BRIEF HISTORY OF THE
Whiticar Boat Works, Inc.
G. C. Whiticar, President
G. Curtis Whiticar (CURT), founder of Whiticar Boat Works first came to the Stuart area in 1917 with his Mom, Dad, and two brothers. Addison Whiticar, Curt's Dad, would hand line commercial fish during the winter months and make a decent living due to the abundance of fish at that time. Summers were spent fishing in Fortesque, New Jersey. Due to competition from commercial net fishing in the late twenties Addison started to use his boat more and more for sport fishing.
Curt had built his first boat when he was 14 and by the age of 23 had designed and built a 33 ft. single screw boat called the Shearwater. This fishing boat, based on local inlet problems and hard core fishing needs is the backbone to the design of the modern Whiticar sport fisherman of today. Addison or more fondly called Capt. Add had Curt build him a boat shortly afterward in 1938. The Gannet, a twin screw 38 footer was Capt. Add's pride and joy.
Due to ever increasing demand for these boats, Curt erected a large building on the land next to his home and Whiticar Boat Works evolved. The first boat to be built in this building was the original Hobo built for his brother Jack. She was powered by a pair of 225 hp. Chrysler engines and proved to be fast and exceptionally seaworthy.
Several years after the start of Whiticar Boat Works in 1947 Curt hired his brother in law John Dragseth to help him run the company. John Dragseth and Curt Whiticar built up the company from a one building single railway system to eventually having many buildings and two railways. The company succeeded and expanded due to quality repairs and its famous line of custom sportfishing boats.
John Dragseth’s son Jim Dragseth, joins the company in 1969 and Curt’s son John comes on board in 1982. As Curt and John D retire, Jim Dragseth as President and John Whiticar as Vice President continue to upgrade and modernize the facility. As an example, the antiquated railway systems are now gone and we have recently replaced our older 50 ton travel lift with a new 75 ton lift.
Meeting the ever demanding needs of the marine community the company has expanded into five divisions and is now knows as the Whiticar Marine Group.
Whiticar Boat Works has survived the years by running an honest and straight forward business and by producing quality work. We stand behind our work and our reputation. It's Old fashioned pride.
