Volusia County is home to a remarkable cluster of iconic boat manufacturers. Boston Whaler, EdgeWater Power Boats, Everglades Boats, and Solace Boats are all located within 10 miles of each other. While each of these companies has its own unique identity, they all share a common influence: Bob Dougherty.

THE BOSTON WHALER ERA

Born Robert Joseph Dougherty, Bob was working as an industrial arts teacher in Boston in the late 1950s. That changed in 1959, when he met Dick Fisher of Boston Whaler at a boat show. Fisher had been experimenting with fiberglass and foam to build boat hulls that were inherently strong and, most importantly, unsinkable. Dougherty was intrigued. The two hit it off, and by 1960, Fisher had hired Dougherty as Chief Designer for Boston Whaler. Bob and his team went on to design every Boston Whaler from 1960 to 1990. He and Fisher pioneered what would become known as the “legendary unsinkable hull,” including the brand’s first V-shaped design.

In 1987, Dougherty played a key role in moving Boston Whaler’s production from Rockland, Massachusetts to Edgewater, Florida — laying the groundwork for a boating industry hub in Southeast Volusia.

FOUNDING EDGEWATER POWER BOATS

After leaving Boston Whaler, Bob and his son Stephen founded EdgeWater Power Boats in 1990. They began developing a new line of unsinkable boats that broke with the traditional “shoebox” method of fiberglass construction — where a flexible hull becomes rigid only once a deck is attached, like a lid on a box. This design had a critical weakness: the seam between the hull and deck bore most of the stress, and if the hull was breached, the boat would sink.

That’s when I first met Bob Dougherty. I was covering the recreational boating industry for the Orlando Sentinel and the Tribune Company. My editors sent me to write about this guy who was famously driving around in hulls with no decks or liners to prove their strength.

Dougherty’s innovation was a foam-filled grid system built directly into the hull. This created structural integrity from the inside out — resulting in boats that were stronger and still wouldn’t sink, even when compromised.

INNOVATIONS AT EVERGLADES BOATS

After selling his majority interest in EdgeWater in 1995, Bob and Stephen launched R.J. Dougherty Associates Inc. in 1996, focusing on fiberglass parts for other manufacturers. During this time, they invented the RAMCAP process — a method using high-density foam in pre-molded shapes that are fiberglassed into parts using Resin Transfer Molding (RTM). This allowed precise control of resin-to-fiberglass ratios, producing parts that were lighter and stronger.

In 2001, the Doughertys returned to boat building by founding Everglades Boats. Using their patented RAMCAP technology, they once again introduced a new line of tough, unsinkable vessels. Bob remained involved until his retirement. He passed away on March 23, 2016, at the age of 85.

THE LEGACY CONTINUES AT SOLACE BOATS

Bob Dougherty was one of the world’s foremost experts on unsinkable boats. His innovations shaped the industry and left a lasting mark on Volusia County, creating thousands of marine industry jobs in Edgewater.

That legacy now lives on through his son Stephen, an accomplished expert in his own right. Alongside his wife Sarah, Stephen founded Solace Boats, once again based in Edgewater.

Solace quickly gained attention for its bold innovation. The Solace 345 center console fishing boat was named Boating Magazine’s Boat of the Year in 2019 and received the NMMA Innovation Award for Center Console/Walkaround Fishing Boats in 2020.

Now, Solace has teamed up with Volvo Penta to create the Solace 415CS, featuring twin inboard Volvo D440 diesel engines. Solace claims the new setup reduces fuel consumption by 42 percent at cruising speeds — increasing efficiency and extending the boat’s range.

A HUMBLE GIANT IN THE INDUSTRY

I had the opportunity to interview Bob Dougherty a second time while working on a piece about the three most influential naval architects alive at the time. He came across as humble, genuine, and immediately likeable — traits that seem to echo through the companies he built and the people he inspired.

Bob Dougherty’s influence isn’t just etched in fiberglass hulls — it’s alive in the innovation, jobs, and community he helped build in Volusia County and beyond.

ALL IMAGES PROVIDED BY: SŌLACE BOATS
SOLACEBOATS.COM | 301 S OLD COUNTY RD, EDGEWATER

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