My custom 2000 Willy classic

Willy Roberts Skiffs: The Perfect West Coast Backcountry Guide Boat

The Into-wishin is my office.  A 2000 20′ Willy Classic hull, the cockpit of which I personally designed and built.  She is a re-creation of the classic original Willy Roberts skiffs born in the Florida Keys.  The Into-wishin is built of foam core and Kevlar construction which makes it very light for its size.  While drawing less than 10 inches fully loaded on plane or poling, it features a very roomy layout that can comfortably accommodate three anglers and gear.  My clients enjoy comfortable, padded swivel seats (as opposed to uncomfortable bench type or cooler seats common on most production flats skiffs) as we penetrate the remote shallow estuaries that are our fishing grounds.  The Into-wishin is powered by a reliable Mercury 115 hp. outboard motor.

I am very proud to have restored an original 19′ 1976 Willy Roberts wooden skiff.

Restored 1976 wood Willy Roberts skiff

This is the second original Willy boat I’ve owned.  Willy Roberts was the designer and builder of these now classic Florida Keys guide boats which eventually spawned the entire flats boat industry.  No two being exactly alike and built entirely by the master craftsman’s hands alone, the design of this hull is timeless.  I acquired this boat after it suffered years of neglect.  It was fully restored after months of “blood, sweat and tears” by myself to her original beauty, right down to the bright finished cedar gunwale trim.  As of February 2011, this boat is now owned by a Ft. Myers resident.

I am often contacted as an authority on the history and restoration of these classic boats.