Generations of Carolina Boat Craftsmanship with CEO Bow Meekins of Blackwell Boatworks

Have you ever wondered what makes a tight-knit community of competitors work together seamlessly? From the docks of Manteo, North Carolina, comes a rare glimpse into the world of custom boat building, where family traditions, craftsmanship, and community spirit create something truly special.

Bow Meekins of Blackwell Boatworks joins us against the backdrop of the 22nd Annual Carolina Boat Builder Foundation Tournament to share what he's learned from nearly three decades in the industry. Since joining the family business in 1996, Bow has witnessed the evolution of custom boat building while maintaining the core values that define these heritage companies.

"The boat is valued at how much joy it brings," Bow shares in one of the episode's most memorable moments. This simple philosophy cuts to the heart of why passionate boat owners invest in these floating masterpieces. It's not about the price tag – it's about the experiences and memories created on the water.

What truly distinguishes the Outer Banks boating community is the paradoxical relationship between fierce competition and unconditional support. As Bow explains, these builders "talk smack for a year" about whose boat performs best, yet in times of crisis, they'll walk into each other's shops without hesitation to lend expertise or materials. This culture of cooperation springs from deep roots – many grew up together, their fathers played sports together, and now their children are continuing these generational relationships.

The conversation touches on everything from adapting to new technologies ("It's going to happen, so you better get on board with it") to the perfect boat name ("All In" gets Bow's vote), offering listeners both practical wisdom and a heartwarming look at an American craftsmanship tradition that continues to thrive against all odds.

Whether you're a boating enthusiast or simply appreciate the value of community and craftsmanship, this episode captures the spirit of what happens when passion and purpose align. 

Subscribe now to catch more conversations that celebrate the people and stories behind America's finest maritime traditions.

Wards Marine Electric
https://www.wardsmarine.com/

Wards Way YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@WardsWay75

Episode Transcript

Kristina Hebert (00:00):
Welcome to Season 4 of the Wardsway Podcast
.
We're here, live in Manteo,north Carolina, at the 22nd
Annual Carolina Boat BuilderFoundation Tournament.
Join us as we celebrate 75years in business and we're just

(00:22):
getting started.
Welcome to Season 4 of theWard's Way Podcast.
We're here live in Manteo,north Carolina, at the 22nd
Annual Boat Builders Tournament.
I'm here today with my friendBo Meekins, and he is if
anything happens it's his faultfrom Blackwell Boats.

(00:43):
Welcome.

Bow Meekins (00:45):
Thank you very much for having me.
You're welcome's his fault fromBlackwell Boats Welcome.
Thank you very much for havingme.

Kristina Hebert (00:46):
You're welcome, so tell me about Blackwell
Boats.

Bow Meekins (00:49):
It's a family-run business.
Craig Blackwell, myfather-in-law, started it back
in 1988.

Kristina Hebert (00:55):
And it's Blackwell Boatworks.
Blackwell Boatworks.
I'm sorry, got it wrong.
Okay, so started in 88.

Bow Meekins (01:00):
He started back in 1988.
He started back in 1988.
He's been in boat building allhis life.
He grew up working for thecompany that we still actually
use the residence for to buildour boats.
That's great Up in Michigan andhe got hired here by Buddy
Davis out of Florida and went inbusiness for his own in 88,

(01:21):
like I said, and brought a lotto the industry.

Kristina Hebert (01:26):
That's incredible.
Now how did you become part ofof it?
You say you're the son-in-law.

Bow Meekins (01:28):
I married ian and he says, yeah, it's time to come
to work for me all right nowI've been.
I grew up commercial fishing,so I've been in boats around the
water all my life and so allthe dots lined up and I took off
and started with him.

Kristina Hebert (01:42):
So are there any blackwell boatworks boats in
the tournament?

Bow Meekins (01:45):
you know, I really don't know this year.
I've just got my head straighton me.
I've just come back Busy time.
Yes, it is a busy time Runningup and down the coast.

Kristina Hebert (01:54):
What other tournaments do your boats
participate in All?

Bow Meekins (01:58):
of them I've got.
I'd say the Sun hardly sets ona Blackwell project anymore,
he's got them from Dubai Hawaii.

Kristina Hebert (02:09):
Costa.

Bow Meekins (02:09):
Rica everywhere.

Kristina Hebert (02:12):
That's amazing.
So do you ever get down toFlorida?
We're from Fort Lauderdale.

Bow Meekins (02:16):
I used to do a lot until I've taken over.
I've took over from myfather-in-law more in the office
.

Kristina Hebert (02:22):
Now you're in the office, so now I don't get
to go.

Bow Meekins (02:24):
I see my brother-in-law you know more in
the office.
Now you're in the office, sonow I don't get to go.

Kristina Hebert (02:27):
I see my brother-in-law, brother every
now and then I get to go.
So what we've been askingeverybody is what makes the
Outer Banks so special?
Because to me it is such aspecial place, with a very
specific, wonderful,warm-hearted group of people and
even competitors workingtogether.
I see builders here,competitors perhaps to each
other, but coming together.

(02:47):
But what do you think makes theOuter Banks so special?

Bow Meekins (02:51):
I think that is the number one thing is the people.
The people.
Yes, we are here and we're hereto help each other.
Don't get me wrong.
Tournament's going on.
We all want our boats to winand we'll talk smack for a year,
all right on.
We all want our boats to winand we'll talk smack for a year,
all right.
Um, but in crisis, if you needsomething, I can walk in any
boat shop and we all know eachother and whatever, I think the

(03:12):
key to that may be familybusinesses.

Kristina Hebert (03:14):
You know, I mean, I I'm sitting here talking
with a lot of family businesses.
I'm a family business, I'mthird generation, it's our 75th
anniversary and so to me I Iabsolutely support and respect
that.
Do you think that's key?

Bow Meekins (03:27):
It is, and we grew up in the same high schools
playing ball sports together.

Kristina Hebert (03:30):
That's amazing.

Bow Meekins (03:32):
Our fathers played sports together, so just you
know nice routine.

Kristina Hebert (03:38):
Employees grew up together.
Probably Employees grew uptogether.

Bow Meekins (03:41):
And so yeah.

Kristina Hebert (03:42):
Yeah.

Bow Meekins (03:43):
So we know stories on everybody.

Kristina Hebert (03:46):
Okay, well, you know what that's in key that's
key in a family business and Ican tell you what I know, even
like, for example, in my.
In my case, I um became the ceoabout uh four years ago, but
I've known all the managementteam for 25 years.
We all grew up together.
We knew each other before ourkids and stuff, and I think
that's that's why we'resuccessful, because we all know
each other's idios other beforeour kids and stuff, and I think
that's that's why we'resuccessful, because we all know
each other's idiosyncrasies yes,and we don't mind sharing.

Bow Meekins (04:10):
You know I have people from other boat companies
hey, I've got problems withthis or I'll call them.
Say, hey, have you ever raninto this?
And let me get up with you thisafternoon and we'll go for it
so what's a blackwell boat worksboat known for?

Kristina Hebert (04:21):
are you the fastest, are you?

Bow Meekins (04:23):
tell me, I think the people, I think, okay, we,
if you have a black whale,something goes wrong, you're
gonna call and I don't put youon the phone with a secretary or
something like that.
There, I'm gonna put you on thephone with the person that
actually does did the work andwe've had employees.
My brother is one of our mainemployees and he's worked with

(04:45):
me for 21 years.

Kristina Hebert (04:46):
That's amazing.

Bow Meekins (04:46):
So you're going to touch base with people that's
actually done the work, nomatter how far back you go, and
so that's the people's.
We are probably the best thing.

Kristina Hebert (04:56):
Have you ever done sport fishing yourself?
Have you ever gone out andfished a tournament?

Bow Meekins (05:00):
I do.
But then if I go out with themthey always tell me hey, there's
a noise here or something likethat.

Kristina Hebert (05:05):
You end up repairing.

Bow Meekins (05:07):
Yeah, and my mind is back in the business.
So to go out for a day orsomething like that, they're
just Sometimes you got to getout though my attention span
isn't that much.
Yeah, I know I know, but I know.

Kristina Hebert (05:17):
But you also have to remember the industry
and I think for me I feel thesame way.
Sometimes people say to me,like why are you the one going
to the show?
And I'm like, because I want tosee what's going on, I want to
know, I want to touch the latestequipment, I want to see the
faces of people.
So I can appreciate that.

Bow Meekins (05:32):
I enjoy this.
Here I get to see the captains,see the crew that I've known
for years, see their families.
This is a very family-orientedtournament.

Kristina Hebert (05:40):
I feel like this is a tournament that's very
much a reunion-ish.

Bow Meekins (05:44):
It is, and so you get to see, you get to catch up
and stuff like that there.

Kristina Hebert (05:49):
How do you think technology's changed?
That's another big topic, Ifeel like from the SportFish
builder's side, technology hasreally been a little bit of a
challenge Everything beingcontrolled electronically, alarm
and monitoring some of thosethings where it wasn't For us.
For example, on the electricalside, power management was a

(06:10):
rotary switch.
You went from gen to shore andnow it's paralleling and power
management has technology helpedor made it worse, it doesn't
matter.

Bow Meekins (06:21):
It's going to happen, so you better get on
board with it.
You know what, you and I arevery similar and I'm as far out
of technology as what it comes.
But you better grab hold of it.

Kristina Hebert (06:32):
It's coming anyway and I always say that
when somebody says, you know,what do you think about this?
And I'm like, well, let's sayit's politics which we don't
want to talk about.
I'm like, well, let's say it'spolitics which we don't want to
talk about.
I'm like, well, nobody calledme on how to run the country.
So it's going to happen.
Tariffs, like them or not,we're going to have to deal with
it.
But the good news is all theseboats are built American, made
in America, so tariffs shouldnot be a problem.
What do you think that'shappening?

Bow Meekins (06:54):
We run into it, but it don't matter, we just got to
be resilient.
Just roll with it.

Kristina Hebert (06:58):
Yeah, I feel like the boating industry.
One of the things that we do iswe go out, we take something
that has a lot of electrical onit and a lot of electronics,
which really don't mix withwater.
We throw it out in the water,we go as fast as we can into
very remote climates and youknow they're going to work.
So the last thing we need toworry about is a tariff or

(07:21):
politics.
Too many administrations aregoing to come and go and we're
going to figure it out.

Bow Meekins (07:25):
Well, in our market I'm in custom boats and in our
market people ask me all thetime.
They say, well, how do youvalue the boat?
The boat is valued at how muchjoy it brings.

Kristina Hebert (07:35):
There you go.
I love that.
I don't care what it is thatyou're into.
The boat is valued the amountof joy it brings.
Okay, yeah.

Bow Meekins (07:40):
I don't care if it's into raising dogs.
You're going to put more moneyinto that than what you'll ever
get out of it.
It don't matter if it's intocars anything.
The value is the enjoyment thatyou get out of it.

Kristina Hebert (07:52):
I agree, and I will tell you that even here,
where I know we're in the middleof a tournament, the families
that I see, the families comingsupporting the crew that are out
there, the crew that are coming, that it's like again reunion,
that they're really excited tosee each other and get out to
fishing.

Bow Meekins (08:07):
It is, and I've been with Black Whale for 29
years and I'm getting to see thenext generation, the sons the
ones that I you know.

Kristina Hebert (08:16):
It's all corrected on the dot, so you
started in 1996?
.

Bow Meekins (08:19):
Yes, that's when I started too, so it's a good time
.
Yeah, we're on that 29.
It was a great year.
Yes, it was.

Kristina Hebert (08:24):
But do you believe that you're going to be
in the industry 30 years?
It's hard to you know.

Bow Meekins (08:29):
I know Especially since we're only like 34.
That's right.
I mean I am.

Kristina Hebert (08:42):
I mean there, all right, bumping right on
there, okay, um, what's the bestname of a boat you've heard,
like what's the most fun name orthe most ridiculous name.

Bow Meekins (08:46):
Pick one, or the other um or both there's a boat
here called the all-in okay andI like that that's all in um and
that's a good philosophy inlife.

Kristina Hebert (08:56):
Be all in, yeah it's all in.

Bow Meekins (08:57):
Whatever you do, be all in.

Kristina Hebert (08:58):
I like that.
I do like that.
Okay, what's the worst one?

Bow Meekins (09:02):
Oh well, and I love the boat owner.
I love the boat and I'm likeAll in, or oh well?
And I didn't hesitate to tellyou no, no Great any, any wagers
on who do we think?

(09:22):
Is going to win.
I have no idea.
I know you can't.

Kristina Hebert (09:24):
I know Everybody, nobody wants to.

Bow Meekins (09:26):
I don't know either , as long as it's a custom.
You know, boat built here,that's right.
And if it's built, here.

Kristina Hebert (09:31):
That's what I agree with, that, I agree with
that and I'm going to rememberthat one all in and oh well, and
you heard it well fromBlackwell Boatworks.

Bow Meekins (09:42):
Appreciate it.
Thank you for your time, ofcourse.

Kristina Hebert (09:44):
Thank you All right.
Thank you for joining us thisseason of the Ward's Way Podcast
.
Be sure you subscribe becausethere's much more to come.