De Antonio Yachts | Builder Spotlight

Mar 1

Does De Antonio Deserve A Seat At The Day Boat Table?

I saw a De Antonio for the first time at Miami’s River Yacht Club in 2016. It resembled a small shoe box. I hated it. From all the hard edges to the hidden outboards, I didn’t think they stood a chance.

Almost 10 years later, De Antonio presses on with 8+ models and the November 2024 announcement of a US dealer covering all major territories. I guess first impressions aren’t always what they seem.

Today’s article covers:

1. The History of De Antonio Yachts

2. De Antonio Production & Distribution

3. What They Sell

4. Why You’d Buy a De Antonio Yacht

5. Why You Wouldn’t Buy a De Antonio Yacht

The Brief History of De Antonio Yachts

De Antonio Yachts was founded in 2012 by Marc de Antonio and Stan Chmielewski in Barcelona, Spain. Both founders come from technical design backgrounds. Their vision was to revolutionize the boating industry through the creation of vessels with avant-garde aesthetics and practical solutions. Those practical solutions included the concealment of outboard engines, maximizing interior space and a price tag landing them in the center of the day boating category.

De Antonio Production & Distribution

De Antonio splits manufacturing between Spain and Poland, building its European D36 models in Almeria, Spain, and the rest of the line between two Polish factories, one in Augustow and one in Ostroda. This is the natural progression of an efficient builder, likely outgrowing their original factory and moving to Poland where they would get major bang for their buck. As they grow their range in the future—like the soon-to-be-delivered D60—new models will also be produced in Ostroda. Safe to say, if you’re buying a De Antonio delivered to the states, it will be produced in Poland.

While Poland is known for its affordable labor, it’s also recognized as a boat building powerhouse. The “bang for the buck” Nordic brands like Axopar, Nimbus and Saxdor, have saturated the market with a product providing better value to consumers than the price point implies. And Poland’s success doesn’t stop there. Galeon has succeed selling larger price point vessels, and Sun Reef, a premium catamaran, has ties to Polish production. De Antonio’s ability to deliver a moderately priced day boat to an over-saturated luxury category could be the special sauce that led them to such widespread American use.

Since 2012, De Antonio Yachts has expanded its presence globally, with a significant market share in Europe and a growing footprint across five continents. Throughout the world, I count De Antonio with 47 listed dealers in 27 countries/territories.

During FLIBS 2024, De Antonio announced Marine Connection (De Antonio Yachts Miami) as its Florida dealer, also serving the Bahamas, BVI’s, Puerto Rico, and more. Marine Connection is also a dealer for Quarken and Ribco.

What They Sell

GAS OUTBOARD

ELECTRIC OUTBOARD

Why You’d Buy A De Antonio Yacht

1 - You want the convenience of outboards while hating the look of outboards

From asking around, this is the prominent purpose of a De Antonio purchase. Consumers love the function of outboards without seeing the outboards. Easier maintenance, quieter operation, and more usable interior space are all benefits of the outboard life. Hiding them still feels like a gimmick, but the company’s sales say otherwise. And the true winning factor with hidden outboards? The unimpeded swim platform.

2 - Interior volume is a main priority

De Antonio has a unique boxy shape. The style impacts ergonomics, yet allows for immense interior space. The vertical hullsides of De Antonio yield an interior beam nearly matching the exterior beam. Uncommon. This wide frame at the waterline usually causes a flatter bottom and slows top speed, but the boat is lighter through the use of outboards and doesn’t require a deep engine room, so you’ll get to keep your top-end speed while gaining serious interior guest volume and aft storage lockers.

3 - You want bang for the buck (without conceding too much quality)

We mentioned it before, Polish building is bang for the buck. if spending big bucks to buy a Vanquish VQ55 or a Pardo 50 doesn’t make sense, De Antonio can deliver a similar size with enough unique features of its own for a fraction of the price.

Why You Wouldn’t Buy A De Antonio Yacht

1 - You need premium finishings

There is no tricking your mind: De Antonio is not sitting atop the luxury mountain. It’s a smart and effective solution for the middle of the day boat market. Looking for custom-molded carbon fiber ‘everything’? There are other companies for that.

2 - You think hidden outboards is the fix for everything

Sometimes I get the feeling that people think hiding the outboards is a solution for the standard struggles of boating. Let me make this clear: Going with hidden outboards will not save you from the standard hassles of boat ownership. You will still have annoying, frustrating, and costly moments no matter the boat you buy. Make sure you have a plan to properly care for your vessel.

3 - You hate hard edges

What’s your design taste? If it’s smooth, rounded finishes, you may have difficulty falling in love with the edgy nature of De Antonio. If you love it, then you’re in forever.

Want to learn more about De Antonio Yachts?

Get in touch with Reed by submitting a form or scheduling a call today.

About the Author

Reed Nicol is a licensed yacht broker with experience in all corners of the marine industry. He’s worked as an executive and sales director in yacht manufacturing and distribution, has structured commercial charter operations, and designed and executed notable refits. Read more about Reed’s marine journey, his love of helping 1st time boaters and his entrepreneurial spirit here.

Reed Nicol [Licensed FL Yacht Broker #11926]
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