Centreboard Kft. & Jan van der Weide
Centreboard Kft. is the company founded by Jan van der Weide. The yard builds motor yachts as well as sailing yachts. It is a skilful company with a very good reputation where you can still have a chat about yachts with the yard owner personally.
Years of experience in building high quality sailing and motor yachts is available within the yard. Since the company was founded in 1996 over 250 yachts have been built, all meeting the highest Dutch standards and CE requirements. The yachts have been delivered to private owners and the very demanding charter companies. In 2008 the development and production of a yacht for Jan himself was started, the Centreboard 40: A true cruising yacht that feels at home everywhere.
 |
Grown up in a family of nine brothers and sisters, Jan van der Weide was fifteen when he embarked on a small coaster as an ordinary seaman. His love for the sea grew and the seeds to his future profession were sown: He wanted to become a yacht builder. In 1973 he started his own shipyard in the Netherlands where he initially built small sailing scows. Later he and his team built ‘grundels’ and ‘Noordkapers’, designed by Martin Bekebrede, Skoits designed by Lunstroo and many other sailing and motor yachts. | |||
| Touring on his motorcycle Jan visited Hungary in 1989 for the first time. When he came back in 1992 he met his wife and decided to stay and make a living in Hungary. The first years were difficult and rough. He built two ‘Skoit’ schooners, one special 7/8 rigged ‘Skoit’, followed by a modern styled motor yacht, all designed by Lunstroo. During these first years it became clear that one shouldn’t just order yachts to be built in Hungary, but be in charge of the whole process. Jan understood this and took charge over the yard’s daily routine. With this new experience the time was right to expand the business. | ||||
Pedro Boat Kft. |
||||
 |
In 1996 Jan started with his Dutch/Hungarian shipyard. Four years later a new 2000 m2 shed was built including a large grit blasting cabin and a state of the art spray painting cabin. The yard is doing well and at the end of 2009 over 250 yachts (30 to 40 feet) has been delivered. | |||
 |
From the beginning in 1996 the craftsmen in the yard have been trained successfully to work at the shipyard and gain special skills in yacht construction. Since the yard scaled up with the new shed it started building motor yachts in series so the craftsman were trained further to be experts in their own field of work. In this region of Hungary the yard is known as a good employer where you can develop your skills as long as you’re committed and willing to learn. | |||
 |
This policy has paid off: A firm team of professionals working together are building real quality boats. Of course all the welders are certified, painters were trained in co-operation with Akzo Nobel and the carpenters were especially trained as yacht carpenters. Staff turnover is minimal and the huge knowledge of building yachts stays within the yard. | |||
|
||||
Passion for sailing & technology
In recent years mainly motor yachts have been built by the yard, but in his spare time Jan has always been busy with his love for sailing and technology. One day he would build sailing yachts again, that was for sure. The challenge to build a sailing yacht technically impeccable and practical to use was just too tempting. Even thirty five years ago Jan was busy with innovations like a central switchboard and numbered wiring, and always he has been first with the latest developments in yacht building. In the years since Jan has spent hours in discussions with designers and experienced experts.
He has been working out the most ideal routes for sheets, halyards and adjoining winches. With each new yacht, Jan has imagined himself sailing it. ‘How will I cope standing in the kitchen with a Beaufort 6 blowing outside? What’s the view from behind the steering wheel? Is there any danger on the decks, like tripping over something? Where do I leave my coffee-cup? Do both children and parents have their own space? He even built his own sailing yacht (the Centreboard 38) to see whether the theory worked out in the real world. The result? The magnificent Centreboard 40.