Our Direction from our Chief Boat Builder

I look at the Australian marine market, and I get overwhelmed by these beautifully built hulls.

I like simplicity – easy to clean, less maintenance and fewer parts to break, don’t get me wrong the Australian boat builders build awesome rigs!

I just like old school cool traditional styling, I’m certainly influenced strongly by the American Carolina Flare express style hulls, with simplistic build practice. These gracious hulls with their flowing sheer lines and flared bows and high freeboard  can take on any angry ocean. This is where my inspiration for the Tidal flare 24 came from.

Australian companies such as Coota Craft, Bass Strait and White Pointer are my inspiration for Australian built hulls, more commercial and no frills just hard core machines built for a purpose.

Boat building for most companies is an evolution, you make a start and as you go the builds improve. Check out the above mentioned and see how they have evolved over the years. They haven’t changed a great deal just the way they build their hulls and updated their models occasionally. For the most part these builders have nailed the design from day one, as they were built in the late sixties or seventies by other companies with most of the designs originating or being influenced from America. These styles are different to your typical mass produced hulls, better described as being a little more unique.

Now, that we have finished the build of our Tidal Flare 24 Express with orders on the books, we are working on the centre console version. I find myself daily consumed by thoughts of our next build with so many options style wise.

We have recently cut down the 24ft plug to 21ft, this plug will actually be functional with a 250 Mercury, custom built by Torque Speed so we can test in real world conditions before moulding. This hull will be 2.5 beam through a variable dead rise hull. Her running surface will be modified from that of the 24, a hull that will suit inshore and offshore fishing.

With her modern sleek lines I feel she will certainly win hearts, once again different to anything Australian built and will find her place in the market. Handcrafting our own product not using cad cam design or CNC jigs for the build. By the time the 21 is finished I can truly say that the design is our own.

Tidal’s future plans are big, we have two other hulls on the horizon as well, though as a small business it takes time.

I have definitely been through a few rum bottles, with new ideas and creativity flowing at the thought of Part 2 of Our Journey, and forming the future direction of our business.

Continue to follow and support our journey.

Cheers,

Chief Boat Builder at Tidal, Nicko