Perhaps the next-best thing to owning a Feadship is owning a coffee-table book about the storied Dutch yacht builder. A new Feadship book, titled simply Feadship, takes you back through the decades to see how it all began, and how its custom approach to superyacht construction continues today.
Although the shipyard facilities where Feadships are built date back as far as the mid-1800s, the brand itself celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2024. A handful of Dutch boatbuilders coined the name as an acronym for First Export Association of Dutch Shipbuilders. In the post-World War II era, they saw great potential in selling their boats to American clients. The decades that followed saw not just Americans, but also global customers desiring to own one of its custom yachts.
Ranging from royalty to celebrities to entrepreneurs, several owners to this day remain anonymous. However, the Feadship book shares the stories of some of the builder’s highest-profile customers. For instance, the late Malcolm Forbes, the founder of Forbes magazine, commissioned three custom megayachts. He christened each The Highlander and used them to entertain a diverse array of friends, family, and business clients. That explains why New York mayor Ed Koch, First Lady Nancy Reagan, and England’s Prince Charles were all aboard in June 1981 in New York (top).
That photo is among dozens throughout the 220-page book. Feadship granted first-time access to its private archives for some images and information, too. Although the pictures include modern megayachts like Archimedes and Valor, each well larger than 200 feet (61 meters), they also include small classics. In fact, you’ll see the 55-foot (16.76-meter) Capri. A launch from 1952 (below), she was the brand’s first to receive international acclaim. In fact, the following year, she became the first foreign-built boat crowned “Queen of the Show” at the National Motor Boat Show in New York. Simultaneously, she was the largest yacht there. Both of these facts help explain why thousands of showgoers came to see her each day.
The author of the Feadship book is John Weich, who has been an editor for magazines like Wallpaper* and ArtReview. He’s further written for The Guardian and The Toronto Globe & Mail, among other media. Weich is also no stranger to Feadship, having hosted a seven-episode podcast series for the builder, Feadship Uncovered.
Book sales begin February 19. Price: $1,400.
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