BOATERS OF INTEREST
48
TREASURE COAST BOATING
Expert craftsmen at Dragonfly Boatworks pay attention to every last detail.
“The adventures in my life and the journey I’ve been on
has exposed me to so many amazing things,” he said.
He moved to Fort Pierce in 1975, opened the surf shop Atlantis
and quickly immersed himself in the surfing and boating
culture. His work and innovation in the fiberglass industry put
him in demand, successfully making, repairing, creating and
improvising all sorts of solutions to all sorts of problems.
From there he morphed into building fishing boats and
was co-owner of Maverick Boat Group. Those years spent
building and selling in-shore craft gave him the knowledge
and expertise to market shallow-water skiffs. Always an innovative
thinker, Castlow initiated a shallow-water fishing
expo at the dealership, designed to get customers through the
door. He invited manufacturers of fishing gear, sunglasses
and boating equipment to exhibit their products as a focal
point for people to visit and ultimately look at the boats.
When his partner bought him out in the mid-’80s, Castlow
and his wife took the expo on the road and yearly produced
eight shows around the country. Through savvy marketing,
Castlow expanded the show to about 175 vendors including
local boat dealers and destinations, with their shows attracting
up to 10,000 visitors.
“We kept true to our concept with the in-shore, light tackle
fishing lifestyle,” he explained. “Our motto was no slicers,
no dicers and bamboo steamers. We would rent out the
entire Orange County Convention Center and fill it. We even
partnered with Coastal Living Magazine and set up a village
showcasing their advertisers in exchange for advertising in
their national publication.”
MARK CASTLOW
Age: 70
Occupation: Owner of
Dragonfly Boatworks
Lives in: Vero Beach
Family: Married with one
grown son
Education: Southwest
High School in Miami and
Miami Dade College
Hobbies: Surfing, boating,
fly-fishing
What inspires you: “Seeing the quality product my people
produce and knowing that it was my guys who did it. I am
also always inspired by my wife and partner, Mary, who is
the most compassionate person I’ve ever met.”
Something people don’t know about you: “I love helping
people succeed and find human to human compassion one of
my best assets.”
The downturn in the market prompted the end of the touring
expositions. He then started Dragonfly Boatworks in Vero
Beach where he applied all of his prowess to building the best
near-shore boats in the market with a worldwide customer
base. Just as the business was taking off, the BP oil spill in the
Gulf of Mexico happened and got Castlow all worked up.
“When I saw it on TV I was literally dumbfounded,” he
said. “I couldn’t sleep. Instead, I sketched out ideas for a boat
to rescue wildlife.”
Castlow emailed his friend, Jimbo Meador, who happened
to be in the Bahamas fishing with their mutual friend,
singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett, and the three teamed up
to supply four custom vessels specifically designed to aid in
the recovery of oil-covered wildlife along the marshes of the
Gulf Coast.
“We called them SWAT boats,” he explained. “That stood
for Shallow Water Attention Terminal. Our crew at Dragonfly
finished the first 17-foot skiff from my original drawings and
finished the product in just 28 days.”
The SWAT boats served as platforms for cleaning oilsoaked
birds and drew just 9 or 10 inches when loaded. The
bow mounted electric trolling motor let rescuers quietly approach
wildlife.
“We were met with resistance all the way from the government
and BP oil, but we did it. After a special segment on
CNN’s AC360 news show with Anderson Cooper, donations
poured in and solutions to our roadblocks were found. We all
made our livings from the ocean and we needed to step up
and help.”
These days Castlow and his 17 employees complete about
50 boats yearly. His passion for quality craftsmanship exudes
in every step of the building process.
“A Dragonfly boat is coveted and we rarely see them resold,”
he said. “Primarily because each one is made for the individual
buyer and tailored to their specific wants and needs.”
His other passion is the environment and he is always one
to help.
“The ocean has provided me a livelihood from day one and
my entire life is based around the ocean and water. When a
conservation group needs help, I’ve got to do it. It’s Mother
Nature asking. I only hope the next generation will carry the
torch and preserve our valuable waters.”