- Founded
- 1827
- Headquarters
- Greifswald, Germany
- Shipyard location
- Same as headquarters
- Official website
- https://moody-yachts.com/gb/
Brand Overview
British builder of deck saloon sailing yachts, founded in Swanwick in 1827 and owned by Germany's HanseYachts AG since 2007.
Overview written frommoody-yachts.com/gb/history/read 9/13/2026
YachtCodex Analysis
AI-generatedAn independent reading of this builder written by AI. Unlike the specifications and descriptions elsewhere on this page, it is interpretation rather than a sourced fact — treat it as a starting point, not a citation.
What this builder is
Moody is a heritage British yacht builder, one of the oldest in the world, known today primarily for deck saloon cruising sailboats that combine spacious, light-filled interiors with bluewater seaworthiness. Since being acquired by HanseYachts AG in 2007, it operates as a premium sailing brand within a larger German production group, distinguishing itself from mass-market builders through its focus on the deck saloon layout pioneered decades earlier.
Who sails them
Moody owners are typically experienced cruising couples or small families undertaking long-distance and offshore passages, including circumnavigation, who value comfort, safety and a bright, spacious saloon over racing performance. Boats are generally privately owned and used for extended cruising rather than charter fleets.
Signature models
The Carbineer 46 (1969) was Moody's first deck saloon yacht and established the brand's signature layout, while the Moody 44 (1972) was the first model to carry the founder's name. More recently the Decksaloon 45 and Decksaloon 54 have defined the modern era's flagship deck saloon designs.
Strengths
Moody is consistently credited with pioneering and perfecting the deck saloon concept, offering exceptional natural light, panoramic views and interior volume combined with genuine bluewater seaworthiness and build quality.
Considerations
The distinctive deck saloon design and premium build come at a higher price point and a narrower model range than mainstream production builders, and the brand's ownership changes over the decades mean some historic models differ significantly in construction from the current HanseYachts-era range.
Analysis generated 9/13/2026
Part of
HanseYachts AG↗ · since 2007
Also in the catalogue
Where they build
The building sites this yard publishes, in its own order.
Greifswald
Greifswald, Germany
HanseYachts yard
Fleet at a Glance
Calculated from the models in the YachtCodex catalog, not from the builder's claims.
- Models in catalog
- 3
- Length range
- 12.52–17.1 m
- Hull forms
- Sailing Monohull 3
- Cabins
- 2–4
Models by this brand
3 models
History
The Moody yard traces back to the 19th century; in 1935 the founder's grandson Alexander Herbert Moody, trained in shipbuilding from his youth, turned the family business from repairs to building sailing yachts. Moody introduced its first deck-saloon yacht, the Carbineer 46, in 1969, built its last wooden deck saloon, the Frederick Parker-designed Swan Dancer, in 1970, and in 1972 launched the Moody 44, the first yacht to carry the founder's name, with teak decks, a generous centre cockpit and wheel steering. When the oil crisis of the 1970s hit, the brand formed a partnership in 1973 with Marine Projects (Plymouth) Ltd that, guided by designers such as Bill Dixon and Angus Primrose, produced 39 models from 27 to 64 feet and 4,233 boats over three decades. In 2005 the founding family entrusted the marque to Premier Marinas in Swanwick, production paused briefly, and in 2007 HanseYachts AG acquired the brand and began building Moody deck-saloon and aft-cockpit yachts again.
History written frommoody-yachts.com/gb/history/read 9/22/2026