Knysna Yacht Company is a shipyard in a small coastal town along the Garden Route in South Africa. It was started in 2002 by Kevin Fouché, an exceptionally skilled shop fitter. While gaining invaluable experience in his trade, Kevin started formulating a vision of constructing catamarans that have high long-range cruising performance abilities combined with fully customisable interior layouts and bespoke décor. His dream was to design a stylish range of yachts around the unique needs of their owners. After working with some of the world’s top architects and interior design specialists for some years, Kevin turned his vision into a reality when he founded Knysna Yacht Company. World renowned naval architect Angelo Lavranos helped Kevin to design the mould of the deck. It was created with the aim of giving the ship the required space to give it the feel of a vessel geared for a luxurious lifestyle, while not compromising on safety or overall performance, which is direly needed considering where they are sailing these yachts. Famous for the Knysna Heads – which is a dangerous entrance into the Lagoon, Knysna is a prime spot for testing yachts in some of the world’s most treacherous conditions. The Knysna Yacht Company is the only limited edition boutique yacht construction company in the world that builds only a restricted number of yachts every year for a select clientele. The company is completely focused on quality instead of volume. For them it is about taking craftsmanship to the next level with creativity, technology and innovation. When it comes to expert craftsmanship it is usually only achieved by merging experience with passion. Knysna Yacht Company founder Kevin Fouché and his wife and co-owner Rika certainly have that combination. Besides Kevin’s hands-on approach and architectural planning skills, Rika is an expert in interior décor and offers clients a dazzling range of options on lighting, fabrics and finishes. The couple is passionate about sailing and spent a year sailing around the Caribbean together. The Fouchés believe that building a yacht for a client is not just a matter of construction, it is a way in which they can help clients realise their dreams of ultimate success and freedom. Knysna Yacht Company’s signature yacht is named Knysna 500, an iconic descendent of the Knysna 440 and the Knysna 480, with enhancements like a coach roof, improved winches, improved cockpit and engine room and wide aft transom. The new Knysna 500 is sleek, elegant and sporty with stunning finishes and performance. The company also has a special edition version available called the Knysna 500SE.