CARRY ON, CAROLINA

Examining the features that distinguish one modern North Carolina build from another

- CAMERON J. RHODES

Sport-fishing boats are a lot like horses. That's not just because they share a measure of power, are a good ride, or often place lofty demands on our wallets. Unless you've got a trained eye to identify the differences between various boats-or a herd of horses-the only thing that helps each one stand apart from the other, for the casual onlooker anyway, also often boils down to color and size.

As a marine-industry writer and photographer, as well as a lifelong equestrian, I've always enjoyed the overlap between horse owners and boat owners. I hadn't ever really considered the comparison so plainly until I found myself chatting with Spencer Yachts' Daniel Spencer. While discussing what features make a Spencer different from others, he says: "You might be able to tell me the breed and a whole lot of other things about a horse standing in a field just by looking at it, but I'd only be able to tell you that it looks like an Indian pony in a Western movie. It can be hard to explain how you know the difference, but you just do, and that's how it can be with North Carolina's boats."

As modern sport boats have evolved over the years, identifying who built what has become more arduous, even for the experts. When I spoke with builders Tim Winters, Paul and Daniel Spencer, Ricky Scarborough Jr., John Bayliss and Randy Ramsey, each agreed that this article would be a challenging one to write. Ramsey provided me heartfelt but honest warnings of the likely struggle ahead, while others seemed hesitant to share too much for fear of giving away a sacred trade secret. These men represent just a handful of North Carolina's talented custom builders, but they do admit that seeing the differences in a lineup of sport-fishing boats is trickier now than it's ever been before.