WEST HEAD-BUILT
Born and raised on Brier Island , Chad Graham recalls growing up in the small coastal town of Westport . His father was an avid fisherman , and Chad fished with him all of his life , along with his two sisters , Roseland and Amanda . Together , the family fished scallops , lobsters , halibut , and gram fish .
When he was just a baby , Chad ’ s mother would take him to the docks to welcome and see off his dad . He remembers being taught to shuck scallops before he could walk , and his father had him on the boat as soon as he was able to fish . Over the years , Chad ’ s father taught him everything he knew about fishing , seasoning him to follow aggressively in his footsteps .
While Roseland and Amanda grew up to work in public service , Chad has carried on his father ’ s legacy . After his father passed in 2010 , Chad inherited his boat , Chad & Sisters , which he used to start his own commercial operation , Smokem Fisheries Ltd . He fished hard in the unit for almost a decade until the boat was worn out and the need to increase capacity and improve crew comfort took over .
The new craft , Roy ’ s Boy , was designed after the old one , with the exterior of Roy ’ s Boy ( also named after his father ) bearing the same shade of pale blue as the late Chad & Sisters . Several aspects of the new interior were also derived from the old boat . Additionally , Chad incorporated many elements of the Graham family crest — which is displayed prominently on Roy ’ s Boy ’ s bow — into the overall design .
Chad ’ s livelihood continues to be family oriented . He shares that his mother still often meets him at the dock as he is coming and going . He keeps his hauls in the family too , selling primarily to his Uncle Danny to distribute .
The Smokem crew is made up of friends that Chad grew up and went to school with . He says they all work together well and have fished together on and off his whole life . In fact , when his father bought Chad his first boat back when he was 14 , he and his friends worked together to learn the ropes of fishing independently .
Two decades later , Chad came to market for his third fishing boat .
HE WAS ORIGINALLY SHOPPING FOR A SECONDHAND BOAT WHEN CHAD FOUND THAT A CUSTOM BUILD WAS IN NEARLY THE SAME PRICE RANGE . THIS REALIZATION IS WHAT BROUGHT HIM TO WEST HEAD .
Although it was a four-hour commute each way from Brier Island , Chad came out to the West Head shop every week to check on the progress of the build and provide his feedback on the design . He was pleased with the process of sitting down with blueprints , coming to agreements regarding the layout , and how actively involved in the building process he was able to be . He was especially impressed with the finishing touches the team put on , setting the craft far apart from any secondhand model he ’ d considered .
Chad & Sisters was only 44 ’ 11 ” by 20 ’ wide with a 5 ’ by 2 ’ extension . Roy ’ s Boy is significantly larger at 49 ’ 11 ” by 28 ’ wide . In addition to the larger size , the new boat is equipped with livewells so that the crew can stay out for three or four days at a time instead of coming in every night to avoid spoiling the catch . Previously , Chad would have to steam Chad & Sisters twice a day to preserve the day ’ s haul .
While the old boat would only allow the crew to get one to two hours of sleep each night , now they enjoy sleeping five or six .
The bow thruster , installed to ease operation of the larger craft , has also been a major convenience for the Smokem Fisheries crew . Chad says the thruster makes the craft more agile so that he can maneuver turns and come to and from the dock more smoothly .
Despite Chad ’ s commercial operation focusing primarily on lobster and halibut fishing , the new boat is also outfitted for scallop fishing . Although hauling scallops without dad doesn ’ t feel right just yet , this key component of the Graham legacy was essential to the thoughtful Roy ’ s Boy design .
In the interior , Roy ’ s Boy is equipped with large — almost single-sized — bunk beds , electric heaters that run off of the heat of the engine , and a full-sized fridge and stove . The craft is also prepared to accommodate a washer and dryer that Chad is considering installing for the next season .
Of his experience at West Head , he says Andrew and Dana were very nice to work with and eager to satisfy . He even offered to take Dana and the crew on a whale watching tour around Brier Island as a thank you . For the price , quality , and customer service , he would definitely recommend West Head to anyone looking to get a boat built .
Happy fishing , Chad ! We look forward to taking that tour .