If you have fond memories of the good ole days fishing with Dad in the Florida Keys, there’s a vessel that likely plays a starring role in your nostalgia. The Ray Bond–built CudaCraft 19 was widely used and highly regarded in professional guide circles, attaining a cult-like status by nature of its design and performance.
The model offered an extremely soft ride and effectively split duties between the shallow flats and choppier open waters of the Gulf and Atlantic reef. Its reputation and legacy have made the model a sought-after craft for restorers—including Stuart’s Chris Rychcik.
In search of a project, Rychcik tracked down Del Bond, son of the late original designer. The molds for the 19-footer had changed hands several times over the years, before landing with Del in Tennessee, where he built CudaCraft boats for a time, until the 2008 economic downturn put an end to that.
“After numerous conversations with Del about things I wanted changed on the boat he might build for me, he suggested I could buy the molds and retool it myself,” says Rychcik, an engineer by trade who was intrigued with the idea of having a new version of a classic.
The opportunity to add 2026 technology to the build process and modernize the interior while retaining the original style and performance of the classic hull design took Rychcik on a journey lasting several years. He says he started out “redesigning the deck layout and building modern molded hatches, etc., and it snowballed.” Rychcik began working with Chris Morejohn to redesign structural aspects to support topside changes.
Rychcik could have embarked on a one-off project. Instead he decided to offer custom-built CudaCraft 19 boats to the marketplace. Built in the historic Stuart Boat Building District, the boats are constructed with the hands-on input of buyers designing a layout suited to their personal needs. The concept of building new custom boats is not uncommon in Stuart; however, the opportunity to build a classic from scratch is unique.
The modern version of the CudaCraft offers beautiful finish work—both structurally and esthetically—that wasn’t possible during the original’s day. The soft ride and heavy solid feel of the classic remains and, after completing and spending enough time retooling his own personal model, Rychcik is open for business and says the modern classic is ready to hit the market (and to turn heads).
“No matter where we go on this boat, whether it’s the sandbar, boat ramp, or even filling up at a gas station, people recognize the hull design and want to talk about it or look around at the inside,” Rychcik says, noting the reimagined boat’s one flaw with a laugh. “It makes it hard to go anywhere in a hurry.”
Power File
Length: 23 feet, 2 inches (with bracket)
Beam: 8 feet, 2 inches
Draft: 10-12 inches
Variable Deadrise: 48/24/11 degrees
Fuel: 45 gallons
Max HP: 200
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