Timeless Classics – September/October 2013

Alglas & Pacemaker Wahoo

by Pete Barrett

Back in 1966, Pacemaker had formed Alglas, a start-up company created to build boats from the then-new fiberglass materials and resins. Company executives were off on a Bahamas trip leaving behind an order to lay off 35 people from the boatworks. Instead, Arnold Apel, president of Alglas met with Dave Martin, the company’s marine architect, for lunch at the Dutchman Restaurant where they designed a center console boat that was to become a legend.

John Leek IV, Ocean Yachts general manager, has a special place in his heart for the Alglas and Pacemaker Wahoo boats because his family’s roots are at the heart of the histories of Pacemaker, Egg Harbor, Alglas and today’s Ocean Yachts.

John recapped the events that led to the first Wahoo.

“Over one weekend, plans were drawn and molds tooled for the new boat, and the first Wahoo 25 was launched a week later with an unbelievable price tag of just $4,995. Back from vacation, company execs were pretty ticked off that the work force had not been trimmed, but by then dealers had already responded to a mail-blast of flyers and phone calls and had placed orders for 35 Wahoos, thus saving the jobs of 35 crewmen at the plant.”

John recalled that around 1,000 of the 25-foot hulls were built from 1967 to the mid-1970s, and a later version based on a similar 26-foot Pacemaker hull introduced around 1975 also sold close to 1,000. At peak production, Pacemaker was turning out one Wahoo per day. This is an amazing accomplishment for a boat drawn up on a table napkin over lunch!

Originally designed as a simple, single-engine, center console striped bass boat to fish the whitewater in Barnegat and Little Egg inlets, the Alglas Wahoo 25 and its younger cousin the Pacemaker Wahoo 26 are still popular today and can be seen fishing off Martha’s Vineyard, Florida’s Jupiter Inlet and the Keys, at Montauk and Brielle, and in New England’s famed striped bass waters.

The original 25-foot hull featured a round chine that allowed the boat to bob and dance like a cork in rough, whitewater in dangerous coastal inlets. A skeg and keel protected the prop, and the boat rode gently in most any sea while cruising at 20 knots. With minimal rake at the bow stem, the early Wahoos sported a blunt, pugnacious look as if it’s ready to handle any fish-fighting chore. Later, the 26 Wahoo boasted a more rakish bow, a hard chine and a slightly longer hull, but kept the keel and the same beam. It ran a bit faster and was somewhat dryer in windy seas.

Deck layouts are similar, but not identical. The original Wahoo console was positioned slightly forward and covered the single gas engine. The 26 Wahoo’s console was made larger to accommodate an enclosed head and larger panel for electronics, and the engine was moved slightly aft so a raised deck was added over the engine, which provided improved helm visibility. Both versions have forward decks with vee hatches and enclosed rod storage lockers tucked under the coverboards. Jack Leek (John’s grandfather) had no love for stern drives or V-drives so the Pacemaker version retained the basic inboard design and sleek Jersey Sea Skiff look of the original Alglas boats.

Both Wahoo versions are wonderful boats to customize, upgrade and refurbish. New Jersey’s Long Beach Island is considered “Wahoo Heaven” where several are owned by members of the Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club.

 Bob Donat of U.S. Paints beautifully refurbished his 1976 Wahoo named Donuts that he’s owned since 1994. Besides its gleaming Aqua Mist Awlgrip paint job, he’s repowered with a Crusader 350 fuel-injected gas engine that burns just 10 gallons an hour while cruising at 21 knots. “It’s a great family boat,” he says, “with lots of freeboard and deck space and a stable ride. We fish it for striped bass in spring and fall, and fluke all summer.”

Besides inshore striped bass fishing, John Gillespie’s Irish River also makes several canyon runs each season. His 1977 hull is repowered with a Yanmar 350-hp diesel and in nice seas slips along at 24 knots and burning a miserly 55 gallons for a blue-water trip. Amazing! John’s Wahoo was purchased in 1994 and fished for two years then laid idle until 2004 when he completely gutted the hull, replacing the engine, wiring, decks and custom fabricating hatches, and adding a new leaning post, custom T-top and upgraded electronics, and finished off in Fighting Lady Yellow Awlgrip with Oyster White top sides.

Walter Johnson of Johnson & Towers, Inc. kept the basic layout to his Wahoo but added a booth-style enclosure around the console to keep dry on those chilly spring and fall days of bass fishing. Painted distinctly in Palm Beach Green set off with white trim, the XYZ also sports a rocket launcher, a new 350-hp power plant and modern additions like new electronics and dripless shaft bearings. Walter’s technique for striped bass is unique. He and his crew use surf rods to slow-troll live bunker in the cresting swells. Their success is amazing, and Walter holds the Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club striped bass record with a 59.4-pounder caught in 2008.

“The Wahoo is just perfect for the fishing I do,” Walter says.

The Alglas and Pacemaker Wahoo skiffs have eye-catching good looks and outstanding fishability, plus easy-to-fix systems and terrific reliability. No wonder this Timeless Classic is so popular after nearly 50 years of wonderful fishing memories.