Layout, finishes, equipment: discover what a semi-custom dayboat offers you compared to a production sailboat.

Introduction

With a semi-custom sailboat, you start from a proven construction platform while benefiting from significant customisation: layout, finishes, equipment. You are neither choosing a production sailboat with a choice of a few hull colors, nor a boat drawn completely from scratch. This third path, which is more demanding and takes more time, allows you to meet precise needs that standard catalogs simply do not cover.

At Rosewest, located at the Bassins à Flot in Bordeaux, we work along this exact philosophy: we build our Cape Cod dayboats with you, their future owner. The CAPE COD 896 and 767 models are offered as centerboarders with a retractable keel, while a fixed-keel version is also available.

Key Takeaways

• A proven platform: You start from a pre-validated hull. You aren’t funding the development of a brand-new naval architecture, which limits technical risk.

• Genuine customisation: We design the layout, finishes, equipment, rig type, and sails according to your specific sailing style.

• Budget measured at delivered price: Always compare fully equipped, ready-to-sail boats rather than base catalog prices alone.

• A structured timeline: We work together on a clear schedule for your project.

• A direct relationship with the shipyard: You follow the construction process and know your boat inside and out long before your very first sail.

Semi-Custom Dayboats: A Third Path Between Production and Full Custom

A Semi-Custom Dayboat Relies on a Proven Platform

By choosing semi-custom, you start from a validated platform: hull, deck, structure, and foil design. These elements remain those of the base model. You customise what shapes your life on board: layout, upholstery, equipment, and finishes. We have already ironed out handling and production details on previous units.

What Your Semi-Custom Dayboat Does Not Change

The dimensions and naval architecture of your boat remain those of the platform. If the base model meets your core sailing program, this approach is right for you. If your specifications require starting from scratch with a brand-new hull, you are looking at a fully custom project, which is both longer and more expensive.

The Advantages of a Semi-Custom Dayboat Over a Production Sailboat

Compared to a production sailboat, a semi-custom dayboat offers true customisation and a direct relationship with the shipyard.

A Semi-Custom Dayboat Tailored to Your Sailing Program

On a production sailboat, design choices are aimed at the average sailor. With semi-custom, we start from your specific program: day sails or weekend getaways, sailing single-handed, as a couple, or with a crew, and the need to beach the boat or not. At Rosewest, we can work with you to configure a boat that is minimalist and high-performance, or more comfortable, depending on your intended use.

Equipment Integrated Right From the Construction of Your Semi-Custom Dayboat

Thermal or electric propulsion, deck hardware, comfort systems, and electronics: these areas account for most customisation requests. We plan for them right from the start of construction to integrate them cleanly—wiring and reinforcements are built in from day one, with nothing added as an afterthought.

A Direct Relationship With the Shipyard During Construction

Semi-custom is built on a genuine dialogue between you and our team. You aren’t simply placing an online order with a fixed delivery date. You know where every cable runs and why each locker is positioned where it is, making maintenance much easier over your first few seasons on the water.

Is Resale Value Better?

Choosing semi-custom does not automatically guarantee a higher resale value. To evaluate your boat’s worth, factors such as the shipyard’s reputation, the clarity of your sailing program, the quality of the equipment, and documented maintenance are key. Certain choices can impact this value: unusual furniture, fragile materials, complex systems without maintenance logs, or proprietary electronics.

At Rosewest, our pre-owned Cape Cods are rare because their owners rarely part with them. Every single boat leaving our workshops since 2012 is still actively sailing.

Your Semi-Custom Cape Cod Dayboat, Built With Us in Bordeaux

Cape Cod 896 and 767: Two Semi-Custom Retractable-Keel Dayboats

If you choose a retractable-keel dayboat, its draft varies depending on the board position. With the centerboard down, you enjoy full sailing performance. With it raised, you can access shallow waters and beach your boat. On the Cape Cods, the 896 draws just 43 cm (approx. 1.4 ft) with the centerboard up, while the 767 draws 22 cm (approx. 9 inches) with both keel and rudder raised. In both cases, you can dry out flat. Each model is also available in a fixed-keel version—a choice you make during configuration as it alters draft and permitted use.

The Five Steps of Your Semi-Custom Dayboat Project

At Rosewest, we accompany you through five key steps:

1. Initial discussions: You may have already visited rosewest.fr and enjoyed building an online configuration, which we receive by email. This is the path taken by most people who are genuinely interested in our boats. If you want to take the next step, it usually means you’ve already fallen in love with the lines of one of our CAPE COD models… Our initial talks allow us to understand your program, desires, and sailing habits. A slip or mooring space, solo or crewed outings, racing or cruising: everything matters when planning your first configuration and refining your tailored price list.

2. Shipyard visit: We dive deeper into your sailing preferences and invite you to discover our workshops, with no obligation.

3. Configuring your unit: Together, we define the model, finishes, and options.

4. Manufacturing: You follow your boat’s progress through photos and regular updates straight from the workshop.

5. Launching: Our team is present for the launch and stepping of the mast. If you wish, we will sail with you for a few days to help you understand your boat and its behavior on the water. We also share our best tips for easy handling, upkeep, and maintenance of your sailboat. This level of service is quite unique.

Composite materials, teak, resin, and canvas: every structural element of your boat comes straight from our workshops at the Bassins à Flot, with zero outsourcing on core craftsmanship.

Budget and Delivery Times for Your Semi-Custom Dayboat: Planning With Us

A semi-custom boat generally costs more than a comparable production model. The gap depends on the model and your specific choices. For an honest comparison, look at the delivered, ready-to-sail price: a production sailboat equipped to an equivalent standard quickly closes the gap with a semi-custom.

We provide a pricing breakdown tailored to your configuration so you can estimate the budget required: ranging from €150,000 to €220,000–€240,000, depending on the options and whether you choose the classic or modern model.

However, CAPE COD boats truly have no direct competitors: they are unique dayboats offering rare build quality and finishes. You get a boat that is elegant, high-performing, very stable and comfortable, yet also beachable (barring a custom fixed-keel request) and trailerable. This combination offers unmatched value.

Regarding delivery times, your project depends on our production capacity. At Rosewest, we deliberately build a limited number of units per year to ensure uncompromising quality. Our production schedule is fully booked for the coming year. If you are targeting a specific season, let us know quickly. We will provide a schedule with key milestones: configuration sign-off, hull closing, launching, and sea trials.

You can move quickly through your choices and decisions, or take your time. For some owners, an average of one year passes between our first conversations and delivery. Others dream about their boat for years—often during a major life transition—before finally taking the plunge. We adapt to your timeline and project to bring every unique daysailer request to life.

What We Will Ask If You Are Interested in a CAPE COD

1. What is your sailing program?

2. Which version do you prefer: retractable centerboard or fixed keel?

3. What elements would you like to customise? Natural or synthetic teak deck, hull color, coamings, various trim pieces, classic or performance sails, sail colors and materials, spinnaker with logo, equipment and accessories: we review these choices with you to maintain the overall aesthetic and functional harmony of your boat.

4. What is your intended timeline for the project?

Our discussions will quickly help us determine whether we can build a boat tailored to your desires within your desired timeframe, based on our current production schedule. To find out which model matches your program and to get an initial estimate, contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions About Semi-Custom Dayboats

What is a semi-custom dayboat?

A dayboat is a sailboat designed for day sails. In a semi-custom version, you start from a validated platform, and we work with you to customise the layout, finishes, and equipment. At Rosewest, our Cape Cod 896 and 767 Lounge  models are offered as retractable-keel centerboarders, with a fixed-keel version also available. Both models combine stability, comfort, elegance, and—above all—performance. You can sail single-handed or with a crew of up to 6 or 8 people. Everything is designed to simplify handling and maintenance, ensuring you get out on the water as often as possible.

www.rosewest.fr

sandra@rosewest.fr