The History of B.A.D. Marine

Brandon and Damon (B.A.D.) Vernese, business partners and brothers, have been working together since childhood.  From yard work to cleaning their room these two brothers formed a team that for 33 years has built a reputation for doing good work.  Competitive behaviors led to the development of two highly skilled men, to this day still trying to “out-do” the other.  Unlike most family businesses, Brandon and Damon learned long ago that they could do anything if they worked together.  This attitude has carried them through various market trends and allowed them to diversify.  To remain successful during a slow economy is proof that even a young company can have staying power if managed properly. 
During their years in high school, Brandon and Damon kept busy during the summer months.  Repairing an 18’ Tri-Hull Ski boat was an introduction to fiberglass.  Without any experience they removed a rotten deck and replaced it.  After the boat was finished, they used the boat until the end of the summer and then sold it for a profit. 
Using power tools became second nature to Brandon and Damon.  They built a wrap-around deck for their father at his waterfront home in Boynton Beach, Florida.  Without any plans or engineers the structure has survived several storm surges from major hurricanes and is still standing today.  These challenges during their youth gave the boys skills and confidence that they would use for years to come.
The boy’s father, Mike Vernese, had a major influence in their lives.  With several patents under his belt and a creative mind, he was instrumental in the transition from steel-built horse trailers to a new light-weight construction using aluminum alloys.  Mike worked with a family business to get this idea off the ground.  Featherlite, Inc. is now publicly traded and the official trailer of NASCAR.
He went on to start another company taking his idea a step further and incorporating even better materials in the manufacturing process.  Another first for the Industry, a composite bodied Horse Trailer with an Aluminum frame.  This new design was also one of the first trailers to have an aerodynamic nose, now more common then the old flat front end.  Luxury living quarters required the use of Computer Aided Design software (CAD) and gave his son Damon a chance to showcase his new drafting skills at 15 years old.
As his boys were now old enough to drive, he decided to start a family business that would take his innovations in the Horse Trailer business to another level.  The first “all composite, wood-free” Horse trailer would take years and cost millions to develop.  Brandon and Damon began working on the project while still in high school dedicating nights, weekends and summer vacations to get the company up and running before they were to graduate. 
As with all pioneers, the road is a hard one.  Without any experience only the guidance of their father, Brandon and Damon, would develop a complete line of Horse and Cargo Trailers.  More utility trailers would follow in an effort to find a “niche market”.   Some of these trailers include the “Pool Maintenance Trailer” that Brandon and Damon built a one-piece fiberglass trailer body complete with “molded-in” fenders and tail lights.  Hundreds were built and are still in use today.  Some competitors even copied the idea but used less efficient methods of construction.    Although the assembly time was only 3 hours, it took 3 men 8 hours to produce the one-piece body.  The tooling was eventually sold and production continued elsewhere.
Another “all -composite” utility trailer would be developed by Brandon and Damon, this time the key objective was to minimize the man hours needed to produce a complete trailer.  The 5 foot wide and 8 foot long single axle enclosed trailer with a maximum payload of 1-3/4 Tons is the only trailer in the world to utilize 100% fiberglass construction.  Only components, such as the axle, hitch, jack and rear latch were made of steel.  This design received a nomination for the ACE Composites Award for “most innovative design” which was declined while patent process was still pending.
The quality of workmanship was most evident in a trailer built specifically for Harley-Davidson Motorcycles.  The first model was a Tilt-Bed for the transportation of one “Show Bike”.   It was low to the ground and featured an adjustable gas piston combined with coil spring that would slowly tilt and lock as the Motorcycle was loaded.  This was a hit at shows, in fact during “Bike Week” in Daytona Beach, Willie G. Davidson of Harley Davidson Motorcycles asked if could use one in a parade to transport a motorcycle that he had signed and was raffling off for charity.  Harley-Davidson expressed interest in endorsing the product.  Harley-Davidson was in the midst of a law suit with a trailer manufacturer and could not move forward for years.
The Family moved their operation to Fort Pierce, Florida and began diversifying.  The highly profitable Marine industry was appealing to the company.  The first “Ugly Boat” would come to life.  A 15’ river skiff that had been used by commercial fishermen in the area for decades was the basis for the new breed.  The transition from industrial manufacturing to the recreational market was slow but the sales and increase in production were not.  The customer base grew and profits soared.
The innovations would continue.  From the start, Brandon and Damon wanted to build sport fishing boats.  This meant Straight Inboard Turbo Diesels would be used for power in place Outboard Engines.  The inherent flaws of a Straight Inboard are well known.  There had to be way to reduce draft and increase speed and fuel economy.  Research began to find out what had proven successful in the past and more important what was unsuccessful.  The end result was astounding.  A new type of propulsion was developed.  A recess in the hull, known as a propeller pocket, had be used in the past, but none like this.  A 27 foot Center Console boat, powered by a single 330 HP Cummins Turbo Diesel, was the testing platform.  The boat, by far, exceeded all expectations.  A top speed of 47 MPH and a propeller efficiency of 96% were unheard of prior to this.  They now had edge on their completion.
It wasn’t long before Brandon and Damon were building “High-end” Custom Boats.  Tooling for a 35 foot Hull was acquired and out of 13 boats produced, 4 were built in the first year exceeding $1,000,000 in sales.  This would be a turning point in the boy’s career.  The transition was complete and all of the skills that they developed were now being used in new ways in a whole new industry.  Brandon and Damon brought a curious new style to the very traditional industry.  Bill Knowles of Knowles Boat Company, Stuart, Florida was intrigued by these young men.  Much like himself, these boys were not afraid to think “out of the box”, but his experience in the trade was that a boat builder would work for a company before going on to start their own.  A contradiction to the History of Boat Building, Brandon and Damon had never work under another boat builder.  Their self-taught manufacturing techniques were unlike those used in Stuart.  Instead, they were creating custom boats out of new lightweight composite materials and building entire superstructures as one part from temporary molds that would save thousands of hours and produce lighter and stronger boats.  The result was a better product priced competitively and much more profitable.
The small family business had become accustomed to living off meager salaries and instead of double or tripling these salaries, they decided to invest the profits.  They began buying property prior to the real estate boom.  They also wanted to own a building instead of leasing.  They acquired a nearby 6,000 square foot warehouse on 1.22 acres.  The move was a good one.  From this facility, Brandon and Damon would produce millions of dollars in sales and enjoy a 500% appreciation in property value.
When their father moved to north Florida, Brandon and Damon chose to stay in Fort Pierce and start a new company, B.A.D. Marine.  The boys bought their father’s share of the property and invested in tools and equipment.  In the first year of business, B.A.D. Marine managed to turn a profit.  As most new businesses are lucky to see a profit in their first 3 years, this was a good sign of what was to come.
Recently, Brandon and Damon have worked closely with Ocean Master Boats to produce a line of Diesel Powered boats for the European Market.  The importer of these boats, based in Switzerland, has several contracts with the local government for rescue boats.  The first meeting went so well that 3 boats were ordered and B.A.D. Marine would become contracted to “rig and outfit” all diesel boats bound for Europe.  With the exchange rate in their favor, the importer can afford to pay a premium price for good work and still manage a healthy profit even after the expense of overseas shipping.  This new business relationship has opened new doors for B.A.D. Marine.  In the near future, unmanned boats, intended to defend ports from terrorist attacks, may be added to the line of boats currently in production.
In 2007, B.A.D. Marine bid on a contract to “rig and outfit” the Strike 37, a custom boat that utilizes the propeller pockets designed by Brandon and Damon.  Strike Yachts, Inc. realized that they too can afford to pay a premium price for labor that will increase production by 30% in the first year.  Early in 2008, the bid was accepted and a contract was signed.  Also, talk of adding a new model to increase cash flow began.  The new model will be developed by B.A.D. Marine and produced by Strike Yachts, Inc.  A contract to “rig and outfit” this boat is being drafted.
Knowles Boat Co. of Stuart, Florida closed its doors late in 2007.  Prior to closing, Bill Knowles contacted Brandon and Damon with ideas to begin a new venture.  Bill Knowles is one of the most respected names in the boat building industry today.  His ties to Rybovich, Smith and Gamefisherman, just to name a few, are from decades of knowledge and experience.  Bill sat with the boys and outlined his future.  His plans are to contract B.A.D. Marine to build the custom boats he intends to sell and he will function more as a consultant throughout the process.  The 85’ walk-around currently on the drawing board may be an upcoming project; however the focus will be on boats from 34 - 40 foot as these boats currently are still selling in the weak economy.  Bill understands the market trends very well and encouraged B.A.D. Marine to offer “re-fits” and “re-powers” which are also a good source of revenue in a weak economy.  Some projects can be more profitable than building a new boat from the ground up.  In 2007, 2 “re-powers” alone generated over $100,000 in income.
Brandon and Damon anticipate another good year in 2008.  With solid contracts in place and enough work lined up to last through the summer, at a glance it would appear that B.A.D. Marine will have no trouble meeting their goals.  There are new jobs to quote and a lot of interest in new boats in the $600,000 range.  On top of this, a defense contract for the United States SOCOM has been offered to B.A.D. Marine.  Securing their foothold in the marine industry is the main goal.  Brandon and Damon, with their team of experts, are prepared to take whatever steps that may be necessary to do just that, while continuing to grow.