Builder · Luxury · Stuart, Florida

Kadey-Krogen

Florida heritage long-range trawler builder, 1976-founded. Full-displacement passagemakers 44 to 58 feet known for the wide-beam pilothouse layout.

Founded: 1976
Headquarters: Stuart, Florida
Ownership: Private
Tier: Luxury
Website: kadeykrogen.com

Kadey-Krogen is the heritage long-range trawler builder from Stuart, Florida, founded in 1976 by James Krogen and Art Kadey. The brand has stayed privately owned. The lineup runs from the K44 through the K58 flagship.

The brand argument is the wide-beam pilothouse layout. Krogen's hull design uses a fuller beam than Nordhavn or Grand Banks at equivalent LOA, which gives more interior volume and stability at the trade of slightly higher fuel burn at sustained cruise.

Lineup

Current platforms.

K44 / K48 / K52 / K58

Full-displacement passagemakers

Model breakdown

Each platform, what it does and where it falls short.

Kadey-Krogen K44 / K48 / K52 / K58

The K-series is the volume line. Single John Deere or Cummins diesel inboard, full-displacement hull, wide-beam pilothouse, master stateroom plus crew quarters.

Things we like

· Wide-beam pilothouse gives more interior volume than Nordhavn at equivalent LOA
· Heritage James Krogen hull design

Things we don't

· Wider beam runs slightly less efficient at sustained cruise vs Nordhavn
· Smaller dealer footprint than Nordhavn

Buyer's guide

The Kadey-Krogen story and what to know on the used market.

Origin and ownership

Kadey-Krogen was founded in 1976 by James Krogen (the naval architect) and Art Kadey (the businessman) in Florida. The brand has stayed privately owned across multiple ownership transitions but the Krogen hull-design philosophy has carried through.

Production has historically used Asian shipyards for the hulls; finishing happens at the Stuart, Florida campus.

Design philosophy

Kadey-Krogen uses a wide-beam full-displacement hull form designed by James Krogen. Beam runs fuller than Nordhavn at equivalent LOA, giving more interior volume and stability.

John Deere and Cummins diesel inboard are the standard rigging options.

Used-market notes and known issues

John Deere 6068 service intervals are 250 hours.

Teak deck wear is a documented cost item on hulls with teak decking.

Generator service is a 100-hour preventive item.

Dealer network concentrated in Florida, the East Coast, and the Pacific Northwest.

Resale

Kadey-Krogen holds resale tightly in the heritage long-range trawler segment. Three-year depreciation runs 8 to 14 percent. Five-year depreciation runs 18 to 25 percent.

Where Kadey-Krogen fits

Buyers cross-shop Kadey-Krogen against Nordhavn, Selene, and Grand Banks. The argument is the wide-beam pilothouse layout and the heritage Krogen hull design.

FAQ

Frequently asked.

Why the wide beam?: James Krogen's hull design philosophy. The wider beam gives more interior volume (genuine walk-around at the side decks, larger pilothouse, full standing-headroom in the master) and better stability at anchor. The trade is slightly higher fuel burn at sustained cruise versus Nordhavn at equivalent LOA.
Kadey-Krogen vs Nordhavn?: Both heritage full-displacement passagemakers. Krogen prioritizes interior volume and stability; Nordhavn prioritizes efficiency and offshore range. Cross-shop on intended cruising profile and interior-volume preference.
What's the maintenance cost on a K48?: Annual service on John Deere 6068 single diesel runs $3,000 to $4,500. Bottom paint $1,200 to $2,500. Storage $3,000 to $7,500. Insurance for a $1.2M hull runs $7,000 to $11,000.
Where are Kadey-Krogens built?: Hulls historically built at Asian shipyards; finishing happens at the Stuart, Florida campus.

Compare

Categories Kadey-Krogen fits.

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