FAQ’s and Warranty

At Whitehaven we appreciate that stepping up into a customized motor yacht is a big decision that involves more than just the vessel.
It is the personal relationship, the history and the capability of the entire business. Addressing your questions is a part of
your journey with us – welcome to Whitehaven.

COMPANY HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

Who is Whitehaven Motor Yachts?​

Whitehaven Motor Yachts is a fully Australian owned company with its head office on the Gold Coast and Dealers appointed across Australia, New Zealand and the USA. The Whitehaven range is designed in Australia for Australian conditions. Our long term vision is to bring together the experience, personality and boating lifestyle of our clients with the design, engineering and build capabilities of our team to create truly bespoke luxury entertainer’s motor yachts.

The business idea was originally conceived back in 2009 by Keith and Ryan Hanson – well known identities in the Australian boating fraternity. Keiths’ history on water spans some 50 years and started recreationally before he turned his hand to powerboat racing, blue water cruising and many highly successful dealerships. His son Ryan was essentially born into the industry and never really considered a career outside of it, going on to become a qualified boat builder with some 20 years of experience.

Bruce and Julie Scott first came to know the Hanson’s in 2010 as a result of their own search for a vessel that could be designed and built to their own specific requirements. At the time, Keith was building vessels at the respected Taiwan boat building yard, New Ocean Yachts and was able to accommodate their wish list within the construction of a new semi-custom motor yacht. They enjoyed the process of designing, building and taking delivery of their boat so much that they wanted to give others that same opportunity. It was not only an enjoyable process but resulted in a boat that they are still delighted with to this day. Bruce, along with his passion for boating also brings some 35 years business experience having successfully run one of Australia’s largest refrigerated logistics businesses.

Whitehaven Motor Yachts was incorporated in 2012 and after some 2 years (and some would say a lifetime) of research, development and tooling, the first all new Whitehaven Motor Yacht was launched in October of 2014. The official brand launch in Australia was held at the Sydney International Boat show in 2015 and included 3 new models from the current Whitehaven range of Enclosed Flybridge, Open Sunbridge and Coupe. Today the business is co-owned by Bruce and Julie Scott and Ryan Hanson. These are the people who you will deal
with personally on your Whitehaven Journey.

MANUFACTURING & WARRANTY

Where are Whitehaven Motor Yachts built?

Whitehaven Motor Yachts are proudly manufactured in two well established yards in Kaohsiung, Taiwan – New Ocean Yachts for the 6000 and 7000 series and H-Yacht for the Harbour Classic. Whitehaven Motor Yachts along with leading international big boat brands including Horizon, Nordhavn, Ocean Alexander, Fleming, Johnston, Regency, Belize and many more now base their global production in Kaohsiung, with the region developing a specialty for delivering some of the finest super and mega yachts for owners throughout the world.

With respected Naval Architect Jason Kao heading a world-class design and construction team, the New Ocean Yard was selected by Keith and Ryan Hanson to build Whitehaven’s core range of vessels based upon their ability to perfectly satisfy the design, performance, finish and quality criteria they set down for the product. Similarly H-Yacht was selected for the Harbour Classic as a result of their specific knowledge and multi-generation experience with this class of vessel.

Pairing Australian design concepts with the brilliance of the yards’ build capabilities delivers a bespoke product with levels of customization that are almost impossible to achieve at a competitive cost in Australia.

What is the production time?

Depending on the respective model, personal requirements of owners, and demand, the production time of a new boat is normally 10-11 months for the 6000/7000 series and approximately 5 to 7 months for the Harbour Classic.

How easy is it to source parts and components for Whitehaven given they are built in Taiwan?

Practically all major componentry is sourced from Australian suppliers and therefore carry full & valid Australian Warranties. These components are exported from Australia to Taiwan for fitment into the vessel during construction. Should a non Australian sourced component fail, then the specific item would be priority couriered to Australia from the production facility in Taiwan.

What warranty support does Whitehaven Motor Yachts offer?

Whitehaven Motor Yachts provide a three (3) year warranty on all Whitehaven manufactured items, in addition to a five (5) year structural warranty on the vessels hull. A full warranty document is available on request. Whitehaven is committed to the exceptional ownership experience and aside from standard warranty, any issues experienced by an owner will be treated with immediate attention to ensure any problems are resolved.

Who do we as an owner deal with for warranty issues?

In the unlikely event of a warranty issue arising, Whitehaven Motor Yachts are the responsible entity to make good each warranty claim. However owners should engage directly with their local Whitehaven dealer to ensure prompt attention.

Where are warranty issues dealt with?

This may vary depending upon location of the vessel, but in most instances Whitehaven Motor Yachts will engage their local or closest Whitehaven dealer to handle the warranty claim and process. In the event that this is not feasible, Whitehaven Motor Yachts will manage the warranty issue with their own in-house engineer working in conjunction with appointed local trade people and will oversee the process to the satisfaction of the owner.

THE WHITEHAVEN ORDERING AND PURCHASING PROCESS

What makes the purchase process of a Whitehaven different from local boat brands?

Everything about purchasing a Whitehaven Motor Yacht is different because the people behind the brand didn’t have to build boats – they wanted to build boats! Every new Whitehaven offers a unique journey to its owners, where their years of boating experience meet Whitehaven’s build expertise to deliver the uncompromised entertainers vessel that perfectly matches their boat with their boating lifestyle.

The 6000 and 7000 series vessels offer extraordinary levels of customization and we encourage new owners to immerse themselves in the build process. This is done through working with our local Australian based design team as well as the opportunity to visit the factory to check on works while the build is underway.

For Harbour Classic vessels, new owners can work with our Australian based design and styling team to inject their personal knowledge, experience and preferences into their boat.

The entire Whitehaven experience is about ‘Your Journey and Your Whitehaven’.

Can we trade-in a boat to purchase a new Whitehaven?

Whitehaven Motor Yachts will seriously consider any trade boats based on their resale-ability and pricing.

Do you offer a handover service?

Yes. Whitehaven Motor Yachts offers an extensive handover service that really starts the day a boat is ordered, and concludes in Australia at delivery when the Whitehaven team will provide new owners with a full induction to the vessel operating procedures to ensure there are no concerns.

Whitehaven Motor Yachts also offers a range of maintenance programs designed to keep vessels in peak operational condition. These programs are designed and priced around customers specific requirements. Protecting your investment by ensuring your boat remains in perfect condition is a priority of Whitehaven Motor Yachts.

Do you offer captain training after purchase?

Yes. Captains training can be provided on request and will be delivered by qualified local Skippers and Boat Managers. The scope of the training will be based on individual needs and requirements.

THE VESSELS

What are the engine options?

We support both shaft drives and IPS (POD) drive systems and will make recommendations as to what system best suits each model and its primary operating environment, with consideration given to durability and satisfying the performance expectations of our owners. Our primary engine suppliers are Volvo, Caterpillar and MTU, who offer a range of power options to match the desired performance outcome from your Whitehaven.

What is the range for the larger vessels?

Depending upon engine capacity and speed, the practical range for the 6000/7000 series is between 350 – 750 nautical miles.

How user friendly are your boats?

We have placed a lot of emphasis on ensuring Whitehaven Motor Yachts remain manageable for a couple. Most boats are fitted with the latest joystick control systems for simple berthing, with spacious side decks and large swim platforms meaning there are no leaps of faith and plenty of room to move when berthing. During handover we will assist with ensuring your ropes are sized perfectly for ease of tie up.

Galley appliances and other specification variations?

Owners can select galley appliances and other details from the wide range that Whitehaven offer as standard, all based on the desired size, style and performance required. However, Whitehaven prides itself on the level of customization we can achieve and this extends to galley arrangement, appliances and other finishes.

What is each vessel’s cruise speed?

This varies by engine size and model, but top speeds of some 30 knots and cruise speed of 23 – 25 knots is easily achievable for the 6000/7000 series vessels. For the Harbour Classic top speeds of 25 to 28 knots and cruise speeds of around 15-18 knots.

Why would I buy a Whitehaven over another brand?

Whitehaven offers an exceptional level of customisation in its class and it does so very cost effectively. This means that their bespoke vessels are comparably priced with locally built production brands. Whether it’s input into the design, variations to layout, selection of finishes and fittings, it’s really up to the imagination of the client and what best suits their individual boating lifestyle. Finally no more compromises!

Sitting behind this is also a production ethos of building every vessel to be perfectly suited to its purpose. All Whitehaven vessels cater to the luxury entertaining lifestyle aboard – whether it’s a day, weekend or months aboard. For the 6000/7000 series that means solid, seaworthy boats that provide exceptional performance and cruising integrity and a naturally stable and dry ride. For the Harbour Classic it means a spontaneous, spirited and easy to manoeuvre vessel that is both zippy and comfortable both at rest and underway.

Most of all it’s the passionate people behind the brand. At Whitehaven, you deal with the owners of the business – its personal. Your Journey with us starts with you.