With Cakewalk — its largest yacht to date now launched — US buiilder Derecktor Shipyards is still looking for its next new-build contract.

"We are negotiating with two or three potential clients but it is not possible to say when a contract might be signed," explains Derecktor's marketing director, Kathy Kennedy.

At 85.6m (281ft), Cakewalk is the largest superyacht, by volume, ever built in the US and will be displayed at the Ft Lauderdale show in late October.

Meanwhile, Derecktor's new 4,000t capacity dry dock — measuring 122m (400ft) by 25m (82ft) — is being promoted as an important part of the company's future refit potential.

"Cakewalk will highlight the quality of work Derecktor can produce and the benefits of the dry dock will increase our capability from handling 660t yachts to 4,000t," says Kennedy.

"It also means we now have the largest facilities on the East Coast. We see good opportunities in the refit market and are bidding on a number of projects."

Superyacht Business / David Robinson, 18 August 2010