Some boats carry history before they’re even built. Dreamboat — Van Dam’s 38-foot sedan cruiser launched in spring 2022 — is one of them.
The story begins with a drawing that slipped from a stack of archives: a 31-foot powerboat sketched by Naval Architect Frederick Ford, discovered by his daughter Susan after his passing in 2014. Susan Ford brought the drawing to Steve Van Dam, a fitting reunion — her father and Steve had collaborated on boats together since the earliest days of Van Dam Custom Boats, including the sailing yachts Star (1981) and Star’s Echo (1990), the latter built specifically for Susan herself.
Dreamboat became a living continuation of that creative partnership, designed with Donald L. Blount and Associates and brought to life by the current Van Dam team under Ben and Erika Van Dam’s leadership. She’s powered by twin Volvo IPS drives with joystick docking assist, stabilized by a Seakeeper system, equipped with Garmin electronics and Czone digital switching, and finished with the signature Van Dam custom metalwork throughout — custom portlights, hinges, chocks, cleats, and bow rail, all fabricated in-house.
Dreamboat was featured at the ACBS Annual Meeting and Vintage Boat Week in Bay Harbor, Michigan, in 2023 — a celebration of both the boat and the multi-generational bond that created her. “Once you’ve owned a Van Dam boat, you’re spoiled for life because nothing can compare,” said Susan Ford.