In 1995, my brother Don and I purchased our first chopper gun and built a fiberglass bait receiver for a friend. We liked that idea enough to bring the bait receiver to the Fred Hall show in Long Beach, California. You can view how that evolved at www.baitball.com
During the show we met the owner of a large inflatable boat company contracted under Achilles boats. After sitting down with their engineers we set out to design a lightweight, interlinking floorboard system that would be strong enough to hold down the inflatable keel of the boat. During this time we purchased a 22' Boston Whaler Guardian from a military auction and began a complete restoration in our backyard, eager to finish the boat in time for the quickly approaching tuna run.
Our great day of fishing was not enough to keep the clouds from rolling in. As the temperature started falling we began the long 80 mile stretch back. The ocean was churning as spray rushed over the bow, gusting winds shooting it straight at our wet faces. Our friend trailing us in his new 27' Vigilant was comfortable and relaxed, piloting the boat from the warmth of his wheelhouse. After coming aboard the Vigilant to dry off, it was clear that if we were going to chase fish this far, our boat needed protection from the elements. Real protection. A canvas T-top flapping in the wind with a scratched, foggy isinglass enclosure was not the solution. We wanted something that was not going to hinder visibility, need maintenance, and eventually fall apart. Instead we sought after a cabin that could be climate controlled and run a windshield wiper. Something ergonomically comfortable and efficient with room for all your electronics, and more importantly; room for all your passengers. Something that would turn boat hulls into boats and boaters into believers.
We contacted OEM boat manufacturers in attempts to purchase a pilot house for our commercial Guardian. They did not have any available. After scouring the internet with no luck we went to work. If we were to bring our product to market it must have the look and quality as if Boston Whaler had built it themselves. Anything less was not good enough. Between a span of 6 months, we built the plug, the mould, and our first part. I'll never forget the first day on the water with our new pilothouse, delayed over an hour by intrigued fishermen. This became typical. In 1996 Pacific Pilothouse was offically born. After nearly two decades we have expanded our production line to include more than 20 different pilothouse versions and a busy custom shop. Our little family owned business is bigger then ever, with our products in use aboard the best boats in the industry from the largest boat builders in the world.
Ed Slawson
President
Pacific Pilothouse
