Henriques Yachts, Bayville's Family-Built Canyon Boats

From Murtosa to Bayville

Jack Henriques learned boatbuilding beside his father in Murtosa, Portugal, building the traditional moliceiro working boats of the Aveiro lagoon. After emigrating to America he set up shop in 1977 on Barnegat Bay at Bayville, New Jersey. Daughters Maria and Natalia came into the company, later joined by Manuel Costa, who married into the family, and the next generation remains in charge, with many boats splashed at the family's Lanoka Harbor Marina. Jack passed away in January 2019, aged 85.

The reputation was earned with a trio of sportfishermen, the 35, the 38 and the 42, drawn for the long runs to the canyons off New Jersey and New York. The formula has barely changed: a heavy hull, a fine entry, generous beam aft and a cockpit far bigger than you would expect for the length. Boats are semi-custom, so owners choose layouts, helm configurations and power.

The 42 Express Hardtop and the 50 Sportfisherman

Two Henriques models have their own pages on this site. The 42 Express Hardtop rides on the 42 hull that grew out of the 38 in the middle of the 2000s, wider through the middle and stern, and Caterpillar diesels powered the early boats. Henriques sells that one hull in several forms, open express, hardtop express, flybridge sportfisherman, charter and cruiser, so confirm exactly which variant a listing describes. Dimensions, tankage and engine details sit on the model page.

The 50 Sportfisherman, in build since around 2012, is the yard's biggest boat, a flybridge canyon runner on big Caterpillar C18 power that Marlin magazine tested at better than 30 knots cruising in 2013. Its build schedule says a lot about the company: solid hand-laid glass under the waterline, vinylester skins, Divinycell coring above, and machinery positioned for service access before the deck is fitted.

Resale, service and the Henriques survey

Henriques boats have a loyal following in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, and good ones rarely sit long on the market there. Production is small and semi-custom, so prices vary widely by year, power and equipment, and comparisons with Viking, Bertram or Post need care. Service is centered on the Bayville yard, which helps owners in New Jersey and New York; buyers farther away will rely on Caterpillar dealers and independent yards.

Used-boat checks:

• Engine hours and overhaul records on the Caterpillar diesels
• Cored hull sides and decks around fittings, rod holders and outriggers
• Fighting chair base, transom door and cockpit for stress cracks
• Hardtop and tower mounts on boats used hard offshore
• Running gear, rudders and strut bearings
• Exactly which 42 configuration and options the boat was built with