the perspective and knowledge that very few people possess. “He sees all sides of a transaction, and very few people have as much experience as he does,” adds Randy. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who has more expertise in selling and supporting new Viking and Regulator boats than Jud Black, and one of his first recruits to join his team, Craig Messick, both of Hampton, Virginia. Craig explains that he is about ten years younger than Jud and went to Kecoughtan High School at the same time as Jud’s sister Shari. It was through that familiarity that when Jud went to work for Chris Hall at Boater’s World around 1988, he wound up hiring Craig as a part-time service apprentice a year later. “Jud and I grew up in a similar atmosphere, both raised on the water here, and learning about boating as kids. Early on, I was working after school and evenings. Many nights we were there until midnight rigging a boat for the next day. Jud and I did a lot together, and at that point he was more of a mechanic than a sales guy,” Messick explains. One of Craig’s favorite memories from that time involves the employee vending machine out back. “There were always one or two slots that were stocked with Coors Light. So, when our work was done for the night, we’d break out the remote-control cars on the showroom floor while having a couple beers.” In that way, Jud and Craig shared an upbringing on the service side of the boat business, where they came to appreciate the value of customer service and gain a comprehensive understanding of aboat owner’s journey. “Turns out hewas a pretty good sales guy too, and it worked out well for him,” Craig understates. “Jud treats his customers with the utmost respect, as they should be treated.” Honesty and trustworthiness sowed the seeds of his success, and an ability to stay out of conflicts has contributed to his longevity in the industry, Craig says. MASTERFUL MENTORING Knowing exactly when—and when not—to say things is a knack that few of us have mastered, but Jud’s tact and personality are such that people have gravitated to him throughout his career. Down to the person, every Bluewater team member values him as a sounding board: someone who is easy to access and will freely return sage advice and bits of wisdom. From some of his long-time colleagues, such as Craig Messick, Carl Beale, Scott James, Hank Sibley and Wyatt Lane to newer Bluewater personnel such as Baxter Lusink, Blake Tice and Aubrey Wroten, so many good team members have been attracted to Jud’s easy going leadership style, and ultimately benefited from his belief in them. “He’s been doing this work a long time and always has valuable insights and doesn't ever get shaken up,” says Tice. No matter what happens, Jud is the even keel reassuring his team members they can work through any challenge. “He’s always calm, a good listener and there to help others. He’s always been a mentor for many of us.” John Bishop, a custom rod builder and tackle shop owner in Yorktown, Virginia, never worked directly for Jud, but instead worked alongside him as a tenant in the Boater’s World days. “I learned a lot from watching how Jud operates. He’s a great salesperson, but not in a pushy way. He’s smooth and calm, confident and honest,” observes John. “I’ve only seen him get excited over a fish looking at the bait— never in a business situation. He has a plan for everything and makes sharp decisions. He doesn’t complain about a bad situation, or let it linger. He can deal with trouble like nobody I’ve ever been around.” Through their journey dealing small boat brands at Boater’s World to pivoting to Bluewater’s larger yacht business in the early nineties, Johnwatched Jud transition from a young salesman to a premiere broker. Then in 1999, both Jud and Earle Hall became partners in Bluewater as VPs of Sales and Service, respectively. Chris and Earle Hall were talented businessmen in their own rights, and the trio made a formidable team as they built their sales and service capabilities while offering Viking, Hatteras and Regulator brands, among many others along the way. According to John, Jud has been a big part of Bluewater’s success because of his demeanor and skillset. “Jud is a born mediator, and voice of reason,” John says. “He has always hired well and is excellent at reading people and situations.” Bluewater’s standards have always been sky-high, which can make for a demanding workplace. But Jud’s communication skills helped to recruit and retain top talent over the years. “Some of my best memories with Jud are situations where we started out in a difficult place, but working through it together, we moved forward to be successful,” Randy summarizes. 27 2025 SEASON
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