Pag* 46- Supplement to The Bruntwlck Bee
Handmade S
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vjMOWiny in \
BY TERRY POPE
Tliey start with strips of cypress
and marine plywood and in less than
eight hours they have a boat. Not just
any boat, but a strip boat made completely
by hand and custom-designed
for speed, fishing or hunting.
"You can use a strip boat for so
many purposes?riding, fishing or
wutcrskiing" said Mike McPherson,
one of two strip bout builders located
In Grlssettown. "They are the fastest
selling boat I know of. They arc really
catching on in popularity."
What attracts boat buyers to strip
boats nuiy be their natural grain
finishes scaled in a clear fiberglass
coating. For duck hunters, the
naturul wood finish is camouflaged
from the prey, giving the hunter an
edge In the sport.
m For others, the lightweight body
may allow some designs to glide
across the waterway or rivers at
speeds up to 75 mph. Since the boats
are sealed In fiberglass, they may be
used in both fresh or salt water and
are occasionally seen along the
waterways In southern Brunswick
County.
Strip boats are given the name
strip boat because of the strips of
wood that are used to build the different
models, rather than using
commercially formed fiberglass or
whole plywood sheets Once the boat
ts constructed strip by strip, o propane
tore he is glided across the wood
to give the boat a darker tint, rather
than using stains, McPherson said
There are several different models
of strip boats available, depending on
what the boater has in mind. For
mm nr. ii u mini#, imr iijc uoai
McPhrrson built for himself from the
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5% addl
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icon. April-May, 1985
itrip Boats
Popularity
scrap pile at his shop. With a 40 horse
power engine on back, the thin,
ligmweigni moaei win top oz mpn
during those weekends out on the
luke or river with friends, he said.
Some strip boats are built only for
speed, with thousands of dollars
riding on tlieir performance in national
racing contests. Several strip
boats were entered in last year's
speedboat races during tlie N.C.
Fourth of July festival in Southport.
McPhcrson, who lias been building
boats for 17 years, built his first strip
!>ont about ten years ago. At that
time, there were only two people in
the southeast making strip boats, and
both of them were in South Carolina,
where lie learned the trade, lie said.
McPherson lias designed several
types of basts since entering the
business, including u flat-fronted
bass boat that gives the fisherman
more room than the normal models,
he said. A one or two man boat will
take about three hours to piece
together and another hour to seal in
fiberglass
For larger beats, like the 14-foot
fishing boats, it may take up to eight
hours before they are complete.
Wood used to make tlie boats is
always carefully inspected from
local sawmills, which often call boat
builders when they have a good supply
available.
"There are just so many little
things that you have to think about
when making the boats," McPherson
said "The little things will affect
how the boat handles. We worked using
the trial and error method until
we got the designs we wanted."
McPncrson estimates he mokes
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about seven to eight strip boats a
week at his small shop. The boats are
so popular, he does not build for
dealers, only on his own. Mcpherson
also doesn't add the extras, such as
scats, speedometers or steering
wheels, leaving that to the boaters'
own tastes. The whole idea behind
owning a strip boat is that they are
unioue and each one should bear a
different personal touch.
McPherson has found that since
tacking together his first plywood
model more than 17 years ago.
building boats has not been a boring
lob.
"What 1 do when it gets kind of boring
is sit down and redesign
something else," McPherson said.
"They are the smoothest running
boats. You can set a cup of coffee on
the bow and it won't spill if your're
out riding on the river."
fiunrnntf*#*-)!
agasaai
sPSIISm
9 Applicant?*
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Meyers,
4
wads
inancing
ery and set up I
754-4353
*n Monday-Saturday. 8 30-5 X
' " I
-A, !? -. +? jJi
GLENN HOWARD uses a propane torch to burn the hull of
one strip boat used for fishing. Burning the outer layer of
wood gives the strip boats their natural coloring.
The Depot
icelcomes you
to the South Brunsicick Islands
NEW OWNERS
EMERSON ARNOLD and PHIL GORE
Take time
4. A ? A I
iu siup uy
Try one of our HOMEMADE pizzas,
spaghetti, lasagna, belly buster subs and
croissants.
We have the best hamburgers in the South
Brunswick Islands (ground fresh daily).
TAKE OUT ORDERS, PHONE 754-8168
Try our exciting new menu selections!
I MILLIKEN SHOPPING CENTER
? UAI nrw OP i ru n a t T\ IXI oti ?
j iivLo/ui uc^ivn nUrtU UK ^riHLLU 1 IL
OPEN
| Monday through Thursday, 10.30a.m.to9:00p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a m. to 10:00 p.m.
f Sunday, 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
1