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Testimonial Project
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Clint Clemens Building
a boat is a lot like having one foot on the boat and the foot on
the dock. You stand on the dock looking at the boat that you
really want to sail and you look at what it takes to get both
feet on the boat and sometimes the water in between is just too
cold. After several
years of researching boat designs, convinced that multihulls are
safer and faster than monohulls, I settled on Chris White’s
Atlantic 42. He in turn introduced me to Lombardi Yachts where
the 42’s are under construction. Experience has
taught me that there are many promises that are made in the
courtship phase of a construction project and that follow
through is often more elusive. So I approached this project with
my guard up and a great deal of skepticism. I was determined to
see the construction of my boat through and keep the project on cost. I was not
prepared for the experience: Flawless construction and
management. Construction
payments were broken down into equal amounts, checks were
written monthly. Photographs were sent to me monthly of the
progress, my options list was quoted and agreed upon in advance,
equipment was ordered in sequence and on time, my communication
with the yard was through email so that business travel did not
interfere with progress. Delivery was on
time and the commissioning of the boat and subsequent sea trial
could not have gone better. Follow through from the yard has
been terrific. Since her
launch two weeks ago, the boat has sailed from Virginia to Rhode
Island and back with cruising between. She is every bit of my
dream and I thank Lombardi Yachts for a job of the finest kind. The real test
after completion of a project of this size: would I go it again? Without
hesitation. The Lombardis
and the people that work at the yard are committed to quality
and their customers. If you are considering building a boat, you
must consider this one. You will be able to proceed with
confidence in the design and in the construction. Congratulations to Lombardi Yachts and thank you. Mark Dionne, Migratory Films I met John Lombardi at the Annapolis Boat show where his Atlantic 42 won best Cruising Multihull in 1998. I wondered all over the small boat harbor looking at all the boats, most of all the Cats. The boat John was showing had a level of craftsmanship that the others could not match. He was easy to get acquainted with and I liked him immediately. I spent a lot of time looking at the AT42 and talking with John. I kept in touch with John as the
years past. He would always take the time to talk to me on the
phone when I had any questions about boat building and about the
boat I chose to build a Chris White Atlantic 55. In 2002 I had all the
pieces in place to begin to build the AT55. I live in Alaska so
I started searching for a building location in Washington and
Oregon close to my home. I spent two months searching and
didn’t have any luck—I was frustrated. A few days before
catching a plane to go back to Alaska, I called John expressing
my disappointment. John said fly to Virginia and check it out. I
thought it would be a long shot and too far from Alaska. But I
new if I didn’t fly east I would always have the question in
my mind. Driving the mile long gravel road
to John’s shop and seeing the boat yard on MOB Jack Bay, I
immediately fell in love with the location. John’s shop was
being used to build an Atlantic 42 and would have been cost
prohibitive for me to use. John suggested that we put up a
temporary shop on the property just to build my boat. The fact
that I was building the boat myself with only occasional help
from John and his crew didn’t matter. He understands my
financial limitations and is willing to work with me on a
consulting base to help my project to completion. Six months later, I have a building up a strong back and hull jig setup and am preparing to plank the first hull. Nothing prepared me for the experience I have had so far working on my boat next to John Lombardi. John and his crew have accepted me without prejudices into what is a close neat group of boat builders. They have no qualms teaching me what they know about boat building. The support I get from John and his crew is as if I were family. The experience and work ethic John has is a standard I can only hope to achieve. His attention to detail is what I will try to aspire to over the come years building my boat at Lombardi Yachts. I don’t know where I would have
been able to take such a project if it weren’t for John and
his crew. Thank you. |
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John V. Lombardi :
4 Gordon Drive, Poquoson, VA 23662 |
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