While reviewing the extensive archives I have on Ray Bond, I came across a statement in which he described the desire to build boats as having an INFLICTION. Well, I have THE INFLICTION, and I can’t shake it!

I grew up in the Northeast on a large freshwater lake, where go-fast boats, ski boats, and bass boats were all the rage. I’ve owned them all, but my favorite class was the Luxury Sport go-fast boats from FORMULA. Shortly after moving to Miami, I recognized the advantages of owning trailerable center console boat in the 20-25 foot range. This led me to search for the perfect center console that I could easily trailer to some of Florida’s great fishing spots and store behind my house.

What I found in the 20-25’ class was an industry filled with poorly built, mass-produced boats. So, I shifted my focus to finding a classic hull to restore. One hull that kept surfacing was the Classic CudaCraft, accompanied by enthusiastic stories about fishing adventures both inshore and offshore. Unfortunately, I kept missing out on several prospects as they were quickly being sold.

A forum search led me to Del Bond in Tennessee, Ray Bond’s son. Del had resurrected the product line with his father shortly before Ray’s passing and had been building CudaCraft boats for several years, though he stopped production after the 2008 financial crisis. Del still had all the molds and materials needed to build a brand new CudaCraft. However, his product was more utilitarian than I desired, and he was selling off the molds. I saw an opportunity to create the perfect 20’ center console—that’s when I got THE INFLICTION. So I purchased everything.

After relocating the molds to South Florida, I enlisted the help of renowned skiff designer Chris Morejohn to redesign the hull scantlings. I wanted a more modern interior with specific features. Chris was well aware of the legacy of CudaCraft; it was one of the designs that had inspired him when he first designed the early Hells Bay skiff. He redesigned the interior by repositioning the stringers, adding a water tank, relocating the fuel tank, increasing the size of the storage lockers, and incorporating his famed deep hatch gutters. I also decided to close off the transom and extend the liner, which required us to adjust the boat's center of gravity.

Now, I had to channel nearly 30 years of experience as an engineer into becoming a boat builder. Enter THE INFLICTION—there wasn’t a night that passed without thoughts of CudaCraft boats, the construction, the rebuild, the retooling, the dream. I assembled a dedicated team and set up shop in the Dream Boat district in Stuart, Florida. There, we tirelessly worked to retool every inch of the interior while staying true to Ray Bond's original design and classic look.

Today we have the best built, best hull and best fit and finish boat in our class. Whether you need a reliable guide boat or a family pleasure craft we have the perfect and last boat you’ll ever need in a 20’- 25’ class. At CudaCraft Boatworks, we are dedicated to delivering top tier quality and craftsmanship in every boat we build.

COME CHECK OUT THE INFLICTION!