Pantawee Marine Huai Yai - Custom Boatbuilder Guide

Established in 1986 by New Zealand boatbuilder Jack Hall, Pantawee Marine is an independent composite shipyard in Huai Yai, Chonburi Province, constructing ocean-going cruising catamarans up to 65 feet. The facility combines vacuum-consolidated epoxy engineering with traditional timber joinery. Having spent decades manufacturing classic Hans Christian heavy-displacement cruising yachts, the yard transitioned to specialist multihull production, partnering with naval architects such as Schionning Designs to construct contemporary sailing catamarans and long-range power cats.

Operating under foreign technical management, Pantawee Marine builds semi-custom and one-off multihulls to American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) and European CE standards for small craft. Rather than running mass-production assembly lines, the yard operates as an artisanal boatbuilder, tailoring each project to private voyagers and commercial charter operators requiring durable, lightweight hulls and marine-grade mechanical systems. Vessels completed at the Huai Yai facility have undertaken global circumnavigations and international offshore passages across the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans.

Shipyard Facilities and Boatbuilding Capabilities

Pantawee Marine operates an inland composite construction boatyard in Huai Yai, Chonburi Province, dedicated to custom and semi-custom multihull production. The facility combines vacuum-consolidated composite engineering with marine joinery skills developed over decades of constructing ocean-going sailing craft.

The Huai Yai boatyard comprises sheltered construction sheds built to maintain composite structures in stable working conditions. Tropical conditions present particular boatbuilding challenges, notably intense ultraviolet radiation, midday heat spikes, and torrential downpours during the wet season. Pantawee Marine manages these factors through covered workshops equipped with airflow ventilation, dedicated dust-extraction zones, and shaded bays that protect composite laminates and vacuum bags from direct sunlight. The compound accommodates multiple yacht builds simultaneously, handling catamarans up to roughly 20 metres (65 feet) in length. Physical separation between workshop areas prevents timber dust and metal grindings from settling on uncured resin surfaces during critical lamination cycles. Raw structural cores, vacuum bagging consumables, and epoxy resins are held in temperature-monitored dry storage to prevent heat degradation and premature hardener reaction. Overhead mechanical hoists and heavy-duty gantries move structural bulkheads, bridgedeck modules, and hull sections across the build floor.

Rigid alignment strongbacks and steel jigs form the foundation of hull assembly inside the main bays. Rather than relying on manual lofting, modern multihull projects use computer-cut component kits erected over levelled alignment frames, ensuring dimensional symmetry across twin hulls. The inland position of the yard in Bang Lamung District requires careful overland transport logistics when a finished vessel is ready for departure. Multihull beams exceeding seven or eight metres cannot negotiate local highway corridors during daytime traffic. The boatyard coordinates transit operations using steerable multi-axle trailers, moving completed hulls under specialised transport permits during late-night windows when coastal roads are clear. Technical drafting offices and client meeting areas sit on site, where visiting owners inspect construction drawings, joinery samples, and milestone build logs. Prospective owners can examine hull alignment and structural framing directly on the workshop floor before fairing and interior outfitting commence.

Advanced Composite Engineering and Construction Methods

Pantawee Marine constructs sail and motor multihulls primarily using epoxy-composite engineering, working in regular collaboration with naval architects including Australia's Schionning Designs. Structural shells incorporate pre-laminated DuFlex panels manufactured with end-grain balsa or closed-cell structural foam cores, alongside DuraKore strip-planked sections for curved profiles. These panels arrive pre-cut by CNC routing machines, reducing excess build weight while maintaining millimetre-accurate fitment between bulkheads, transoms, and hull skins. Lamination uses epoxy resin systems from manufacturers including West System and Kinetix, paired with double-bias and biaxial glass fabrics. Epoxy resin provides superior adhesive bond strength compared to traditional polyester or vinylester, delivering higher fatigue resistance while creating an impenetrable moisture barrier that eliminates the risk of osmotic blistering. Structural junctions carrying concentrated sailing loads—including forward crossbeams, bridgedeck box beams, and chainplates—receive strategic unidirectional carbon-fibre reinforcement.

Vacuum-bag consolidation is applied across hull skins and bulkhead assemblies to compress composite stacks and evacuate surplus resin. Maintaining a controlled resin-to-reinforcement ratio keeps displacement low without compromising structural rigidity, supporting the daily passage-making capabilities of the finished yacht. Ambient workshop temperature and humidity levels are recorded during resin mixing, with hardener cure speeds adjusted to suit seasonal changes between Thailand's cooler dry periods and high-humidity monsoon months. The engineering team logs resin batches and material certificates to maintain traceable records for each hull. The resulting hull profiles provide high bridgedeck clearance and fine forward entry lines designed to minimise wave slamming and torsional flexing in offshore seas.

Prospective owners can examine polar performance curves, daggerboard configurations, and displacement allowances with the technical team to align hull length with their specific passage-making plans.

Interior Joinery, Systems Engineering, and Custom Outfitting

Internal appointments at the Huai Yai yard draw upon the company's traditional cabinetmaking heritage. Between 2004 and 2015, Pantawee Marine served as the authorized builder of Hans Christian cruising monohulls, renowned for solid Burmese teak joinery and heavy ocean-going displacement. The boatyard maintains an in-house joinery division that applies these craft skills to the weight-critical requirements of performance multihulls. Instead of installing heavy timber slabs, cabinetmakers build lightweight cabinetry using paper-honeycomb or foam DuFlex composite panels faced with select timber veneers and trimmed in solid teak. This preserves the warmth of marine timberwork while protecting the light displacement vital to multihull performance. Saloons and galleys are laid out to client specifications, incorporating Corian counter surfaces, custom refrigeration boxes, induction hobs, and durable marine upholstery.

Mechanical and electrical systems are engineered to international offshore benchmarks, following CE Category A and American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) practices. Machinery compartments sit in the stern transoms, isolated with heavy acoustic insulation and accessed via deck hatches. Main propulsion installations feature Yanmar, Beta Marine, or Steyr diesel inboard engines coupled to shaft lines or sail-drives, while electric auxiliary drives have also been installed on custom sailing builds. Electrical distribution relies on tinned marine copper cabling, high-capacity busbars, Victron or Mastervolt battery management systems, lithium-iron-phosphate domestic banks, and rooftop solar arrays mounted flush to the cabin top. Domestic plumbing includes reverse-osmosis desalinators, food-grade water circuits, and separate holding tanks with shore pump-out fittings compliant with discharge rules. Joinery mock-ups are checked directly in the hull during initial fit-out to confirm galley clearances and helm visibility.

Transport, Ocean Marina Launch, and Marine Refits

Following structural completion and primary fit-out in Huai Yai, vessels transition to the marine commissioning phase. Pantawee Marine arranges overland transport down to Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Na Jomtien, situated roughly fifteen kilometres west of the yard. Moving wide-beam catamarans requires low-loader transporters equipped with hydraulic levelling to navigate local road cambers. Haulage occurs after midnight, accompanied by route escorts and utility staff to clear overhead utility cables along suburban roads. At Ocean Marina, heavy-duty mobile travel lifts transfer the hulls into salt water, placing the vessel in dedicated service berths for mast stepping and rigging.

Shipyard riggers step masts, tension standing rigging, install furlers, and calibrate deck winches directly at the marina berths. Dockside checks verify raw-water cooling circuits, bilge float alarms, hydraulic steering lines, and marine electronics integration before departure from the slip. Sea trials are run in the open waters of the Gulf of Thailand, assessing hull stiffness under sail, engine operating temperatures at cruising revolutions, and overall fuel consumption. In addition to new vessel builds, Pantawee Marine undertakes major structural refits, composite collision repairs, osmosis peeling and barrier treatments, and machinery replacements for cruising yachts visiting eastern Thailand. Owners commissioning a new multihull should allow a minimum of ten working days for dock trials, sea tests, and equipment handovers at Ocean Marina before undertaking international departure passages.

Location and Getting There

Pantawee Marine is based at 2/3 Moo 2, Soi Tessaban Huay Yai 12 (also known as Soi Thungkha-Tai), in the Huai Yai subdistrict of Bang Lamung, Chonburi Province. The shipyard occupies a spacious semi-rural compound approximately twenty kilometres southeast of central Pattaya and around ten kilometres inland from the Gulf of Thailand coastline at Ban Amphur. Direct access from the Route 7 Motorway extension allows drivers to reach the boatyard without navigating urban Pattaya congestion, turning off at the Huai Yai interchange onto local access roads.

Travellers arriving from the UK via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) face a 130-kilometre drive heading south along Route 7. A pre-booked private transfer or airport taxi takes around 90 minutes in standard traffic conditions and generally costs between 1,500 THB and 2,000 THB (£33 to £44). For visitors arriving on domestic or regional flights into U-Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport (UTP), located roughly 30 kilometres south, the car journey takes approximately 30 minutes and typically costs between 700 THB and 900 THB (£16 to £20).

Those travelling by public transport can catch an air-conditioned coach from Bangkok's Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekkamai) to Pattaya for approximately 140 THB (£3). From the bus terminal in North Pattaya, visitors must complete the remaining twenty kilometres to Huai Yai using a ride-hailing application such as Bolt or Grab, or by chartering a local songthaew.

Costs and Booking

Procuring a vessel through Pantawee Marine operates on a bespoke contracting framework rather than standard retail pricing. Because the Huai Yai shipyard specialises in custom and semi-custom composite multihulls—principally performance cruising sailing catamarans and power multihulls—every new build is priced individually on application. Total project expenditure is dictated by vessel dimensions, naval architectural licensing fees for designs such as Schionning plans, composite lamination schedules, propulsion choices, and bespoke interior joinery. Rather than requiring lump-sum payments, construction agreements are structured around scheduled stage payments tied to completed shipyard milestones, covering distinct phases from initial hull infusion and bulkhead assembly through to machinery installation, interior carpentry, and final pre-launch checks.

Prospective boat buyers, owners' representatives, and marine technical specialists can schedule an initial shipyard consultation and facility tour free of charge. Visits are conducted strictly by prior appointment during standard working hours on normal weekdays. These introductory sessions provide an opportunity to inspect current multihulls under construction, review resin infusion standards, and evaluate production slot availability. Any subsequent naval design alterations, specialised fit-out additions—such as high-capacity lithium electrical banks, watermakers, or carbon spars—or shipyard refit programmes on existing vessels are costed separately and agreed under formal contract before workshop fabrication commences.

Who It Suits Best

Pantawee Marine caters to experienced bluewater sailors, prospective circumnavigators, and commercial charter operators commissioning semi-custom composite catamarans built away from production-line constraints. It particularly suits owners who value close technical collaboration, allowing direct consultation with the boatbuilder over naval architecture choices, hull configurations, and bespoke timber interior fit-outs.

The boatyard does not cater to casual tourists, holidaymakers, or anyone seeking public day charters, boat rentals, or leisure amenities. As an active industrial facility rather than a marina, access is restricted to commissioning clients, marine surveyors, and industry professionals attending by confirmed technical appointment.

What to Know Before You Book

Commissioning a custom or semi-custom vessel at Pantawee Marine requires thorough forward planning before formal contracts are signed. The shipyard operates as an active industrial workshop rather than a walk-in marina or retail showroom. Visits to the Huai Yai boatyard must be arranged in advance and are restricted to confirmed appointments during standard working days and hours. Spontaneous visits cannot be accommodated owing to strict workshop safety protocols and ongoing fabrication activity.

Because the boatyard sits inland in Huai Yai, complete vessels are transported overland to Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Na Jomtien for launching, rigging, and sea trials. Prospective buyers should plan their schedule around two distinct phases: workshop construction checks inland and waterborne sea trials down at the marina berths.

Lead times on custom multihulls depend heavily on international supply chains. Key components, including marine-grade epoxy resins, specialised composite core materials, standing rigging, and imported engines, often originate from overseas manufacturers. Finalising design choices and equipment specifications early helps prevent component shipping delays during hull assembly.

Contracts for custom builds typically incorporate milestone-based progress schedules tied to specific construction stages. Commissioning clients should budget time for direct milestone reviews or retain an independent marine surveyor to inspect work before each progress payment is released.

Practical Tips

Arranging a visit to the Huai Yai boatyard requires direct coordination well ahead of travelling. Pantawee Marine operates as an active production facility rather than a commercial showroom, admitting prospective clients strictly by prior appointment during standard working hours. Scheduling your walkthrough several weeks in advance helps ensure senior management and technical boatbuilders are present at the premises rather than off site supervising slipway movements or sea trials along the coast.

Dress for an operational manufacturing floor. The workshops contain curing composite moulds, timber dust from the joinery division, overhead hoists, and metal fabrication bays. Wear sturdy, closed-toe footwear and durable, lightweight clothing. Open sandals, shorts, and delicate fabrics are unsuitable and hazardous around wet resins, trimming operations, and moving workshop machinery.

Engage an accredited independent surveyor from the International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) or the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS) to document critical milestones. Scheduled survey reports verify construction quality, protect your capital outlay, and simplify vessel registration under the UK Ship Register (Part 1) or Red Ensign flag states. Request all manufacturer batch records, infusion logs, and post-cure temperature cycles, which marine insurers require when underwriting ocean-going hull policies.

Base your accommodation around southern Na Jomtien or Ban Amphur instead of downtown Pattaya. This coastal corridor sits roughly ten to fifteen minutes by car from the inland Huai Yai facility and provides direct access to Ocean Marina Jomtien, where hulls receive masts, engines undergo commissioning, and sea trials take place. Planning visits between November and February takes advantage of Thailand's cooler, dry winter season, making long inspections inside enclosed hull compartments far more comfortable.

Review highway transport clearance if planning a wide-beam multihull. Completed catamarans move from Huai Yai to the coast on specialised heavy-haul trailers, typically undertaken overnight with local escorts to navigate Chonburi road junctions and utility wires. Clarifying route parameters alongside build stages keeps your commission on schedule.

Quick Reference Table