It's been a long road, but after more than two and a half years of sourcing and planning, we're excited to see progress in the manufacturing process of our next vessel! 

We contracted with Antrim Associates Naval Architects back in December of 2021 to custom design for us an all carbon fiber composite catamaran with electric propulsion to replace our current aluminum pontoon boat. After a six month search to find a builder who had the labor force, necessary tooling, and availability to tackle the project, we found the right outfit for the job, James Betts Enterprises up in Anacortes, WA.

In early March of 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard approved our hull design, and six months later the fabrication process began. We are currently waiting for completion of the materials testing phase, so we can move on to lamination of the hull.

The new vessel will have a similar layout and feel. It will be five feet longer, accomodating up to 32 passengers. And with twin electric outboard motors, it will be even quieter than our current setup. We'll also have a restroom (head) onboard!

Our current boat, Safari is a wonderful vessel, and has offered unparalelled, comfortable wildlife viewing to hundreds of thousands of guests for almost 30 years. And while our current ultra-low emmision outboard motor is extremely reliable and efficient, we are excited to transition to a more environmentally friendly mode of propulsion, in keeping with our values as responsible stewards of this precious wetland.

We are grateful to all of our guests who have helped us get this far, through COVID, and other challenges that coincided. Your continued support through this exciting, necessary, and VERY expensive process is immensely appreciated.