New Blog 2: Island Packet Yachts

Friday, 9 November 2012

Island Packet Yachts

Island Packet Yachts is a United States-based builder of sailing and motor yachts. They are based in Largo, Florida. The incorporated name for the company is Traditional Watercraft, Inc. Production facilities are located on nine acres of ground with 125,000 square feet (11,600 m2) of covered manufacturing space in central Pinellas County. Map:[1]According to the company's website, the name Island Packet Yachts is a subsidiary of Traditional Watercraft, Inc., founded by naval architect Bob Johnson. Johnson is currently CEO and owner of the company.After earning his master's degree in naval architecture from MIT in 1967, Johnson did a brief stint with McDonnell-Douglas in California working in their missile design department before heading to Florida where he joined Irwin Yachts as a plant supervisor. He also worked on several cruising and racing designs for Irwin before leaving to join Endeavour Yachts as head designer. In 1978 he left Endeavour to build yachts of his own design, beginning with a sharpie sailboat known as the "Lightfoot 21".When the Bombay Trading Company, another Florida boatbuilder, went bankrupt in 1979, Johnson bought the molds for the Bombay Express, a 26-foot (7.9 m) cruising sailboat. Modifying the yacht's interior, sailplan and underbody, Johnson produced his first yacht and called it, very simply, the "Island Packet".