Modernization

Grand Banks Modernization to Maximize Your Fun on the Water and Resale Value

With our Grand Banks and Eastbay modernization programs, many of our boats leave the yard functioning “better than new”. With over 30 years of production, many Grand Banks and other high-end cruising yachts were built in a different era. With most hull and mechanical systems built to commercial standards, they outlast the amenities of modern electronics, updated creature comforts, and control systems for easy operation. Our mission is to keep your older Grand Banks fun and relevant for today’s boaters. This creates more boating enjoyment for your family and significantly higher resale prices. Our work extends to any serious cruising boat, power or sail. Our boats typically demand over 25% more value and sell 2 to 3 times faster than the “average” high end yacht of their era. Typical projects include a wide range of projects. Some, like Satellite TV, are simpler and can be done by any yard with good service technicians. Others, like changing your interior layout or building in a hydraulic TV cabinet, are best done by a boat yard with real Grand Banks experience. At our Dickerson Harbor yard, you see the benefits when you see any modernization project in progress. Only Grand Banks experienced, skilled craftmen can rearrange your salon or install new LED lighting throughout. When your project has to be done “just right”, then he Oxford Yacht team should be your first choice.

  • Interior Layout

    We have a keen eye for the aesthetics of Grand Banks interior layouts and what will look great while excelling at meeting your unique livability needs. Our gifted carpenters will make it look “Grand Banks Perfect” so that everyone will assume “it was built that way”.

  • Hardtop

    A hardtop for your Grand Banks trawler has become very popular as many new yachts have them. They do have advantages; less noisy than a bimini, better sun coverage, a great place to mount more electronics, and a sharp new look. Tower companies do lots of hardtops, but seldom can make your boat look good. A boxy, unprofessional hardtop is the kiss-of-death at resale time.

  • Modern Electronics

    You need modern electronics for enjoying your boat, ensuring your boating is safe, and for resale. We are an authorized Raymarine dealer and can install any brand systems you want. Our electronics technicians will insure your new systems integrate fully with your older units. The mounting will be “yacht quality” to maintain the Grand Banks look you have come to expect.

  • Satellite TV

    Reliable TV at anchor or anywhere you cruise is a new must-have. Your grandkids will enjoy the boat a lot more if they can watch TV just like they were home. Wi-Fi works for lots of TV, but can’t match the selection and reliability of a dish antenna; gimballed to work wherever you are, no matter the sea conditions.

  • Refrigerators and Ice Makers

    Updating your old refrigerator, freezer or ice maker will make your wife so happy. Don’t put up with drips of water on the floor, or an ice maker that’s always empty. In modern boats, these are essential crew comforts and always working.

  • Dingy Handling

    Whether you are cruising the Great Loop or picking up a mooring in Annapolis, your dingy is your connection to shore. Making the dingy easy to launch, safe underway, and melding into the look of your Grand Banks is a tough ask. At Dickerson Harbor, our Oxford Yacht team has seen every dingy storage configuration possible, good and bad. Let us install the dingy storage and handling system that will make your dingy a joy to use!

  • Interior Decorating

    Modern yachts have bright colors and decorated interiors. There’s no reason your older Grand Banks can’t have the same. Our Oxford MD team of designers and upholstery craftsmen will make your yacht look much better than the day it was delivered. You will be proud to see it shine inside where you really enjoy it.

  • Lighting

    the new lighting options are almost endless. From LEDs for efficiency to linear lighting and dock lights. Get rid of those old yellow lights and make your boat an attention-getter at the dock and safer at sea. We know the options for modern lighting for your Grand Banks and have to know how to run the wiring at minimum cost without tearing the boat apart.

  • A/C Units

    Getting tired of the noise and unreliability of those old air conditioning units. Modernize your Grand Banks with a state-of-the-art digital system that’s so much quieter and efficient. No more nights without air conditioning or heating because one more part failed.

Because a Grand Banks built in fiberglass is worth taking care of, they rarely if ever find their way to a landfill. 

Consequently, maintenance reduction means materials modernization. This is to say the old clear sealer and single part enamel paints and varnishes are no longer the acceptable standards. This new approach was brought about by the advent and accelerated entry of modern marine epoxy based primers and multi part linear urethane topcoats. Epoxy seals! It seals and isolates Teak from the Sun. The Awlgrip type two part materials simply outlast any other by quantum amounts of time. Epoxy is also applicable to most marine construction materials. Additional major improvements in fiberglass gelcoat protection is resulting in greater gelcoat lifespans. These are similar to wax materials that do not evaporate readily. These composite compounds are capable of long life spans when coating fiberglass properly. Maintenance reduction is also moving away from metal particles in bottom paints. It is the high percentage of Copper, generally, 40-70% Copper which is an historical base for controlling marine growth. These concentrations of copper aid electrolysis occurrences in below waterline metals. The propellers, shafts, transmissions, engines, fuel tanks, thru hull hardware including the ball valves become a network, bonded together for their individual security that as a network are no longer able to as good a job as organic compounds.