Ocean Master Blog: Yeah, We Build 'Em Tough

21 Years of service!

Dear Ocean Master

Our boat is 1986 Ocean Master 31. As I understand it, she started out her life on the other side of the law being used to transport "goods" between the Bahamas and the Mainland. [ed. note - here in South Florida this is known as the pharmaceutical import/export business and persons involved in said business are known as international investors...]

Seized by customs in the late eighties, they used her as a patrol boat for several years around the Caribbean. They had a fourth fuel tank added to extend the range (the vessel holds just shy of one thousand gallons) and also mounted a first generation Thermal imager (seen under the radar).

After Customs the boat was transferred over to the U.S. Navy and stationed in Cape Canaveral as a missile recovery vessel. The Navy re-powered her with Honda 225s' which is the current government contract engine.

After about five years with the Navy I was able to get her and with a government grant, and a lot of horsetrading, get her re-powered with Yamaha 300 HPDIs. I replaced the electronics with a Garmin suite, and am in the process of putting on a new 5000M thermal imager. She serves in the fleet of a Port security task force in Charleston called SeaHawk under the U.S. Justice department and even though she is the oldest vessel in the fleet she is still considered the "Flagship".

The immense deck area makes her the optimum vessel for Dive operations, Sonar towing Ops and Flying our ROV.

Thanks,

Joe

Cpl. Joe M.
North Charleston Police Department
Marine Patrol Unit.

Customer Testimonials

"We routinely faced 18 - 20 foot seas in our Ocean Master 31' off the coast of Africa – we had other boats but we sold them all and kept the Ocean Master."

"We managed to land a blue marlin in 12 foot seas. During these conditions it is very comforting to know this boat is so strongly built and well engineered."

"It is, as we say down here in Lousiana, it's HELL FOR STOUT!"

"I have been around boats my entire life and have pretty much fished them all – but nothing comes close to my 31'."

"During the 96 hurricane the boat went onto the rocks in Essex. The hull did not fail. When I offered to purchase a new boat both my sons said no. We re-powered to keep peace in the family."

"After running million-dollar-plus beauties, it’s my 1990 31-foot Ocean Master Walkaround Sportfisherman, that gives me the greatest thrill"

"I own a 1977 31 Ocean Master. I have been giving it a facelift for the last few years and wanted to let you know that during our restoration project we found that the structure was in better shape than many other boats 20 years newer than mine built by other supposedly top names in the business. I hope I get another 25 years out of her. Thanks for not taking shortcuts!"

"The ULTIMATE fishing machine!"

"Keep up the great work, Ocean Master is the only boat I will ever own. Thanks again."

"I was in the Indian Ocean last week visiting Diego Garcia where the Navy has two 31-foot beauties sporting twin Merc 250s. I had never seen or heard of Ocean Master before this time as the name isn't plastered down the side as on most boats. I made it my business to find out what this masterpiece was, as it performed as I would have wanted it to. This ride was a great experience"

"We run our Ocean Masters day in and day out year round - their reliability has been excellent! Our business depends on them and we couldn't be happier."

"Just made the trip from Old Saybrook to Falmouth. We ran an easy 28mph cruise and burned an economical 20.7gph. This was with a full belly of fuel and 3 adults and 1 child onboard. Needless to say I am a happy owner."

"On Saturday we knew that a large big-eye tuna had already been landed so we had our work cut out for us. We decided to run to the Hudson canyon – 70 miles from Fire Island inlet."

"It was give and take for over an hour but we finally sunk the gaff in what turned out to be the first place fish – a 178 lb big-eye tuna!"

"In the end our tuna held on to first place. Amazingly enough, second place in the tournament went to another Ocean Master 31! We might be on to something here. I sure hope so."

"THE RIDE! My answer when asked why we got the Ocean Master 18 over all the others. We wanted a skiff that could not only perform, but that would be smooth and dry in really nasty conditions. We certainly found it! It has been a year now and the boat still amazes me."

"These are just a few of the wonderful memories I have from my years with Fin-Tastic. Some of the other memories are not so blissful, including dodging lightning storms out of Jupiter and fighting heavy seas between Florida and the Bahamas. But whether in calm seas or rough, I’m completely comfortable with my boat and confident of its ability to withstand anything I get into."

"It's one of the few things I've bought in life that I've appreciated more and more as time went on. I bought this boat 3 years ago and for me, I appreciate it more and more every day and the cycle of wanting bigger and better has gone."

"During the past five years we were in Bahamian waters for 206 days during which our traveling and trolling added up to about 12,000 miles."

"The return trip to The States from the Bahamas this year was a real adventure due to the weather. On departure the weather was terrible!...20 foot seas and 40 knot winds. It took five days for the seas to subside from unsafe to uncomfortable and I finally made the two day, 350 mile, return trip pounding through 8 foot seas."

"We’re proud of our boat and the times spent with my sons are priceless."

"The boat is coming up on 20 years age, 10 years of that were very hard fishing years and I can tell you, looking at the boat you would never guess its age. Almost all of our trips were 100 or more nautical miles. We run at night to the fishing grounds and never fear sinking the boat or any other surprises."

"We had to travel over 100 miles during a tropical depression – on the entire trip we saw only 3 other boats, all were much larger commercial fisherman."

"While fishing in the islands we ran into a bad tropical storm. The waves got so big that one broke over the tower and shorted out the VHF. Somehow the boat managed to get us through safe and sound – I don’t think any other 27' boat would have survived what we did."

“I am real impressed with your companies of doing business, and your kind offer to contact Mr. Hauptner direct. This shows me that Mr. Hauptner, and his staff are top notch professionals. It gives me great pleasure to find another owner that doesn’t forget we are all in the service business, and that he would take the time to talk with me direct.

“FYI I took this 31 out yesterday on a sea trial, even though this boat is not new by any means I was very impressed with your companies detail to many things, that you state on your web page, the wiring, and rigging, was top notch the boat felt solid in 3 to 4 ft chop and for the age on the boat felt tight, in other words it is a well built boat.”

“The boat performs well for offshore fishing, whether it’s 25 miles out at Monster Ledge or 80 miles at the Hudson Canyon. It’s also used for fishing the shallow bays from the Manasquan Inlet to the Barnegat Light Inlet.”

“Awesome ride! It impressed a lot of fishing buddies on some pretty nasty trips. Even launching off big seas it still lands soft and solid. Plus I get plenty of looks and compliments from passersby about the boat.”

“I am sending you some pics of my 2002 with t-top tower. Very happy with this boat I bought used in January of 2007. You and I have spoken many times on the phone, your advice and help are greatly appreciated.”

“I just have to tell you that I am so excited about the boat. I already said that this is a lot of money for me and that I am not one of those guys that comes and drops the cash down without thinking anything of it. I have worked so hard over the years and this will be the first boat in my life that I have bought “NEW”! I have owned maybe 30 boats since I was a kid. After waiting 45 years to choose a new boat, Ocean Master has been my Dream boat for about 20 of those years. “

“Thanks for helping one of my dreams come true.”

“I have just purchased my second 31. It is a 1994 w/twin 250 Yamahas. I bought the boat from its original owner who kept it on Nantucket. I will use her at the Cape also. I have owned 25 boats in 30 years and “Nothing” compares.”

“Thanks for all the help refitting our 31’! The information and guidance you have offered in regard to the restoration of our 20 year old boat has been outstanding.”

“It shows your dedication to not only new projects, but to the continued satisfaction of all previous owners of Ocean Masters. In a time when the main focus of most manufactures is to push as many vessels out of the factory as quickly as possible, it is a pleasure to be in contact with someone who believes in the product her produces even more the happiness of his customers.”

“I have owned two 31’ Ocean Master vessels and though the current vessel is in need of some cosmetic repairs, the hull is as dependable today as the day it was pulled from the mold. I am sure this will be the last center console vessel I purchase and I am certain that my 11 year old son with enjoy using it with his children.”

“Not until after running my new 34’ Ocean Master “Reel Screamer Too” around to Bradenton did I realize just how happy I’m going to be with her.”

“The construction is definitely overbuilt resulting in the softest, most comfortable, dry ride I’ve ever felt on a vessel of her size. I know I’m going to have years of joy out with her fishing the loop in the Gulf of Mexico. Thank you for taking the time to construct such a marvelous vessel.”

“I just wanted to tell you how awesome the boat is!! Everything turned out so well. From the shell that I originally saw it was hard to imagine how great it would look!”

“Your hard work paid off. Thank you so much, we will have many family memories on there that we will cherish! We appreciated all that you did to make it happen.”

Yeah, We Build 'Em Tough

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