53 ft1988 DeFever 53 Performance Offshore Cruiser
Price $499,500
La Pointe, WI
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Current DeFever inventory
HMY Yacht Sales is currently showing 4 active DeFever yachts. Median asking price around $400K. Top listed regions include Florida, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
See pre-owned DeFever listings.
DeFever trawlers are built to the long-range cruising designs of Arthur DeFever, an American naval architect who lived from 1918 to 2013. DeFever first made his name designing commercial tuna clippers for the San Diego fleet before adapting those seakeeping ideas into pleasure trawlers during the 1960s. More than 3,800 boats had been built to his designs by the time of his death in 2013.
DeFever designs were built by a range of yards over the decades, including Jensen Marine in California, CTF in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and shipyards in Japan, Mexico, China, and Florida. Classic DeFever trawlers commonly range from roughly 38 to 54 feet, with larger models also produced. Because the same DeFever hull plan was built by multiple yards across several continents, build quality and fitout can vary; buyers should confirm the specific builder and year of any pre-owned example.
Frequently asked questions
- Who builds DeFever boats?
- DeFever boats were not built by a single yard. The designs were developed by naval architect Arthur DeFever and then contracted to a range of builders, including Jensen Marine in California, CTF in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and shipyards in Japan, Mexico, China, and Florida, depending on the era and model. PassageMaker's tribute to Arthur DeFever notes the breadth of yards involved across his career. Prospective buyers should research the specific builder behind any given pre-owned DeFever.
- Where are DeFever yachts built?
- DeFever yachts have been built in multiple countries across the designer's career. According to PassageMaker's profile of Arthur DeFever, construction took place at yards in California, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, China, and Florida, depending on the era and model. Buyers looking at pre-owned DeFever trawlers should confirm the specific building yard and year of construction, as construction quality varied by manufacturer.
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