THE STUFF OF LEGEND

Stuart, Florida, known as the “Sailfish Capital of the World,” is also home to some legendary sportfish builders.

Nestled between the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon on Florida’s east coast, Stuart is known as “The Sailfish Capital of the World.” The city, with a history built upon commercial and recreational fishing, stands in contrast to its luxurious neighbors of Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Stuart’s legacy is so intertwined with angling that a 19-foot-tall sailfish sculpture stands prominently downtown. While Rybovich and Merritt built boats in Palm Beach County, commercial fishermen settled in Stuart, enjoying the quiet countryside and more economical real estate. In 1917, charter Capt. Addison A. Whiticar brought his family to Stuart via steamship and train, and his son, Curt Whiticar, went on to build a 33-foot fishboat that started a legacy. The custom sportfish builder retired at 75 after turning Whiticar Boat Works over to his son and nephew. Today, the yard has locations in Stuart and nearby Fort Pierce. Other family-owned custom sportfish builders, including American Custom Yachts, followed suit. Dominick LaCombe has been building boats since 1984 and now runs his Stuart yard with his brother, son and daughter. They have a 68-foot sportfish build in progress. A whole support economy of electrical, carpentry, paint, instrument, upholstery and mechanical companies grew around the builders, so if it’s marine-related, you’ll find it in Stuart. “The people here are warm and friendly — anglers help each other out,” says Brent King, owner of Fish Heads at Sail Fish Marina. “On any day, I have all the Captain of the Year award-winners at my counter. I can’t believe the fishing talent that we have here.” The sportfishing boats that those captains — and many serious anglers — covet have a classic appeal, with their broad bows, flowing lines, outstanding woodwork, mezzanines, roomy aft decks, towers and fighting chairs. And when it comes to customization at Stuart yards, just about anything goes. “You don’t go to school for this stuff,” says Rich Scheffer Sr., who founded Tribute Boats in 1992 as a tribute to legendary Stuart builder Jim Smith. “You might study the topics, but you learn hands-on from building boats over the years.” Here are a few other builders, at the heart of Stuart’s boatbuilding community, that have done just that.