Petty Skiffs

Petty Skiffs is a boat building company creating mid-sized dory/skiffs with the classic profile and seaworthy character of the New England "Banks Dory" but yet eminently practical for running in the shallow, strong currents of the sounds and inlets of the Carolinas.

Descending from 17th and 18th Century woodworkers,
William C. Petty founded W.C. Petty Co. in 1857 in Archdale, North Carolina, to manufacture furniture, fine molding and shoe laths. Since that time, the Petty family has been blessed with the tradition and practice of fine woodworking.

That tradition was carried on through two grandsons of W.C. Petty, David Petty (1914-2004) and Jim Petty, Sr. (1918-1980). They built the Charles D. Roberts Company, Greensboro, NC which manufactured Dogwood, Hickory, Ash and Maple turnings and dimensions for 50 years.

It was Jim Petty, Sr. who reunited the family skills in woodworking with boat construction. This revived the nautical tradition of his Grandmother and the Thomas Macy family from Nantuket Island - who were active in the whaling and boatbuilding industry. Jim first showed his skill by winning the blue ribbon at the North Carolina State Fair for his model of the Bluenose schooner (age 12, circa 1930).

Jim Petty, Sr. with his four sons (Jim, Jr., John, Marshall and W.C.) began constructing boats (sail, performance and fishing) for their own use during the 1960's and 70's.

In 1975 Marshall Petty and his father (Jim Sr.) launched the Marshall/James Furniture Co., recapturing the direct furniture making tradition of W.C. Petty. After Jim, Sr.'s death, Marshall went on to develop the company to the produce a line of high end, bench built 18th Century furniture in the English tradition. One discriminating English customer explained her choice to buy from Marshall James rather than in her native England saying simply, "It is the finest there is."
(Chicago Tribune, March 18, 2001, "History in the Making")

During this time, Jim Petty, Jr., an avid fisherman, began building boats for his own use - including gill netting, fish trapping, and shark fishing in the Shallotte, NC area.

In 1996 Jim created and built "SeaDog" a 16 foot Dory Skiff to run the turbulent waters of the "surfing inlets" in SE North Carolina. The skiff side of the idea was inspired by some of the strengths he had found in his Simmon's Sea Skiff, the Harker's Island Skiff and the boats he observed "haul seining" for mullet in the surf.

He tested SeaDog thoroughly: Purposely swamping it, rowing up skinny water creeks to trap killie minnows and crabs, running inlets, beaching and launching SeaDog through surf, capturing and releasing large sharks that pulled SeaDog five miles off of Tubbs Inlet.

Between 1996 and 2004, he had received many requests for plans and information from interested people who happened to see the boat. So in 2005 he decided, with this brother Marshall, to create, build and sell an improved SeaDog Skiff.

In 2006, naval architect and skiff design specialist Karl Stambaugh of Chesapeake Marine Design was retained to set up, improve and digitize for CAM, Jim's lines for the new dory/skiff. Jim guided the design, Karl refined and digitized the lines, and Marshall constructed Hull #1 at his company in Greensboro.

$25,000 was invested in the development and finishing of the first hull (not counting the time invested by the two brothers). Jim tested the prototype at Bogue Inlet, NC and Tubbs Inlet NC in July 2006 - with very positive results, including capturing and releasing beautiful Black Tip Sharks caught a few miles off Bird Island, NC and successfully fishing a 40ft deep hole in Little River Inlet with five foot seas blowing it.

The fruit of 10 years of development is now embodied in this prototype of the Marshall-James Skiff and is now offered for sale on a limited basis by the Petty family.

Based on the market feedback we receive from the various 2007 boat shows, we will evaluate the market for both the custom and the production versions of Petty Skiffs.

Should the results be positive, we will begin to actively market the Marshall James Skiff and/or the SeaDog Skiff on this website and a network of owner/representatives.

Before we can do that, we need feedback from people about our boats. Would you help us by giving us your answers to these questions? Just email me at jpetty@navpoint.com if you believe you can provide insight on any of these questions:

Is there a need anywhere in the boat market for a "planeing skiff" with a pronounced dory profile?
Do you like the looks and lines of the boat? Can you say why?
Is there opportunity for this boat at the upper end of the market - solid mahogany, yacht finish, custom boats costing in the upper teens to mid twenties? Who would buy it? For what use?
If so, what features would be most important for this boat?
Is there an opportunity at the "lower" end of the market to people who now buy Carolina Skiffs, and riveted Jon boats? Why do you say that? Would a fiberglass production boat with the same lines, get the attention it needs to be successful?
Will people who buy this boat be resourceful enough to provide for powering the boat and adding electronics through their own Marine services dealer? Should boats come repapered and/or turnkey?

Please provide your name and boating background or experience. Thanks.

We also anticipate using Petty Skiff customers as marketing representatives. Those interested in representing Petty Skiffs would be authorized to sell to their contacts - using their boat as the demonstrator. A commission to the representative would be arranged for all their accredited sales.

Once markets develop enough, plans include making versions of riveted aluminum (like a Jon boat) and roto-molded one piece polypropylene hulls (similar to the way Triumph Boats or Hog Island Drift Boats made). Both shorter (15') hulls, mid-sized bay hulls (17'-18') and larger ocean capable hulls (22'-24') will be offered. If you like our boat and want to be involved in some way, let us know.