Willis Marine

When asked how he got into the boatbuilding business, Mark Willis, owner of Willis Marine, says, "I ended up doing this by default! All I wanted to do was build my own boat, go fishing and be left alone." But a relaxed fishing lifestyle wasn't in the cards for Willis who has worked in the custom boat market over 25 years; many of those years were spent in the famous yards of North Carolina — he's presently working on hull number eight. During his time in other yards, Willis got an unmatched education in several different methods of building.

"We specialize in building cold-molded boats out of triple-planked Okohume plywood. Today's plywood is always consistent and it builds a light, strong boat. But I really don't have a preference for building methods. If someone came to me and asked for a plank-over-mahogany hull, I would gladly do it for him, because I know it also makes a great hull. We can also build you a composite hull if that's what you want — we are pretty well versed in all of it," says Willis. And it's a good thing, too. On the company's present project they had to figure out how to engineer and build a retractable sonar.
 
Willis boasts an in-house design team using sophisticated computer modeling as well as a five-axis CNC router. As for the hulls, "We've had a long relationship with Ullberg Yacht Design in Winter Park, Florida, and I'm quite confident we will continue to use Robert in the future," says Willis.
 

At a Glance: • Excellent craftsmen • Well versed in many techniques • Brilliant fit-and-finish

While some builders boast high speeds, Willis prefers to look at the big picture. "I've never really bought into the 'speed at all costs' theory of boatbuilding," says Willis. "I've always felt that speed for speed's sake represented too many compromises. It becomes a vicious circle of speed versus power versus range versus fuel capacity — just pick one!"
 
"I just aspire to build a great all-around boat without too many compromises. Our philosophy, in a nutshell, is quality, quality, quality," he says. "These boats drip with attention to detail in every facet of construction. We strive to build a trouble-free, extremely strong boat, even if we pay a slight weight penalty. Aesthetics, speed, seaworthiness and fit-and-finish — it's all here."
 
For more information, contact Willis Marine of Stuart, Florida, at 772-283-7189 or visit www.willismarineinc.com.