The History of Albemarle Sportfishing Boats

Widely regarded as one of the finest sportfishing boats in the world, Albemarle Boats was founded on an idea that each of us has uttered in our own lives: “Sometimes, if you want something done right, you just have to do it yourself.”

In the mid 1970’s, J. Scott Harrell Sr. found himself in just such a predicament. For several years he had owned a thriving boat dealership selling the kind of sportfishing boats that he and his family felt were the best available at the time. The problem was, when customers would trade in a boat he had sold them just a few years earlier, he found that it took a tremendous amount of work to get the boats ready for resale. Even though these were some of the top brands, they were just not built strongly enough to stand up to the unforgiving waters of the Albemarle Sound and the rugged seas off Cape Hatteras.

Unwilling to accept anything less than the very best for his customers, Harrell began a quest to design and build the strongest, most dependable, and best fishing boat imaginable. Being located in the colonial seaport of Edenton, North Carolina allowed Harrell to attract some of the most talented and respected marine craftsmen in the industry who shared his passion to create boats that would establish new levels of excellence in ride, safety and fishability. In 1978, “Hull #1,” a 24-foot cuddy that is still in active service today, rolled out and began what is now a history of enduring success.

Today, Albemarle continues to enhance and develop its boats through a combination of firm values and customer-focused design. Built one at a time, every Albemarle that leaves our factory is a clear reflection of an unrelenting commitment to quality and craftsmanship that few products can rival. From our classic hand-laid Carolina style hull, to the custom cabinetry below decks, to the meticulous attention to detail in every inch of wiring, you quickly see why Albemarle has received numerous industry awards and earned a reputation as the premiere sportfishing boat for serious offshore anglers.

For more than 27 years, our company has been changing and adapting to pioneer new advances in marine manufacturing, and we stand unwaveringly on principles of quality craftsmanship and customer satisfaction that will never change.