T&T: Defever

[Chester Brummett]

 A few years ago we saw what was being called a Defever but was kind of a
knock off. It was apparently a Defever design but was poorly finished
somewhere and clearly not what I would consider true Defever quality. We are
now looking at a late model Defever 45. How can I tell if this 45 was
actually designed & built by/for Defever?

Michael Wilkie
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First Answer:  joing the DeFever owners group DeFever Cruisers, and post the
question to them.

But, to expand here:

DeFever has never built boats, he designs boats. they have been built by many
different yards over the past 50 years.  DeFever designed the original Grand
Banks.

Probably the best known DeFevers at this time (since early 80's) were built in
Tiawan by CTF and China by POCTA (since late 90's).   Other yards did build
DeFever designs in the 80's.  POCTA and CTF were in effect one family, Wilson
Lin (POCTA) was originally the yard manager at CTF until CTF stopped building
DeFever in early 90's due to the added taxes imposed by US government.  He got
family permission (his wife) to move the molds to China in late 90's and
opended POCTA.

For various reasons, CTF requested return of the molds about 2005; planning to
reopen their yard.  They only built one boat, approximately 55 feet long
"Sepember Song".  For whatever reason, DeFever would not "claim" this boat as
his, but it certainly looks like a DeFever and is a beautiful boat.  In
effect, this was a custom boat under direct supervision of the US agent.

My 2003 Defever 44+5 cockpit was built by POCTA, molds still owned by CTF,
thus the hull number (HIN) starts with CTF.  the numbers progressed through
the CTF builds and the POCTA builds, 44 or 44+5.  Aproximately 160 built since
the early 80's.

At this time (since late 90's) I think only POCTA is building DeFever design
boats.  http://www.poctadefever.com/index.php

There was a recent  45 foot  DeFever that was designed by DeFever for POCTA.
Wilson Lin has other DeFever models also designed specifially for him.  You
should be able to check the hull number to confirm where it was built.  I do
not know the HIN prefix that POCTA uses.  If any question, contact the
builder, Wilson Lin at wilsonpocta at yahoo.com.cn

Other source:  look at yachtworld.com for an overview of DeFevers.

Chet
DeFever 49 CPMY, Cygnet
Daytona Beach, FL