Philbrook Yachts Review

Philbrook Yachts are designed and built by the Philbrook Boatyard, which is located just outside Sidney on the Southeast shores of Vancouver Island. The company was started in Victoria by Eric Philbrook and Ernie Butler soon after the end of WWII with the building of a 31-foot wooden boat called Bonnie Lou. During the 1950s Eric and his growing company both built and repaired boats of all types. Because of their geographical position these were mostly commercial and fishing boats. Philbrook relocated from Victoria to Sidney, a few miles around the coast, in 1959. The big break came when the Department of Fisheries awarded them an agreement to build a number of 65-foot fishery protection vessels. These rugged “Post” class patrol vessels were followed by several yachts built from the same molds. Many of these fishery protection boats are still being used today, and their distinguishing robust design can still be seen today in some of Philbrooks’ newer boats. In 1971 Eric Philbrook sold the shipyard a couple of businessmen who had some big ideas but needed a running shipyard in order to put them together. They wanted to build a production sailing boat, and the yard built about 36 of the handsome 39 ft William Garden design boats which they named the Fast Passage class. At the end of that decade they sold the mold to Tolleycraft. The yard was sold again in 1987 to the Irwin family who purchased it because of its outstanding reputation and the fact that it obviously had potential. Philbrooks Shipyard still builds and repairs boats of all kinds and can undertake any type of repair. Their interior woodworking and finishes are exceptional.

Pricing

Despite a systematic search, we were only able to find 2 pre-owned Philbrook boats on the market, a 1999 model 69 ft cruising sailboat priced at $2.1 million, and a 2002 model 65 ft fast expedition yacht at $1.95 million.