ASTONDOA HISTORY

ASTONDOA’s history in the nautical world began in 1916 when the brothers Jesús and José Astondoa Martínez started building rowboats and traineras in a small carpenter’s workshop in Portugalete. After a logical pause due to the Spanish Civil War, they decided to take different paths, and Jesús Astondoa focused on building fishing ships and recreational boats. In 1944, his son Jesús Astondoa Santamaría joined the family business and took over the shipyard shortly thereafter. Astondoa’s well-made wooden boats and quality finishes allowed the shipyard to gain national recognition. These were the first steps. Once the company had established itself on the east coast, his children, the third Astondoa generation, also joined the shipyard. In the early 1980s, Astondoa stepped away from its traditional wooden production methods and began building boats using polyester resin reinforced with fibreglass. These advances in production techniques, combined with its stylish designs, confirmed Astondoa’s position as a leading European shipyard. The company’s presence at international trade fairs, as well as a number of awards for its quality, drove an industrial development that continues to this day. Ships from more than 30 years ago, like those of the GLX range, continue to be references for design. In 2006, with more than 500 employees, the Astondoa Group had the most extensive range of vessels manufactured by a single brand on the market. Its products include 40-foot Open boats, yachts over 120-feet long made of polyester resin reinforced with fibreglass, and megayachts up to 45-metres long with steel hulls and aluminium superstructures. During the company’s 100-year history, Astondoa has built more than 3,000 vessels. Today, the Astondoa family remains at the wheel of the shipyard. They have been able to overcome a century’s worth of challenges thanks to values that include hard work and quality, and four generations of yacht manufacturers have made the wise decision to focus on professionalism, reliability and quality.