Jarrett Bay Boatworks 40th Anniversary: Four Decades of Pride in Craftsmanship
That first boat, the 52-foot Sensation, came together in a small tin shed in Williston, North Carolina, with help from fellow builders and artisan Carolina craftsmen who understood hull form, balance, and what really matters when conditions turn ugly. She wasn’t built to chase trends or trophies. Hull #1, of what was inadvertently the first of nearly 70 truly custom hulls crafted to date, was built to work.
A Fisherman-First Philosophy
Word spread quickly as others recognized something worthwhile: a boat had been built using the collective knowledge of some of the most respected builders in North Carolina, and construction was led by someone who ran hard in the often-treacherous waters of the Southern Outer Banks.
That fisherman-first mentality has defined Jarrett Bay for four decades. While the boats have grown larger, more complex, and more refined, the philosophy has never shifted. Every Jarrett Bay is still designed with input from seasoned owners, captains, and crews, and every detail—engine placement, access, sight lines, ride quality—is evaluated based on real-world use, not dockside impressions.
Ride, Style, and the Carolina Flare™
Jarrett Bay’s highly sought-after ride and styling, thanks to their Carolina Flare™ heritage, remains at the heart of it all. Cold-molded construction, exaggerated bow flare, and careful attention to weight distribution produce boats that run comfortably in head seas and track cleanly when backing down.
“These aren’t theoretical design choices; they’re the result of countless hours offshore, often when other boats are throttling back.”
From A One Boat Shop to a World-Class Marine Facility
As Jarrett Bay’s reputation grew, so did its capabilities. What began as a one-boat shop evolved first into a small boatyard in Marshallberg servicing boats of varying makes and models.
Then, in 1998, thanks to a man with incredible faith in Randy and his crew’s abilities, Jack Huddle helped Jarrett Bay grow into a full-scale marine operation, situated on 35 acres within the 175-acre Jarrett Bay Marine Park along a Beaufort stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway.
Today, the facility supports large custom builds, refits, repairs, and services for every vessel class—from tournament-winning sportfish to some of the finest superyachts plying our oceans.
Despite that growth, the yard has never lost its connection to fishing. You’ll still find captains visiting to see who’s in for service, owners and crews offering input on their next dream ride, and boats being built with the expectation that they’ll be pushed hard.
Built to Fish, Not Sit At The Dock
Jarrett Bay’s custom builds have proven themselves where it matters—on long runs, in rough seas, and across the globe’s most competitive sportfishing circuits. Even though the level of craftsmanship has been elevated far above the roughed-in charter boats of Jarrett Bay’s early years, these boats aren’t museum pieces.
They’re meant to fish—day after day, season after season, and from ocean to ocean.
Jarrett Bay Boatworks 40th Anniversary—and Still True to the Mission
In 2026, Jarrett Bay Boatworks celebrates its 40th anniversary, a milestone that reflects more than longevity. It speaks to trust earned from the captains who stake their reputations—and sometimes their safety—on the boats they run.
It reflects a company that grew without forgetting why it started, and an entire family of craftsmen working together with the understanding that fishing isn’t a lifestyle slogan, but a way of life.
Forty years in, Jarrett Bay is still doing what it set out to do in the beginning: building boats that make the most of time offshore, for people who seek to spend most of their lives there.
