Boat building lives on in Southport

SOUTHPORT, NC (WWAY) — Once packed with boats and fisherman, Southport’s fishing industry isn’t what it used to be. However, it’s not dead.

For one Southport man, it’s alive right in his own backyard.

Sandy Mitchell is a navy veteran and retired ferry captain.

During both careers, and now into retirement, he’s always crafted boats.

Mitchell built is house in Southport, but before doing so, he built his workshop.

“I’d much rather my house burn down than the shop, to be honest with you,” said Mitchell. “It would be harder to replace all the tools and that’s where my heart is.”

It all started with a magazine.

”I saw the first issue of Wooden Boat Magazine on a newsstand. I was 23 years old. I was already fascinated with the water and boats, but I look in that magazine and the boats were just so much cooler looking than the production boats that you see around. That’s what got me interested in the beginning,” he said.

Over the past 30 years Mitchell has built dozens of boats, but currently only has five of those for himself.

His plans for the future? Add to that number.

You can catch Mitchell and one of his boats at the Southport Wooden Boat Show this weekend at the Old Yacht Basin.