The Albury family has been building boats in Man O’War Cay, Abaco, for generations, including their famous smacks, sloops and schooners. In 1952 Willard Albury, first with his father and brother, then with his sons Don and Jamie, designed and produced sea kindly outboard runabouts and skiffs. In 2021 we mourned the passing of our founder, Willard Albury, who passed peacefully in his sleep at age 83. We celebrated the retirement of Don Albury at the end of 2022. Jamie Albury continues to build 18.5’ and 23’ boats in Man O’ War, for those customers who appreciate a special boat when they see one.
Due to unmet demand, the Albury family licensed Jeff Lichterman to produce Albury Brothers Boats in Florida starting in 2003. Central to this License was to ensure a Florida built boat was the same great quality as those built in Man O’ War. All parties agreed this was essential, and it continues to this day. Materials used, and construction performed in Florida continue to be under the supervision and control of the Albury family. Since 2003, over five hundred 20’, 23’, 27’ and 33’ boats have been built in Florida. The next generation in Florida, Adam Lichterman, has become an excellent boat builder and continues the tradition.
Whether you choose to have your boat built in Abaco, or the States, it is the same great boat.
Albury Brothers Boats were built in wood until 1985, when the hearty Madera tree became depleted. The first fiberglass boat was lofted off the last wooden hull. This became the 18.5 footer, which is in production in Abaco. In 1990, Willard created the 20 foot model using the strip plank pattern method. Sheer and freeboard were added, as well as the beam carried forward. The 20 is produced in Florida. In 1997, at the behest of Island Marine boat rentals, Willard lofted the 23 footer. He added a set of lifting strakes, took a little roundness out of the bilge & continued his approach of carrying more beam forward.
In 2005, Willard Albury began lofting the 27’ hull using sections from the fabulous 23 hull. Production of the 27 footer began in 2007 in Florida. The latest addition to the fleet is a 33 footer, launched in 2014. Willard Albury worked a hull plug model to perfection, then it was scanned. After a plug was cut on a 5 axis router, Willard then spent time refining it.
In 2020 Albury Brothers developed a closed transom, bracketed version of the 33, which has the width to accommodate three engines. We noticed the 33B tooling would fit the 27 with only a minor adjustment, so we did so. We now offer a “B” (bracketed) version of both the 33 and 27 hulls.
