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F&S Boatworks: Photo Gallery

A visit with the popular custom boatbuilder
F and S Boatworks Full Throttle
F&S Boatworks produces outstanding custom boats, like the aptly-named 64-foot Full Throttle. Courtesy F&S Boatworks

In early January, Marlin magazine senior editor Sam White had a chance to tour the facilities at F&S Boatworks in Bear, Deleware. Aside from the timing (they were experiencing some of the coldest weather of the year on the East Coast that week, with a foot of snow on the ground and air temperatures in the low 20s during the day) the tour was very impressive. F&S had three boats under construction: the jig was being completed on a 75-footer that’s yet to be named; the hull had been flipped on the 61-foot Esme, and Special Situation, a 78-footer, was nearing the final stages for her anticipated delivery in April, 2017.

Every F&S is hand-crafted and is the result of an incredible blend of old-world craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology. The boats are built with an eye toward speed, fishability and extreme durability. The hulls feature a unique stepped design that provides an outstanding ride and excellent hull efficiency, which yields greater speed with less horsepower. Combine that with the trademark flare and tumblehome and the seakeeping abilities of a Carolina-style sport-fisher and it’s no wonder why F&S boats are famous around the world.

F and S Boatworks
The Marlin team visited F&S on one of the coldest days of the year on the East Coast. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
Residing in the corporate offices was a model of the very first F&S hull design. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
The model shows the company’s bow flare and other signature design features. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
The first stop: A 75-footer that’s just beginning her life. F&S hulls begin with an intricate jig framework, then layers of Okume wood and fiberglass, building up each layer. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
Looking more like the skeleton of a beached whale, the vessel’s massive size is apparent from above. Part of the hull’s first layer of Okume marine plywood is in the upper left corner of the photo. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
A close-up view of the jig. Each section has been carefully pre-cut, and then it’s assembled on a frame resting on a perfectly level concrete floor. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
The vessel’s stern is already taking shape. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
The 61-foot Esme is in the second stage of work: The hull has been flipped over and craftsmen now begin on the inside. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
One of F&S’ master carpenters cuts out the tunnel for the bow thruster. This part was fascinating yet hard to watch. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
F&S founder Jimmy Floyd with the cut-out section of the hull. Multiple layers of wood and fiberglass give his boats unmatched strength. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
John Floyd chats with a worker as he oversees construction of the interior bulkheads. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
Work has now begun on the inside of the hull. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
In the third bay rests Special Situation, a 78-footer that’s due to splash in April, 2017. The hull topside has already been sanded and will be faired again several more times until it’s perfectly smooth. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
Looking from the outside to the interior of Special Situation. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
A worker sands the interior of the gunwales. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
The dinette seating and storage starts to come together. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
Notes for the boat’s electrical wiring. Sam White
F and S Boatworks
Grinding and sanding a fiberglass lid. Most of the workers at F&S have been there for many years, and the turnover among them is very low. Sam White
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