Restored Whiticar 21: A Classic Cold-Molded Dayboat Reborn

I’ll admit it: I’m a sucker for beautiful small boats. Always have been. The Whiticar 21 is one of those rare vessels that stops you in your tracks — both elegant and unique. Built by Whiticar Boat Works of Stuart, Florida, the Whiticar 21 stands out as the only outboard model the shop produced. Whiticar was better known for fine cold-molded offshore sportfishermen, and this little dayboat carries that same DNA of craftsmanship and attention to detail.

Her History and Provenance

The 21-foot Whiticar was built in 1966 for T.R. Garlington of Garlington Yachts, a custom boatbuilder. During fair weather she was often run a mile or two offshore into the Gulf Stream to chase sailfish — a testament to the boat’s capable construction and seaworthiness despite its modest size. After decades of service and storage, the vessel found a second life through a careful, sensitive restoration.

The 2009 Restoration by Scopinich Boat Works

In 2009 Paul Scopinich of Scopinich Boat Works in Stuart undertook a full restoration. Scopinich, known locally for building quality fighting chairs and custom boats, had acquired the Whiticar roughly eight years earlier from a local captain and kept it in a garage until business allowed the time for a refit. When he finally pulled the boat out in June, he and his team began a thorough restoration that respected the original construction while updating systems for reliable, modern use.

The hull — cold-molded and mahogany-planked — was in remarkably good condition for its age. There were a few soft spots on the deck, some deterioration on a single frame, and wear around the aluminum windshield, but the overall structure was sound. Scopinich praised the original build quality: “The hull was perfect. They go overboard when they build stuff. They don’t forget the epoxy.”

Work Done During the Refit

The restoration required only limited structural replacement: a few planks and frames were renewed. The project focused equally on preserving character and improving functionality. The team completely rewired the boat, installed a new teak deck over the original cold-molded plywood deck, fitted a teak helm pod and two new helm chairs, and had the original hardware rechromed. A tasteful wooden windshield replaced the aluminum original — a design sketched for Scopinich by Whiticar founder Curt Whiticar on the back of a nautical chart. Scopinich consulted with Curt, who had built the boat and remained engaged with the restoration process.

Originally powered by a Mercury Black Max outboard, the boat received a modern 90-horsepower Suzuki four-stroke on the transom. In a nod to history, Scopinich replaced the new Suzuki stickers with specially made Mercury-style Black Max decals from the original era. He painted the hull a classic “fighting lady yellow” and finished the deck in “snow white,” creating a look that is both period-appropriate and striking on the water.

Time, Cost, and Availability

The restoration took roughly 850 labor hours and wrapped up in November. Scopinich placed a value north of $80,000 on the finished boat, though he acknowledged he might keep her for his own use. The Whiticar 21 presents as a lovely dayboat with strong pedigree and meticulous workmanship — the kind of restoration that preserves maritime history while delivering a reliable, beautiful small craft for modern use.

A Thought on Craftsmanship

There’s a special quality to boats built with the care and attention Whiticar Boat Works applied to this hull. Cold-molded construction, quality epoxy work and careful joinery produce a vessel that can weather decades and still be worth restoring. The Whiticar 21 restores more than wood and varnish; it restores a sense that small, well-made boats remain relevant and desirable in a world of mass-produced craft.

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Farewell to a Colleague

It is with a tinge of sadness and deep appreciation that we bid fair winds to longtime Soundings colleague Bob Grobe, who is retiring after 31 years with the magazine. Bob sold advertising across Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and eastern Canada, and over those years he proved himself smart, witty and insightful. Conversations with Bob left you feeling you’d learned something new, even when the topic was wonderfully obscure. He understood the real value of customer service, and for that we are grateful. We wish him well in retirement.

“Men in a ship are always looking up, and men ashore generally looking down.” — John Mansfield

This article originally appeared in the February 2010 issue.

For inquiries or photographs related to the restoration, contact Scopinich Boat Works at (772) 288-3111.