Paul Luke Yard

Paul Luke Yard

Scenes at Paul Luke Yard. Custom built 42' ketch for John Braitmayer of Darien,Conn. KARINA, 1968, Alden design. Ketch KARINA Sometimes Luke boats were built on nothing more than a handshake. However, Paul realized that it was advantageous for him to put on a suit and tie and go to New York to make personal calls on yacht designers. He succeeded in getting on preferred lists that designers used to use to send specifications and drawings to builders for bids. He encouraged his clients to be involved in the boat building process, to call him with questions and concerns and visit the boat. Once the cockpit was installed, their input was particularly important since the interior was where most custom work was done. Customers might want mock-ups of galley arrangements, special woodwork, the addition of artwork, or a different style of handrails, for example. Luke retained woodworkers from the wooden yacht days, so with those skilled workers and the capabilities of workers in the machine shop, many kinds of custom work were possible.