Curt Whiticar, founder of Whiticar Boat Works in Stuart Florida turns 102 years old today. This photo was taken yesterday when we had a party for Curt at the Boat Yard.
Curt was born on February 13, 1911 in New Jersey to Addison & Kate Whiticar. Addison (Capt. Add) lived the hard life as a commercial fisherman year round in the sometimes harsh and cold New Jersey weather. Curt was 6 years old when Capt. Add decided to start spending his winters in Florida in 1917. As some of the original Snow Birds, the Whiticar family would spend winters in Florida commercial fishing and then summers in New Jersey. Eventually they moved to Florida to live year round.
Wealthy tourists visiting Florida in the winter started to ask Curt to take them fishing. This new occupation along with dwindling price for fish, Curt acquired a larger boat around 1926 and became one of the pioneers in the new sport fishing industry in South Florida.
Curt graduated from high school in 1929 and shortly there after he began to study marine architecture.and in the early 30's started to build custom fishing boats. After building his first "big" boat in 1937, the 33 ft. Shearwater, Curt found that there was now a demand for his boat building talents. He then built boats for his Uncle and Father as well as both brothers, Jack and Johnson. The fleet of boats became to be known as the Whiticar Fleet and father Capt. Add and sons ran a reputable and successful sportfishing company out of Willoughby Creek in Stuart, Florida.
Later Curt phased out of Sportfishing and became a full time boat builder. Sensing the need not only for boat construction but also boat repair, Curt started Whiticar Boat Works in 1947 next door to where the Whiticar Fleet docked. As the business grew Curt enlisted his brother in law, John Dragseth and the two of them along with their sons John Whiticar and Jim Dragseth have grown the business into what it is today.
Curt's wife Elsa, passed away in 2009 but his family still consists of his son John and daughters Laura Kay Darvill and Joanne Talley along with many grand and some great grand children.
Curt's hobbies include Golf which he stopped playing at 100 but his love is oil painting. He makes most of his own frames and has created over 1450 paintings. Curt's secret for longevity is good genes, hard work, exercise, moderation, and an afternoon nap every day.
Curt was born on February 13, 1911 in New Jersey to Addison & Kate Whiticar. Addison (Capt. Add) lived the hard life as a commercial fisherman year round in the sometimes harsh and cold New Jersey weather. Curt was 6 years old when Capt. Add decided to start spending his winters in Florida in 1917. As some of the original Snow Birds, the Whiticar family would spend winters in Florida commercial fishing and then summers in New Jersey. Eventually they moved to Florida to live year round.
Wealthy tourists visiting Florida in the winter started to ask Curt to take them fishing. This new occupation along with dwindling price for fish, Curt acquired a larger boat around 1926 and became one of the pioneers in the new sport fishing industry in South Florida.
Curt graduated from high school in 1929 and shortly there after he began to study marine architecture.and in the early 30's started to build custom fishing boats. After building his first "big" boat in 1937, the 33 ft. Shearwater, Curt found that there was now a demand for his boat building talents. He then built boats for his Uncle and Father as well as both brothers, Jack and Johnson. The fleet of boats became to be known as the Whiticar Fleet and father Capt. Add and sons ran a reputable and successful sportfishing company out of Willoughby Creek in Stuart, Florida.
Later Curt phased out of Sportfishing and became a full time boat builder. Sensing the need not only for boat construction but also boat repair, Curt started Whiticar Boat Works in 1947 next door to where the Whiticar Fleet docked. As the business grew Curt enlisted his brother in law, John Dragseth and the two of them along with their sons John Whiticar and Jim Dragseth have grown the business into what it is today.
Curt's wife Elsa, passed away in 2009 but his family still consists of his son John and daughters Laura Kay Darvill and Joanne Talley along with many grand and some great grand children.
Curt's hobbies include Golf which he stopped playing at 100 but his love is oil painting. He makes most of his own frames and has created over 1450 paintings. Curt's secret for longevity is good genes, hard work, exercise, moderation, and an afternoon nap every day.
Contributed by John Whiticar
