Today we remember and pay tribute to our long-time President, George Angle, and all of his fellow Veterans. Thank you to all who have served or are serving this great country. Happy Veteran's Day from everyone at Willard Marine.
WorkBoat caught up with Smokey Glover, our Director of East Coast Operations at the recent International WorkBoat show in New Orleans.
Willard Marine's history of manufacturing quality boats dates all the way back to 1957 as the first company to offer a line of production fiberglass trawlers. The first of these trawlers was the William Garden designed Vega 36 in 1961, followed by a wide variety of models based on 30, 36, 40, and 47-foot hulls. Although we ceased production of recreational vessels in 2003 to focus on military and patrol boat markets, our trawler yachts and sailboats are still in high demand and loved by those that own them.
It’s always a pleasure to hear from those owners and glean the story behind their trawler. Recently, we had the pleasure of being in touch with Ana Santos, a six-year owner of a Willard trawler named Nuala May. Nuala May was built in 1974 and Ana loves being a liveabaord, splitting her time between Alaska and Port Townsend, WA.
After serving as the 2013 America’s Cup Umpire Boat, Willard Marine’s 43’ High Speed Interceptor was selected as the Start Boat for the Lucas Oil Ocean Cup, a 435-mile endurance run, which took place on October 12, 2013. The grueling race began under the Golden Gate Bridge and ended at the Queen Mary in Long Beach. As the Start Boat, our 43’ Interceptor was responsible for running alongside the 48’ APISA endurance boat and marking its exact time of passage beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Assistant Referee, Gloria Crim and APBA Inspector, Frank Banducci both rode aboard the Interceptor.
With 1,100 horsepower and a boat that could maintain speeds of approximately 80 miles per hour, a crew of four—Nigel Hook, Andy Hindley, Dan MacNamara, and Lance Ware—set out on their journey just past 8:30am. While initially optimistic about weather conditions, the crew ended up experiencing tumultuous waters with swells of up to 10’, causing everything from electrical problems to water in the fuel tanks. While these technical difficulties were cumbersome, the seasoned crew addressed them quickly and with skill, having to stop only a few times along the run. When all was said and done, the run was completed in 9 hours, 50 minutes, and 51 seconds, setting a world record observed by the The American Power Boat Association (APBA) and the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), which is the world's recognizing body.
The 2013 America's Cup Challenge takes place September 7-21 in San Francisco, California as four teams sailing AC72 wing-sail catamarans vie for the prestigious America's Cup trophy. This year’s catamaran design means racing will take place at very high speed. In turn, they require an Umpire Boat to not only match these speeds, but exceed them, providing a safety measure (should a boat require immediate attention) and accurate visuals of the competition.
We are thrilled to announce that Willard’s High Speed Interceptor RIB was selected to serve as the Umpire Boat for this year’s races, and it’s a tremendous honor we’re proud to share with all of you. Get familiar with the Umpire Boat below.