Inspired by the traditional lobster fishing boats of Maine, Sabre Yachts has always specialized in Downeast-style vessels. Founded in 1970 and located in Raymond, Maine, this company is proud to maintain a tradition that stretches back to the 17th century yet builds its yachts with the most modern methods and the latest in cutting-edge nautical equipment.
Roger Hewson started Sabre Yachts in 1970 with the intention of building the finest Downeast-style yachts in America. His first model was a 28-foot, fiberglass sailing yacht that was launched at the 1971 Newport Boat Show. The boat was an immediate success with critics and buyers alike and the firm went on to sell 588 of these vessels over the next 15 years. In 1989 Hewson decided to move into the world of motorboats, and launched the Sabre 36, a fast tri-cabin trawler yacht with the durability of bluewater vessels and the sparkling charm of a Maine lobster boat.
When Hewson retired from yacht building in the early 1990s the company was acquired by current joint chairmen Daniel Zilkha and Ed Miller. Zilkha was a founding partner at a Geneva-based investment bank, while Miller was vice-president of Rothschild Inc, but both were living in Maine at the time and wanted to get involved in the state’s rich heritage of boatbuilding. This move proved highly fortuitous. Since the company changed hands, Sabre Yachts has grown exponentially, constantly innovating and introducing new models, and selling vessels to owners who are now located in all four corners of the globe. In 1994 Sabre acquired North End Marine, a Maine builder of molds and production fibreglass, to ensure their ability to keep up with unprecedented consumer demand. In 2003, meanwhile, Sabre launched Back Cove yachts, a subsidiary that focuses on the production of smaller motorboats. Since their founding, the firm has manufactured over 4,000 yachts across dozens of models.
Today Sabre concentrates their abilities on motor yachts in both Flybridge and Salon Express models, ranging from 38 to 66 feet in length. Their top performing vessels clock in top speeds of over 30 knots, and benefit from Sabre’s proprietary planed, vee-hulls. Every Sabre yacht is also built with luxury and comfort in mind, and their spacious interiors are finished with the highest level of craftsmanship. The company partners with top range suppliers to source materials for their yachts, which can be decked out in glazed teak, cherrywood and cedar. Sold as new cost, these yachts between $700,000 and $3.5 million, so appeal to both the dayboat and luxury cruising market. Sabre owners are known to head out into the Atlantic and Caribbean for longer journeys but are just as likely to be found cruising the passages and inlets of New England or Washington State’s Puget Sound.
The company now runs two boatyards, one in Raymond, Maine and another upstate in coastal Rockland, Maine, where a dedicated team of more than 350 associates and skilled employees build their yachts with VIP resin infusion technology. Sabre Yachts benefits from a low turnover in staff, allowing the company to establish a strong business ethos based on trust and experience. Staff at this company give every yacht launched by Sabre a 600-point inspection plan across the entire manufacturing process to ensure the final product is as safe, reliable and high quality as possible. Based on production output Sabre is now Maine’s largest builder of recreational boats and yachts, no mean feat given the rich and vibrant boat-building tradition of the Pine Tree State. The company has also garnered plenty of prizes and titles down the years, including an impressive six “Boat of the Year” awards from Cruising World and Sailing World magazines.
SABRE MODELS
Sabre Dirigo Salon Express 66
Sabre’s largest yacht by length and one of the largest Downeast-style yachts ever launched in America, the Dirigo Salon Express 66 measures almost 74 feet when including the rear swimming platform. The name Dirigo is Latin for “I Lead”, a reference to Maine’s official motto, highlighting Sabre’s ties to this most maritime of states. The yacht also happens to be one of Sabre’s most luxurious and well-built models ever put to water. Launched in 2016, it boasts a helm dash finished in cherry with a wood-trimmed, stainless steel wheel, a spacious main salon with U-shaped sofa to port, starboard lounge chairs and a fully equipped bar deck. The yacht’s three staterooms are sumptuous affairs, with cherrywood ceilings and wall-panels, accent lighting, plush queen-sized beds and climate control. The galley is large enough for full kitchen facilities including microwave, induction cooktop and convection steam oven, ideal for owners who wish to take their vessel out to sea for longer journeys. The yacht also excels when it comes to performance, with dual Volvo IPS engines delivering top speeds of around 30 knots and a cruising range of up to 900 miles.
Sabre Fly Bridge Sedan 42
It was Sabre’s loyal customer-base who provided the impetus for the creation of the Fly Bridge Sedan 42. Time and again the company would hear that buyers wanted that open air and elemental experience on their yacht, and so decided to create a refined, high-performance vessel topped with a sublime flybridge. The bridge is fitted with all navigational and cruising controls required to steer this vessel to distant coves and hidden bays, but is also a superb place for al fresco entertaining, with a rear L-shaped sofa and pair of pilot’s seats. The yacht is fitted with Cummins Zeus inboard pod-drives for a top speed of around 33 knots and a quiet and responsive ride, while interior spaces retain Sabre’s signature lavish and sedate styling.
Sabre Salon Express 38
This reliable and seaworthy vessel is the most compact yacht currently sold by Sabre at 41 feet in length, and is perfect for those who use their vessels for day trips and leisurely weekend cruises. 360-degree sightlines at the helm are designed for owner-operators who want to chart their own course, while Volvo Penta engines will rocket this yacht to top speeds of 36 knots. At the lowest cruising speeds the Sabre Salon Express 38 has an oceanic range of over 1,000 nautical miles, while guests can rest overnight in the spacious master-stateroom V-berth which is large enough to accommodate a double-bed and ample storage. At night relax under the stars on the aft deck which is fitted with a comfortable transom sofa and console table, or enjoy a spot of underwater snorkelling during the day from the yacht’s retractable swimming platform.
How to Buy a Sabre Yacht
If you’re interested in purchasing a Sabre yacht, a Staten Island Yacht Sales professional can assist you in your buying needs. All employees are trained to identify as many ways as possible to improve your experience when purchasing a Sabre yacht. As a 100-percent customer-driven business, SI Yachts delivers every time.
How to Sell Your Sabre Yacht
Staten Island Yacht Sales has the experience and the product knowledge to sell your Sabre yacht. Selecting the right full-service brokerage firm when selling your yacht improves the likelihood of a seamless and timely transaction. Listing your Sabre with SI Yachts, you can be certain it is in the hands of dedicated professionals. Over 50 years in business, our devoted Sales Professionals work attentively to provide you with first class representation.
Model Name | Beam | Draft | Engine | Fuel Capacity |
---|---|---|---|---|
Sabre 45 Salon Express | 14' 8" | 3' 9" | Volvo | 450 gallons |
Sabre 43 Salon Express | 14' 2" | 3' 5" | Volvo | 432 gallons |
Sabre 38 Salon Express | 13' 4 | 3' 4 | Volvo | 300 gallons |
Sabre 36 Flybridge | 12' 5" | 3' 3" | Yanmar | 300 gallons |
Sabre 34 Hard Top Express | 13' 3 | 3' 0 | Yanmar or Volvo | 250 gallons |