Over 40 years ago, Willy Roberts began building a flats boat that was a portrait of excellence for its time. Today, the tradition continues with Willy Classic Boats in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. After purchasing Roberts’ original molds from his granddaughter in 1999, the company spent 11 months retooling and building new molds. The result is the Willy Classic 20, one of the lightest, highest-quality flats skiffs in its size range. The 20 is built using carbon and kevlar, Core Cell foam and vinylester resin in a vacuum-bag process to decrease weight without affecting strength. To ensure quality control, Willy Classic Boats brought in a lamination team from one of the top sport-fish builders in the industry.The boat comes fully rigged and ready to fish; many features typically expected to cost extra are included as standard equipment. The base package includes a 90-hp Yamaha, choice of hull color, Lenco trim tabs and standard side console with custom mahogany helm pod and single-lever control. You’ll also find standard a teak mini fighting chair, built-in three-drawer tackle center, poling platform, built-in lockable rod storage and dual bait wells aft. A 35-gallon in-deck cooler box can be plumbed for an optional release well. Weighing less than 1,000 pounds when outfitted with a 90-hp outboard, the Willy Classic 20 is easily poled in as little as six inches of water. Forty-five gallons of fuel gives the boat plenty of range, and Willy Classic Boats’ air step design provides speed, performance and a dry ride. Built custom, one at a time, each 20 offers the space and comfort of a bay boat with the shallow-water capabilities of a much smaller flats skiff – the perfect marriage between a classic design and modern technology and materials.
