Christensen’s Grade I: 43 metres, an elevator and why it matters

Fraser Yachts has concluded the sale of Grade I, a 43-metre motor yacht built by Christensen in the United States. The vessel carries a distinction in American yacht construction: it was the first US-built motor yacht to integrate an onboard elevator, a technical innovation that addresses the practical reality of multi-deck living at sea without compromising the owner’s connection to the water. An ocean terrace completes the brief, offering outdoor living space that extends beyond the conventional sundeck.

Fraser Yachts has concluded the sale of Grade I, a 43-metre motor yacht built by Christensen in the United States. The distinction belongs to American yacht construction: Grade I was the first US-built motor yacht to integrate an onboard elevator, solving a practical problem that grows with every deck a large yacht gains. An ocean terrace extends the outdoor living brief beyond the conventional sundeck. Harvey Hira

The elevator works like this: guests and crew move between accommodation and social spaces without climbing stairs. On a 43-metre platform, this matters. The owner avoids the functional compromise that has long defined larger yachts. The ocean terrace answers another real question: how do you spend time outside on a vessel this size without surrendering the view to railings and windbreaks. Both innovations respond to how people actually inhabit extended voyages, not to what marketing calls luxury.

Christensen has built yachts since 1944 in Tacoma, Washington, and the yard’s discipline shows in Grade I’s profile. White hull, clean lines, generous fenestration, a bridge structure that signals serious seakeeping capability. The dual-deck configuration distributes volume without the top-heavy profile that a single high superstructure would create. These choices compound over months at sea.

The interiors follow the same logic. The master stateroom pairs dark wood cabinetry with golden yellow upholstery and proportions designed for extended occupation. The ensuite bathroom uses pale stone, dark joinery and brass. These are spaces that improve over time rather than announce themselves on arrival. Nothing in the specification trades practicality for effect.

Lon McCloskey of Fraser Palm Beach represented the seller. A sale of this scale moves through networks of expertise: surveyors, naval architects and captains who understand not merely the vessel’s systems but the operational reality of ownership across the world’s cruising grounds. Grade I’s technical record, documented systems and the knowledge base Christensen provides form the foundation for whatever voyages lie ahead.

Christensen, founded in 1944 in Tacoma, Washington, has spent nearly eight decades refining the engineering and construction methods that distinguish American-built motor yachts. The yard’s reputation rests on seaworthy design, robust construction and the kind of technical innovation that solves real problems rather than creates novelty. Grade I reflects this approach: the onboard elevator addresses the physical reality of moving through a large yacht over years of use, while the ocean terrace offers direct access to the sea without visual interruption.

For the new owner, Grade I opens access to extended voyages measured in months and seasons rather than weekends. At 43 metres, the details compound: the elevator reduces fatigue for crew servicing upper decks; the fenestration floods accommodation with natural light across multiple levels; the dual-deck configuration maximises usable volume. These are engineering decisions, not stylistic ones.

The sale, concluded through Fraser Yachts’ Palm Beach office, reflects the market position Grade I commands among experienced yacht owners. Lon McCloskey’s involvement as the selling agent signals the calibre of clientele such a vessel attracts: owners with established cruising knowledge, operational advisors who understand the subtleties of systems integration across a 43-metre platform, and the maritime networks that support extended voyages. These transactions move within circles where the technical specification and proven operational record carry more weight than marketing claims.

Grade I now transitions to active use under new ownership, carrying forward Christensen’s legacy of building vessels for the serious mariner rather than the casual charter guest. The yacht’s documentation, systems architecture and the comprehensive knowledge base Christensen provides with each delivery form the operational foundation for whatever voyages lie ahead. For the new owner, Grade I represents entry into a tradition of American yacht building that values engineering integrity and the honest assessment of how people actually live aboard.

Imagery courtesy of Fraser Yachts (@fraseryachts).