Professional BoatBuilder magazine — the trade publication for the marine industry — devoted a Fall 2026 feature to Van Dam Custom Boats, with editor Aaron Porter traveling to Boyne City, Michigan to report from inside the shop. His verdict: a yard setting the standard for next-level custom wooden boats, with just 66 hand-built hulls produced since Steve and Jean Van Dam founded the company in 1977.
The piece traces the full build process — from flat-fee concept design through cold-molded construction — and the in-house capabilities that set Van Dam apart. Porter details the metal and machine shop, where nearly all hardware is CNC-cut and fabricated rather than bought off the shelf; the wood program, which now mills full sipo mahogany trees in-house for book-matched planking; and a finish shop that adopted automotive-grade Glasurit coatings for a flawless clear coat. He profiles the craftspeople behind it, including a staff with multiple 20- and 30-year veterans, and the design office where in-house naval architects collaborate with specialists like Michael Peters Yacht Design on high-performance builds.
Throughout the story, readers will encounter some of Van Dam’s most recognizable boats, including the 35′ Michael Peters–designed Victoria Z speedboat, the 33′ Alpha Z that pushed the shop to a new level in 1998, and more recent builds like the bowrider Arline.