208:
The company had been producing fewer than 50 boats per years, but the simultaneous building of three different models by 1977 required larger facilities and the company purchased an existing building that was renovated and improved for boat production. Separate areas were established for a
167:
The brothers assumed company responsibilities: Redford
Watkins was in charge of advertising, Richard Watkins production, Robert Watkins purchasing and Gary Watkins handled sales. The company was launched right after the Arab oil embargo and the resulting
223:
The company was merged with boat building company, Auroraglas which had been bought by the same investor. The former owner of
Auroraglas, Al Larson then became president of Watkins Yachts. The company bought the molds and tooling for the
216:
In the late 1970s the industry suffered from two effects, high interest rates and market saturation of a product that did not wear out. The brothers decided to sell the company to a new investor from
301:. The company changed its emphasis to power boats and sailboat production dropped to only one or two per month. In 1988 the Watkins 29 received a reverse transom similar to the 33 as was renamed the
255:
The new company needed new management with the departure of the
Watkins brothers and Larson hired Dennis Robbins as the production manager. Larson had known Robbins from his time at
263:. Larson assumed the sales and design duties. The smaller boats were phased out, including the 17 and 23XL models. Only one 17 and four 23s were completed under the new management.
193:
design in 1977. The boat became a quick commercial success, with 514 copies of the design built, making it the company's best seller. It competed in the same market as the
312:
company in about 1991 and the remaining sailboat line sold to a local businessman who was not able to restart production. Some of the sailboat tooling was sold, the
430:
696:
136:
The company was founded by the four
Watkins brothers, Redford, Richard, Robert and Gary in 1973 and ceased operations while a division of the
537:
470:
160:, Johannes Helsen. In 1977 the design was modified with a fiberglass interior and headliner and was re-designated as the
689:
589:
148:
The company was founded by the four
Watkins brothers in 1973 in a small rented facility, with the first sailboat, the
651:
172:
and sailboats sold well in the economic conditions of the time, providing quick success for the fledgling company.
213:
shop and final assembly. In 1978, 160 Watkins 27s alone were sold. By 1979 the company had more than 20 dealers.
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137:
107:
824:
682:
41:
324:. Much of the remaining molds were scrapped and the building was sold to a plumbing supply contractor.
506:
305:. Production of the Watkins branded boats ending in November 1989, with a total of 1491 boats built.
317:
309:
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In 1986 the company was purchased by the McLaughlin Body
Company and the sailboat line was renamed
123:
321:
220:
in August 1979, having built almost 600 boats over the six years since the company founding.
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259:. He also hired an experienced fiberglass shop supervisor whom Robbins had worked with at
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357:
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86:
51:
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The McLaughlin Body
Company remains in business, but no longer produces watercraft.
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The company was wound up by its parent company, with the power boat line sold to a
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were all modified from
Columbia designs. The company acquired the rights to the
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and
Coronado series of designs after that company went out of business. The
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introduced that same following year. The 23 was a modified version of the
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In 1982 the investor sold his share of the company to Larson and the
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racer. Most of the boats built went to a single sailing club.
126:. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of
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was introduced, replacing the 36 in the line. In 1983 the
156:, produced with permission of the designer and owner of
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335:Summary of boats built by Watkins Yachts, by year:
103:
93:
81:
73:
65:
57:
47:
37:
282:, which was a modification of the 27 design. The
690:
189:Walter Scott was enlisted to assist with the
8:
431:List of sailboat designers and manufacturers
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613:"Manufacturer of Cabs and Metal Components"
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31:
580:Watkins Owners Association (3 May 2008).
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278:. In 1984 the 27 was replaced with the
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290:and redesigned interior to become the
7:
294:. The Watkins 36 ceased production.
540:from the original on 2 October 2019
473:from the original on 2 October 2019
654:from the original on 17 March 2019
592:from the original on 14 March 2019
509:from the original on 11 April 2022
320:and it was modified to become the
205:, although only seven were built.
201:version was made available as the
25:
274:was introduced, derived from the
642:McLaughlin Body Company (2013).
611:McLaughlin Body Company (2013).
248:with a center cockpit and the
244:and modified it to become the
1:
499:"Watkins Yachts 1973 — 1989"
286:was modified in 1984 with a
179:was introduced in 1975 as a
582:"History of Watkins Yachts"
497:Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022).
841:
116:Watkins Yachts and Marine
528:McArthur, Bruce (2019).
461:McArthur, Bruce (2019).
138:McLaughlin Body Company
108:McLaughlin Body Company
644:"Industries / Markets"
42:Privately held company
252:with an aft cockpit.
27:Sailboat manufacturer
316:tooling was sold to
310:Grand Cayman Island
124:Clearwater, Florida
34:
812:
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586:watkinsowners.com
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16:(Redirected from
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623:on 10 March 2019
619:. Archived from
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534:sailboatdata.com
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519:
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467:sailboatdata.com
463:"Watkins Yachts"
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257:Endeavour Yachts
118:was an American
69:Watkins brothers
35:
21:
18:Watkins brothers
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839:
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815:
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787:Other sailboats
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648:www.mclbody.com
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617:www.mclbody.com
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530:"Watkins 23 XL"
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288:reverse transom
226:Columbia Yachts
187:Naval architect
170:1973 oil crisis
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28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
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706:Watkins Yachts
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671:External links
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551:
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503:sailboat.guide
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33:Watkins Yachts
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358:Watkins 23 XL
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318:Compaq Yachts
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276:Columbia T-23
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162:Watkins 23 XL
159:
158:Helsen Yachts
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87:United States
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53:
52:Boat building
50:
46:
43:
40:
36:
30:
19:
705:
656:. Retrieved
647:
637:
625:. Retrieved
621:the original
616:
606:
594:. Retrieved
585:
542:. Retrieved
533:
523:
511:. Retrieved
502:
475:. Retrieved
466:
334:
326:
307:
298:
296:
265:
261:Irwin Yachts
254:
250:Watkins 36AC
222:
215:
207:
197:. In 1981 a
185:
174:
166:
147:
135:
120:boat builder
115:
114:
82:Headquarters
38:Company type
29:
382:Watkins 36C
370:Watkins 27P
246:Watkins 36C
203:Watkins 27P
195:Catalina 27
122:, based in
804:Seawolf 33
799:Seawolf 25
794:Portman 36
437:References
418:Watkins 30
412:Watkins 25
406:Watkins 33
400:Seawolf 33
394:Watkins 29
388:Watkins 32
376:Watkins 36
364:Portman 36
352:Watkins 27
346:Watkins 17
340:Watkins 23
314:Watkins 25
303:Watkins 30
292:Watkins 33
284:Watkins 32
280:Watkins 29
272:Watkins 23
268:Watkins 32
242:Portman 36
238:Watkins 25
234:Watkins 32
230:Watkins 36
211:fiberglass
199:pilothouse
191:Watkins 27
181:one-design
177:Watkins 17
150:Watkins 23
128:fiberglass
715:sailboats
658:3 October
627:3 October
596:3 October
544:3 October
477:3 October
322:Compac 25
154:Helsen 22
140:in 1989.
131:sailboats
98:Sailboats
819:Category
713:Watkins
652:Archived
590:Archived
538:Archived
513:11 April
507:Archived
471:Archived
425:See also
94:Products
48:Industry
299:Seawolf
218:Chicago
144:History
74:Defunct
66:Founder
58:Founded
420:- 1987
414:- 1985
408:- 1984
402:- 1984
396:- 1984
390:- 1982
384:- 1981
378:- 1981
372:- 1981
366:- 1979
360:- 1977
354:- 1977
348:- 1975
342:- 1973
733:23 XL
331:Boats
104:Owner
660:2019
629:2019
598:2019
546:2019
515:2022
479:2019
236:and
175:The
77:1989
61:1973
778:36C
748:27P
821::
773:36
768:33
763:32
758:30
753:29
743:27
738:25
728:23
723:17
650:.
646:.
615:.
588:.
584:.
554:^
536:.
532:.
505:.
501:.
487:^
469:.
465:.
445:^
232:,
164:.
133:.
698:e
691:t
684:v
662:.
631:.
600:.
548:.
517:.
481:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.