Boston Whaler opens manufacturing facility in Flagler, hiring 300

The company is seeing 'historic demand' for boats.

By Brian McMillan
| 4:59 p.m. May 21, 2021

Officials celebrate the opening of the Boston Whaler boat manufacturing plant, at 1958 Unsinkable St., Flagler Beach. Photo by Maureen Walsh

Palm Coast Observer
Business

Boston Whaler will hire 300 people in the next year, officials announced at the ribbon cutting ceremony and tour on Friday, May 21, at 1958 Unsinkable St., Flagler Beach.

John Silva, operations manager, said on WNZF’s “Free For All Friday” that parent company Brunswick is seeing a historic demand for boats.

“Everybody’s been trying to get outside more in the past year, and boating is a great way to do that,” Silva said.

He added that the Flagler Beach plant, which formerly housed a Sea Ray Boats plant, is being modernized, particularly in its lamination building.

Boston Whaler will sell a range of sizes, from 17 to 42 feet long, in conjunction with its Edgewater plant.

The opening of the plant comes with an opportunity for ancillary businesses to thrive as well, with a program called vertical integration. For example, Silva said that Boston Whaler has six contractors to create cushions for the boats, but the new plant is equipped to create its own cushions. Considering the difficulties with supply lines, caused by the pandemic, being able to create cushions in-house could help cut down dramatically on construction time.

For more information on Boston Whaler jobs, visit https://www.bostonwhaler.com/careers.html or stop by Freedom Fest at the Flagler Executive Airport on July 3.