Weaver Boatworks

Jim Weaver never thought he would build boats for a living, however, after years on the water      and his experience in the construction business, he decided to build a boat for himself in 1998. The vessel turned out so well that he got an offer to sell it, which he did. He then built another one and before too long, Weaver Boatworks began to take shape.
 
Thus far, the company has built 12 custom sport-fishing yachts and the projects keep getting bigger. The company recently started working on an 85-footer, Weaver's biggest yacht to date. 
 
"At Weaver Boatworks, we are dedicated to delivering a quality product, with all of the needs and desires the customer requests," Weaver says. "We always deliver a great custom sport-fish on time and with a fixed price."
 
Weaver uses naval architect Donald Blount and the marriage works great, he says. "Using Donald's technology in the design process and our cold-molding building processes really works out very well." 
 
The custom yachts Weaver builds can really move; "we're close to 50 knots," he says. To meet the strength requirements with those speeds, Weaver uses Kevlar to reinforce the inside and outside of each cold-molded, one-off hull that comes out of his shop. "We build every boat as strong as we can make it," he says. "They're really over-designed and intended to take punishment."
 

At a Glance: • Palm Beach styling • Close to the 50-knot barrier • Delivered on time and on budget

When it comes to the style of his yachts, Weaver calls them "more traditional" than some of the other custom builders out there. "We're more of a Palm Beach style," he says. "We're not super curvy."
 
Weaver lets his customer pick and choose what goes into the interior of each boat, which typically dictates the overall length of the vessel. "I never thought we would build an 80-footer, but with each boat we build we're getting bigger and better," he says. "They're all different, but they keep getting better."
 
Weaver may use state-of-the-art audio-visual packages and electronics on his yachts, but he's really an old-school builder at heart. "We figure out what the customer wants and believe in giving him a firm price and a firm finish date," he says. "We're always honest with our customers. We've built four boats now based on handshakes and have become good friends with our clients in the process."
 
For more information on Weaver Boatworks of Tracey's Landing, Maryland, call 410-867-8757, or visit www.weaverboatworks.com.

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