May 29th, 2011
Pure Passion
Talented brothers team up with tech-savvy Pearson Marine Group to build a serious fishing machine.
By Louisa Beckett
As with many things in life, the best sportfishing boats are born out of a passion for the sport. Brothers Daryl and Kyle Wilbur, who ran a small custom boatbuilding shop in Bristol, Rhode Island, didn’t set out to create the North Rip line when they designed a small center console three years ago.
“We just wanted to build a custom boat for ourselves to fish in,” said Kyle. He and Daryl, the designer, gave the 21-footer a sweet tumblehome transom and a wide, flared bow. But beauty wasn’t their only goal; they were also after fishing functionality. “We took a six-foot fishing rod and put a weight on it to simulate having a fish on, and took the dimensions,” Kyle continued. “There is nothing to impede fishing, 360 degrees around the boat.” The brothers named their creation “North Rip” after a favorite fishing spot off Block Island that’s rich in stripers.
The North Rip design soon caught the attention of Pearson Marine Group in nearby Warren, Rhode Island, a boat builder known for its advanced resin-infused lamination construction techniques. “We were the first to build using SCRIMP,” said Pearson Marine Group CEO Patrick Burke. “We own the True North Yachts line and the Alerion Express sailboat line, and we wanted one more premium boat line to add to our portfolio.”
North Rip Sportfishing Boats turned out to be a perfect fit, and the Wilburs stayed on to lend their talents to the entire group. In addition to their first launch, the North Rip 21, the company has designs on the drawing board for North Rip models up to 42 feet, and is launching a 29-footer this month.
North Rip clearly has benefited from Pearson Marine Group’s construction experience. The NR 21’s flared bow, in particular, would be a challenge for many builders to manufacture. “We have a seven-axis robotic milling system in-house, and are able to cut complex geometry to produce precise plugs and molds.” Patrick said.
Underway at wide-open throttle on Miami’s Biscayne Bay, the NR 21 was bone dry. Its ride through heavy chop was exceptionally stable for a boat of this size, due to the its deep-V hull design, with a transom deadrise of 20 degrees, and the centerline location of its 90-gallon fuel tank. The Integrated Grid Unit (IGU) stringer system and Corecell foam-reinforced layup give the hull extra stiffness as well. “The flare forward also helps give it form stability, like an arch in a cathedral,” Kyle added.
The boat we were on was powered by the optional Evinrude E-TEC 200 outboard, which takes the NR 21 to a top end of 46 miles per hour, a couple of miles an hour faster than the standard Yamaha F-150 four-stroke. Currently, the boat is available rigged with either engine for the same price: $62,000 (electronics are extra).
Like all of Pearson Marine Group’s offerings, North Rip boats are semi-custom. Owners can change the height of the leaning post and choose their own hull color, among other things. An NR 21 was recently delivered to a customer in the Bahamas with a custom-designed bimini top and a swim step on either side of the engine.
Optional equipment includes a custom trailer, T-top, bow seating, 20-gallon re-circulating live bait well (located in the console’s integral forward seat), additional gunwale rod holders and rod storage. Raw-water washdown is another option most anglers are sure to add. Even without these extras, however, the NR 21 clearly is the serious fishing machine the Wilbur brothers intended it to be. “Fishermen love it because they have a big open platform all the way around the boat,” said Kyle.
All the cleats are flush-mounted and the standard 65-quart Yeti cooler tucks neatly under the leaning post. The 200-gallon fish box, in the forward sole, and the two smaller fish boxes are all self-draining. The entire deck is also designed to drain; there’s an inch and a half difference in height between the centerline and the gunwales. “That camber will lock you in place when you’re fishing in rough water,” Kyle said.
When you open up the helm console, anchor compartment, or fish boxes to look inside, Pearson Marine Group’s influence is evident in the beautifully finished glasswork. “Our motto is: ‘Marrying aesthetics with performance,’” Patrick said.
In addition, the company has equipped the NR 21 with dual Group 24 batteries and a BEP Battery Switch Cluster with voltage-sensitive relay, parallel switch and trickle-charge capability as standard equipment. “It’s a very expensive switch, but on this type of boat, it’s worth it,” Kyle said.
If the North Rip 21 has this much “wow factor”, we can’t wait to see the new 29.
The North Rip design soon caught the attention of Pearson Marine Group in nearby Warren, Rhode Island, a boat builder known for its advanced resin-infused lamination construction techniques. “We were the first to build using SCRIMP,” said Pearson Marine Group CEO Patrick Burke. “We own the True North Yachts line and the Alerion Express sailboat line, and we wanted one more premium boat line to add to our portfolio.”
North Rip Sportfishing Boats turned out to be a perfect fit, and the Wilburs stayed on to lend their talents to the entire group. In addition to their first launch, the North Rip 21, the company has designs on the drawing board for North Rip models up to 42 feet, and is launching a 29-footer this month.
North Rip clearly has benefited from Pearson Marine Group’s construction experience. The NR 21’s flared bow, in particular, would be a challenge for many builders to manufacture. “We have a seven-axis robotic milling system in-house, and are able to cut complex geometry to produce precise plugs and molds.” Patrick said.
Underway at wide-open throttle on Miami’s Biscayne Bay, the NR 21 was bone dry. Its ride through heavy chop was exceptionally stable for a boat of this size, due to the its deep-V hull design, with a transom deadrise of 20 degrees, and the centerline location of its 90-gallon fuel tank. The Integrated Grid Unit (IGU) stringer system and Corecell foam-reinforced layup give the hull extra stiffness as well. “The flare forward also helps give it form stability, like an arch in a cathedral,” Kyle added.
The boat we were on was powered by the optional Evinrude E-TEC 200 outboard, which takes the NR 21 to a top end of 46 miles per hour, a couple of miles an hour faster than the standard Yamaha F-150 four-stroke. Currently, the boat is available rigged with either engine for the same price: $62,000 (electronics are extra).
Like all of Pearson Marine Group’s offerings, North Rip boats are semi-custom. Owners can change the height of the leaning post and choose their own hull color, among other things. An NR 21 was recently delivered to a customer in the Bahamas with a custom-designed bimini top and a swim step on either side of the engine.
Optional equipment includes a custom trailer, T-top, bow seating, 20-gallon re-circulating live bait well (located in the console’s integral forward seat), additional gunwale rod holders and rod storage. Raw-water washdown is another option most anglers are sure to add. Even without these extras, however, the NR 21 clearly is the serious fishing machine the Wilbur brothers intended it to be. “Fishermen love it because they have a big open platform all the way around the boat,” said Kyle.
All the cleats are flush-mounted and the standard 65-quart Yeti cooler tucks neatly under the leaning post. The 200-gallon fish box, in the forward sole, and the two smaller fish boxes are all self-draining. The entire deck is also designed to drain; there’s an inch and a half difference in height between the centerline and the gunwales. “That camber will lock you in place when you’re fishing in rough water,” Kyle said.
When you open up the helm console, anchor compartment, or fish boxes to look inside, Pearson Marine Group’s influence is evident in the beautifully finished glasswork. “Our motto is: ‘Marrying aesthetics with performance,’” Patrick said.
In addition, the company has equipped the NR 21 with dual Group 24 batteries and a BEP Battery Switch Cluster with voltage-sensitive relay, parallel switch and trickle-charge capability as standard equipment. “It’s a very expensive switch, but on this type of boat, it’s worth it,” Kyle said.
If the North Rip 21 has this much “wow factor”, we can’t wait to see the new 29.
