Precision Boat Works Explained

Precision Boat Works
Type:Privately held company
Founded:1978
Hq Location City:Palmetto, Florida
Hq Location Country:United States
Industry:Boat building
Products:Sailboats
Owner:Richard and Bill Porter

Precision Boat Works, Inc. is an American boat builder, initially based in Palmetto, Florida and now in Sarasota, Florida. From 1978 until 2018, the company specialized in the design and manufacture of fiberglass sailboats, but today just produces parts for their existing fleet.[1] [2] [3]

The company was founded by brothers Richard and Bill Porter in 1978.[3]

History

The first design produced was the Uffa Fox and George O'Day-designed Day Sailer, as well as the Seaforth 24.[1]

Many of the company's boats were designed by naval architect Jim Taylor of Marblehead, Massachusetts, a designer known for his America's Cup competition boats.[1] [3]

By 2018 the company was producing six designs, the Precision 15, 165, 18, 185, 21 and the 23. After a production run of nearly 5,000 boats, the Porters decided to retire in August 2018. Bill Porter continued making parts for the existing boat fleet and moved the parts business to Sarasota, Florida.[4] [5] [6] [7]

Author Steve Henkel praised the quality of construction of the company's boats in his 2010 book, The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats, calling it "well above average", but noted that the company made many essential parts, like boom vangs optional. He wrote that the company has "solid construction ... good and caring customer service, and a well-satisfied and loyal owner group."[2]

Boats

Summary of boats built by Precision Boat Works:[1] [2]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Precision Boat Works. 2 November 2021. McArthur. Bruce . sailboatdata.com. 2021. https://archive.today/20200913193940/https://sailboatdata.com/builder/precision-boat-works. 13 September 2020. live.
  2. Henkel, Steve: The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats, pages 54, 55, 122 and 245. International Marine/McGraw-Hill, 2010.
  3. Web site: Company Profile. 2 November 2021. Precision Boat Works. precisionboatworks.com. 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20200712233100/http://www.precisionboatworks.com/customer_support/company.php. 12 July 2020. live.
  4. Web site: Precision Boats. 2 November 2021. Precision Boat Works. precisionboatworks.com. 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20200712233054/http://www.precisionboatworks.com/boats/index.php. 12 July 2020. live.
  5. Web site: Precision Boats Information. 2 November 2021. Precision Boat Works. precisionboatworks.com. 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200712233110/http://www.precisionboatworks.com/dealers/index.php. 12 July 2020. live.
  6. Web site: Precision Boat Works ceases production. 2 November 2021. Trade Only Today. 3 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180803202044/https://www.tradeonlytoday.com/manufacturers/precision-boat-works-ceases-production. 3 August 2018. live.
  7. Web site: Precision Boat Works Is Moving. 2 November 2021. Precision Boat Works. Press Release. 2 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20211102233253/https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/cs_srgb/MTU3NDcwMDQ1ODIyMjY0OTk4/precisionboatworks.pdf. 2 November 2021. live.