Project Dreamboat
If there’s one thing other than fishing that sparks the passion in Capt. Justin Leake, it’s boats. As a full-time charter fishing guide, he spends thousands of hours on the water and knows the importance of a versatile, reliable and comfortable fishing platform. When presented with an opportunity to build the boat of his dreams, he makes the most of it.
We follow along as Justin’s new 27 Conch is transformed from a basic hull to a customized vessel packed with state-of-the-art electronics and technology. Among his “must haves” are a smooth ride, open layout, shallow water accessibility and plenty of live well space.
“I took everything I’ve ever wanted in a boat and the experience I had with my past boats and set out to build a boat that does everything well,” says Justin. “I want this to be a generational boat.”
Due to supply chain and labor issues in the manufacturing process, it took three years to make his dream a reality – and there will be a few more months of fine tuning – but Justin couldn’t be more pleased with the build. “There is no greater feeling than seeing the boat that I put so much time and effort into doing exactly what I hoped it would do,” he says.