How commercial real estate tells the story of Raleigh’s promising future :: WRAL.com
This article was written for our sponsor Innovation Road Trip.
From the Atlantic Seaboard to the meandering banks of the Neuse River, North Carolina has a rich water and craft history. In fact, the two are so closely linked that the state even has its own historic boat, the Shad Boat, which was first assembled on Roanoke Island in the 1880s.
Today’s boats are a little more advanced than the wood-hulled shad boats of the late 19th century, but just as important to the North Carolina way of life—especially in coastal communities like Beaufort.
In 1986, 200 years after the first Shad boat was built, Randy Ramsey and Jim Luxton opened their own boat building shop in Beaufort: Jarrett Bay Boatworks.
“We decided we could build a boat to replace our dilapidated charter boat and we basically rented a $250 shed and started building. The rest is history – we’ve been building boats ever since,” said Ramsey. “We built the first charter boat, but realized we didn’t really know how to build boats. Many different boat builders along the coast lent their talents and time to show us how to do things we honestly didn’t know how to do. “
After that first boat, business for Ramsey and Luxton progressed. To date, Jarrett Bay Boatworks has manufactured over a hundred custom boats including the Jarrett Bay 90, which is a finalist in the 2019 Boat International Design & Innovation Awards.
“People saw that we could build something different than just a simple boat and over the last 35 years our boats have really evolved. They’ve evolved in looks and system complexity — the last boat we launched was 5,200 horsepower, held 3,500 gallons of fuel and is capable of running for weeks on itself,” Ramsey said. “This first charter we built had 300 gallons of fuel and a 750 horsepower engine and was only able to be self sufficient for a couple of hours.”
Starting a boat building business without a lot of experience is a risky move, but one that has paid off over the last few decades. Ramsey views North Carolina’s unique environment as a key factor in her company’s success.
“When we talk about entrepreneurship, innovation and opportunity, I don’t think there’s a better place than North Carolina,” said Ramsey. “Our state’s leadership has supported entrepreneurs, supported business, and supported growth throughout its history. Overall, the North Carolinians also try to support each other and try to get each other through tough times.”
Ramsey is excited to see how new technologies will continue to affect their designs, including changes in electronics, building materials, propulsion systems, power and more.
For North Carolina entrepreneurs who draw inspiration from Ramsey’s story, he offers a little piece of personal wisdom.
“My advice to people who are chasing their dreams, people who want to be entrepreneurs and innovators in our country is just be passionate. It’s not going to be a nine-to-five job – you have to come to work every day, want it, love it and not give up,” he said. “Keep pushing because when you do, eventually good things come to those who work.”
This article was written for our sponsor Innovation Road Trip.