Builder · Field Guide

SeaPiper

SeaPiper is a deliberate outlier: a narrow-beam, economical, trailerable pocket trawler revived as a U.S.-built SeaPiper 37 in Anacortes, Washington — for owners who know that small, simple, and long-legged can be its own luxury.

SeaPiper is not trying to be a scaled-down yacht. It is trying to be a compact expedition tool — and that distinction matters. The brand was founded in December 2014 from the desire to create a small, seaworthy boat with range, minimal maintenance, comfort, economy, and trailerability. The original creator and designer, Ritzo Muntinga, sketched the first drawing on a napkin during a flight from Hawaii to California, drawing inspiration from old Dutch fishing boats and North Sea trawlers.

The first SeaPiper 35 tooling was built, four hulls were sold, and Hull #1 launched and sea-trialed before delivery to San Diego in early 2018. Between February 2018 and 2020, hulls 2 through 14 were built and delivered. Then the pandemic changed the business math: with global supply-chain pressure and rising transoceanic transport costs, Muntinga sold the brand to a U.S. company to continue production.

The current SeaPiper story begins in Anacortes. Production of Hull #15, the first SeaPiper 37, began under a dedicated manufacturing team associated with brands including Tartan Yachts, Legacy Motor Yachts, and Northern Marine. Hull #16, a 2025 SeaPiper 37, debuted at the Seattle Boat Show in early 2025. SeaPiper is now described as a Seattle Yachts brand, USA-built in Anacortes, Washington.

For ICW News, the SeaPiper profile should not apologize for its oddness. The oddness is the point. At 8 feet 6 inches of beam, shallow draft, modest horsepower, long-range fuel capacity, and mast-down trailerable clearance, the SeaPiper is aimed at captains who see route flexibility as a form of freedom. It is not the biggest boat in the harbor. It is the boat that can change harbors by road, sip fuel underway, and reach places that heavier, wider cruisers make complicated.

Small is not the absence of ambition here. Small is the strategy.

⁂What Sets Them Apart

—A narrow-beam trailerable trawler concept in a category dominated by wider boats.

—A clear hull sequence and brand-revival story.

—A USA build shift after earlier overseas SeaPiper 35 production.

—A Seattle Yachts brand connection that gives the concept a larger sales platform.

—Optimized for economy, range, and simplicity rather than interior volume.

⁂Manufacturing Signature

Hull form

Narrow-beam (8'6") shallow-draft pocket trawler — North Sea trawler lineage

Construction

Fiberglass, USA-built in Anacortes, WA

Power

Single Beta Marine 85 hp — economy and range over speed

Customization

Production with options; Seakeeper stabilizer available

⁂Hull Lineage

2014

SeaPiper founded by designer Ritzo Muntinga; the concept first sketched on a napkin mid-flight.

2018

SeaPiper 35 Hull #1 launched, sea-trialed, and delivered to San Diego.

2018–20

Hulls #2–14 built and delivered.

~2021

Brand sold to a U.S. company amid pandemic supply-chain and transport pressure. trade-sourced

2025

SeaPiper 37 (Hull #16) debuts at the Seattle Boat Show under Seattle Yachts.

⁂Current Models

Current Production

SeaPiper 37

The U.S.-built pocket trawler — narrow beam, shallow draft, long legs, trailerable.

LOA 37′DRAFT 2'11"FUEL 200g

⁂Support Map

Factory

Anacortes, WA — SeaPiper 37 built by a Seattle Yachts team (Tartan / Legacy / Northern Marine lineage).

Parts & manuals

Proprietary windows, doors, and interior components — sourcing not publicly detailed; confirm with the builder. unverified

Owner community

No public owners association yet — a consequence of the small hull count. owner-reported

Dealers, reps & service

Anacortes, WA + national

Seattle Yachts

Brand home and sales platform for SeaPiper — the path to a build slot and service routing.

Before you sign

Buyer's due-diligence checklist

The questions a serious owner-operator should put to this builder before a deposit — the ones a glossy brochure tends to skip. Carry them into the conversation.

→Ask exactly how warranty and service are handled through Seattle Yachts and the Anacortes team.

→Ask where proprietary parts, windows, doors, and interior components are sourced.

→Ask about Beta Marine service availability on your intended cruising route.

→Ask whether Seakeeper install and service run through factory, dealer, or a certified network.

→Ask about trailer spec, launch requirements, and the insurance implications of road moves.

→Confirm current pricing in writing — listing prices on a low-hull-count boat move.

⁂The ICW Read

For a Loop buyer, SeaPiper belongs in the Atlas because it asks a sharper question than most new boats: how much boat do you truly need if the mission is economical distance, route flexibility, and maintenance you can understand?