With our huge variety of pre-designed hatches, doors, boxes, tables, tackle units, storage solutions and more, most customers can find what they’re looking for just by clicking around the Boat Outfitters website. But we also design and make lots of custom, one-off parts for customers.
These can be as simple as a cut-to-size Starboard circle or as complicated as a big tackle center or rigging station. Each year, a few particularly innovative or original builds stand out from the rest for our project management team. Usually the customer comes to us with the basic idea, and then we work together to refine it into the final product. Here are our top 5 from 2025.
1. Molded Cooler Cubby Storage Replacement for Sailfish 275 DC
Molded plastic inserts are commonly used on boats for under-gunwale rod storage, foot recesses on consoles, and cooler cubbies.
We frequently build Starboard parts to replace them, since molded plastic generally yellows and turns brittle over time from UV exposure.
This particular build was interesting, though, because of how we were able to work with the customer to fully utilize an awkwardly shaped space on his dual console Sailfish.
Originally, the boat had a molded plastic cooler cubby recessed into the inboard side of a fiberglass pod behind the helm chair.
The same pod is also home to an aft-facing tackle cabinet (another Boat Outfitters project), a small sink, and a work surface for food prep or rigging.
The customer did in fact use the cooler holder for its intended purpose but then upgraded to a large cooler and was left with basically dead space that he wanted to put to use.
The cooler holder had an angled top to fit just under the bottom of the sink; its back fit against the side of the tackle cabinet.
Because of the unusual shape and tight tolerances, we had the customer ship us the original molded plastic part, then used 3D scanning technology to digitally capture its shape.
Because of the unusual shape and tight tolerances, we had the customer ship us the original part, then used 3D scanning technology to digitally capture its shape.
Within that shape, we worked with the customer to create the most usable storage possible. That included slots for four standard Plano-style tackle trays, two deep tackle trays, and a bulk storage cubby for larger items like line spools, lure bags, and rigging tools.
Above that, a large, shallow drawer offers space for additional lures and terminal tackle, knives, leader material, and more.
The angled top prevented additional drawers or tackle trays, so we left the upper area open for quick access to items like leadering gloves and de-hookers.
2. Leaning Post Mini Rigging Station for Contender 39ST
These customers, a married couple, knew exactly what they wanted — a small rigging station and storage bin on the aft side of the leaning post on their Contender 39ST.
It would serve as a convenient spot to tie rigs; to temporarily store hooks, weights, and other terminal tackle during the day; and to stash frequently used items like pliers, gloves, and optics.
But it couldn’t protrude too far back into the cockpit where it would get in the way of fishing.
To maximize usable space with minimal intrusion into the cockpit, we worked with the customers to design a tray that slips over the tops of the leaning post rod holders.
To maximize usable space with minimal intrusion into the cockpit, we worked with the customers to design a tray that slips over the tops of the rod holders along the aft side of the leaning post.
This was our first time using this method. Three pre-drilled mounting holes were positioned to allow the tray to be through-bolted to an existing aluminum grab bar.
Additional details include large stainless steel drink holders sized to securely hold Yeti-style tumblers; a textured Starboard AS work surface and raised fiddle rail around the perimeter to keep items from sliding or rolling off the tray; a pair of knife/tool holders; and a deep recessed bin for larger items.
3. Transom Fillet Table/Rigging Station for Valhalla V-55
Boat Outfitters’ parent company, Teak Isle, supplies Valhalla Boatworks with a variety of OEM parts, including a raised transom fillet table available as an option on the company’s V-37 model.
When the owners of the Valhalla V-55 Hell in a Bucket called us to see if we could create a scaled up version for their bigger boat we jumped at the chance.
The monster we ended up building for them measures just shy of six feet across and almost two feet deep, providing plenty of room for two people to process fish side-by-side or to cut even large wahoo, kingfish, and dolphin.
The fillet table mounts on a custom-fabricated aluminum frame that drops into a pair of zero-degree rod holders on the transom.
The table mounts on a custom-fabricated aluminum frame that drops into a pair of zero-degree rod holders on the transom and incorporates six rod holders along the aft edge of the table. Under the work surface, two large pull-out drawers and two glove box-style cubbies hold rigging and fish processing supplies.
In each corner of the table, a raised module with two cutouts accommodates several styles of drop-in drink holders for different container sizes.
In addition to openings in the cutting surface for knives and tools, both sides of the table are equipped with secure knife slots that keep blades completely covered.
4. Access Door with Display Cutout for Sea Ray 460 EC
There was nothing especially complicated about this build; the part itself was just a basic access door with a machined cutout for a touchscreen display in the middle of the door. What made the project noteworthy was the thinking behind it.
This customer uses the Maretron MConnect vessel monitoring server to manage data and functions on his 46-foot Sea Ray Express Cruiser.
The MConnect system can collect and display a wide variety of information and functions, including engine and vessel data like temperatures, voltages, and fluid levels; digital switching; remote cameras; charting, tides and weather; and more — all of which can be displayed on a computer, tablet, or a variety of marine MFDs.
Now, the customer and his crew can monitor everything going on with the vessel from the comfort of the cabin.
Initially, the customer used MConnect through a Garmin MFD at his helm or through his computer, but he also wanted to be able to readily access the interface from the cabin.
The obvious location for a new display was a plastic “pod” against the cabin’s aft bulkhead where a TV was mounted.
The customer upgraded to a larger TV mounted in a different location in the cabin and chose to mount the new touchscreen display in a hinged door for easy access to wiring and data cables.
Now, he and his crew can monitor everything going on with the vessel from the comfort of the cabin.
5. Custom Inset Tackle Center for AmeraCat 31
We supply a number of different OEM parts to AmeraCat, but this tackle center was different. The customer — who purchased his new AmeraCat 31 unrigged and had it delivered to Boattronics in Jacksonville for rigging — wanted not only a lot of tackle storage but also wanted it exceptionally dry so he didn’t have to worry about expensive tackle getting wet from washdown water, rain, or salt spray.
Nothing on an open boat is truly waterproof, but we can say that this tackle center is about as dry as a tackle box can get.
Nothing on an open boat is truly waterproof, but we can say that this tackle center is about as dry as a tackle box can get.
For starters, the double cabinet doors feature bulb seals in milled tracks and two latches per side for a tighter, more even closure.
Normally, drawers inside a cabinet wouldn’t have latches or seals, but in this case they have both bulb seals and stainless latches for a secure and highly water-resistance closure.
Even the Plano tackle trays we supplied with the cabinet are the company’s top-of-the-line waterproof models.
Aside from water-resistance, this tackle center boasts huge storage capacity, with 14 standard 3700-size trays, 4 deep 3700 trays, half a dozen drawers for bulk storage of large items, two tool holders each with room for a fish gripper, pliers, and two knives; and four leader spool holders.