Wauquiez originated in northern France, in the Lille area. Sources mention Mouvaux and Neuville-en-Ferrain as the shipyard’s early locations.
What kind of boats did Wauquiez build?
Wauquiez built sailing yachts, especially cruising and offshore-capable boats. Its range included Centurion and Pilot Saloon models, along with earlier performance cruisers.
What is Wauquiez best known for?
The brand is best known for French bluewater sailing yachts with a strong reputation for comfort and seaworthiness. The Centurion and Pilot Saloon lines are the names most often associated with the yard.
Wauquiez is a French yacht builder founded by Henri Wauquiez in 1965. The shipyard began in the north of France, in the Lille area, and became known for sailing yachts rather than motorboats. Its production has focused on cruising yachts and bluewater sailboats.
History and shipyard
Wauquiez was founded in 1965 by Henri Wauquiez, who came from a family of tanners in northern France. The company started by building the Elizabethan 29 under license after the founder transformed part of the family tannery into a boatbuilding site. Sources place the original yard in Mouvaux or nearby Neuville-en-Ferrain, close to Lille and near the Belgian border. Over time, Wauquiez became associated with French yacht building and changed ownership several times, including later corporate control by Beneteau and other industrial groups.
Models and reputation
Wauquiez built a range of sailing yachts, with early success from the Centurion line, including the Centurion 32. Later models included the Gladiateur, Pretorian, Hood 38, Centurion 40, and the Pilot Saloon series. The brand is especially linked with offshore cruising yachts, combining performance, comfort, and relatively small-series production. Wauquiez has also been associated with well-known naval architects such as Holman and Pye, Ed Dubois, Ted Hood, and Berret/Racoupeau.
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