Holby Marine Company
Past, Present, and Future
Holby
Marine Company was founded and incorporated in the state of Rhode Island in
1984, by current owner and President; W. Barrett Holby, Jr.
(shown all the way to the right along with the late great Senator John
Chafee in the middle of the photograph). The original plant was located
in a 3400 sq, ft. building in the historic Herreshoff Complex in Bristol,
Rhode Island, a place rich in boat building tradition. The first
yacht built by Holby Marine
Company was a joint project with
German Frers to
build a 40-foot racing sloop to the complex “International Offshore Rule”
formula (IOR). In order
to achieve the yacht’s full potential under IOR, innovation
for both materials and construction technique were necessary. Holby Marine was ahead of the times utilizing material such as "Carbon Fiber".
Little was known about the material at the time,
but the strength
characteristics of this composite and weight saved in the hull and deck
through its use, offered a significant breakthrough, one that might just be
able to exploit the IOR formula, while being within its parameters – if the
use of it could be incorporated into the construction process.
Utilizing the newest in materials and techniques the yacht – Blazer of
Paget – was constructed. Blazer of Paget not only
met the formula for IOR, it exceeded expectations for strength, quality, and
performance – winning her class in the prestigious Admiral’s Cup Trials.
It is important to note this achievement. Barrett’s vision for innovative techniques and the use of exotic materials put Holby Marine at the leading edge for semi custom yacht construction. The resulting success of Blazer of Paget lead to the building of other racer-cruisers from the design board of Bill Tripp; the Trip 41 and Trip 37. Each employed the same use of leading edge materials to produce stronger, lighter boats, without having to sacrifice quality and durability. Each proved to be on the leading edge for performance and quality, and to this day represent a better value for a cruiser-racer, despite advances made in yacht design
Demand for a Holby Built boat required additional manufacturing space, and in 1987 operations were moved into a new 10,000 ft. facility at its current location. Quality and innovation attracted several major designers besides German Frers and Bill Tripp. Holby Marine has built yachts and boats on a semi-custom and production basis for designs created by Craig Walters, Chuck Payne, Takai Yacht Design (Japan), Greg Elliot (Australia), Roger Martin (South Africa) and Mark Ellis (Canada) to name a few. Each is a designer with considerable credentials in the yachting world.
Holby Marine has received many awards over the years thanks to the innovative design and construction techniques that were used and continue to be developed today. These awards included “Boat of the Year” honors for 1988 - Holby Clearwater 35, 1993 - Holby Clearwater 36, 1999 -Holby Quest 33. Each boat defined a breakthrough for design and construction. To this day they continue to exceed their owner’s expectations for quality and durability. All three of these vessels were ahead of their time and lead the industry in innovative ideas and construction.
Holby Marine
has also conducted many other projects along with the
leading edge design and construction of racer-cruisers vessels. These
projects ranged from the line of Pilot Dinghies to the Point
Judith sail boat. These vessels may have been small in stature, but
they were constructed to the same standards as every other vessel at
Holby Marine, providing owners with quality, dependability, and years of
enjoyment.
From
the beginning Holby Marine has always been committed to it mission statement "Quality Yachts, Built with Integrity". With
the success of the Quest and other Holby lines, the Bristol Skiff
was developed in a 15' and 17'. Initially the skiffs
were constructed with the classic lapstrake appearance that they maintain to
this day but were less refined. Over the years the Bristol Skiff
line was narrowed to a single 17', and a liner was developed to give
the skiff a more finished look. This provides customers with a more functional
vessel. It is no coincidence
that you rarely see Bristol Skiffs for sale. Our customers enjoy
these boats and seldom part with them.
The
next development at Holby Marine was the Pilot series.
Conceived to capitalize on the success of our
Bristol
17 Skiff – traditional lines, a stable design and above average
performance, combined with the best materials and construction. Currently
the line consists of: Pilot 18, Pilot 20 (Center Console and
Cuddy Cabin) and Pilot 24. The future for this line holds the promise
of a center console Pilot 24, a Pilot House Pilot 24, and the addition of a Pilot 29
(concept at present).
Holby Marine still produces the Quest series combing a very modern hull form, superb stability and sail plan to complement an owners desire; whether that is to race (fully crewed or solo) or for long distance cruising. Performance exceeds that of many yachts 5 to 10 feet longer. Beyond performance, the Quest 33 offers a spaciousness for “creature comforts” not available in yachts of similar purpose and size. Quest yachts have been raced and cruised all over the world. Line expansion currently includes a Roger Martin design, 37 foot entry.
For over
20 years Holby Marine Company has built boats with the best in materials and
technology. Whether semi custom or production, we will continue to
distinguish ourselves from manufacturers in our market. Each line will
employ the highest quality composite construction in the industry.
Hulls
and decks are
“Vacuum Bagged and Resin Infused”. This provides a higher
resin-to-glass ratio that produces exceptional strength, yet more efficient
hull. What this means is a boat that is extremely durable and dependable.
Our ISO-NGP gel-coat application produces a harder finish and
brighter color. This means that hulls will retain a better, stronger
finish capable of withstanding the harshest conditions of the marine
environment, and a retained fit and luster well into the future. What
is notable about our construction technique is that it is a process reserved
for “niche” builders of custom high-end yachts. Very few builders of
semi-custom production yacht, and still fewer production builders employ
this method. Simply put: Holby Marine builds to a better standard than that
of most other builders of similar size boats.
Holby Marine continues to be committed to our mission statement of "Quality Yachts, Built with Integrity". What does the future hold for Holby Marine Company? We are looking to expand our facility this year because we are rapidly out growing our production space. Along with the expansion of our current facilities we will be expanding our dealer network throughout the country. The new Pilot 24 is in full production and we look forward to developing future members of the Pilot family and continue our deep tradition of producing some of the best racing cruiser sailing vessels in the world.
Holby Marine Company has been proud to provide our customers with quality vessels for over 20 years and we look forward to a long future of providing many more customers with "Quality Yachts, Built with Integrity".
