American Expedition Yachts come with "continuous" rated single engines. These engines are commercially rated for continuous use at wide-open throttle. These engines are de-rated performance engines that operate at a high idle and will last tens of thousands of hours. Your custom yacht can be fitted for twin engines; although single is preferred. In addition, it can be fitted with an optional hydraulic auxiliary drive system that runs off of the generator(s). This take-home drive, capable of infinite speeds, in both the forward and reverse direction, will bypass the transmission in the event it fails. The take-home or get-home system, as it is sometimes called, is a hydraulic motor that spins the existing shaft and propeller.

The underwater exhaust system is quiet and smokeless. For idle conditions, the exhaust has a bypass when the exhaust pressure cannot overcome the underwater pressure. The key to success is being able to keep the back pressure to a minimum. The advantage this system has over a stack system is that there is no soot when firing up a cold engine, and the prime interior space has not been taken away with ducting and insulation.

Steel versus Fiberglass. All American Expedition yachts are made with fiberglass and not metal. Fiberglass boats can be made stronger than steel, pound for pound; fiberglass is 1000 times stronger than steel. A metal hull is no longer the safest and strongest choice. Now, with fiberglass, you can have a strong boat and keep the weight out of the ends or high up. We can place the weight where is does the most good; low and amidships. Fiberglass is a fluid medium and will take any shape; this is an important trait for yacht hulls that are intended to have a high quality finish. Metal boats need to add a lot of filler to get a yacht quality finish; fiberglass can be molded to shape without filler, and as a result the metal boats need re-fairing and painting in a couple of years of use. The steel boats rust and require constant maintenance, but fiberglass is maintenance free. Steel boats do have excellent abrasion resistance and fiberglass does not; therefore American uses steel in areas that require long periods of abrasion like the stem, hull guards, and keel.

All major fiberglass components are made using the infusion method, which allows for consistent, high fiberglass to resin ratios that convert to high strength-to-weight ratios. High strength-to-weight means we can now place more weight low and on the center line, and that means a lower center of gravity and higher stability. Infusion eliminates air and/or water in the laminates and encapsulates the glass and core. No longer do we have concerns about water migrating through laminates. Infusion is also a much cleaner environment to work in; our people know it, and produce better parts because of it.

Noise levels are becoming more and more important. Our decibel (dB) levels are low and start around 65 (dB) and drop. American is able to achieve this by attention to details, using the right materials, and with years of experience. Every yacht American Expedition Yachts builds has hydraulic systems throughout: on cranes, anchor windlasses, thrusters, take-home drives or stabilizers. All of our yachts are oversized and built to last, which is just one more area where we have a marked advantage.