CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN RV HODGE TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES AT JARRETT BAY BOATWORKS THE RIGINAL INSIDER If you hang around a highly successful business long enough, you’ll probably hear a lot of entrepreneurial tips being shared. Not all advice may be applicable across various industries, markets, and eras, however there is one saying that always seems to ring true—‘It’s all about the people.’ That’s why we’re focusing this issue of OnBoard magazine on hearing from some of the individuals behind the brands. We wanted to get an unvarnished view from the factory floors, not the C-suites or marketing departments. That is what led us to connect with RV Hodge, currently the New Construction Foreman at Jarrett Bay Boatworks, and an employee of the company for nearly twenty years. Originally hailing from Minnesota and the Land of 10,000 lakes, Hodge came to Jarrett Bay byway of Alaska, wherehe lived and adventured with his wife, Jennie, and young family before moving Downeast to North Carolina. He looks every bit the part of a strapping outdoorsman and seasoned shipwright, and in fact, his experience in boat building now stretches beyond his work at Jarrett Bay to include helping create small work boats for missions use. He and other volunteers have hand-built several vessels donated to Northwest Haiti Christian Mission by the not-for-profit organization Missions Navigation. And that’s just one of his many hobbies. Beyond the bristly, lumberjack-like appearance, you’ll find a talented, thoughtful and creative mind who puts God and family first, and delights in inspiring his children and grandchildren with stories and riddles. He’s written and published several books of fiction, including a fully illustrated children’s series, TheAdventuresofBoathouse Mouse. He’s nothing short of a boat building Renaissance man of many talents and interests! ALWAYS TEACHING When asked about his favorite parts of the job, Hodge reveals, “I love the daily demand for creative solutions necessary to build custom boats. I love the systematic progress that is evident each day. And I love that we build an incredible product. But at this point in my career, I think my favorite part is teaching my trade, which I love, to the next generation.” But he quickly concedes that this is also the most challenging aspect of his work days. “Every employee has a different level of skills and understanding, and each has a different level of passion for building boats. It can be frustrating at times, but profoundly satisfying when someone catches on to a complicated concept and levels up their abilities,” he says. While he likely would have been just as happy doing his thing on the construction floor in relative anonymity, Jarrett Bay’s management had other ideas. When the company set out to develop a digital video series showcasing their construction and service work, RV was tapped as an ideal spokesperson; knowledgeable, presentable, articulate and playful. Thus, his career as a vlogger and Youtube personality began as host of the Jarrett Bay Insider. Photos by Luke Pearson 30 BLUEWATER
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