WEST HEAD-BUILT
HAPPY CUSTOMER
JIM MUISE OF NICKELS AND DIMES FISHERIES
NNickels and Dimes Fisheries owner Jim Muise has been working as a fisherman since 1988 . He ’ s been on his own as a commercial lobster fisherman for the past 12 years . When he bought his outfit , it came with an old boat that he knew would need some upgrading in the near future .
Jim contracted West Head to build his custom boat — Jace ’ s Jem ( named after Jim ’ s grandchildren , Jace and Jemina )— in late 2019 . After 12 years of using the small and outdated 35-year-old fishing boat , Jim and his crew were ready to make the switch .
Jim had originally planned to contract the build out to Aylward Fiberglass when it was located in nearby Clark ’ s Harbour . However , owner Glen Aylward related that he was unable to take on the project at the time , and shortly after that Aylward relocated to Shelburne , a 40-minute drive away .
During Jim ’ s visit to Aylward , Glen had spoken to him at length about his star manager . So much so that when Jim resumed his search for a boat builder in the local area , he remembered the name Dana Stewart .
Prior to Aylward ’ s relocation , Jim had toured several marinas to view some of their boats . He was impressed with their work and knew Dana had played a significant role in the building process . When Aylward relocated and Jim heard that Dana was joining the West Head team , he decided he would approach us to see if we ’ d take on the job . We were happy to .
Time for an Upgrade
Jim had never had a boat built before Jace ’ s Jem , so the entire process was new and exciting for him . Throughout the build , Jim would come by the shop every week to check in and give his input . He says the crew members were helpful and friendly , that he learned a lot , and made some new friends along the way .
Jim ’ s old fishing boat was small , cold , leaky , and left the crew exposed on the upper deck . The poor lighting made it difficult to work nights , and Jim also wanted to be equipped to keep the lobsters fresher for longer . All of these issues were resolved in Jace ’ s Jem .
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