Sint Maarten · Caribbean

Built Here.
Trusted
Everywhere.

We reverse-engineer the irreplaceable

Custom composite fabrication, CNC machining and precision marine engineering for vessels that demand more than what exists off the shelf.

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Unpopular Opinion
The biggest risk on your boat isn't the next technician. It's not knowing what the previous one did.
20+
Years at Sea
4
Countries Built In
CNC
In-House Machining
SXM
Caribbean Hub
Our Story

The Nautical Sector
Doesn't Have a Skill Problem.
It Has a Memory Problem.

The nautical sector doesn't have a skill problem. It has a memory problem.

Brazil, the United States, Argentina — four countries, two decades, every kind of vessel imaginable. What I learned wasn't just how to build and repair boats. I learned what happens when no one documents anything.

The next technician arrives. He doesn't know what was done, what materials were used, or why a decision was made. So he guesses. And the problem gets buried deeper.

VDZ Boatworks exists to break that cycle. Every part we fabricate — carbon fiber, CNC-machined, acrylic-formed — leaves with a technical file. So the next yard, the next owner, the next insurer knows exactly what was done, with what, and by whom.

That's what we do. Not just fabricate parts. We give boats a memory.

Brand System · VDZ Boatworks
"We reverse-engineer
the irreplaceable."
Every part delivered with full technical documentation
20+ years · Brazil, USA, Argentina, Caribbean
The most complete fabrication pipeline in Sint Maarten
3D scan → CAD → CNC → composite → documentation
Send us the file. We machine it, laminate it, ship it back with a conformance report.
What We Do

Services

From structural repairs to custom-engineered components. Every project executed to the same standard — the one we'd want on our own boat.

01
Custom Marine Fabrication

Precision-engineered parts built to your spec. From concept to CNC to delivered part with documentation.

  • CNC-machined components
  • Custom fittings & hardware
  • Bulkheads, panels, reinforcements
  • CAD design & G-code generation
02
Composite Work

High-performance carbon fiber and fiberglass builds using advanced vacuum lamination. Post-cure oven on-site.

  • Carbon fiber fabrication
  • Fiberglass structural builds
  • Vacuum infusion lamination
  • Post-cure oven processing
03
Repairs & Refits

Structural repairs and full refits executed to a standard that holds up offshore — not just in the marina.

  • Structural hull repairs
  • Interior & exterior upgrades
  • Marine finishing & refinishing
  • Escape hatch structural closures
04
Performance & Sailing

Technical support for competitive sailing — from rigging to hydrodynamic fabrication. Heineken Regatta prep.

  • Daggerboards & foil elements
  • Race preparation
  • Structural performance modifications
05
Interior & Acrylic

Custom navigation tables, teak work, and acrylic forming for windows and windshields.

  • Navigation tables
  • Acrylic windows & windshields
  • Deck hardware installation
06
Remote Fabrication

Send us the file. We machine it, laminate it, and ship the part back with full documentation. Caribbean-based. Globally accountable.

  • DXF/CAD file intake
  • CNC execution to spec
  • Conformance report included
  • Shipping to any port
Who We Serve

The Client Who Finds Us

We don't serve everyone. We serve the client who values precision, documentation, and getting it right the first time — because they've seen what happens when someone doesn't.

PROFILE 01
The Technical Sailor
Expedition boat owner · Performance sailor · Liveaboard

Has a specific, complex problem — a part that no longer exists, a structural failure that needs real engineering, or a custom component that standard yards won't attempt. He doesn't want the cheapest option. He wants it done right, with someone who can explain why.

"The part you described doesn't have a current replacement. Here's what we'd do: reverse-engineer from the existing geometry, fabricate a composite backing, deliver with full technical file."
PROFILE 02
The Fleet Manager
Charter operator · Marina manager · Multi-vessel owner

Manages multiple boats and is tired of repairs that don't last. Needs a yard that documents work properly, so the next time something fails, there's an actual record to start from. Values consistency over price.

"Every job we deliver includes a technical file: materials used, dimensions, process notes. When your next technician opens that hatch, they'll know exactly what they're looking at."
PROFILE 03
The Naval Architect
Freelance designer · Engineering firm · Boatbuilder needing execution

Has the design. Needs someone in the Caribbean who can read a DXF, execute in CNC, laminate to specification, and return the part with a conformance report — not someone who eyeballs dimensions.

"Send us the file. We machine it, laminate it, and send you back the part with full documentation. Caribbean-based, globally accountable."
How We Work

We Don't Just Repair.

We engineer solutions. Every project follows the same structured process — because what you build in a hurry, you rebuild forever.

01
Assessment & Planning

We evaluate the vessel, understand the technical context, and define scope before a single tool moves. No surprises mid-project.

02
Design & Modeling

CAD modeling in Rhino 3D. Exact dimensions, material selection, fabrication method confirmed in writing before execution.

03
Precision Fabrication

In-house CNC machining, vacuum composite layup, or acrylic forming — executed to spec. If it doesn't match the drawing, it doesn't leave the workshop.

04
Installation & Documentation

Professional installation. And a technical file: what was done, what was used, and why. So the next person who opens that panel knows exactly what they're dealing with.

Accuracy & Repeatability

CNC precision means parts fit first time. Tolerances aren't approximate — they're documented and verified.

Long-Term Durability

We select materials and processes that hold up in the marine environment for years. Offshore conditions are the test — not the marina.

Documentation as Standard

Every job leaves with a technical file. Not optional. Not extra. The memory problem in the nautical sector ends here.

We Sail Too

Our team lives on the water. We understand what vessels endure offshore and build to those demands — not to the standards of a flat-water delivery run.

In-House

The Full Pipeline

The most complete custom fabrication pipeline in Sint Maarten. From file to finished part — under one roof.

Fabrication Pipeline · End-to-End
01
3D Scan / Measurement
Existing geometry captured with precision
02
CAD Design
Rhino 3D · RhinoCAM 2018
03
CNC Machining
3-Axis · RichAuto B11 · USB Post-Processor
04
Composite Fabrication
Carbon fiber · Fiberglass · Vacuum infusion
05
Post-Cure & Finishing
On-site oven · Marine grade finish
06
Technical Documentation
Full file delivered with every single part
Built here. Trusted everywhere.
CNC Router Machining
3-Axis · precision cutting
In-House
Carbon Fiber Fabrication
Vacuum infusion · structural
In-House
Fiberglass Composites
Structural builds · repairs
In-House
CAD Design
Rhino 3D · RhinoCAM
In-House
Acrylic Forming
Windows · windshields
In-House
Post-Cure Oven
Composite finishing
In-House
Marine Finishing
Surface · structural
In-House
Technical Documentation
Included with every job · no exceptions
Standard
Who We Are

Sint Maarten's
Marine Workshop

VDZ Boatworks is a custom marine fabrication and engineering operation based in Sint Maarten, Dutch Caribbean. Founded and run by Gabriel, a senior marine engineer with 20+ years of experience across Brazil, the United States, Argentina, and the Caribbean.

We're not a production yard. Every project is handled directly by our senior engineer — from first assessment through final installation. No handoffs. No subcontracting without disclosure. No guessing.

Strategically located in one of the busiest marine hubs in the Caribbean, we serve local boat owners, the regional sailing community, and international clients — including naval architects and engineers who need a yard that can execute to specification, not just to tradition.

"The nautical sector doesn't have a skill problem. It has a memory problem — and we're here to fix that."

Sint Maarten

Dutch Caribbean · 18°N 63°W

Work in Progress & Delivered

Projects

Each project is a case study. Problem, process, result — with technical documentation delivered at the end.

Bellatrix trimaran at Heineken Regatta
Composite Performance
Projeto Bellatrix
Trimaran · Heineken Regatta 2026 · Sint Maarten

High-performance composite work for a racing trimaran competing at the Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta. Custom fabrication under race deadlines — precision when it counts most.

Case
Study
Assessment
Photo coming soon

Structural evaluation of the trimaran's composite elements ahead of regatta season. Identified areas requiring reinforcement under racing loads.

Fabrication
Photo coming soon

In-house composite fabrication using vacuum infusion. Components built to racing specification with weight and stiffness as primary constraints.

On the Water
Bellatrix racing at Heineken Regatta
Result

Bellatrix competed at the 2026 Heineken Regatta in Sint Maarten with VDZ-fabricated components. Work completed on schedule, under race conditions, with full technical documentation delivered to the owner.

Photos coming
Acrylic Fabrication
Projeto Vuna
Motor Vessel · Sint Maarten

Fabrication and installation of custom launch windows. Acrylic forming, frame engineering and watertight installation — replacing components that no longer existed off the shelf.

Case
Study
Problem
Photo coming soon

Original launch windows had no available replacement parts. Existing frames were deteriorated and no longer watertight. Standard off-the-shelf solutions wouldn't fit the geometry.

Process
Photo coming soon

Reverse-engineered from existing geometry. CNC-cut frames fabricated to exact dimensions. Acrylic panels formed and fitted to custom specification.

Delivered
Photo coming soon

Full set of launch windows installed and sealed. Delivered with dimensional drawings and material specification for future reference.

Result

Custom windows fabricated and installed where no off-the-shelf solution existed. Owner now holds a technical file with exact dimensions and materials — so any future replacement is straightforward.

Photos coming
CNC
Serviço Rusty
Sailing Vessel · Sint Maarten

Digitization of existing parts and precision CNC plate cutting. Parts that existed only as worn originals — re-engineered to spec and cut to exact dimensions.

Case
Study
Original Parts
Photo coming soon

Worn original parts brought in for digitization. No technical drawings existed — geometry had to be captured from the physical parts and translated to CAD.

CNC Execution
Photo coming soon

3-axis CNC cutting from digitized geometry. Plates cut to exact dimensions, verified against originals before delivery.

Delivered
Photo coming soon

Precision-cut replacement parts delivered with DXF files — so any future reproduction requires no re-measurement.

Result

Parts that existed only as worn originals now have a clean digital file. The owner can reproduce them at any yard, anywhere, without bringing in the original pieces again.

More projects being documented — check back soon

Work With Us

Start a Project

Describe the problem. We respond with a direct, technical answer — not a sales pitch. If we can solve it, we'll tell you exactly how.

Location
Sint Maarten, Dutch Caribbean
Email
info@vdzboatworks.com
Instagram
@vdzboatworks
Response Time
Within 24h on weekdays
Specialty
CNC · Carbon Fiber · Structural Repairs · Remote Fabrication