Aluminum/Steel), with a secondary code of IMAJAMAD, Luxury Motor Yacht Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 336611 and its SIC code is 3730.