Remembering An American Yachting Pioneer

Press Release from Christensen Yachts...

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Dave Christensen, founder and former owner of Christensen Shipyards, died Monday evening at an assisted living facility in Vancouver, WA after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 87.

A successful home builder and real estate developer in the Vancouver area, Dave parlayed his land-based entrepreneurial success into an internationally respected yacht building business.

Dave began building yachts in 1983 after finishing a trip to Mexico on a locally built yacht, which he had commissioned as a “retirement” present to himself. He decided he could build a better yacht and thus Christensen Shipyards was launched.

For 25 years, David was a fixture in the luxury yacht industry, attending super yacht boat shows and important industry events in every corner of the globe. Even though he famously fought his clients and their representatives over changes they wished to make, he was always curious about what other builders were doing and eager to hear suggestions about how to improve his own production. In the end, the yachts built by Christensen became highly regarded for the quality of their interior finish and their reliability at sea.

A colorful character with boundless energy, Dave Christensen’s legacy is unmatched in American super yachting history. He will long be remembered by the luxury yacht community, former staff and industry colleagues for his unique vision, perseverance and dedication to excellence that catapulted his company into the highest echelons of the global yacht construction industry.

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