Derecktor Shipyards
Derecktor Shipyards is an American ship building company located in Mamaroneck, New York and founded in 1947 by Robert E. Derecktor. The company is known for building Cakewalk V, one of the largest yachts ever built in the United States. Derecktor currently operates two facilities, one in Mamaroneck, New York, which is focused upon the construction and repair of custom yachts and small commercial vessels, the other in Dania Beach, Florida, which is dedicated to the maintenance, repair and refitting of mega-yachts up to 200’ in length and building a third one in Fort Pierce, Florida, which could be operating in autumn 2020, It will be the first shipyard in the United States to specifically handle sailing and motor yachts more than 200' in length to handle the maintenance and refits.
According to sources, Bob “Old Man” Derecktor is remembered by some for his tough rhetoric and direct leadership, the most notable example of which occurred at a Company Christmas party circa 1970 in which he separated all Production employees to one side of the room and all non-production employees to the other. After separating the groups he remarked “all you non-Production people need to understand one thing: you are here to support the people on the other side of the room, and if you can’t understand that, than there is the door.”
History
The company was founded in Mamaroneck, New York in 1947 by Robert E. Derecktor. The company started as a yacht builder, although it had built many commercial vessels. Derecktor Shipyards occupies the same building on Boston Post Road, with the a few neighboring buildings being bought due to business expansion.Notable ships built
The following is the list of notable ships built by Derecktor Shipyards.| Original Name | Original Owner | Type | Tons | Delivery | Description | |
| 1 | USCGC Mohawk | United States Coast Guard | Medium endurance cutter | 1,829 t | Mohawk is the last of a series of nine 270’ Famous-class cutters built by Derecktor for the USCG | |
| 2 | MV Fairweather | Alaska Marine Highway System | Det Norske Veritas catamaran ro-ro ferry | 748 | All-aluminum aft and starboard ro-ro loading car ferry designed by Nigel Gee & Associates | |
| 3 | MV Chenega | Alaska Marine Highway System | Ferry catamaran | 748 | Aft and starboard ro-ro loading | |
| 4 | Cakewalk | Charles Gallagher | Yacht | 2,998 | Full displacement superyacht designed by Tim Heywood, naval architecture by Azure, interior design by Liz Dalton. At 281’ and 2998 GRT, it is the largest private yacht ever built in the USA when measured by volume. | |
| 5 | Spirit of the Sound | Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk | Research vessel | All-aluminum Incat designed catamaran classroom vessel with hybrid diesel-electric propulsion |