Plant Tour: Catalina Yachts, Largo, FL

Blending traditional craftsmanship with state-of-the-art manufacturing technology, Catalina Yachts has been designing and assembling sailboats since 1970. The company’s products range from 8-foot day-sailors to 47-foot oceangoing vessels. With eight buildings and more than 275,000 square feet of floor space, Catalina’s Largo is the largest sailboat assembly plant in America. Over the past 10 years, the company has invested millions in the plant, which has assembled some 75,000 boats. At one point, the plant was turning out five 22-foot sailboats daily.

In this tour, you’ll discover how engineers use CAD software to optimize hull shapes for stability and speed. You’ll see how hulls are built up from layers of fiberglass and how doors, bulkheads and other wooden parts are made. You’ll learn how the company applies a variety of adhesives and fasteners, and you’ll find out how Catalina copes with high-mix, low-volume production.

Whether you assemble large products in small quantities or small products in large quantities, you won’t want to miss this fascinating plant tour! For a sneak peak of the tour, click here, and select “How a Yacht is Made” from the pull-down menu.

Plant Tour Details

Location: Catalina Yachts, Largo, FL
Date: October 20, 2010
Time: 2:00 - 5:00pm EST
Price: $75/person, limited to 40 people total