The Artemis is Rebuilt to the nines After a Sizzling Summer Incident
In July of 2018, the Darby family and Captain Chucky Moore were fishing the Edisto Billfish Tournament in South Carolina, when their beloved boat, Artemis, was struck by lightning.
The bolt’s surge ravaged the electronics, tower and many onboard systems. Although owner John Darby admits he contemplated shopping for a new boat after the accident, Artemis had become a respected part of the family over the years. A one-of-a-kind express custom built by Mark Bayne of Charleston, she has many accomplishments under her belt including a Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament win.
Ultimately, it was decided Artemis deserved to be kept and repaired to first-class standards, and it would prove well worth the wait to take her fishing again.
Photo from IntheBite.com
The makeover would indeed be comprehensive, including a full repower with a pair of new 1200hp V8 MAN engines, a new generator, spline shafts, teak decking, covering boards anvd more. The existing Seakeeper gyro stabilizer was also a victim of the lightning strike and was replaced, while the tower was refurbished with a new ceramic coating. Of course, many electronics were upgraded, including new sonar, and she was finished with new paint inside and out.
Capt. Moore recently relayed his experience to Elliot Stark, writing for In the Bite, “Randy Ramsey, Tate Lawrence, the VP of Jarrett Bay… they were all great. “Our job manager was Donnie Lee. My right-hand man for the project was Derek Polizzi of Atlantic Marine and Diesel Service [who works exclusively on Jarrett Bay yard projects]. I would drive down Monday morning and drive home Friday night. I did that for a year—working until nine at night lots of days. Derek was there with me the whole time.”
Ultimately, miles of wiring were replaced and artfully secured in the completely refurbished engine room and for the runs up to the tower helm. Polizzi took the lead on the repower and Lee credits Carl Hill, Corey McMahon of Triton Marine and a team of electricians with the successful outcome of the new sonar system and countless other electronics.
Back on the outside, the bottom was farrow blasted and areas of the cold-molded hull ground and faired for new coatings. Josh Everett of Everett Nautical Designs replenished the original transom art to put the final touches on Artemis’ rebirth.
[Capt Moore] “The boat looks amazing. John definitely got the boat he wanted.”
“It turned out beautifully,” confirms Project Manager Donnie Lee and he reports, “the boat performs fantastic with new engines.” This relatively large express fishing boat now has a wide-open throttle speed of 41.8 knots and a cruise in the upper 30s.
It’s clear the Darbys already loved this boat, and with the help of Jarrett Bay and their talented group of partners and affiliates, they’ve pulled out all the stops to make it even better. Just as a lightning storm can generate a beneficial wildfire that eventually renews a forest, that one fateful strike sparked a beautiful and lasting rebirth for the Artemis.
