What Cheoy Lee Yachts does

Cheoy Lee Yachts is a privately held, family-owned custom megayacht builder with origins in 1870s Hong Kong shipbuilding and five generations of continuous operation. The company designs and constructs bespoke explorer-class motor yachts in the 108–130 foot range, including the Discovery Series (Discovery 115, 120, and 127) and the flagship 130 Explorer. Core technology centers on steel-hull displacement construction with aluminum superstructures, transoceanic range capability (approximately 4,000 nautical miles on the Discovery 127), and Italian hand-crafted interiors via a patented Fit-Lock pressure panel assembly system used by partner Genesis Interiors.

The company operates a single shipyard in Asia where both commercial vessels and luxury yachts are built, sharing engineering and production resources between the two segments. Sales and client engagement are run from a North America office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, supplemented by attendance at major international boat shows, particularly the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS). Each vessel is built to owner specification on a multi-year build cycle, with quote-based pricing.

Revenue is generated through one-time sale of custom megayachts to ultra-high-net-worth individuals seeking expedition-capable vessels with commercial-grade reliability. The business is privately held under family stewardship with no external investment identified, and total active headcount is approximately 1,000 employees supporting both commercial and luxury operations.

Name

Cheoy Lee Yachts

Legal name

Cheoy Lee Yachts

Website

https://cheoyleeyachts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1870

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Cheoy Lee Yachts is a family-owned custom megayacht builder that designs and constructs 108–130 foot steel-hull explorer yachts, including the Discovery Series and the 130 Explorer, for ultra-high-net-worth owners seeking transoceanic range and luxury amenities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom luxury explorer megayacht construction

NAICS

Boat Building (336612), Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Explorer Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Motor Yacht Manufacturing (IMAJAMAD), Superyacht & Megayacht Manufacturing (IMAJAEAD)

Keywords

• Custom megayacht construction
• Explorer yacht building
• Steel hull displacement yachts
• Transoceanic motor yachts
• Luxury shipbuilding

Headquarters

HQ city

Plantation

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Megayacht Sales: Cheoy Lee Yachts generates revenue through bespoke custom megayacht construction. Each vessel is built to individual owner specifications with extensive customization options for layout, interior design, and engineering systems. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific, reflecting the custom nature of each build.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cheoy Lee Yachts designs and builds custom explorer and motor megayachts, including the Discovery Series (115, 120, 127-foot models) and the 130 Explorer, each constructed to individual owner specifications with steel hull displacement designs and transoceanic range capability. The company leverages five generations of shipbuilding heritage, sharing technologies between its commercial vessel operations and luxury yacht division to deliver expedition-capable vessels with megayacht luxury.

Product overview

Cheoy Lee Yachts builds custom luxury explorer megayachts through a multi-generational shipbuilding heritage spanning 150 years. The product portfolio centers on the Discovery Series (115, 120, 127-foot explorer yachts designed with Nick Boksa of Boksa Marine Design) and the flagship 130 Explorer megayacht. These vessels combine steel hull displacement designs with megayacht luxury, featuring Italian hand-crafted interiors by Genesis Interiors using the Fit-Lock panel system. The company also maintains a historic fleet of delivered vessels. All vessels leverage commercial maritime engineering expertise for transoceanic range and reliability while offering luxury accommodations typically found in larger yachts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Explorer Series: A line of long-range explorer megayachts combining transoceanic range with luxury amenities, currently including Discovery 115, Discovery 120, and Discovery 127 models.
• Discovery Series

Products and services

• Discovery Series A line of long-range explorer megayachts (108 to 127 feet) featuring steel hull displacement designs, transoceanic range, wide-beam architecture for stability, and interior volumes typically found in larger yachts, designed with naval architect Nick Boksa of Boksa Marine Design.
• Discovery 115 Explorer A 115-foot tri-deck explorer yacht in the Discovery Series featuring a bridge-deck owner's suite with panoramic views, sun deck with bar and jacuzzi, captain's stateroom aft of the pilothouse, forward dining salon, four guest suites on the lower deck, and a beach club with hydraulic swim platform, with beam of 25'6" for interior volume and stability.
• Discovery 120 Explorer A 120-foot explorer yacht combining transoceanic range with megayacht luxury and living space, featuring an expansive beach club, robust steel hull displacement design, and accommodations for up to 10 crew members.
• Discovery 127 Explorer A 127-foot explorer yacht with a five-stateroom layout, master suite on the main deck forward, large beach club with hydraulic swim platform, sun deck with bar and jacuzzi, steel hull displacement design, twin 800-hp Volvo D13 diesel engines, cruising speed of 11-12 knots, and range of approximately 4,000 nautical miles.
• 130 Explorer Megayacht A 130-foot steel-hulled megayacht featuring Italian hand-crafted interiors by Genesis Interiors using the patented Fit-Lock pressure panel assembly system, designed by Sylvia Bolton, equipped for long-range ocean exploration with commercial-grade systems reliability.
• Custom Bespoke Yacht Builds

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000 nautical miles transoceanic range capability on Discovery 127
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Boksa Marine Design (Nick Boksa)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2023Cheoy Lee partnered with Nick Boksa, PE, president of Boksa Marine Design in Lithia, Florida, to develop the Discovery Series explorer yacht line. The collaboration began at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show 2023 when Boksa presented an explorer concept to Shipyards Director B.Y. Lo. Boksa, a U.S. Merchant Marine Academy graduate with commercial and yacht design experience, brings 'pocket superyacht' philosophy combining megayacht luxury with explorer capability. The Discovery Series now includes 115, 120, and 127-foot models.
• Genesis InteriorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian artisan company founded in 1994 by yachting veteran Roberto Lottini. Genesis Interiors is hand-crafting luxury interiors for the Cheoy Lee 130 Explorer using their patented Fit-Lock panel assembly system. The company has previously worked on World Superyacht Award-winning vessels including 350' charter vessel M/Y Dream and 113' Benetti Oasis M/Y Unknown. B.Y. Lo noted that Genesis' workmanship aligns with Cheoy Lee's high standards.
• CL Yachts (Sister Brand)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCL Yachts, the sister brand of Cheoy Lee, exhibits alongside Cheoy Lee at events like FLIBS, showcasing family cruiser models CLB72 and CLB65. The two brands operate under the same corporate umbrella but serve different market segments.
• Sylvia Bolton (Interior Designer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeattle-based designer Sylvia Bolton conceived the luxury custom interiors for the new 130 Explorer yacht. Her design plans were translated into engineering templates by Genesis Interiors designer Alice Beldramme using CAD for the Fit-Lock panel system.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Feadship: Feadship is a Dutch custom superyacht builder serving UHNW clients with fully bespoke vessels in overlapping size ranges to Cheoy Lee's 130 Explorer, though with a heritage positioning and pricing typically well above Cheoy Lee.
• Sanlorenzo: Sanlorenzo is an Italian megayacht builder with semi-custom and custom lines in the 24–73m range that competes with Cheoy Lee for UHNW buyers seeking bespoke motor yachts, though with a Mediterranean design and styling orientation.
• Lürssen: Lürssen is a leading German builder of fully custom superyachts (often 80m+) for the top end of the UHNW market, competing for the same exclusive buyer pool as Cheoy Lee at the upper end of the megayacht segment.
• Azimut Benetti Group: Benetti is one of the largest global megayacht builders with a broad portfolio including semi-custom explorer models; it competes with Cheoy Lee for UHNW buyers seeking large, fully-custom vessels, though at greater scale and broader segment coverage.
• Heesen Yachts: Heesen is an established Dutch builder of large motor yachts (typically aluminum fast-displacement) competing for the same UHNW megayacht buyer pool as Cheoy Lee, though without an explicit explorer/expedition specialization.

Direct peers

• Bering Yachts: Bering builds steel-hull explorer yachts in the 65–145 ft range with long-range cruising capability, directly comparable to Cheoy Lee's Discovery Series in hull material, expedition philosophy, and semi-custom UHNW target customer.
• Damen Yachting: Damen Yachting's SeaXplorer and explorer lines are the closest direct competitor to Cheoy Lee's Discovery Series and 130 Explorer, both targeting UHNW buyers seeking transoceanic, commercial-grade explorer megayachts with similar size ranges and customization models.
• Krogen Yachts: Krogen specializes in long-range, full-displacement explorer trawler yachts with steel construction and ocean-crossing range, overlapping Cheoy Lee's expedition-capable buyer base, though at smaller typical sizes.
• Northern Marine: Northern Marine builds custom steel-hull long-range motor yachts from roughly 60–157 ft for serious cruisers, sharing Cheoy Lee's commercial-grade engineering approach and expedition-focused UHNW segment.

Others

• CL Yachts: CL Yachts is the sister brand of Cheoy Lee under the same family ownership, producing CLB65 and CLB72 family cruiser models; it shares corporate resources and show presence but serves a different (smaller, family-cruiser) segment than Cheoy Lee's explorer focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CheoyLeeYachts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CheoyLeeYachts
• Facebookfacebook.com/CheoyLeeYachts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cheoy-lee-yachts
• Instagraminstagram.com/cheoyleeyachts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Cheoy Lee Yachts