When the boatyard was founded by Augustin Theriault in 1938, most ships which sailed the oceans were still built with wood. Today A.F. Theriault & Son Ltd combines old techniques with the latest materials to create lightweight, yet sturdy boats.

One of the largest privately owned boatyards in Canada’s Atlantic region, A.F. Theriault constructs everything from sturdy fishing boats, workboats, pilot boats and patrol vessels to more luxurious yachts and passenger ferries. But the company not only builds boats. Through repair, refit and conversion work, A.F. Theriault helps clients get the most out of their vessels.

Although a company of a distinguished age, A.F. Theriault has not got stuck in the past. Evolving alongside the development of new materials, the boat builders of A.F. Theriault manage to combine traditional know-how with the latest in technologies. Wood has for the most part been replaced by steel, aluminum, fiberglass and advanced composites.

And for more than a decade, A.F. Theriault has benefitted from DIAB solutions – and first-rate support – in the construction of their boats. For example, A.F. Theriault used to put fiberglass directly onto a plywood deck. Today, however, the boat builders are able to make the deck using composites alone. With a thin yet strong deck, the vessel becomes lighter and faster without compromising seaworthiness.

Composite materials work well for almost any kind of boat. Some of the latest composite vessels to come out of the A.F. Theriault boatyard is M/V Beausoleil III, a lobster boat with a length of 49'-11, and the substantially larger M/V Hayfu II, a catamaran power yacht, with a length of 82’. The material is excellent for almost any component onboard: hull, working deck, wheelhouse, bulkheads etc.

Proven to be extremely durable while demanding a minimum of maintenance, the DIAB composite solutions allow for the construction of lighter, safer and sturdier boats. The experienced boat builders at A.F.

Theriault know that these are major concerns for anyone looking to buy a boat. Overall, the boatbuilding industry has benefitted from the development of composites, making it possible to construct vessels of substantially better quality. Composite materials deliver, with great results.