Ommie Tillet & Carolina Sportfishermen

[gonzo]

Ommie Tillet is a legend in Sportfishermen building and design. He built the first one in the Carolinas. It is called the "Carolinian", and as far as I know is still in operation after fifty years. Rybovich started the turndown sheer and big flared bow style. All his boats were serviced at their yard and they wouldn't allow people to see the below the waterline area. It was a rather guarded design secret. In 1960, a Ribovich got damaged and hauled out at Virginia Beach and Ommie went over to take some notes. He then got back to the Outer Banks and built the "Carolinian". Ommie started running charters when he was ten. His father was sick, so he skipped school and showed up at 5:00AM to get the boat ready. The guys that had hired the charter looked at the kid and laughed. Ommie got kind of upset and told them to jump in to go fishing or he would leave and go fishing alone. They got on, and the rest is history.