Broward Marine

Broward Marine was an American yacht builder known for constructing motor yachts. The company was founded by Frank Denison in 1948 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Initially, Broward Marine built commercial vessels, including patrol boats and trawlers, for various government agencies and private clients. In the late 1950s, the shipyard shifted its focus to custom yacht construction, delivering its first pleasure yacht in 1958.

Broward Marine became recognized for its aluminum construction, which offered advantages in speed, shallow draft, and customization possibilities. The shipyard primarily built semi-displacement and planning hull yacht designs. Over the decades, Broward Marine produced a substantial number of yachts, contributing to its reputation in the American yachting industry. The company completed more than 300 vessels during its operational history. Production peaked in the 1970s and 1980s.

Throughout its history, Broward Marine operated primarily from its Fort Lauderdale facility. The shipyard did not typically announce collaborations with external design partners or naval architects on a per-yacht basis, as much of the design work was handled in-house or by a small network of recurring consultants.

Frank Denison sold the company in 1987, and it subsequently underwent several ownership changes. Despite these changes, the brand continued to build yachts under the Broward Marine name for some time. The economic downturns and shifts in the yachting market ultimately impacted the company's operations. While the original Broward Marine ceased new yacht production, many of its vessels remain in service today.

The legacy of Broward Marine is characterized by its significant output of aluminum motor yachts, many of which were custom-designed to owner specifications. The shipyard's focus was on sturdy construction and practical layouts for cruising. Typical models featured traditional styling and interiors. The maximum size of Broward yachts generally ranged up to approximately 160 feet (49 meters), though the majority of their builds were in the 80 to 120-foot range. The company did not extensively publicize specific 'series' or 'known models' in the same way some production builders do, as each yacht often had a degree of customization.