Although no one is really asking, Donny Caison represents my latest pick as the next rising star in the boatbuilding world. After recently meeting him for the first time, I came away extremely impressed by both his boats and the route he took to attain his present position.
I think that there are two major pathways to success in the boatbuilding world. One is more of a genealogical approach: men who worked for top boatbuilders decide to branch out on their own and use the crafts they learned from wise, older men.
Caison comes from the other group: men who decide to build a boat for themselves, get an offer to sell it that they can't refuse, and wind up in the boatbuilding business. These men only rarely learn to design and loft their own boats. They more commonly employ naval architects and specialist firms to supply precut jigs for cold-molded wooden boats.
When I asked Caison who designed the hull of a 40-foot boat under construction, he replied, "I did." It was the same when I asked who lofted it out, "I did."
"How did you learn to do that?" I asked. These are highly technical skills many modern builders never learn!
"I read all the books," he replied quietly. I was extremely impressed.
Caison had no boatbuilding genealogy and was self-taught, but he had already built several lovely, functional boats, picking up a wealth of knowledge about composites and plastics along the way.
His latest offering, Two High, owned by Robert and Mary High, is one of the most gorgeous and functional 55-foot sport-fishers I've seen in a long time. I loved her sleek, broken sheer line that, in a photo of a boat lacking a varnished toe rail, actually fooled me into thinking she had an altogether different, unbroken, sheer.
High told me that, "The entire experience from concept through construction — and continuing now in service and maintenance — has actually been a pleasure. Donny never abandons you." Only a few of the best builders get such praise.
I started my tour of Two High in the engine room where a pair of my favorite gear boxes (Quick Shifts from Twin Disc) sat on the back of a pair of C-18 Cats. Oil and fuel filters were placed close to hand, inboard of the engines for easy oil changes.
Caison showed me the Groco Safety Sea Cocks located on the raw water intakes on the main engines. Turning the raw water intakes to the off position allows the operator to remove a locking device and then remove a plug in the side of the casting for emergency induction bilge pumping (sometimes called "crash pumping"). I demand this feature on all boats I am involved in and it has saved us a couple of times. I loved this new-to-me device from Groco.
High wanted rod storage and he got it everywhere possible. This is a custom boat, which is reflected in the fine interior finish work. The galley was both lovely and extremely functional and the accommodations below were first class in all respects.
You could tell that a fisherman laid out the bridge since both the cockpit fighting chair and the foredeck were visible from the helm.
On our sea trial, in unfortunately flat-calm water, the Cat/Twin Disc combination allowed us to accelerate seamlessly from almost no forward speed at all to wide-open throttle. The boat produced a minimal wake at all trolling speeds and handled with agility during fish fighting simulations. I might like slightly bigger rudders for increased maneuverability on one engine, but I was still able to turn the wrong way with only one engine in gear in the calm conditions.
Casion's personal history shines in every detail of this light but strong, fast, agile, pretty and functional custom sport-fisher. In short, it's a boat built for fishermen, by a fisherman.
LOA......55'3"
BEAM......17'1"
DRAFT......4'5"
WEIGHT......47,000 pounds
FUEL......1,000 gallons
WATER......200 gallons
POWER......T 1,000 hp Cat C18 diesels
PRICE......Price on request
Caison Yachts Inc. / Wilmington, North Carolina / 910-270-6394 / www.caisonyachts.com
