What does buying a custom-built sailboat mean?

It means the boat is built for you, based on a model from the range, with choices of equipment, interiors and cabin layout made together with the shipyard.

What are the construction stages of an MJ sailboat?

Design, lamination, structure, joinery, installations and technical handover.

Can I follow the construction of my sailboat?

Yes. At Veleiros MJ the owner takes part in the process and stays in close contact with the MJ family during construction. Shipyard visits can be scheduled, including weekends and public holidays.

Where are MJ sailboats built?

At the Veleiros MJ shipyard, in the Industrial District of Jacupiranga, in the Vale do Ribeira region of São Paulo state, Brazil.

How custom sailboat construction works, step by step

Buying a custom-built sailboat is different from buying a finished boat. You don't just choose a model: you follow a process in which every stage shapes how the boat will sail and what life aboard will be like. At Veleiros MJ, that process has six stages.

1. Design

It all starts with a model from the range (MJ 34 DS, 38 DS, 44 DS or 60 DS) and your sailing profile: how many people will be aboard, what kind of voyages you plan and which equipment matters most. This is when cabin layout, finishes and options are decided.

2. Lamination

This is where the hull and deck are made in fiberglass, inside molds. In the MJ range, hull and deck use sandwich construction: two laminate skins with a core between them, combining lightness, stiffness and strength.

The MJ 60 DS is built in fiberglass using CNC-manufactured molds, which ensures precision in every detail of the hull.

3. Structure

With the hull ready, the internal reinforcements go in. They make the whole boat rigid and carry the loads from the keel, mast and rigging. It is one of the most important stages for safety at sea, and one of the least visible once the boat is finished.

4. Joinery

This is when the boat starts to become a home: saloon, cabins, galley, lockers and interior finishes. The choices made during design take shape here, and the shipyard's craftsmanship shows in the result.

5. Installations

Electrical and plumbing systems, engine, tanks and navigation equipment are installed and tested. The owner's chosen options are integrated at this stage too.

6. Technical handover

The sailboat goes into the water, the systems are checked and the owner receives the boat with guidance from the team. It is the end of the build and the beginning of the boat's story at sea.

The owner takes part throughout

At Veleiros MJ, boats are built one at a time, and owners follow the process in direct contact with the Lacreta family, who have been building sailboats since the 1980s. Read the shipyard's story or schedule a visit to see a sailboat under construction.