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Briggs Boat Works

Capt. Sunny Briggs earned his stripes fishing with North Carolina's top skippers. At 12 years old, he started mating for Capt. Lee Perry. A few years later, he went to work as a deckhand for Capt. Omie Tillett, who mentored him into the role of charter-boat captain and eventually, custom boatbuilder. "Omie never cut corners," Briggs says. "He instilled in me at an early age that every part of a boat should be built the best you can with no unfinished areas. Be proud of every part of a boat."

Briggs Boat Works is currently working on hull number 51. Briggs specializes in using the time-tested cold-molding processes to build his boats, but he doesn't shy away from new technology. In the early 1990s, Briggs teamed up with Applied Concepts and launched the first custom boat using a CNC router to cut the jig rather than the time-consuming lofting process. The end result was a more accurate jig that cost less money and took less time.

At a Glance: -Custom boats from the mid 50-foot range -More than 30 years of experience -Yachts that cruise in the mid 30-knot range

"I have taken my boatbuilding experience and combined it with the talent of Applied Concepts to consistently improve the custom sport-fishermen we build," Briggs says. "I favor the cold-molded technique of construction because of the many advantages it gives the builder. It allows us to give the owner a better product for his investment. Cold molding and working with cored composites assures us that we are using the best material in each area of the vessel."

Briggs says the customer drives the design at his yard. "I don't think an owner should have to pick from plan A, B or C. We custom-tailor our boats to our customers' needs, keeping the integrity of our proven designs. It is important to build the best possible sport-fishermen for every owner, never forgetting that what you cannot see is just as important as what you can see."

After 30 years of building boats, Briggs says he always tries to improve his craft. "On our latest 56, the owners told us they like to fish barefoot a lot, so we designed a built-in sprinkler system in the toe kick of the mezzanine to keep the teak wet and cool on those hot summer days. We're always trying to come up with something new. That's what keeps it fun," Briggs says. "I'm fortunate to have a very talented and intelligent team."

For more information, contact Briggs Boat Works of Wanchese, North Carolina, at 252-473-2393, or visit www.briggsboatworks.com.

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